This page is for listing items in the media that may be of interest to the freethinker. Until I can better organize this information, here is a list I compiled of movies I recommend to freethinkers, or anyone for that matter: --DRAMA-- At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0101373 * PLOT: First-time missionaries Martin and Hazel Quarrier travel to a small town in the middle of the Brazilian jungle in order to convert the natives. They meet Leslie and Andy Huben, a more experienced missionary couple, and half-breed Cheyenne Indian Lewis Moon and his assistant Wolf, who have been employed by the Brazilian government to destroy the rainforest and drive the Indians off their land. Through their contact with the native people and their growing appreciation for the unspoiled environment, Quarrier and Moon find themselves questioning long-held beliefs and their assignments. * MY RATING: 8/10 * MY COMMENTS: A good story with lots of interesting anthropologic detail and gorgeous photography of a seldom visited part of the world. I couldn't believe I hadn't heard of this one before.  Great movie. Sister Mary Explains It All (2001) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0250739 * PLOT: A bigoted, fannatical nun comes face to face with the lives she ruined through her teachings when a quartet of her traumatised former students crash her Christmas Eve church lecture. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: This movie was showing on Showtime (and other movie channels I think) before it was released by Blockbuster on VHS and DVD.  From the results of my limited research it seems that only Blockbuster has this movie available for rent/sale.  "Sister Mary Explains It All" has that "TV movie" feel at times but is well worth watching. * BLOCKBUSTER: http://www.blockbuster.com/bb/movie/details/0,7286,VID-V+++242396,00.html? Frailty (2002) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0264616 * PLOT: A man confesses to an FBI agent his family's story of how his religious fanatic father's visions lead to a series of murders to destroy supposed "demons." * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: "Frailty" shows the danger that fanatic religious zealots can have. Iris (2001) (Available on DVD - August 20, 2002) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0280778 * PLOT: True story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease. * MY RATING: 9/10 * MY COMMENTS: Great movie about the philosopher, Isis Murdoch, who seemed to express very humanist type principles. Chocolat (2000) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0241303 * PLOT: A woman and her daughter open a chocolate shop in a small French village that shakes up the rigid religiosity of the community. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Shows intolerance and hate that can come from strict religious dogma.  Shows atheists in a compassionate light. Household Saints (1993) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0107152 * PLOT: Religious eccentric young girl hallucinates mystic visions. * MY RATING: 6.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Interesting how it kind of shows how religious myths and legends can be created over several generations.  The movie is slow at times though.   Inherit the Wind (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0196632 * PLOT: This is another re-enactment of the play about the trial in 1925 of a school teacher who dared to teach Darwinian theory in his classroom. He did this as a consequence of one of his student's request to know... The student was a lad named 'Stebbins', and the trial (dubbed the 'Monkey Trial') pitted the great attorney of the day, Clarence Darrow, against the often running presidential candidate, and famous orator, William Jennings Bryan. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: I have never seen the original, so I can't compare, but this was an entertaining and well acted movie. Elizabeth (1998) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0127536 * PLOT: The movie starts with England divided by faith, Protestant vs. Catholic. The queen, Mary Tudor has no heir and her Catholic supporters fear the succession of her half-sister Elizabeth, a Protestant. * MY RATING: 8/10 * MY COMMENTS: Frightening look at the Protestant vs. Catholic conflict of those days. Focus (2001) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0246628 * PLOT: In the waning months of World War II, a man and his wife are mistakenly identified as Jews by their anti-Semitic Brooklyn neighbors. Suddenly the victims of religious and racial persecution, they find themselves aligned with a local Jewish immigrant in a struggle for dignity and survival. * MY RATING: 8.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Great lesson in why religious prejudice and intolerance is unrational. The Apostle (1997) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0118632 * PLOT: The Apostle provides a remarkable portrait of a charismatic minister with problems. The Apostle E.F., first known as "Sonny" (played by Duvall), has charismatic gifts and sometimes an uncontrollable temper. The viewer is challenged to make sense of the conflicting character elements. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: What makes this film so textured and complex is the interplay between psychiatric disorders and religious claims. The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) (no release date for DVD yet) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0238924 * PLOT: A group of Catholic school friends, after being caught drawing an obscene comic book, plan a heist that will outdo their previous prank and make them local legends. * MY RATING: 9/10 * MY COMMENTS: If your lucky you may be able to find this movie still playing at an "artsy" theater near you.  