The Stories That Stay with Us: Movies to Watch This Christmas

BreakPoint ^ | 2 Dec 03 | Chuck Colson

[Mr. Silverback]

In the rush of the Christmas season one thing is certain these days, and that is that people will spend time watching movies on VCR or DVD players. But which movies? Let me suggest a few that make solid worldview points.

First, let me make it clear: I’m not suggesting that you always have to watch movies just to get a lesson out of them. That’s not what movies, or stories in general, are about. A good movie is just that, but movies, at the same time, do shape our thinking. It’s no accident that, for the most part, the movies and stories that stay with us are the ones that dramatize truths about the human condition—like our fallen nature, our need for a Redeemer, our dependence on each other, good and evil. And the movies I suggest are like that.

One of the most popular Christmas movies ever is Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, a film that’s appropriate for all ages. The movie is about a businessman who spends his life giving up what he wants to help others. And then one day he finds himself in desperate need of help, and he’s rescued by an angel. There’s a reason people watch this movie again and again: Though it is a simple story, it reaffirms the value of faith, life, and friendship.

Another classic, for older children and adults, is To Kill a Mockingbird. In Depression-era Alabama, a white lawyer defends an innocent black man on rape charges. The movie clearly shows the depravity of human nature and the tragedy of prejudice. And it also portrays an unforgettable story about the eternal impact a good father has on his children.

There are more recent classics, like Saving Private Ryan. This is not a movie for children. But older teenagers and adults who can handle its graphic depiction of war will be deeply moved by the struggle of a group of soldiers assigned to rescue a single private. It’s a timely reminder of both the horrifying realities of war and the words of Jesus: “Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” The ending is worth the cost of the rental.

A very different wartime story is told in the Italian film Life Is Beautiful. In it a devoted father shelters his young son from the brutal realities of a World War II labor camp by turning the whole experience into a game. Is it possible to tell a comic story against such a horrific backdrop? Some people thought it was a sacrilege, trivializing the horrors of prison; I think it’s a beautiful depiction of the biblical principle of bringing good out of evil.

Finally, for those in your family who enjoy getting scared out of their wits, I recommend the film Signs, in which a former minister tries to defend his family against an invasion from space. Signs is not a typical alien flick. It has subtlety, humor, and nail-biting suspense—and it gradually develops into a strong affirmation of faith.

This list is only a starting point. You can get my complete list by calling us here at BreakPoint. And, of course, you and your family might benefit from Ted Baehr’s very helpful family guide to the movies, What We Can Watch Tonight. With the right movie and the right attitude, a little family time around the TV can be a life-changing experience, a Christmas gift you’ll long remember.

[najida]

I watch it over and over and over again.

It is a hard movie not to love....

"It must be Italian...LOOK- Fra gee lee!"

[najida]

AH! I just posted that!

And the boy sticking his tongue to the frozen flag pole.

[presidio9]

A CHRISTMAS STORY.....IMO The ALLTIME greatest funniest Christmas movie!!!

A Red Ryder Christmas

[HungarianGypsy]

I also recommend Signs, not least because the affirmation of faith is the kind so many people need most--An answer to the "Why does God allow bad things to happen" conundrum.
We've had this rented from Netflix for over a month. Guess we really should give this one a look tonight.

[No Blue States]

"amazing that these movies have crossed generations."

yes, especially considering the lack of decent special effects compared to this day, a good story goes a long way.

[Airborne Longhorn]

...and why not White Christmas?

[commish]

My annual Christmas movie list :

It's A Wonderful Life

A Christmas Carol (W Alastair Sim)

A Christmas Story

White Christmas

SCROOGED! :)

[Arthur McGowan]

SIGNS was clever and cute, but by locating the "answer" to the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" in the present life, it really does not communicate a Christian message.

[commish]

Must be a major award!

[AbsoluteJustice]

Thanks for the link. AWESOME PICS!!!
Can't wait for it to be played for 24 hours on Christmas Eve. I have my Rum and Egg Nog waiting. Oh and of course slippers.

[Mr. Silverback]

Guess we really should give this one a look tonight.

Do so. You will love it. Any number of scenes in that movie (like the one where the two brothers "chase" the intruders around the outside of the house, or the one where the girl at the pharmacy confesses to Mel Gibson) are worth the price of admission all by themselves, but the last reel is priceless.

[dfwgator]

"Oh fffffff-udge." (

[carton253]

I highly recommend To Kill A Mockingbird. Have seen it numerous times and is on my top five list.

[Dante3]

At Christmas my daughter loves to watch original "Miracle on 34th Street" with Maureen O'Hara. (She did not care for the remake)

[presidio9]

My annual Christmas movie list : I like your list, but you are missing "Miracle on 34th St." & "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Can't have Christmas withouth them.

[AnAmericanMother]

Y'all beat me to it. Sim is absolutely the best Scrooge there ever was. His original state is convincing and scary (a problem with a lot of Scrooges who seem to be playing it for laughs), his conversion is a believable and gradual process, his fear and heartbreak are real, his happiness at the end heartwarming.

Before.

After.

[BibChr]

The 1951 "A Christmas Carol" with the great Alistair Sim as Scrooge.

No contest. It is The Definitive Version.

I wish they could re-do the sound, though. Too much of it sounds as if it had been recorded in a highschool gym shower.

Dan

[Politicalmom]

We like the musical Scrooge, A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott, The Christmas List, all the classic cartoons, (I'm Mister Heat Miser.....)and a great one for kids is The Little Troll Prince.

[Jim Cane]

The Quiet Man

Santa Clause VS The Martians

Zardoz

RAN

[Chummy]

Ooops! Mea culpa!

I forgot that surly old Son of a Lou Grant. He was a horrible Santa Claus, utterly grouchy and devoid of any good will and Christmas Spirit.

And I say this without any regard for his mean-spirited, utterly grouchy, ultraliberal real self.

Thanks for reminding me!