Most Spiritually Literate Films | Spirituality & Practice

A Home at the End of the World By Michael Mayer The emotional tale of a natural born lover who brings joy and sexual fulfillment to those lucky enough to be part of his extended family. Feature

A Love Song for Bobby Long By Shainee Gabel A heart-affecting drama fashioned with love, care, and creativity. Feature

A Very Long Engagement By Jean-Pierre Jeunet A romantic film to take to heart with its incisive portrait of a determined young woman's unswerving love. International

Before Sunset By Richard Linklater An enthralling love story that puts a capital S on Seduction. Feature

Born into Brothels By Ross Kauffman, Zana Briski An extraordinary documentary about a photographer who draws out the wonder and the creativity of some poor kids in Calcutta. Documentary

Collateral By Michael Mann An engrossing thriller set in Los Angeles about an insecure and procrastinating cab driver whose life is transformed by his encounter with a merciless hit man. Feature

Control Room By Jehane Noujaim A riveting documentary that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Middle Eastern news agency Al Jazeera's coverage of the second Iraq war. Documentary

Divan By Pearl Gluck A lively documentary about one woman's quest to explore her Hasidic roots; it mixes fact, emotion, and religious tradition with the spiritual practice of questing. Special Interest

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind By Michel Gondry A fascinating psychological drama exploring the manifold complexities of memory, love, desire, and disappointment. Feature

Fahrenheit 9/11 By Michael Moore This illuminating documentary shows how the Bush Administration served the interests of the haves and the have-mores with unjust domestic polices and a terrible war. Documentary

Finding Neverland By Marc Forster A convincing and tender depiction of the ties between imagination, play, and creativity. Feature

Garden State By Zach Braff A spunky romantic comedy about an enthusiastic young woman who transforms her lover with the good medicine of her presence. Feature

Goodbye, Lenin! By Wolfgang Becker An intimate drama about nurturing love as well as a witty political parable. International

Hotel Rwanda By Terry George A heroic and compassionate story of a man African who gave sanctuary to both neighbors and strangers during the 1994 genocide in his country. Feature

House of Flying Daggers By Zhang Yimou A triple threat as an amazing martial arts film, a sense-luscious drama, and a romantic love story that touches the heart. International

Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train By Deb Ellis, Denis Mueller A rousing documentary about the radical historian and activist who has risked all to make a prophetic call for peace and justice in America. Documentary

I Heart Huckabees By David O. Russell A playful comedy that embraces the spiritual uplift of our connections with others amidst the muck of human separation that characterizes our present-day adventures. Feature

Lost Boys of Sudan By Jon Shenk, Megan Mylan An excellent documentary about the struggles of two African youth to adapt to their new life in America. Documentary

Maria Full of Grace By Joshua Marston The compelling story of a courageous and adventuresome seventeen-year old Columbian. International

Million Dollar Baby By Clint Eastwood A powerful emotional drama about a woman boxer, a crusty old trainer, and the circumstances that draw them together for a journey of the heart. Feature

Moolaade By Ousmane Sembene A triumphant ode to the bravery of a visionary woman who leads a rebellion against the practice of female genital mutilation in her African village. International

Napoleon Dynamite By Jared Hess A quirky and appealing comedy set in Idaho about an oddball teenager who waits patiently until he gets his chance to shine on his own terms. Feature

Osama By Siddiq Barmak The harrowing tale of subjugated women in Afghanistan under the merciless rule of the Taliban. International

S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine By Rithy Panh A chilling documentary that compels us to consider the terrible things human beings can do to one another because of fear, ideology, or just following orders. Documentary

Sideways By Alexander Payne A buddy movie that is a delight from start to finish: it offers a round-trip ticket to the rewards of friendship and the follies and frustrations of middle-age. Feature

Silent Waters By Sabiha Sumar A quiet and elegant film set in 1979 Pakistan that presents the shadow side of hospitality, a spiritual practice that honors all religions. International

Silver City By John Sayles A profound film probing the warps of contemporary politics, the equation of big business with democracy, the wanton desecration of the environment, and the abuse of illegal immigrants. Feature

Spider-Man 2 By Sam Raimi This entertaining film takes comic book action to a new level of possibility with its sensitivity to its characters' emotions. Feature

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter . . . and Spring By Kim Ki-duk A luminous meditation on the wisdom of Buddhism and one of the best films of the year set on a floating raft monastery in Korea. International

Super Size Me By Morgan Spurlock The revolutionary documentary that examines the link between the junk food industry and the obesity epidemic in America. Documentary

The Corporation By Jennifer Abbott, Mark Achbar A bold, creative, and prophetic critique of a beast that has grown too powerful and too dangerous to ignore any longer. Documentary

The Door in the Floor By Tod Williams A mature treatment of sexuality, loss, and the emotional education of a young man. Feature

The Motorcycle Diaries By Walter Salles An extraordinary drama about the spiritual transformation that turns an intense young man into a revolutionary. International

The Story of the Weeping Camel By Byambasuren Davaa, Luigi Falorni A wonderful Mongolian film about the deep and powerful bonds that link human beings and animals together in a common need for nurturing. International

The Terminal By Steven Spielberg A light-hearted and thoroughly entertaining film about the joys that can be ours when we slow down, practice deep listening, and cultivate the art of patience. Feature

The Woodsman By Nicole Kassell A complex tale that severely tests the limits of our empathy and compassion. Feature

Two Brothers By Jean-Jacques Annaud An extraordinary film about two wild tigers and the human beings who are changed irreparably by their encounters with these magnificent and mysterious creatures. Feature

Vanity Fair By Mira Nair An exquisite screen adaptation of Thackeray's novel about the poison of envy and the social climber in us all. Feature

Vera Drake By Mike Leigh A deft and sympathetic depiction of a good person whose compassion and kindness are the real thing. Feature

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