What were the best films about faith released in the 2010s? I’m not talking about “faith-based films”, like the marketing term Hollywood uses for films like Fireproof And God is not dead. I’m not talking about the films made For public believing as much as the films made for explore faith: the struggle and beauty of faith, its many ups and downs, its fragile place in our secular times.
There have been many excellent films like this released over the last 10 years. Here are 15 of my favorites. These are films that have strengthened my faith and sometimes provoked it (in helpful ways); films that inspired devotional reflection and sometimes worship. I hope they do the same for you.
1. The tree of life (2011)
Terrence Malick is not only one of the most famous and unique living filmmakers; he is also probably the most artistically important Christian filmmaker working today (he is currently making a film on the life of Christ). His 2011 magnum opus – a biblical epic about creation, fall, redemption and restoration, at the intersection of the universe and small town Texas – remains a singular achievement in religious art and, My opinion, the best Christian film ever made. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
2. Silence (2016)
Martin Scorsese’s poignant adaptation Shusako Endo’s acclaimed novel is not for the faint of heart. A haunting meditation on the struggle of faith in the face of suffering, Silence leaves you unstable and (rightly) silent. The genius of the film is how open it is to interpretation: I had more theological conversations about Silence than any other recent film. Scorsese revealed that Malick wrote him a letter after seeing Silence, asking: “What does Christ expect of us? This is one of the many questions posed by this thoughtful and provocative film. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
3. A hidden life (2019)
Malick’s latest film, which hits theaters in December (my full review will be posted at TGC in the coming weeks), is, among other things, his response to Scorsese’s speech. Silence. Based on the true story of Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian Christian who refused to compromise his faith by swearing an oath to Hitler and the Nazis, A hidden life it is also the fight of faith in the face of persecution. A sort of cinematographic rendering of the Psalms, in the magnificent setting of the Austrian Alps, Life is a moving call to faithful endurance for the beleaguered bride of Christ. In theaters December 13.
4. First Reformed (2018)
It’s no surprise that Paul Schrader, a celebrated filmmaker, Calvin College graduate and film theorist who wrote Transcendental style in cinema-would make a film like First Reformed. Still, it was a shock to the system, in a good way. The film offers what I found to be a incisive critique of various wings of American Christianity, particularly our tendency to want to resolve the thorny paradoxes of faith one way or the other. An easy film to watch? Definitely no. But is it worth it for the thoughtful Christian viewer? Absolutely. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
5. Of gods and men (2010)
There is an unforgettable scene towards the end of Xavier Beauvois’ film Of gods and men—a film about Cistercian monks in Algeria who attempt to remain faithfully present, living and serving their community, despite threats posed by Islamic radicals. The “Last Supper” scene, wordless except for Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” beautifully captures the joy of Christian communion in the midst of terror and suffering. As the music grows louder, so do the tearful eyes of the monks, expressing their laments but also their hope for the presence of Christ who seems ever closer. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
6. secret sun (2010)
Technically released in 2007, this Korean film from director Lee Chang-dong (Burning) was only released in the United States in December 2010, so I’m going to declare it qualified for inclusion on this decade’s list. It’s too beautiful not to highlight. A punishing drama about a Korean woman’s struggle with God in the face of unspeakable tragedy, Sun contains one of the most effective and heartbreaking scenes I have ever encountered about the scandalous offense to grace. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
7. Hello, Caesar! (2016)
The Coen brothers are among the most interesting theological filmmakers working today, and this film is one of their most explicitly faith-focused films. Presented as a satire of the Hollywood studio system, Hello, Caesar! turns out to be a kind of meta-biblical epic. It’s a funny, moving, irreverent (but also deeply respectful) reflection on Jewish and Christian perspectives on the character of God, explored through the lens of a prolific Hollywood producer. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
8. Selma (2014)
Ava DuVernay’s Civil Rights Drama it’s not just about Martin Luther King Jr. (played here by Christian actor David Oyelowo). This is a risky and hard-won adventure movement in the sense of a justice deeply inspired and supported by the Christian faith. The film reminds us that justice is a just cause, but not an easy one. This is not a hashtag or a trend. It’s a long journey, a steep climb; but the view from the top of the mountain, God willing, is worth it. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
9. Calvary (2014)
Against a backdrop of sexual abuse scandals in the Church and a generally sour reputation of the Catholic Church (see also: 2013’s Philomena and 2015 Projector), John Michael McDonaugh Calvary is a brutal but beautiful look at the costly call of persevering faith when the church is in ruins (literally in the film). Brendan Gleeson shines as a tired but tender shepherd who refuses to stop loving and searching for the lost sheep in his parish, no matter how costly it costs him. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
ten. Arrival (2016)
The first film on this list is not explicitly about the Christian faith, The Beautiful by Denis Villeneuve Arrival puts a decidedly philosophical spin on the sci-fi alien invasion thriller. God may not be directly mentioned, but the film raises all sorts of questions about free will, predestination, and faith to continue living even when we know trouble will arise. With a moving central performance from Amy Adams, Arrival also turns out to contain a nice pro-life undercurrent. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
11. The passers-by (2014)
I often lament that there aren’t more documentaries about pastors and churches and how they try to meet the complex needs of their communities. There is so much drama there! So much inspiration. Jesse Ross tells a story like this in The passers-by-a film about a North Dakota pastor’s compassionate response to the influx of migrant oil workers. This is probably the most moving and surprising documentary on faith this decade. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
12. Perfectly (2012)
Much more modest in scope than The tree of lifeMalick’s autobiography Perfectly is no less interested in faith. Indeed, the presence of a pastor character – Javier Bardem’s “Father Quintana” – makes this explicit, particularly during a breathtaking sequence that closes the film in a liturgical sequence that transforms the prayer on the breastplate of St. Patrick into a cinematic tone poem set in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. . (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
13. Hacksaw crest (2016)
Mel Gibson’s most religious film Since The passion of Christ presents the fascinating, true-to-life World War II story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), who became the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. As A hidden life, it’s a film about maintaining unpopular religious beliefs, even in the face of enormous cultural pressure to give in. We need films like this more than ever. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)
14. Ad Astra (2019)
There are different ways to interpret James Gray’s science fiction adventure film theologically. Is it about the search for God? The absence of God? In My opinion I focused on how the film captures man’s temptation to make his way to God (literally building Babel-style towers), demanding God’s view from above rather than to accept his gifts and his revelation below. However you might interpret his divine gaze, the experience of looking Ad Astra is sure to stir the soul. At the cinema now.
15. The drop box (2014)
Brian Ivie’s documentary is a moving look at a South Korean pastor who places a “drop box” outside his Seoul church where abandoned children can be dropped off by mothers who feel they can’t care for them. In a world where children are treated like trash every day – whether through abortion, abuse or abandonment – it is powerful to see them treated like treasures in this film: worthy, adopted and loved as beings created in the image of God. (Watch: Amazon | iTunes)