Thirty-Six Compelling Films that Can Spark Good Conversations about Catholicism

The phrase "Catholic film" gets thrown around a lot in conversation these days. However, in my opinion, a truly Catholic film is one that is beautifully made from a technical and artistic standpoint, and tells the truth about the moral and spiritual order in a compelling manner.

One of my biggest pet peeves are Catholic books and films that are backed by good intentions but are either poorly made and/or are too niche. Often these films and books are intended as tools for evangelization, but in the end they speak only to Christian and/or Catholic audiences.

So over the course of the past several years I have compiled a list of movies that I would not be embarrassed to show to my non-Catholic and non-Christian friends. These films draw from a variety of genres and film eras, and so I am hopeful that folks will find something for everyone.

Lady Bird, 2018.

Also, please know that just because I think a film is Catholic does not mean it is necessarily family friendly i.o.w. devoid of explicit sexual content, foul language, or violence. I strongly recommend looking up the parental guidelines on IMDb (International Movie Data Base) before watching these films, especially with children.

Also, please let me know of other films you would recommend as beautiful, truth bomb-dropping, compelling, not-embarrassing Catholic films!

A Man for All Seasons, 1966

The Lord of the Rings, 2001-2003

Up, 2009

Becket, 1964

Lady Bird, 2018

Darkest Hour, 2018

Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, 1989

Indiana Jones & the Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981

Calvary, 2014

I Confess, 1953

The Sound of Music, 1965

On the Waterfront, 1954

Chariots of Fire, 1981

Brideshead Revisited, 1981

Stranger Things, 2016-2019

Into Great Silence, 2005

The Painted Veil, 2006

Angels with Dirty Faces, 1938

Lilies of the Field, 1963

The Way, 2010

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, 2013

Iron Man, 2008

Yours, Mine, and Ours, 1968

It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946

The Lion King, 1994

Juno, 2007

Sleeping Beauty, 1959

Life is Beautiful, 1997

The Prince of Egypt, 1998

True Grit, 2010

Boys Town, 1938

The Giver, 2014

Les Miserables, 1998

The Rookie, 2002

The Trouble with Angels, 1956

The Avengers, 2012

Avengers: Endgame, 2019.