OPINION:
The 96th Academy Awards scheduled for this coming Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., will purport to crown the top films and performances of 2023 – designations that often lead a lot of Christians, especially, scratching their heads.
Taste in movies is a bit like beauty – it’s in the eye of the beholder. Yet few would quibble with the oversized impact film has on our world, for good and bad.
Subscribe to have The Washington Times’ Higher Ground delivered to your inbox every Sunday.
The late Frank Capra, probably best known for “It’s a Wonderful Life,” once observed, “No saint, no pope, no general, no sultan, has ever had the power that a filmmaker has; the power to talk to hundreds of millions of people for two hours in the dark.”
What we watch, therefore, isn’t something to be taken lightly or mindlessly. Christians have an obligation to steward their time and exposure to any number of messages and influences, including movies.
“Your eye is the lamp of your body,” warned Jesus. “When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness” (Luke 11:34-35).
There’s a decent chance you haven’t seen all 10 of the films nominated for Best Picture this year, and that’s a good thing. Every year, Hollywood produces a lot of darkness – and some light, too. This year’s nominees are no different.
Listen to the ReFOCUS with Jim Daly podcast, where Jim digs deep and asks the hard questions to help you share Christ’s grace, truth and love.
According to our Plugged In movie review team at Focus on the Family, “American Fiction” and “The Holdovers” were riddled with profanity, as was “Anatomy of a Fall,” along with questioning the existence of objective truth. It’s been said “Barbie” wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and “Killers of the Flower Moon” was bloody. Ditto for “The Zone of Interest.” “Maestro” acknowledges the importance of fidelity in marriage but also appears to wink at sexual sin. “Past Lives” goes one step further, even cheering for the dissolution of a marriage.
Rounding out the rest of the nominees, “Oppenheimer” was historical, of course, but also included some graphic sex scenes. “Poor Things” is billed as an offbeat comedy, and one that our team labeled as “a poor choice.”
As a Christian, how should you choose what movies you see and what films to take a pass on?
In my estimation, the best movies are more than mere entertainment. Suspenseful thrillers can be great fun, but I especially appreciate watching stories that communicate truth and the many characteristics of our loving and all-powerful God. Films should inspire us to live better lives. They should challenge us to be more loving, forgiving, bold and courageous. It’s cliché to say that movies have the power to change our lives – but good ones can certainly motivate us to change our behavior.
Two of my favorites are “Braveheart” (the Oscars’ Best Picture winner for 1995) and “The Patriot.” Historically separated by hundreds of years, both films highlight bravery, honor, loyalty, fidelity, and masculinity, among other things. In “Braveheart,” Sir William Wallace is willing to die to protect his family. But the seeds were planted years earlier when his father said to him, “I know you can fight, but it’s our wits that make us men.”
“The Patriot’s” Benjamin Martin, also portrayed by Mr. Gibson, is similarly heroic and protective, albeit more reluctantly, at least at first. Mr. Martin’s imperfections are highly relatable. At the beginning of the movie he says, “I have long feared that my sins will come to visit me and that the costs will be more than I can bear.” Later in the movie his character reveals the consequences of even forgiven sin. “Not a day goes by that I don’t ask God’s forgiveness for what I’ve done,” Mr. Martin confides.
Mr. Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” is another perennial favorite because its themes are timeless. We all want to know that we matter. We all want to be needed. Jimmy Stewart’s deep Christian also faith shined through on and off the big screen.
Before you settle down to watch a movie, a good question to ask yourself might be what and how will you be thinking, or how might you be changed, when the lights come back up?
–
Jim Daly is president of Focus on the Family and host of its daily radio broadcast, heard by more than 6 million listeners a week on nearly 2,000 radio stations across the U.S. He also hosts the podcast ReFOCUS with Jim Daly.