Reviews of Spiritual Teachers
These are my second-favorite movies about spirituality. There are a lot of great films in the list, but some of them like Unforgiven, are surely peculiar to me in terms of why I consider them a “spiritual” movie. My favorite from this list of movies about spirituality is The Fountain.
Our Town (1940, 1977, 1989)
This heartbreaking Thornton Wilder play shows us the pleasures and pains of life in the small New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners in the early years of the 20th century. The final act of the play is an enlightening look at the resolution of life in death. Continue reading “Our Town: A double dose of nostalgia”
Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
A Vietnam vet (Jacob) fears for his sanity as dream-like images and demons begin to appear. Convinced these hallucinations resulted from government experimentation with a mind-altering drug called “The Ladder,” the hero makes a startling discovery about his true nature. Continue reading “Jacob’s Ladder: a philosophical thriller”
Unforgiven (1992)
Am I stretching to call Unforgiven a spiritual classic? This Clint Eastwood film broke new ground in its attempt to display the harsh realities of gunplay and justice in the Old West. Continue reading “Unforgiven”
Into Great Silence (2005) — At two hours and forty-five minutes, Into Great Silence is a marathon of… quiet. It is a documentary about life in a Carthusian monastery. Continue reading “Into Great Silence: A glimpse of Carthusian monastic life”
The Fountain (2006)
Death is the road to awe.
How many movies would contain that line? Visually entrancing, peppered with thought-provoking moments, and hauntingly scored by Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet, The Fountain is nevertheless far from flawless. Continue reading “The Fountain: Asking what is life and what is love”