withallyourmind.net

The latest issue of Salvo magazine is excellent. It examines the influence of the media on modern society. Bobby Maddex discusses how the film industry and the making of films impacts Christians and how Christians should be impacting the film industry. Maddex provides Hollywood screenwriter and devout Catholic Barbara Nicolosi’s criteria for an excellent film: It must be technically sound and provide a moral message. Nicolosi blogs at Church of the Masses. Maddex lists ten movies that he thinks makes the cut:

1. The Addiction (1995)
2. Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001)
3. Lilies of the Field (1963)
4. Tender Mercies (1983)
5. Andrei Rublev (1969)
6. A Man for All Seasons (1966)
7. Babette’s Feast (1987)
8. Sophie Scholl (2005)
9. The Ice Storm (1997)
10. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

On the other hand, Maddex also provides a list of movies which are the truly dangerous films - technical masterpieces which exhibit deceitful and depraved worldviews. Nicolosi considers them bad art because they fail to match the message with the means. These films can be very persuasive and harmful. Here’s a few dangerous films:

1. The Graduate (1967)
2. Pleasantville (1998)
3. The Big Chill (1983)
4. The Hours (2002)
5. American Beauty (1999)
6. Vera Drake (2004)
7. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
8. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
9. Happiness (1998)
10. Thelma and Louise (1991)

The article is quite instructive and will enable one to be more discerning in evaluating modern cinema. I’d recommend reading the entire article.