There’s a quote often attributed to writer-director Quentin Tarantino: “Movies are my religion and God is my patron.” Hearing the 4-time nominee describe his cinephilia using religious lingo is fascinating. After all, Tarantino’s describes his own religious preference as atheistic, agnostic, or simply non-religious depending on your source.
Just so, the comparison is understandable. For those who make film their study, for those who have ever lost themselves in the tide of silver screen storytelling, the experience can only be described as spiritual.
And yet, we seldom talk about films being “Spiritual” with a capital S. It’s thought impolite, irreverent even, if things spiritual and things entertainment converge. Religious fervor and secular entertainment are like two servings of food on a plate that just can’t touch. But maybe the world won’t end if we drop the formalities sometimes and just talk about the spiritual aspects of films. (You’re not crazy–that’s “The Shawshank Redemption” making a baptism reference.)
Which brings me to “Sublime Cinema,” a convergence of the love of film and God. This online series dissects the spiritual connections within films, discerning their religion-based influences and assessing their moral applicability. Turns out watching The Dark Knight can make you a better follower of Christ. If you’re doing it right.
The films I spotlight may or may not have overt religious references. Just so, Sublime Cinema assumes that God can be found in every good thing including every good film. Moreover, I’m also not claiming to have special knowledge of the religious affiliations of the films’ authors, nor do I care to know. Where analysis is concerned, almost everything is fair game whether or not the author intended it. Likewise, all films are fair game—new and old, mainstream and niche.
As a believer in Christ and a lover of film, I’m happy to begin my partnership with Patheos.
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