This movie has a underlying theme that good communication and love toward children is always better than strict dogma. My Son the Fanatic (1997) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0119743 * PLOT: Pakistani taxi-driver Parvez and prostitute Bettina find themselves trapped in the middle when Islamic fundamentalists decide to clean up their local town. * MY RATING: (Not viewed yet) * MY COMMENTS: (Not viewed yet) The Contender (2000) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0208874 * PLOT: An atheist female candidate is dealing with accusations of sexual scandal while vying to be appointed Vice President of the United States. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: More political than anything else, but there is an atheist lead character in this film. The Virgin Suicides (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0159097 * PLOT: The lives of an eclectic group of men who live in an affluent American suburb in the '70s are forever changed by their obsession with five doomed sisters. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Strict religious parents drive girls to rebel and eventually choose tragic paths. American History X (1998) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0120586 * PLOT: A former neo-nazi skinhead (Norton) tries to prevent his younger brother (Furlong) from going down the same wrong path that he did * MY RATING: 8/10 * MY COMMENTS: This film has a theme that I think would be of interest to most freethinkers.  The theme is how racism, hate, and intolerance are all so dangerous, easily promoted but difficult in preventing and changing. Monster's Ball (2001) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0285742 * PLOT: After a family tragedy, a racist prison guard reexamines his attitudes while falling in love with the African American wife of the last prisoner he executed. * MY RATING: 8.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: This film has a theme that I think would be of interest to most freethinkers.  The theme is how racism, hate, and intolerance as part of tradition can be changed. Darrow (1991) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0101666 * PLOT: The story of Clarence Darrow, the man who stood up to the American legal system. * MY RATING: 6/10 * MY COMMENTS:  Clarence Darrow (Kevin Spacey) is the agnostic lawyer who represented John Scopes in the famous Scopes "Monkey" Trial.  This film covers the life of Darrow previous to the famous Scopes trial.  Unfortunately, this DVD/VHS seems only available for purchase in Pal/Region 2 format. Boys Don't Cry (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0171804 * PLOT: The story of the life of Teena Brandon, a transgender youth who preferred life in her male identity as Brandon Teena. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS:  Freethinkers who are interested about the dangers of hate and intolerance should find this film engaging. Pi (1998) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0138704 * PLOT: Max is a genius mathematician who's built a supercomputer at home that provides something that can be understood as a key for understanding all existence. Representatives both from a Hasidic cabalistic sect and high-powered Wall Street firm hear of that secret and attempt to seduce him. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: Great black and white indie film. Requiem for a Dream (2000) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0180093 * PLOT: The drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island individuals are shattered when their addictions become stronger. * MY RATING: 10/10 * MY COMMENTS: I had to include this film since it received my top ranking.  It may not include freethinking characters or even freethinking themes, but it is an excellent film that I think many will like (or hate).  Not only is the horror of addiction a key theme in the movie, but greed, corruption, desperation, and the pervasiveness of media, among others, are themes included.  Watching this film is a punishing (in a good way) but unforgettable experience. Liberty Heights (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0165859 * PLOT: Anti-Semitism, race relations, coming of age, and fathers and sons: in Baltimore from fall, 1954, to fall, 1955. Racial integration comes to the high school, TV is killing burlesque, and rock and roll is pushing the Four Lads off the Hit Parade. Ben, a high school senior, and his older brother Van are exploring "the other": in Ben's case, it's friendship with Sylvia, a Black student; with Van, it's a party in the WASP part of town and falling for a debutante, Dubbie. * MY RATING: 6.5/10 * MY COMMENTS:  Slow at times but worth watching. Jesus' Son (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0186253 * PLOT: A young man turns from drug addiction and petty crime to a life redeemed by a discovery of compassion. * MY RATING: 5/10 * MY COMMENTS:  Dark humor.  I didn't think this movie was that entertaining but freethinking friends of mine love it. The Others (2001) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0230600 * PLOT: A woman who lives in a darkened old house with her two photosensitive children becomes convinced that her family home is haunted. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS:  More of a thriller than a drama.  I include this film in this list because of the interesting religious tension between the mother and children in the movie. Stigmata (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0145531 * PLOT: An ordinary young woman is affected by mysterious wounds called Stigmata. When a Catholic Priest comes to investigate the so called "miracle", he discovers this woman may be possessed by someone...or something...and a message originating from the time of Jesus Christ. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS:  Another thriller with an interesting twist at the end. Vanilla Sky (2001) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0259711 * PLOT: A successful publisher finds his life taking a turn for the surreal after a car accident with a jaded lover. * MY RATING: 8.