As I may have mentioned in previous posts, I am a fan of the Vatican Film List. A list of 45 movies organized under three categories of "Religion" "Morality" and "Art". While there are still plenty of movies on that list that I need to see, it got me thinking of what my own 45 movies list would look like. So I made one.
Neither of these lists are "Best" or "Need-to-See" lists per se, but they are best stated as simply "Important" movies worth checking out. The Vatican Film List was actually compiled to celebrate the exact 100 year anniversary since the beginning of film making. My list is perhaps more simply just great movies that I have seen, made from early years of film making to present day. I repeat, these are simply movies that I have personally seen and may not even be the very best of their category, especially since it's just subjective personal opinion.
Neither of these lists are "Best" or "Need-to-See" lists per se, but they are best stated as simply "Important" movies worth checking out. The Vatican Film List was actually compiled to celebrate the exact 100 year anniversary since the beginning of film making. My list is perhaps more simply just great movies that I have seen, made from early years of film making to present day. I repeat, these are simply movies that I have personally seen and may not even be the very best of their category, especially since it's just subjective personal opinion.
For my list, I decided to use three categories as well, but my labels include "Catholic", "Moral Value", and "Artistic Value". This is an attempt to separate my list from the other and to try to match my criteria for valuable movies with quality movies that represent the Catholic faith. The movies listed under each category are not in any particular order of rank, just a simple list of 15 movies that best represent each category. I tried as best I could to not repeat Vatican Film List picks, but some of these movies I put on the list BECAUSE I only watched them after seeing them on the Vatican Film List and I was impressed by their film making. Under the "Artistic Value" category, I chose 15 films to represent 15 different genres or styles of film. Also, I repeat, these are only movies that I have personally seen.
Catholic
-Of Gods and Men (2010)
-I Confess (1953)
-Roma, Citta Aperta (1945)
-The Flowers of St. Francis (1950)
-On the Waterfront (1954)
-Going My Way (1944)
-Henry V (1989)
-The Rite (2011)
-Calvary (2014)
-A Man for All Seasons (1966)
-The Song of Bernadette (1943)
-Becket (1964)
-Monsieur Vincent (1947)
-The Scarlet and the Black (1983)
-The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Talking Points: This is basically my list of 10 Highly Recommendable Catholic Movies with some extras thrown in, so I'm only going to explain just a few of my choices here.
I did not watch I Confess until after creating my previous list. I consider it to be an underrated Hitchcock classic. It’s a great examination of the Seal of the Confessional and also humanizes priests as men who know what love and romance is even before being ordained. The end goes a little goofy, but it’s the dedication that each character has toward achieving their desired goal that drives this movie's great use of tension. In a movie where you already know the answer to the mystery, it sure is thrilling.
Roma: Citta Aperta shares many similarities with The Scarlet and the Black since they both deal with the Nazi occupation of Rome during World War II and the stealthy response from the Catholics in and out of the Vatican. What separates the two is Roma is an Italian movie made right on the heels of the end of World War II, filmed right within Rome itself, which emphasizes the realism of the movie.
The Flowers of St. Francis, the English translation of the title of this Italian film, is a series of vignettes focused on how St. Francis founded the Franciscan Order and some of the stories about him and his first monks during that time. I’m told that real monks were used in the supporting roles, which adds to the realism, and it really really makes you believe that you are watching slices of life about this saint and his companions right in the 13th century.
I did not watch I Confess until after creating my previous list. I consider it to be an underrated Hitchcock classic. It’s a great examination of the Seal of the Confessional and also humanizes priests as men who know what love and romance is even before being ordained. The end goes a little goofy, but it’s the dedication that each character has toward achieving their desired goal that drives this movie's great use of tension. In a movie where you already know the answer to the mystery, it sure is thrilling.
Roma: Citta Aperta shares many similarities with The Scarlet and the Black since they both deal with the Nazi occupation of Rome during World War II and the stealthy response from the Catholics in and out of the Vatican. What separates the two is Roma is an Italian movie made right on the heels of the end of World War II, filmed right within Rome itself, which emphasizes the realism of the movie.
The Flowers of St. Francis, the English translation of the title of this Italian film, is a series of vignettes focused on how St. Francis founded the Franciscan Order and some of the stories about him and his first monks during that time. I’m told that real monks were used in the supporting roles, which adds to the realism, and it really really makes you believe that you are watching slices of life about this saint and his companions right in the 13th century.
