S&P Awards

The Most Spiritually Literate Films of 2009
(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. Foreign
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. Foreign
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. Foreign
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. Foreign
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. Foreign
Summer Hours (L'heure d'été) By Olivier Assayas A brilliantly acted and bittersweet Chekhovian drama about family, art, memory, money, globalization, and impermanence. Foreign
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. Foreign
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. Foreign
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. Foreign
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. Foreign
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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