Disclaimer: Originally posted in the "Movie Review" group, thought I would open it up to everyone.
So I'm looking for movies that have an Atheism or freethinking theme, either overtly or subtly. No documentaries though.
Most Hollywood films seem to have a "Faith will save you" or "You have to believe in something" theme if they deal with religion at all.
The few pro-Atheist or pro-freethinking films I can think of are:
The Invention of Lying (2009)
The Truman Show (1998)
Contact (1997)
Which ones can you think of?
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Permalink Reply by Jillian Mann on November 1, 2011 at 8:26pm I don't know about anyone else but I took I <3 Huckabees as an athiest movie, it certainly opened a lot of doors for me!
Also for just shits and giggles...in my opinion all Scooby Doo movies and shows are atheist...think about it...they always look toward the facts and the supernatural is always revealed to be a hoax and explained at the end of every mystery!!
Permalink Reply by luvtheheaven on November 1, 2011 at 9:45pm In that vein the show "Psych" and many shows often bring up the paranormal but ultimately never say explicitly that a god must exist.
Actually I would HIGHLY recommend the shows "Dead Like Me" and maybe "Pushing Daisies" for atheists because I know some religious people who find the shows unsettling - the shows deal with life and death in creative ways and are really fun and well written and amazing shows. "Dead Like Me" perhaps implies that there is a god or at least a "higher power" and also probably a heaven - but at the same time it never once made me uncomfortable because I'm an atheist (and I get uncomfortable with religious ideas in TV shows or movies very easily). "Dead Like Me" and "Pushing Daisies" kind of work best I think from a non-religious perspective because if you really believe in an actual literal heaven then the shows are basically saying you're wrong.
Bones is a TV show that actually brings up atheism a lot in a kind of fun way and 99% of the time Brennan is a wonderful science advocating character and a skeptic of everything else. She seems to think chiropracty is legitimate scientific thing though. But yeah a lot of those FOX television shows kinda promote atheism - House I haven't seen too much of but I've heard good things, Family Guy... even some of the things said in 2x03 of Glee promoting atheism were surprisingly dead on. :P It's really ironic how FOX News is so horribly religious but the shows are actively showing atheism more than most other channels are willing to.
I personally prefer (good) television to movies. I really love that the stories can last longer and you have more time to really be attached to characters. ;)
Permalink Reply by Stutz on November 2, 2011 at 5:14am "Deadwood" contains some of the most impeccably crafted dialogue ever presented on television, and it's sometimes got some no-nonsense atheism in it.
Agree about the FOX shows like Family Guy and House -- and don't forget the good old Simpsons for knocking religion! Bones is so horribly written and stupid, though, it's hard to sit through. Might as well watch one of the stupid CSI's if you're gonna watch Bones.
Permalink Reply by luvtheheaven on November 2, 2011 at 8:12pm I just watched all 6 seasons in the past few months (for the first time), I found the beginning of season 1 quite slow and bad and almost gave up on it... and then the end of season 4 was a little weird and beginning of season 5... but most of it was amazing IMO. I'm very in love with Booth/Brennan and really all the characters. It's a very fun show and I don't think it's horribly written. I actually adore it and my dad did too. We found it addicting and really great lol. I'm glad season 7 premieres tomorrow. And I love Brennan so much and love that she's an atheist and skeptic.
Permalink Reply by Jillian Mann on November 2, 2011 at 8:26pm I agree! I very much enjoyed Bones and loved seeing an atheist lead charater. Defiantly one of my favorite shows!
Permalink Reply by Stutz on November 7, 2011 at 11:07pm I think the dialogue is bad. Aren't you sick of intelligent people being portrayed as socially inept and full of encyclopedic knowledge about every topic? It's so sophomoric! Big Bang Theory does the same thing. House is maybe the only believable smart person on TV.
Permalink Reply by STEVIE NICHOLL on November 1, 2011 at 10:17pm The Man From Earth... one of my favourite movies of all time.
Permalink Reply by Helena on November 2, 2011 at 4:22am this is a good question and its been posed here too: http://ask.metafilter.com/142846/Suggest-some-great-films-with-an-a...
Permalink Reply by Rick on November 2, 2011 at 11:07am There’s a new movie out with an atheist protagonist called “The Ledge.” Perhaps someone has already posted this, but if so it’s worth mentioning again. You can find it online and I think select theatres are screening it now. It’s a small independent film.
Permalink Reply by Chancy on November 3, 2011 at 9:17am Gotten a few suggestions of this, I'll have to find it
Permalink Reply by Chancy on November 3, 2011 at 9:19am What about the film "Leap of "Faith"? Starts out promisingly, with Steve Martin as a con-man evangelist, but not too sure about the ending. What did other people take away from that one?
Black Death was a good one.
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