Moral Value
-Babette’s Feast (1987)
Moral of the Story: Food is awesome and you never know when your simple good deeds will provide unforeseen rewards
Moral of the Story: Food is awesome and you never know when your simple good deeds will provide unforeseen rewards
-The Bicycle Thief (1948)
Moral of the Story: Just because someone does an evil deed to you, is it justifiable for you to also do an evil deed out of desperation?
Moral of the Story: Just because someone does an evil deed to you, is it justifiable for you to also do an evil deed out of desperation?
-It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Moral of the Story: Helping people is worthwhile and bears fruit, even when you cannot see it on a regular basis.
Moral of the Story: Helping people is worthwhile and bears fruit, even when you cannot see it on a regular basis.
-Schindler’s List (1993)
Moral of the Story: It is better to give than to receive and people have worth. Also, Nazis are evil.
Moral of the Story: It is better to give than to receive and people have worth. Also, Nazis are evil.
-The Last Samurai (2003)
Moral of the Story: Redemption is possible.
Moral of the Story: Redemption is possible.
-The Quiet Man (1952)
Moral of the Story: Peace is the ultimate good, but true strength and courage are required to move forward.
Moral of the Story: Peace is the ultimate good, but true strength and courage are required to move forward.
-The Lord of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Moral of the Story: You don't have to be grand or big to do something heroic. Also, evil is bad and good is good.
Moral of the Story: You don't have to be grand or big to do something heroic. Also, evil is bad and good is good.
-The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
(2007)
Moral of the Story: Killing the bad guy is not always the right answer.
Moral of the Story: Killing the bad guy is not always the right answer.
- Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Moral of the Story: There's a difference between the obligation of duty and personal ambition.
Moral of the Story: There's a difference between the obligation of duty and personal ambition.
-Groundhog Day (1993)
Moral of the Story: Helping people is more important than your own selfish desires.
Moral of the Story: Helping people is more important than your own selfish desires.
-The Prestige (2006)
Moral of the Story: Revenge can only lead to disastrous consequences.
Moral of the Story: Revenge can only lead to disastrous consequences.
-Sergeant York (1941)
Moral of the Story: Killing is wrong, but sometimes you've got to step up and save people.
Moral of the Story: Killing is wrong, but sometimes you've got to step up and save people.
-The Mission (1986)
Moral of the Story: There's always a chance for forgiveness and peace is the right way to live. Also, colonialism is evil.
Moral of the Story: There's always a chance for forgiveness and peace is the right way to live. Also, colonialism is evil.
-Lilies of the Field (1963)
Moral of the Story: Community is vital to life and sometimes you can find a mission and purpose in places you wouldn't expect.
Moral of the Story: Community is vital to life and sometimes you can find a mission and purpose in places you wouldn't expect.
-Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)
Moral of the Story:Community is vital to life and you can make friends with anyone if you give them a chance. Also, not all Nazis are evil?
Artistic Value
-Animation: Princess Mononoke (1997)
I was
close to copying the Vatican Film List and putting Fantasia in this slot since
it is such a piece of high quality art and the hard work has withstood the test
of time, but I think that this choice showcases an entire history of animation
within its runtime. Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli are one of the most
renowned animation companies today because they bring a specific artistic style, rooted in their country’s culture and history, to life. The shots of nature and
the spirits that inhabit the world are gorgeous, but the animation is also not
afraid to give time to the grotesque and violent. If you wanted to prove the value of hand-drawn 2D animation in the modern context, this movie is the best way to go about it.
-Western: Stagecoach (1939)
While I
considered other options, including other John Wayne movies, this is the
definitive Western to me. The actors portray two things: caricatures of cliché Western
characters and people with heavy personal struggles based on their pasts. There’s
the gun play and horse riding that Westerns are known for, the location shots
are infamous in their ability to define the genre, and the people all seem like
they come straight from the last couple decades of the 19th century
in Southwest United States. It's reserved in the gritty violence and anti-heroism that later defined the western genre and instead allows genuine humor and drama to create an enduring story and heartfelt characters.
-Comedy: Hot Fuzz (2007)
This movie is comedic in how serious it presents itself. It knows how to spoof a genre properly while simultaneously tell its own unique story. This movie invites multiple viewings because of the little inside jokes and clues it leaves along the way. Despite some profanity and modern mindsets, it is never vulgar and nowhere near as inappropriate as most other movies passing themselves off as "comedies". The characters are all cooky and fun, as are the action scenes in the last third of the movie. Seriously, the delivery of the lines in this movie is so dry and dramatic that you can't help but laugh at them. The reason this movie beats out the more quotable Big Lebowski is this one actually has a coherent plot and has restraint in areas that Lebowski lacks.
