Recommended Catholic Films, TV & Media

[AdamPeter]

Hi,

I'm posting this thread as a suggestion from another post to get an idea of some good Catholic movies, TV & other media out there. (Books, music, theatre etc.)

Maybe just put in the name and a brief description of the movie/TV show & possibly a trailer or website link.

Thanks.

God Bless

[Layp3rs0n]

Jesus of Nazareth. An 8 hour long miniseries from the 1970's. Very very good. Reccomened by the Pope when it was first produced. True to the Faith (except perhaps Mary experiences pain in Childbirth). Otherwise its just about perfect. James Earl Jones as one of the Three Kings. Ian Holm as a Pharisee. Olivia Hussey as Mary, and Robert Peck as Jesus. Excellent reverence given to Our Lady in this one, and an emphasis on the Real Presence. It was interesting because it was not, I think, aimed specifically at Catholics, but if say a protestant saw this they may come away with certain Catholic ideas they may noy know are Catholic. For example, during the Last Supper scene, Jesus takes the Bread. He says, "From now on this will no longer be the bread to remind you of how you came out of Egypt. This is from now on the Bread if Life. Eat it! For this is My Body!" Jesus speaks slowly here. A single tear comes from His Eye. You know this is a huge thing, not some symbol. Check this one out. It's great.

[PatriceA]

The Passion of the Christ
The Sound of Music
The Exorcist
The Lord of the Ring trilogy
Return to Me
The Song of Bernadette
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Its a Wonderful Life
Schindler's List
The Quiet Man
Rudy
We Were Soldiers
Sister Act
Angels in the Outfield (1951 version)
The Bells of St. Mary
The Mighty Macs

As far as recent tv shows, Blue Bloods comes to mind.

[_Abyssinia]

EWTN good for Catholic TV.

[ProdigalSon1211]

EWTN all the way ! You can also listen to immaculate heart radio online.

If you are into Catholic Hip-Hop the following link is a good site

http://www.phatmass.com/music/catholic-rap-hip-hop/

[paradox]

I recently released a hip-hop/rap album associated with Phatmass that you can listen to in its entirety here:
Paradox & DJ Sean P - "Mending"
If you're skeptical, maybe you would feel better knowing that I also teach Theology at a Catholic High School and have Masters degrees in Secondary Education and Theology.

[jediliz]

Originally Posted by Layp3rs0n

Jesus of Nazareth. An 8 hour long miniseries from the 1970's. Very very good. Reccomened by the Pope when it was first produced. True to the Faith (except perhaps Mary experiences pain in Childbirth). Otherwise its just about perfect. James Earl Jones as one of the Three Kings. Ian Holm as a Pharisee. Olivia Hussey as Mary, and Robert Peck as Jesus. Excellent reverence given to Our Lady in this one, and an emphasis on the Real Presence. It was interesting because it was not, I think, aimed specifically at Catholics, but if say a protestant saw this they may come away with certain Catholic ideas they may noy know are Catholic. For example, during the Last Supper scene, Jesus takes the Bread. He says, "From now on this will no longer be the bread to remind you of how you came out of Egypt. This is from now on the Bread if Life. Eat it! For this is My Body!" Jesus speaks slowly here. A single tear comes from His Eye. You know this is a huge thing, not some symbol. Check this one out. It's great.

Actually they don't really show Mary in childbirth with pains (they do have her wincing on the donkey as they finally enter Bethlehem)....you might be thinking of The Nativity Story...that sort of implied labor pains. And its Robert Powell as Jesus, not Robert Peck. And the late Ernest Borgeine as the Centurion.

I also recommend Jesus of Nazareth....I try to watch it on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

[bluerose]

Originally Posted by jediliz

Actually they don't really show Mary in childbirth with pains (they do have her wincing on the donkey as they finally enter Bethlehem)....you might be thinking of The Nativity Story...that sort of implied labor pains. And its Robert Powell as Jesus, not Robert Peck. And the late Ernest Borgeine as the Centurion.

I also recommend Jesus of Nazareth....I try to watch it on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.

"Jesus of Nazareth" actually DOES show Mary having birth pains but nothing graphic, (mainly some wincing and groaning, then the camera pans away to her hand gripping at the straw... then you hear a baby's cry and the hand relaxes.) What I loved about "Jesus of Nazareth" was their depiction of the death of St. Joseph. I can't recall the actor's name, but he portrayed St. Joseph beautifully. An all-star cast that let the characters truly shine through!

[DlandFan06]

Can we also post Catholic Radio shows?

[mwic]

You have "Traditional Roman Catholic" listed as your religion, so these might not be what you had in mind ... nevertheless, I've been moved to deep thought about God, ethics, and catholicism by:

Bad Lieutenant (Ferrara)
Crimes and Misdemeanors (Allen)
The Child (Dardenne brothers)
Dead Man Walking (Robbins)
End of the Affair (Jordan)
Entertaining Angels (don't remember)
Flowers of St. Francis (Rosselini)
Last Tempataion of Christ (Scorsese)
No Country for Old Men (Coens)
The Son (Dardenne brothers)
Thin Red Line (Malick)
Tree of Life (Malick)

[Dee S]

Originally Posted by bluerose

"Jesus of Nazareth" actually DOES show Mary having birth pains but nothing graphic, (mainly some wincing and groaning, then the camera pans away to her hand gripping at the straw... then you hear a baby's cry and the hand relaxes.) What I loved about "Jesus of Nazareth" was their depiction of the death of St. Joseph. I can't recall the actor's name, but he portrayed St. Joseph beautifully. An all-star cast that let the characters truly shine through!

Just thought I would mention the conviction of the Church and the early Fathers that due to the privilege granted to her in the Immaculate Conception (Mary being conceived without Original Sin), that she would not have suffered any pain or sickness in her life, nor did she suffer death - these being the consequence of Original Sin which we have all inherited from Adam, but from which she was spared. This is a dogma, so a portrayal of Mary suffering any pain in childbirth or otherwise is incorrect. (excuse me being so particular)

Here are some quotes from an interesting article I came across on this link:
http://www.thesacredpage.com/2007/12...-pains-of.html

"...it is fitting that the Virgin Mary would not experience pain in childbirth, since she was conceived apart from the stain of original sin (see CCC 490-93) , and pain in childbirth is clearly taught in Scripture as one of the results of the Fall (Gen 3:16)."

Of further interest, it seems there was a Jewish tradition that claimed the same for Moses' mother.

"...there was an ancient Jewish tradition, going back at least to the first century, that Moses' mother did not experience birth pangs when he was born:
[The faith of Moses' parents] "in the promises of God was confirmed by the manner of the woman's delivery, since she escaped the vigilance of the watch, thanks to the gentleness of her travail, which spared her any violent throes" (Ant. 2:218)."

"...according to Josephus, "Moses mother was not subject to the curse of Eve, as recorded in Gen 3:16: 'I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children'."

[bluerose]

Originally Posted by Dee S

a portrayal of Mary suffering any pain in childbirth or otherwise is incorrect.

Right. But Hollywood never got the memo.