July 11, 2011 10:45 AM
Of Gods and Men - now at Netflix
I was fortunate to receive a screener of Gods and Men last March, and wrote about it: Of Gods and Men: must-see movie, noting that unless you lived near an artsy/indie movie theater, you would be unlikely to find it.
Now it is available on DVD and so you could request it from your library, rent it or buy a copy from Amazon
Of Gods And Men - Official Trailer HD
The definitive review:
The Anchoress has spun more out of this review - illuminating some of the most beautiful scenes and also comparing this to the sad story of Father Corapi."Of Gods and Men": A Profound Work of Art
Of Gods and Men is the rare film that does not look away from religion or try to suit comfort levels. The film simply allows its story, its characters, and its faith to be.
Of Gods and Men is the greatest film on faith I've ever seen. It surpasses even some of my longtime favorite movies on the spiritual life, like Romero, Diary of a Country Priest, A Man for All Seasons, The Mission, and The Song of Bernadette. Perhaps only Franco Zeffirelli's multi-part series Jesus of Nazareth has moved me more.
By now, you probably know that the French-language movie, lauded in all corners (except, inexplicably, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences--the film was omitted from being nominated for Best Foreign Language Film), is about the Trappist monks of Our Lady of Atlas Monastery in Algeria, who were assassinated by Algerian extremists in 1996. Their story, which was in danger of being forgotten even in many corners of the Catholic world, is told in John Kiser's essential book, The Monks of Tibhirine.
What may make the film so profound?
First of all, it is a realistic portrayal of the life of faith. The monks are not perfect; no saint, or martyr, is. Holiness always makes its home in humanity. Occasionally the monks are impatient, tetchy, or short with one another. ("He's tired," says an older monk after a younger one has spoken to him sharply while cleaning up after a meal.) One of them thinks wistfully of the life that he might have had "on the outside." Moreover, the group struggles mightily with the idea that they might be "called" to be martyrs, indeed resisting it until almost the last minute. As anyone would. The life of the believer often involves uncertainty, doubt, and confusion. Two of them are seen, quite distinctly, as "avoiding" their fate. But all try to grapple with what God seems to be asking of them, strange and frightening as it may seem to them.
Second, the movie does not stint--at all--on the religious underpinnings of their actions and choices.
Read more at Patheos.
HT: Judy
Comments
Thank you for sharing this. I saw that it was coming out on DVD soon and had wanted to see it ever since seeing the trailer for it. I love movies that encourage us in our path. Thank you again Mrs. C!
Ouida Gabriel
Posted by: Ouida Gabriel | July 11, 2011 4:05 PM
Wow, Barb. Just watched the trailer and put it in our queue. Really looking forward to seeing this with my family. Thanks so much for posting!
Posted by: Eileen | July 12, 2011 9:27 AM