This movie is comedic in how serious it presents itself. It knows how to spoof a genre properly while simultaneously tell its own unique story. This movie invites multiple viewings because of the little inside jokes and clues it leaves along the way. Despite some profanity and modern mindsets, it is never vulgar and nowhere near as inappropriate as most other movies passing themselves off as "comedies". The characters are all cooky and fun, as are the action scenes in the last third of the movie. Seriously, the delivery of the lines in this movie is so dry and dramatic that you can't help but laugh at them. The reason this movie beats out the more quotable Big Lebowski is this one actually has a coherent plot and has restraint in areas that Lebowski lacks.
-Horror: Psycho (1960)
For the
record, other horror movies like The Exorcist and even The Conjuring were in close
contention for making this list. However, sometimes the natural is even scarier
than the supernatural, and Psycho is the best popular example of something macabre
happening in ordinary life. All of the most thrilling scenes are memorable
because of their power of suggestive fright, including the shower scene, the basement
scene, and the final shot of the movie. The black and white cinematography on
top of the music score adds so much atmosphere to what may otherwise just be a
melodrama with some absurd moments. This work is also one of the most
accessible movies of the horror genre since it does not rely on gruesome blood
effects and demonic voices.
-Science Fiction: Star Wars (1977)
I know.
I’m surprised by this myself. I spend so much time acknowledging the Star Wars
movies as just average movies given overrated praise by fanboys. Yet, if I had
to pick one movie that encapsulated science-fiction and was a good
representation of influence from the past and insight into the future of
filmmaking, it would have to be the original Star Wars movie. There’s different
planets, laser weapons, robots, space travel, alien creatures, and some
philosophical dialogue. The ability of the filmmaking team to utilize little
models and standard technology to create such life-like imagery is worth
commending.
-Documentary: It Might Get Loud (2008)
I
cannot say that I’m watched too many documentaries before and I am sure that
there are others that deserve higher praise than this one. For my own part
though, from the documentaries that I have seen overall, this is the one I hold as a standard to compare the quality of other documentaries I see. It tells its
story of the history of the electric guitar, thereby the history of rock music,
from different angles in a fun, entertaining, and engaging way. All
three guitarists bring a different perspective and represent a different period
in rock’n’roll. You want the movie to keeping going as it heads toward the finale and you want to rewatch because of the great music and the intriguing behind-the-scenes approach you're given into the world of rock music.
-Adventure: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
If there was one movie that had the atmosphere and fun of old school adventure movies with modern technology and respectable dialogue, it's Raiders. The introductory scene especially looks and feels like it could've been made back in the 40s, but the longer the movie goes on, not only does it get better, but it gets bolder and more spectacular, like a modern movie. You get all of the exotic locations and fight scenes that action adventures are known for, as well as the intriguing relationships that are found in love interests, sidekicks, and bad guys. And who doesn't love a movie where Nazis are the bad guys? The characters are not caricatures or cliches, but they are also allowed to be a little melodramatic in proper movie fashion. The imagery, the locations, and the quotes from this movie are all memorable.
If there was one movie that had the atmosphere and fun of old school adventure movies with modern technology and respectable dialogue, it's Raiders. The introductory scene especially looks and feels like it could've been made back in the 40s, but the longer the movie goes on, not only does it get better, but it gets bolder and more spectacular, like a modern movie. You get all of the exotic locations and fight scenes that action adventures are known for, as well as the intriguing relationships that are found in love interests, sidekicks, and bad guys. And who doesn't love a movie where Nazis are the bad guys? The characters are not caricatures or cliches, but they are also allowed to be a little melodramatic in proper movie fashion. The imagery, the locations, and the quotes from this movie are all memorable.
-War: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
There are some war movies that are all about the gunplay and get you pumped up by the exciting action. There are some war movies that are more focused on the philosophies about war, violence, and peace and don't care too much about the weaponry. There are some war movies that just want to recreate for you what happened during World War II. Saving Private Ryan is all of the above. You get such gritty violent realism that it can be hard to make it past the opening scene. There are plenty of other tense and bloody action scenes that honestly depict the horrific violence involved in war. The movie also takes time to build its characters in quiet moments, giving us insight and understanding about war from regular Joes who had nothing to do with the military before the US got involved in WWII. Despite how gruesome the movie can be, it's also worth repeated viewings and pays tribute to regular but real heroes.
