S&P Awards

The Most Spiritually Literate Films of 1999
After Life By Hirokazu Kore-eda An exquisite film about the afterlife that lingers in the mind and in the senses for many days. Foreign
American Beauty By Sam Mendes A brilliantly acted and inventive satire on the American dream. Feature
Autumn Tale By Eric Rohmer In this enchanting film, our hearts go out to these well-meaning women who only want the best for the friend they love. Feature
Being John Malkovich By Spike Jonze An Alice-in-Wonderland extravaganza about the yearning we all have, occaisionally, to be someone else. Feature
Children of Heaven By Majid Majidi A cross-cultural masterpiece that touches the heart and reveals the universality of familial love and the determination of children to make do even in the most dire circumstances. Feature
Dogma By Kevin Smith A far-out and phantasmagorical morality play about one woman's unorthodox odyssey of faith. Feature
Earth By Deepa Mehta A mix of romantic love, friendship, passion, and political turmoil that goes straight to the heart. Feature
Election By Alexander Payne A full-fledged critique of the moral emptiness of the archetypal ugly American-those driven go-getters who hurt other people. Feature
October Sky By Joe Johnston This buoyant movie shows the triumph of the spirit amid a young man's quest to find his true destiny Feature
The Castle By Rob Sitch One of the best movies ever made about the spiritual practice of contentment -- living in the present moment. Feature
The Cider House Rules By Lasse Hallstrom A fresh and forceful salute to the spiritual practice of self-esteem. Feature
The End of the Affair By Neil Jordan The spiritual and redemptive journey of a moody novelist and a woman searching for faith. Feature
The Green Mile By Frank Darabont The sobering tale of an incarcerated gentle giant and his extraordinary powers. Feature
The Hurricane By Norman Jewison A mesmerizing drama about the potent force of small incremental doses of hope. Feature
The Insider By Michael Mann A gut-wrenching portrait of two stubborn idealists who decide to stand their ground against those who want to silence them. Feature
The Red Violin By Francois Girard A spiritually rich and musically sublime drama about the soulful dimensions of beauty. Feature
The Sixth Sense By M. Night Shyamalan This psychological thriller is about a boy who sees dead people and the therapist who helps him. Feature
The Straight Story By David Lynch An inspiring movie about a man's deep spiritual yearning to reconcile with his brother. Feature
Three Seasons By Tony Bui An extraordinary cross-cultural masterpiece shining with incredible images, a keen sense of pace, and a reverence for the incredible yearning of ordinary people. Feature
West Beirut By Ziad Doueiri A cross-cultural gem whose adolescent characters struggle to keep their souls alive in the midst of war. Foreign
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