You need to ask?

[Cartoonist]

Why are Christian movies so painfully bad?

http://www.vox.com/2015/2/15/8038283/christian-movies-bad-old-fashioned-fifty-shades

For many Christians, writes Romanowski, it was a "dream come true" to have one of their own make it that big. However, he argues, when Grant began to abandon explicitly Christian lyrics in favor of ones focused on romance, many Christians became uneasy and were forced to reconsider their paradigm for Christian art. Was Amy Grant enough of a Christian singer?

The fact that Grant resisted easy categorization prompted discussion and debate. She defied the strict sacred/secular bifurcation. Of course, the only difference between "Christian" Grant and "secular" Grant was the lyrics. Christian art, the logic went, is Christian art only if it explicitly communicates its Christian-ness.
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Well, there's your problem!

[outside]

1. I liked

Ben Hur. Also The Book of Eli and Flight with Denzel Washington

[Warpy]

2. The problem is always in the polemics

Those only translate well to people who have already accepted the harangues as fact. Other people are simply bored by them to the point of wanting to escape and once they realize the doors have been locked, they get hostile.

There will always be a market for narrowly defined Christian media. It will always be a small market because they just can't help themselves, they are compelled to lecture their way through it all.

Even the church every Sunday people aren't that interested. One sermon a week is all they need, thankyouverymuch. They will, however, send their daughters to watch this turkey.

Hollywood might have been able to turn it into a sweet love story between two people who had been hurt enough to be afraid of risking it again. They'd have left out the sermons, though, and the sermons are what make it Christian.

The sermons are also what make it a flop.

[hrmjustin]

3. Depends on the movie.

[cbayer]

4. So this is the definition he is using for "Christian movies"

So a Christian movie is a Christian movie if it states forthrightly the beliefs of the filmmaker. The communication of those beliefs is the most important thing. Everything else — including most categories of filmmaking artistry that, say, critics would primarily care about — is secondary, helpful only insofar as it helps the filmmaker win more non-Christians to the faith.

The goal, in other words, isn't to make a movie. The movie is only the vehicle for achieving the goal. The real goal is engaging and converting secular culture.

It is a tool for proselytizing, period. And since no one really likes to be on the receiving end of those that wish to convert you, they are bound to be bad.

However, if one changes the definition to include stories from the christian bible, those are some of the greatest films ever made.

By the way, for those that aren't going to read this article, the "Grant" he is talking about in the excerpt is Amy Grant, who has nothing to do with movies.

[okasha]

5. Well, there goes

Becket, A Man for All Seasons, The Mission, Luther, Lilies of the Field, Jesus of Nazareth, Lord of the Rings, Saint Joan,.... and a host of others. But it lets in the Gibson snuff flick.....

No thanks.

[cbayer]

6. I'm with you. I never did see the Gibson movie,

but I watched Noah recently and thought it was pretty good.

[okasha]

7. I haven't seen that one..

I'll have to put it on my to-watch DVD list.

[cbayer]

8. It's not great, but it is kind of fun.

We are in the middle of an Oscar marathon. Trying to get them all in before the awards.

Have you seen "Wild"? Not nominated for best film, but two of the actresses are nominated. This one I highly recommend.

[edhopper]

10. I don't think LOTR

were Christian movies in any sense. They are not Narnia. Tolkien was catholic and used myths, from different cultures, as inspiration. But he thought the Narnia books were preachy and not a good way to spread Christian ideals.

And Jackson had no Christian motivation in making the films.

(But yes, there are some very good religion based movies)

[Warren Stupidity]

11. I'm pretty sure GBS didn't think he was writing a christian play.

but you are the expert on everything so have at it.

[struggle4progress]

12. The Mission was a great movie! So was Lliies of the Field!

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Same reason Christian Rock is so bad.