There are some war movies that are all about the gunplay and get you pumped up by the exciting action. There are some war movies that are more focused on the philosophies about war, violence, and peace and don't care too much about the weaponry. There are some war movies that just want to recreate for you what happened during World War II. Saving Private Ryan is all of the above. You get such gritty violent realism that it can be hard to make it past the opening scene. There are plenty of other tense and bloody action scenes that honestly depict the horrific violence involved in war. The movie also takes time to build its characters in quiet moments, giving us insight and understanding about war from regular Joes who had nothing to do with the military before the US got involved in WWII. Despite how gruesome the movie can be, it's also worth repeated viewings and pays tribute to regular but real heroes.
-Silent: Modern Times (1936)
Just like the documentary category, I can't say I've sat through many silent movies, so I don't have much to back up this choice. I saw this movie because it was on the Vatican Film List and I can see why it was chosen. There's some thematic exploration of ideas in the industrial work world of the time as well as some interestingly choreographed scenes. Charlie Chaplin has remained popular for his comedy for a reason, and he knows how to make people laugh with goofy faces, body language, and awkward situations. Even the few moments of sound and dialogue are not necessary for this movie to function well. It works because of the grand set pieces, the goofy interaction between the characters, and the physical way that the story is told.
Just like the documentary category, I can't say I've sat through many silent movies, so I don't have much to back up this choice. I saw this movie because it was on the Vatican Film List and I can see why it was chosen. There's some thematic exploration of ideas in the industrial work world of the time as well as some interestingly choreographed scenes. Charlie Chaplin has remained popular for his comedy for a reason, and he knows how to make people laugh with goofy faces, body language, and awkward situations. Even the few moments of sound and dialogue are not necessary for this movie to function well. It works because of the grand set pieces, the goofy interaction between the characters, and the physical way that the story is told.
-Black & White: Seven Samurai (1954)
Again, this is one genre that I do not have too much experience with, so out of my limited knowledge of movies that fit this category, I think Seven Samurai fits the best. Under this heading, you might think I'm also talking about modern movies that are shot in black and white, like Sin City, The Artist, or Schindler's List, but those movies are just copying an artistic style, mainly an artistic style that existed at an older time when colored movies were too experimental or too expensive to produce. What also separates this category from something like the Silent movie genre is how dialogue and sound impacts the movie experience.
I do not think this movie would work in a new, colored setting, which is why any remake of this movie has had to set their project in a different time and location. The lights and shadows in this movie leave an impact on how the viewer understands characters and their motives. You do not need to have all the color that later Kurosawa samurai movies have to appreciate the spectacle of the realistic costumes and props. The action scenes, once you get to them, are thrilling even when they're quiet. The dialogue is poetic while remaining realistic, and there's even moments where tension is built up because of a lack of dialogue so that when you do finally hear something screamed or whispered it gives you an emotional punch. The clash of the sword, the sound of horses trotting, and gruff Japanese voices all bring history to life in a way a silent movie cannot.
Again, this is one genre that I do not have too much experience with, so out of my limited knowledge of movies that fit this category, I think Seven Samurai fits the best. Under this heading, you might think I'm also talking about modern movies that are shot in black and white, like Sin City, The Artist, or Schindler's List, but those movies are just copying an artistic style, mainly an artistic style that existed at an older time when colored movies were too experimental or too expensive to produce. What also separates this category from something like the Silent movie genre is how dialogue and sound impacts the movie experience.
I do not think this movie would work in a new, colored setting, which is why any remake of this movie has had to set their project in a different time and location. The lights and shadows in this movie leave an impact on how the viewer understands characters and their motives. You do not need to have all the color that later Kurosawa samurai movies have to appreciate the spectacle of the realistic costumes and props. The action scenes, once you get to them, are thrilling even when they're quiet. The dialogue is poetic while remaining realistic, and there's even moments where tension is built up because of a lack of dialogue so that when you do finally hear something screamed or whispered it gives you an emotional punch. The clash of the sword, the sound of horses trotting, and gruff Japanese voices all bring history to life in a way a silent movie cannot.
-Superhero: The Avengers (2012)
The Dark Knight is probably the best made movie involving a comic book hero . However, if there was one movie that you could use as the definitive superhero movie, meaning that it tells a full comic book story in a semi-realistic-mostly-fantastical way with a cast of colorful characters that gives you the whole arc of emotions within comic books, I'd argue that The Avengers is that one definitive movie. You get all of the action that's involved in comic books, including urban destruction in a major city. You get all of the special powers that superheroes are known to have as well as the futuristic high tech gadgetry. You get the good vs. evil storyline with some plot twist elements. Finally, you get the humor and character interactions that bring some lighthearted goodness into a setting that would otherwise be gritty and depressing.
