The Most Redeeming Movies of 2005?

Christianity Today Movies has posted The 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2005.

Mark Moring explains the definition:

What do we mean by “redeeming” films? They’re all stories of redemption—sometimes blatantly, sometimes less so. Several of them literally have a character that represents a redeemer. And with some of them, the redemption thread is buried beneath the surface; you might have to look a bit harder for it, but it’s most certainly there. Some of them are “feel-good” movies that leave a smile on your face; some might leave you with more of a contemplative frown, asking, “How should I process that?”

I appreciate Moring’s perspective and his coordination of this list. Personally, if I were to list my choices for the Top 10 Most Redeeming Movies, it would be the same list as my Top 10 Best Movies. After all, aren’t beauty, excellence, and truth redeeming? Aren’t visions of darkness redeeming if they tell the truth about evil? Isn’t a picture of natural beauty redeeming?

The “most redeeming” works of art are so richly woven with glory, you can’t isolate a “redeeming thread.”

Still, I appreciate the thoughts that went into these selections, and I agree (with most of the choices, anyway) that these are worthwhile and, yes, in some ways, “redeeming” films.

Oh, P.S. You’ll note that I chose The New World as “The One That Got Away.” Technically, I count The New World as a 2006 movie. Why? Because it didn’t exist until the second week of January. The version shown to some critics in December was an unfinished, and extremely different thing. So you’ll see The New World near the top of my Best of 2006 list. Since Christianity Today is calling it a 2005 film, in order to align with the way most professional publications have classified it, I decided I’d better celebrate the film there while I had the chance.