"(...) the Vatican has decided to take a more upbeat approach and give a Big Thumbs Up to 45 movies it feels express Catholic tastes in three categories: Religion, Values, and Art. The selections, made by a Vatican committee in commemoration of the centenary of motion pictures in 1996, are films that The Church feels exemplify what's best about the medium."
Religion:
Andrei Roublev (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1966) "Brilliantly devised and directed account of the famous 15th century icon painter, focusing on an age—old conflict: should an artist participate in the political and social upheavals of the time, or should he simply record history with his brush?" — Leonard Maltin
The Mission (Roland Joffe, 1986) "You'd like to know why so many talented people went to such incredible lengths to make a difficult and beautiful movie—without any of them, on the basis of the available evidence, having the slightest notion of what the movie was about." — Roger Ebert
The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1928) "No other film has so subtly linked eroticism with religious persecution. Falconetti's Joan may be the finest performance ever recorded on film." — Pauline Kael
The Gospel According to St. Matthew (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1966) "Pasolini's interpretation features the rocky settings of Southern Italy, an eclectic score, and a rigid Jesus who demands obedience." — Pauline Kael
Therese (Alain Cavalier, 1986) "Therese is not like any other biographical film of a saint—or of anyone else. It makes a bold attempt to penetrate to the mystery of Therese's sainthood, and yet it isn't propaganda for the church and it doesn't necessarily even approve of her choice of a vocation." — Roger Ebert
Ordet (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1955) "Arguably Dreyer's greatest film, but certainly the movies' final word on the struggle between conventional Christianity and more personalized religious faith. Truly awe—inspiring. . ." — Leonard Maltin
The Sacrifice (Tarkovsky, 1986) "Slow, overly intense, but beautifully filmed (by Sven Nykvist) examination of the need for, and lack of, spirituality in modern society." — Leonard Maltin
Francis (not the Talking Mule picture)
Ben-Hur (William Wyler, 1959) "Movie moguls have always had a real affinity for the grandiosity of the old Roman Empire ... Lew Wallace's hectic potboiler-classic has everything—even leprosy." — Pauline Kael
Babette's Feast (Gabriel Axel, 1987) "Subtle, funny and deeply felt, with several wonderful surprises: an instant masterpiece. . ."— Leonard Maltin
Nazarin (Luis Bunuel, 1958) "The hero is a gentle Mexican priest—a Candide who is robbed and cheated—in this simple, masterly, ambiguous film by Luis Buñuel which is (perhaps in spite of his intention) his most tender." — Pauline Kael
Monsieur Vincent (Jean Anouilh, 1947) "Pierre Fresnay's performance as the desperately compassionate Vincent de Paul gives extraordinary feeling to Jean Anouilh's sensitive, lucid scenario." — Pauline Kael
A Man For All Seasons (Fred Zinnemann, 1966) "The director, Fred Zinnemann, places himself at the service of Robert Bolt's play about the moral tug of war between Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) and Henry VIII (Robert Shaw), and the results are tasteful and moderately enjoyable." — Pauline Kael
La Passion Pathe
Flowers of St. Francis (Roberto Rossellini, 1950)
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Next week: Values
Thanks to Joana for "digging" these suggestions out of her mailbox!
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