The Dark Knight is probably the best made movie involving a comic book hero . However, if there was one movie that you could use as the definitive superhero movie, meaning that it tells a full comic book story in a semi-realistic-mostly-fantastical way with a cast of colorful characters that gives you the whole arc of emotions within comic books, I'd argue that The Avengers is that one definitive movie. You get all of the action that's involved in comic books, including urban destruction in a major city. You get all of the special powers that superheroes are known to have as well as the futuristic high tech gadgetry. You get the good vs. evil storyline with some plot twist elements. Finally, you get the humor and character interactions that bring some lighthearted goodness into a setting that would otherwise be gritty and depressing.
-High Art: Tree of Life (2011)
Many movies that are high art "arthouse" pieces come off as arrogant, slow, and involved in too much thinking to be enjoyed by anyone other than movie snobs who live off of watching movies that the general masses despise. However, I think that Tree of Life is an accessible and worthwhile arthouse movie if the viewer is willing to let it guide them on the journey. For my full take on what makes Tree of Life so great, read my review here.
Many movies that are high art "arthouse" pieces come off as arrogant, slow, and involved in too much thinking to be enjoyed by anyone other than movie snobs who live off of watching movies that the general masses despise. However, I think that Tree of Life is an accessible and worthwhile arthouse movie if the viewer is willing to let it guide them on the journey. For my full take on what makes Tree of Life so great, read my review here.
-Romantic Comedy: The Princess Bride (1987)
This movie is quite literally the definition of a genre. It is primarily a romance focused on two lovers fighting to be with one another amongst beautiful locations, with soft serene music in the background. It is also primarily a comedy with witty word play and sarcastic dialogue leaping from the actors’ mouths. Now, you might usually just associate this movie with adventure or comedy, but I think the romance is an important aspect of the plot as well as the characters. It also is not anywhere near as crude or modern as most movies that are usually put under this genre category. The Princess Bride is something that both women and men, kids and adults, can watch and enjoy time and again.
-Musical: Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
If you are going to turn a stage musical into a film, it has to be a different experience than just watching something live on stage. These live musicals on TV are essentially just watching a stage production through the scope of a TV screen. Some musicals, like Joseph….Dreamcoat, do the same thing by introducing their movie as a show within a show. A movie version of a musical needs to transport you to physical locations, bringing the setting to real life. That’s the fault of most classic musicals, the characters are still clearly on sets and sound stages. A movie version of a musical also needs to stand on its own as a good piece of art without relying on the quality of the stage version. That’s the fault of Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera, their stage versions are so good that you’d rather see them live than watch the inferior movie versions, which also means that quality of the singing comes into play. Based on all this criteria and given my love for Catholicism in movies, you’d might think that this means that Sound of Music would fit in this slot.
However,
my pick for this spot is actually Fiddler on the Roof and this is for a few
different reasons. One reason is atmosphere. Fiddler on the Roof really
provides some serious atmosphere and does so with reverence to the spirituality
of its people as well as the place that it is set in. You truly believe that
you are in a poor village in rural Russia, even in moments when they’re filming
on a sound stage. The movie is not afraid to slowly roam over the landscape or
quietly allow the emotions of the moment to settle in. Sound of Music has some
good atmosphere and quiet moments, but its focus seems to be to travel quickly
from moment to moment to tell the story at a quick pace. Sound of Music as a
movie also takes some liberties with the story of the musical, moving songs and moments to places different than where they are in the stage production. Fiddler
on the Roof is the exact same story in both movie and stage versions. There's also the reverence of the religion of its characters. Sound of Music has some scenes involving Catholicism, but it's not pervasive in the characters' lives, even Maria who struggles with her vocation. Fiddler puts a sharp focus on Judaism and how it impacts the lives and culture of the people in Anatevka. The songs, character movements, and set pieces are rooted in the religion of the main characters.
-Sports: The Sandlot (1993)
I dare
you to find a movie that loves its sport as much as The Sandlot loves baseball.
While some sports movies use the sport as a vehicle to push the theme or
purpose of the story (*cough*RemembertheTitans*cough*), the characters of The
Sandlot love to play baseball because of how fun it is. You see them enjoying
the pitching, catching, throwing, and sweating of baseball, as well as the rivalries
and camaraderie that stems from building a baseball team. The heroes and
legends within the movie are surrounded in the atmosphere of baseball. The movie is incredibly quotable, just as fun to watch as a kid as an adult, and you learn some life lessons without it being too obvious and hard hitting.
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