Integrating God and faith into movies doesn’t always work.

Sometimes, directors who are ardent believers try so hard to convey their fervor that the audience feels like they’ve been clubbed over the head. Other times, a director of little or no faith is able to convey a timeless story of faith with such an exquisite, artistic touch that you’re convinced of his devoutness.

The Holy Spirit works mysteriously in the realm of cinema. The films that follow moved me, entertained me, and conveyed a message of faith that meant something to me.

My list of favorites evolves from year to year. The films that follow are artistic, nuanced with great scripts. The Gospel of John (#2) is unique because the script is based verbatim on the Gospel of John. Christopher Plummer’s voice is perfect as the narrator. Interestingly, the versatile Mr. Plummer appears in two other films on the list (“The Scarlet and the Black”) as a Nazi, the antagonist of the Vatican, and “Jesus of Nazareth” as the spineless Herod.

I have bounced a few golden oldies from my list this year, such as Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments, simply because I’ve seen them enough times that I’m a little tired of them.

I sincerely believe you will enjoy these films. Let me know your favorites.