Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jessica Renee on April 17, 2009 at 5:14am

Well this movie isnt really about Atheism but it denies Christ in an interesting way

has any one see The Man From Earth?

Permalink Reply by Johnny on April 17, 2009 at 10:05am

Yea, I thought that was a good movie; I even threw up a post about it awhile back. Good suggestion Jessica.

Permalink Reply by S.A. Alenthony on April 20, 2009 at 11:08pm

Well. Lots of ground to cover here.

Starting with the obvious:

1. Religulous. If you have not seen this, you need to stop everything and do so. Finally, a documentary that pulls no punches about the sheer idiocy of religious belief. I laughed a lot, and more importantly, I was inspired to do more, as an atheist.

2. Jesus Camp. Where Religulous is just good irreverent fun, this is horribly disturbing. Watch firsthand as children's minds are stifled and warped. The fact that the fundies that were filmed hosting this insane camp actually approved of all the content put into the film speaks volumes about just how detached from reality they really are.

3. Marjoe. An oldie but a goodie I only recently learned about. This is from the 70s, a documentary that follows the adventures of the adult Marjoe Gortner, a one-time "child preacher" that gave up religion as an adult. If that does not sound interesting enough already, get this: The point of the film is that he does not tell the various evangelicals that he will be preaching with that he isn't a xtian anymore. He brings his camera crew into their inner world and documents their money-making schemes and more. There is a hilarious scene of a preacher and his wife discussing the possibility of just such a thing occurring, but dismissing it because they'd be able to spot an ungodly fake doing that sort of thing so easily.

4. Contact. The movie is a vast improvement over Sagan's novel. Atheist author, atheist protagonist, Dr. Ellie Arroway. What else to say? Hollywood does not make a lot of movies like this. Intelligent, even-handed, inspiring.

5. A.I.: Artifical Intelligence. The Kubrick movie that Kubrick never made, an imperfect homage to the greatest director ever, by Steven Spielberg. Simply put, this is the most atheistic film I have ever seen. It is disturbing. My wife had to leave the theatre. It opens the entire can of philosophical worms that comes with questions about Creators, such as, what obligations would we have to sentient beings we made in our image? But the real impact of the film is the finale, which includes a damning indictment of faith, in the form of a robot boy earnestly praying to a lifeless statue, over and over and over....

6. 2001: A Space Odyssey. It isn't about atheism, really, but it is a sort of religious movie, in a good way. It is a film that will reward repeated viewings. And there is a wealth of commentary on it that will help you peel the layers of this onion. My favorite movie of all time.

7. Bladerunner. Again, not atheistic per se, but a deep religious allegory. Deals with some of the same questions as A.I. did.

8. Matrix Trilogy. Another religious allegory. When we take these kinds of ideas and view them as myth, with no overtones of anything literal about them, then they are really wonderful. Stories about illusion and heroes and awakenings and transformations are resonant with us, and that resonance is pleasurable indeed. Joseph Campbell would have loved these films, too bad he died before they were made.

9. The Last Temptation of Christ. Worth seeing if for no other reason than the controversy it created. It isn't a bad film - Scorcese, after all.

10. The Passion of The Christ. I thought this was really well done. Mel Gibson is a batshit loonball, but he knows how to direct a good flick. Plus, Monica Belluci is in it. Worth seeing once, if only to vicariously experience just what many xtians feel about their religion.

11. Life of Brian. After watching #s 9 and 10, you'll need this to restore a good healthy irreverence.

Permalink Reply by Aric on April 20, 2009 at 11:33pm

Great list of films Shaitte. I've seen most of them but the ones that I haven't seen I will definitely have to watch now. The one movie on your list that everyone needs to see is Jesus Camp. It shows just how twisted the Christian fundamentalists really are.

Permalink Reply by S.A. Alenthony on April 21, 2009 at 8:31pm

Chocolat with Johnny Depp and Juliet Binoche had an irreligious flavor to it that was rather satisfying.

Permalink Reply by Bleacheddecay on April 22, 2009 at 1:43am

Dogma was GREAT, IMO!

Religulous was hilarious.

I so remember Marjoe and since I used to preach as a child I HAD to see it. LOL.

A.I.: Artifical Intelligence made me cry it was so sad. My teens and I liked it though.

I knew if I watched Jesus Camp it would royally piss me off so I have thus far declined that dubious pleasure.

Chocolat was a GREAT film IMO.

Permalink Reply by LessThanGeorge on May 8, 2009 at 2:31pm

Nobody's seen The Mist?

Permalink Reply by MaddMike on June 1, 2009 at 3:03pm

Hell yeah! The woman in that made me so pissed off it was unreal... in all i don't think the movie was very good (actually a load of crap if am honest), but the parts with that crazy religious woman, WOW gets you thinking aye...

Permalink Reply by Serotonin Wraith on June 2, 2009 at 3:49pm

Saw it today. I enjoyed it a lot. I wished I could have debated that woman before most of them turned irrational. I kinda saw the ending coming though.

Great mini speech on the insanity of our species.

Permalink Reply by Serotonin Wraith on May 25, 2009 at 4:18pm

New one coming up.

Year One

Synopsis
Back in the Year One AD, Zed and Oh, two unconventional cavemen, are banished from their tribe for eating from the Tree of Knowledge. Determined to make the most of their misfortune, the pair set off on an epic journey through an ancient world that will be familiar to anyone who's ever glanced at the Bible. On the way they encounter a multitude of biblical characters from Adam and Eve to Abraham and Cain - already bullying his ill-fated brother Abel. But their journey takes a turn for the worse when they stumble upon a Roman settlement and end up getting enslaved.

http://www.yearone-movie.com/

Permalink Reply by S.A. Alenthony on May 28, 2009 at 10:54pm

Hamlet 2 isn't really about atheism or religion, but it is hysterically funny and irreverent.... "Rock Me Sexy Jesus"

Permalink Reply by S.A. Alenthony on June 13, 2009 at 11:55am

I have written an analysis of atheistic themes in A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. It can be found at http://alenthony.wordpress.com/

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