Most uplifting films? (No Passion of Christ/South Park: BLU, thanks)?

Question

First things first: I'm disallowing those two films not because neither is uplifting (I find them both compelling films), but because they cause so much division whenever they're brought up. So if you can kindly abide by the ban, that would be great. Thanks!

Anyway, I was a film student for two years. I've seen a lot of films about different religions that I find thought-provoking about religion/uplifting/call it whatever you will.

The Last Temptation of Christ (I know this is divisive too, but watch it with grace in mind. It really does try to be religiously respectful.)
The Mission
East is East
Cool Hand Luke
Pi
Black Robe
Au revoir, les enfants
Life of Brian (which never insults Christianity - only false followers)
The Winter Guest
My Son the Fanatic
Schindler's List
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
Phörpa (The Cup)
Jesus of Montreal
Musíme si pomáhat (Divided We Fall)
Life Is Beautiful
Saved!
Groundhog Day
Amelie
Ta'm e guilass (Taste of Cherry)
Some Mother's Son

What else?

Man, can't believe I didn't think of Shawshank.

Arnon: How do you know it's not my favorite religiously uplifting film? I specifically asked not to say it because it's an obvious choice and I was looking for less obvious recommendations (despite the inclusion of obvious stuff like Schindler's List, mind you.)

Consider Passion of the Christ, South Park: BLU, and, now that I've thought of it, Ten Commandments already on the list. They are obvious choices. What /other/ films have you seen that have touched your heart and inspired your faith?

vinslave: Going to have to disagree with you about Little Buddha, mainly because Keanu Reeves makes me twitchy and I think the Siddhartha sequences could have been better with a more capable actor. Alas. :)

jeff: Haven't seen Amazing Grace, though I was considering seeing it. It's good?

Wisdom (belatedly): I too have seen Bent. Good choice there, too. :)

chrisgaffrey: Do I sense a fellow film student? Babette's Feast! A lot of other good choices too.

Another one chris' post brought up that I'm kicking myself for forgetting:

The Seventh Seal (not necc. uplifting, but definitely powerful, and uplifting if you look at it a certain way.)

How could I have forgotten that one? Amazing.

Answer 1

Patton

Answer 2

"Bent" is one of the most emotional movies I have ever seen. If you are not crying like a little girl by the end of that movie, then you just don't have a heart. It is one of those movies that stays with you long after you've watched it.

Other films that deal with religion that I found uplifting were "Joshua", "The Maldonado Miracle", and "The Celestine Prophecy." These all deliver an inspirational message in a simple and entertaining way.

A movie that may not be so uplifting but delivers an important message about religion is "The Visitation."

Answer 3

I was surprised someone else saw Taste of Cherry (it was one of those "what is this about?" moments in the local indie video store).

One very uplifting film is "Marooned In Iraq" from Bahman Ghobadi, though he begins the film as a sort of Three Stooges In Kurdistan. His deft directing keeps this low-budget film moving. Ghobadi has a gift for finding uplifting humor in the darkest places, notably when the Kurdish man with 7 wives visits a mountaintop orphanage and gets a verbal wisecrack from a young female teacher.

In fact, there are many Iranian films we Americans are not allowed to see. One was banned almost immediately; its English title is The Lizard. Theaters in Iran were packed with audiences laughing their heads off at their religious leaders. The film is not anti-religious (think Life of Brian).

Final thought: so many people have posted so many films, I have a new list. Some I have not thought of in years.

Answer 4

(trying not to repeat any of your selection?)

I would add this list:

Rocky 1
3 days of the condor
School of Rock
Kelly's Heroes
Abyss
Artificial Intelligence
Behind Enemy Lines
The Big Red 1
Blow Out
My Blue Heaven
The Jerk (really)
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Blues Brothers
Caddyshack 1
Cannery Row (yes)
Casa Blanca (a good background movie, like background music. Play it while you are doing other things.)
Bounce
Cat Ballou (Great uplifting musical)
Dragon Heart
One flew over the cuckoos nest (the big Indian)
Dances with wolves
Das Boot
Dirty Dozen
Dirty Harry
Forest Gump
Pretty Woman
King Rat
Stalag 17
Heaven Can Wait
Jeremiah Johnson
The longest yard
Run Silent Run Deep
Sleepless in Seattle
Stripes
Untouchables
When Harry met Sally

(The above is a list of the dvd racks closest to my computer)

(After my retirement, I invested in "fun" - so I bought my favorite 100 movie dvds, then 500 acceptable dvd movies. - Now, I am rather burned out on movies, but I am sure I will enjoy them in a few years if I live that long.)

smiles -

Answer 5

In no specific order a million) American splendor 2) Forrest Gump 3) A stroll to remember 4) Clueless 5) lively Away 6) Flipped 7) The darkish Knight 8) eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless recommendations 9) nighttime In Paris 10) loopy stupid Love I won't precisely say they cheer me up on the grounds that I cry bucketfuls over a number of them, yet they purely have a one among those hopeful vibe (extremely their endings) that i think inspired after the action picture, like i'm able to do something and prefer the international is all effective.

Answer 6

Sea Biscuit
Le Fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain (I would love to know what song is played on the accordian as the theme of this movie)
Jesus of Nazareth
Brother Sun Sister Moon
The Assisi Underground
The Red and the Black
The Shoes of the Fisherman
Babette's Feast
The Color Purple (especially the scene when the preacher's daughter hears her favorite hymn and comes back to church)
Gandhi
Kundun
The Reluctant Saint
Field of Dreams
Glory
Molokai
The Ten Commandments (Gotta love that famous line "Let my people go!"
Into the West
The Power of One
Cry the Beloved Country
The Song of Bernadette
In This House of Brede
Pay it Forward
Forrest Gump
Radio Flyer
The Education of Little Tree

How did I forget...?

Shawshank Redemption
Deadman Walking
Bruce Almighty

Answer 7

I just don't understand the negative reaction to The Passion. Am I the only one here who didn't see all the anti-semitism that everyone was talking about? :S

*checks out his DVD collection*

This probably isn't what you're looking for, but I always feel uplifted after watching Jurassic Park, The Producers (the musical), The Muppet Movie, Cars, It's a Wonderful Life, the Spider-Man movies, and Star Wars IV. :P

Answer 8

I was gonna suggest Groundhog Day but you already have it.

Walk the Line - I hope you like Johnny Cash music. Joaquin Phoenix does a good job as the bard. It follows the ups and downs of his life and comes to a pretty heartwarming end

Answer 9

Amazing Grace!

Answer 10

Joshua, I found it on cable a few years ago, its based on a book. The film is simplified from the novel but still quite good

It imagines the arrival of Joshua(Jesus) to a small Multi-faith town and how his arrival is recieved by the townspeople.

'Jericho' is another good one, about a man who loses his memory and believes himself to be wanted for murder.

I haven't seen 'Last Temptation' yet, but from everything I've read, and seen in clips, it is essentially "It's a Wonderful Life, Jesus."

Answer 11

Shawshank Redemption