There are some really, really wonderful movies. 'The Passion of the Christ', was one. I could name many, many many others such as this:
Your point is well taken, but those are exceptions to the rule. I truly can’t imagine Padre Pio at the movies.
I can’t imagine Padre Pio going to any movie. He was a mystic and had direct experience with Christ; he also knew the devil personally and was physically attacked by him. That said, I cannot imagine Padre Pio NOT recommending movies like The Passion of Christ or Nefarious. They are intense and effective tools of evangelization and to wake up the luke warm. Yes, this movie is in the same league as The Passion. It isn’t prudent to belittle it.
Father Ripperger in an interview with Chris Stepanik of the Augustine institute said the Song of Bernadette is his favorite movie.
I’m not belittling the movie. I was answering PF’s concern about a weak priest. I actually avoid movies because the sound in the theater is unregulated and bothers my hearing. I just plain flat out don’t go to movies. Haven’t been to one for years. Sometimes I catch a movie on tv but I don’t seek them out. Just my feelings. I don’t think I’m being imprudent at all. I don’t trust most of what comes out of Hollywood because there is almost always a weak spot somewhere. But as I said to Padraig , there are exceptions. I actually think that might be more prudent than imprudent lol.
Well, I minored in theatre, and love the arts. Movies are God’s miracles. Unfortunately, the evil one has taken advantage, and many films are filth. So, I can understand your hesitance HH. But this movie is worth watching. We need to support Christian films. It’s just a little way of fighting this battle against evil.
I appreciate the arts, too. Just not movies. If there is an image that might stay in anyone’s mind in a movie, it will stay in mine. Go and have a good time. Let me be.
My problem with acting is that it supposes that God would create someone with the intention that their profession would be pretending to be other people, which seems tantamount to saying that God would create liars. I realize the value in morality plays and things (or, especially, passion plays), but the entire profession is kinda cringe, imo, and I think that “actors” are missing their true calling by engaging in the stage. A lot of the church fathers hated theater (like Tertullian) but ancient theater was undoubtedly devoid of Christian cultural influence. It’s a bit odd to condemn an entire medium, but, for me at least, film makes me uncomfortable. I feel like I’m paying people to lie to me.
What do you think, BrianK, about the way the Catholic Faith is portrayed in this film? No one has answered about whether there are any positively-portrayed priests or witness to the power of Faith... I understand this movie's point is to show that the devil is real, but does it show people where to turn to in order to avoid evil? I need those of you who have seen it to answer these questions for me, please!
In the third post of this thread, a Catholic priest and exorcist addresses the “Fr. Flapdoodle” character in the film. Unfortunately we all know priests like this only too well. And they are a higher percentage of active priests than we’d like to admit. The producers of the film, Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, are devout Catholics. But they were working with an interfaith group of writers, directors, actors etc. I suspect they purposely avoided any possible interdenominational pitfalls. But I do agree, there could have been at least one character in the film helping lead the protagonist to Faith, and only a devout Catholic priest, and eventually an exorcist priest, could have properly dealt with the possessed inmate. In my opinion the entire segment with Glenn Beck, as well as the closing scene beside the dumpster, were mistakes. The film should have ended with the protagonist’s obvious prayer and the miraculous outcome of that prayer. A simple exposition of the miraculous nature of the gun failing to fire three times with a live round in the barrel could easily have been portrayed. By extending the film beyond that scene the film makes the same heavy-handed-gotta-preach-it-brother mistake so many faith based films make. The protagonist claims in his interview with Beck that essentially he’s still not sure. Sorry, even an atheist, once demonically possessed and miraculously saved by a prayer to God seemingly at the last possible minute, is no longer going to have doubts. He is going to believe. And the final scene at the dumpster should have been left out. Satan is not all powerful; he can only do that which God permits him. Bottom line, however, is that while it would have been pleasing to us, a Catholic character is simply not necessary to the plot of this film. One is convinced of the reality of the saving power of God in this film by the very real evidence of His adversary, Satan and his nefarious schemes and acts. This movie ultimately ranks right up there with The Passion of the Christ as one of a very small handful of must see movies for Catholics. It’s that good, despite my criticisms above.
Plays, and movies with actors is fiction - so it is not lying per se. But most movies today out of Holywood are pure propaganda with certain anti-Christian themes, particularly anti-family, anti-life and pro-perversion.
I think a really, really good movie is a little like a very,very good book , we keep going back to it and watch it again and again and again. I have lost count of the times I have watched this and always learned something new. As well as that there are several other very good Movies about St Bernadette as well. One good thing about knowing a little Italian , Spanish and French. is I get to watch some wonderful Catholic Movies in those languages. I am afraid English speaking movie makers had made far less. It is not hard to get good Catholic Movies in foreign Languages with English subtitles.
Theater does carry that possibility --always. The Greek tragedies were designed to teach powerful moral lessons but curiously the actors were always masked. In the Middle Ages the morality plays and those depicting stories from the Bible were first performed in churches to bring biblical truths to a population that couldn't read--much like stained glass windows. In these cases it was clearly "baptised" to become channels of grace. The movies Padraig cited are wonderful movies--food for the soul. The Passion of the Christ rises even above that. I expect Nefarious belongs with the films that become channels of grace. I haven't seen it yet although I have watched several clips. But as Garabandal says--the industry has become something else entirely. They are channels of filth sadly. I try very hard to pick my way through the garbage to find the rare gem. Its getting harder and harder. Kyle Clement who works closely with Fr Ripperger tells a chilling story of a girl from the Midwest from a devout Catholic family who was extremely talented and was told she could be a professional actor. She went to Hollywood and tried and tried to break in. No success. In great frustration one night alone in her apartment she said "I'd do anything to get a part in a movie". The next day in the restaurant where she worked a good looking well dressed man said "I bet you'd do anything to get a part in a movie". She was startled but agreed that she would. Thus began a nightmare descent into the world of Hollywood film makers....up to being expected to take part in satanic rituals. That was the last straw for her.. She left by God's grace and her mother's prayers and drove all night til she got home--under terrible diabolic attacks--but she went right to her Church and a priest was there who heard her confession. She did not need exorcism---the Sacrament of Confession was so powerful. Fr Ripperger and his team prayed with her and it was clear she was "clean" but she had a very very close call. That is today's film industry sadly.
