Most Spiritually Literate Films | Spirituality & Practice

(500) Days of Summer By Marc Webb A fresh and appealing romantic drama brimming with heart, creativity, and panache. Feature

A Serious Man By Ethan Coen, Joel Coen A thought-provoking spiritual original that salutes the mystery of God, the futility of seeking answers, and the need to live as best we can. Feature

Afghan Star By Havana Marking An extraordinary documentary about an American Idol-like TV in contemporary Afghanistan. Documentary

American Violet By Tim Disney A powerful drama that will make your blood boil if you are sensitive to stories about injustice and racism. Feature

Amreeka By Cherien Dabis The uplifting story of a resilient Palestinian mother and her son struggling to make a new life in America. Feature

Avatar By James Cameron A thematically rich, visually impressive sci-fi/fantasy masterpiece that gives us a cosmology in sync with contemporary spirituality movements. Feature

Away We Go By Sam Mendes An incredibly original and appealing drama about the quest of two intimate lovers to find the perfect home to raise their child. Feature

Battle for Terra By Aristomenis Tsirbas A sci-fi computer animated film about some nasty invaders and a resourceful teenage girl. Feature

Bright Star By Jane Campion A spellbinding story on the mystical and ecstatic nature of true love and its effects upon those around the lovers. Feature

Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country By Anders Østergaard A moving documentary about the courage of underground video journalists covering the 2007 protests in Burma. Documentary

Cherry Blossoms By Doris Dorrie An exquisitely acted and visually stunning German drama which vividly conveys the beauty and profundity of impermanence. International

Cold Souls By Sophie Barthes An engrossing surreal comedy that takes an inventive look at soul, dreams, emotions, and the emptiness of a life devoid of meaning. Feature

Crude By Joe Berlinger A dramatic documentary about the "Amazon Chernobyl" case where indigenous tribal groups are fighting the multinational corporation Chevron. Documentary

Departures By Yojiro Takita An exquisite cinematic masterpiece that touches the heart with its treatment of beauty, music, death, and abandonment. International

District 9 By Neill Blomkamp A bold and creative science fiction adventure that shows the dire consequences of hating strangers and ignoring the practice of hospitality. Feature

Everlasting Moments By Jan Troell An extraordinary film about a poor working-class mother of seven who keeps her soul alive through nurturing her talent as a photographer. International

Fantastic Mr. Fox By Wes Anderson A delightful adaptation of a Roald Dahl children's tale about a charming, smart and cunning fox and his quest to be true to his animal nature. Animated

Food, Inc. By Robert Kenner A bracing and disturbing documentary about the industrialization of farming and the growing power of the unregulated food industry. Documentary

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs By Carlos Saldanha A lively and appealing 3-D animated feature about an extended family of animal friends who bond even closer to each other on a rousing adventure. Feature

In the Loop By Armando Iannuci A lively movie that sends sparks flying with its depiction of insanity and incompetence among powerful political players in London and Washington. Feature

Invictus By Clint Eastwood An astonishing movie about the power of forgiveness, the importance of sports, the art of transformative leadership, and the reconciliation of the races. Feature

Julie & Julia By Nora Ephron A charming film that celebrates both culinary creativity and the spiritual practice of enthusiasm. Feature

Lemon Tree (Etz Limon) By Eran Riklis An important movie about the healing power of empathy in the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. International

Phoebe in Wonderland By Daniel Barnz An impressive family drama that salutes the power of the imagination and the challenges faced by unconventional children. Feature

Ponyo By Hayao Miyazaki A charming fairy tale about a goldfish who becomes a girl and a little boy who loves her and introduces her with pride to his world of wonders. Animated

Precious By Lee Daniels An emotionally poignant film about a degraded and abused African-American teenage girl whose life is turned around by the concern of an inspiring teacher. Feature

Seraphine By Martin Provost An extraordinary French film about a deeply religious cleaning woman with a passion for creating luminous paintings. International

Summer Hours (L'heure d'été) By Olivier Assayas A brilliantly acted and bittersweet Chekhovian drama about family, art, memory, money, globalization, and impermanence. International

The Cove By Louis Psihoyos A thoroughly shocking documentary about the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. Documentary

The Garden By Scott Hamilton Kennedy A compelling documentary about an urban garden collective and their spirited fight for justice. Documentary

The Hurt Locker By Kathryn Bigelow A riveting Iraqi war film about three members of an Army bomb dismantling squad in Baghdad. Feature

The Invention of Lying By Matthew Robinson, Ricky Gervais A romantic comedy that shows us a closer and deeper sensitivity to the sharp edges of honesty and the ways in which deceptions can both heal and harm. Feature

The Maid (La Nana) By Sebastian Silva A portrait of how an enthusiastic woman brings freshness and novelty into the life of a longtime maid who has sunk into exhaustion and depression. International

The Messenger By Oren Moverman An emotionally affecting drama about the birth of compassion in an Iraq war hero assigned to work for the Casualty Notification Office. Feature

The Soloist By Joe Wright A deeply spiritual movie about the moral complexities of helping another person. Feature

The Song of Sparrows By Majid Majidi An Iranian gem which shows great compassion and respect for human beings and their failings. International

The Way We Get By By Aron Gaudet An extraordinary documentary that celebrates the kindness of three elders who serve as troop greeters in Bangor, Maine. Documentary

The White Ribbon / Das Weisse Band By Michael Haneke A dark and foreboding film about the seeds of hatred in the home that can lead to the rise of fascism. International

They Killed Sister Dorothy By Daniel Junge An engrossing documentary on the life and work of Amazonian activist Sister Dorothy Stang and the trial of those involved in her murder in 2005. Documentary

Treeless Mountain By So Yong Kim A wonder-inducing drama about a six-year-old Korean girl who takes on adult responsibilities when she and her little sister are abandoned. International

Unmistaken Child By Nati Baratz A compelling, enlightening, and emotionally absorbing documentary about the quest for a reincarnated Tibetan master. Documentary

Up By Pete Docter A charming animated feature about a memorable cross-generation friendship that is also a probe on the true meaning of adventure. Animated

Up in the Air By Jason Reitman A bright, sassy, and relevant story about home, connections, unemployment, technology, and traveling light. Feature

Where the Wild Things Are By Spike Jonze A haunting, innovative, and poignant film about childhood that may have you howling with the Wild Things inside and around you. Feature

Youssou N'dour: I Bring What I Love By Chai Vasarhelyi An edifying cinematic exploration of the soul of a big-hearted African Sufi singer. Documentary

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