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Without spoiling the movie let's just say the film deals with subjects that should be of interest to freethinkers. --ACTION/SUSPENSE-- The Matrix (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0133093 * PLOT: A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against the controllers of it. * MY RATING: 9/10 * MY COMMENTS: "Welcome to the Real World".  This movie reminds me of how "believers" need to open their eyes and see the real world. Boondock Saints (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0144117 * PLOT: Fraternal twins set out to rid Boston of the evil men operating there while being tracked down by an FBI agent. * MY RATING: 8/10 * MY COMMENTS: Fun movie with a great performance by Willem Dafoe.  Pulp fiction type movie with some dark humor. --COMEDY-- Road to Wellville (1994) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0111001 * PLOT: A story about the ins and outs of one unusual health facility in the early 20th century, run by the eccentric Dr. Kellogg. * MY RATING: (not viewed yet) * MY COMMENTS: (not viewed yet) Friends who saw it says the movie pokes fun at "New Age" medical quackery. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0190590 * PLOT: Three stumblebum convicts escape to go on a quest for treasure and meet various characters while learning where their real fortune lies. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: Fun movie. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0158983 * PLOT: When the four boys see an R-rated movie featuring Canadians Terrance & Phillip, they are pronounced "corrupted", and their parents pressure the United States to wage war against Canada. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: Constantly poking fun at religion as usual. Detroit Rock City (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0165710 * PLOT: A comedy about four teenagers in 1978 who try to scam their way into a KISS concert. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: Surprisingly funny story that has parts that show the fear that some Christian parents have of rock'n'roll. Dogma (1999) * IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0120655 * PLOT: The last known descendant of Christ is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loophole. * MY RATING: 8/10 * MY COMMENTS: Great satire of the Catholic faith. --DOCUMENTARY-- Punishment (History Channel) * LINK: http://store.aetv.com/html/catalog/vp01.jhtml?id=43533&browseCategoryId=21094 * SUMMARY:  See how mankind has treated criminals throughout the ages in the name of creating more humane societies. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: Incredible look at some of the most unjust times of the Crusades, Inquisitions, witch burnings, etc. Neanderthals (Discovery) * LINK: http://shopping.discovery.com/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10000&storeId=10000&langId=-1&productId=11981&rel_productId=23151&search=Y&searchKey=2018808041 * SUMMARY: Follow the experience of a small clan of Neanderthals living in Dordogne, France, at one of the most important junctures in human evolution. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Great show. The Real Eve (Discovery) * LINK: http://shopping.discovery.com/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10000&storeId=10000&productId=23151&langId=-1&search=Y&searchKey=2018808041 * SUMMARY: "The Real Eve" reveals that our shared genetic heritage links every living person on earth and traces the expansion of modern humans throughout the world. * MY RATING: 6/10 * MY COMMENTS: The information in the show was educational but the music and cinematography were annoying. Evolution (PBS) * LINK: http://www.pbs.org/evolution * SUMMARY:  Travel the globe to examine evolutionary science and its profound effect on society and culture. From the genius and torment of Charles Darwin to the vast changes that spawned the tree of life, from the role of mass extinctions in the survival of species to the power of sex to drive evolutionary change, Evolution is fascinating and far-reaching in scope. The series also explores the emergence of consciousness, the success of humans, and the perceived conflict between science and religion in understanding human life. * MY RATING: 8.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Excellent.  Best series yet on evolution. Neanderthals On Trial (PBS/NOVA) * LINK: http://www.pbs.org/nova/neanderthals/ * SUMMARY: The film probes the enigma of our Neanderthal cousins and the roots of our own ancestry. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: Well done film with great detail. Missing Link (PBS/NOVA) * LINK: http://www.pbs.org/nova/link/ * SUMMARY: A paleontological tour-de-force and suspenseful scientific detective story, the program documents the search for the ancestor of all four-limbed animals, including humans. * MY RATING: 7/10 * MY COMMENTS: Educational program. Hyperspace (Discovery) * LINK: http://shopping.discovery.com/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10000&storeId=10000&productId=13420&langId=-1&search=Y&searchKey=1029051633 * SUMMARY: Look up at the night sky. Consider the mysteries it holds. Are we alone? Where did we come from? What's out there? Sam Neill (Jurassic Park III) hosts this three-hour journey to the farthest corners of space and time to explore these mysteries on a tour of the universe. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Some say this is the best series of its kind since the Cosmos series by Carl Sagan. Triumph Of Life (PBS/Nature) * LINK: http://www.pbs.org/nature/triumphoflife/ * SUMMARY: Despite overwhelming obstacles, life on Earth has evolved from the most humble of beginnings to a level of diversity that challenges human comprehension. The fittest have indeed survived -- even in places where no living creatures could be thought to exist. NATURE's six-part series TRIUMPH OF LIFE presents the remarkable story of evolution and its survivors. * MY RATING: 7.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Great series. History of God (History Channel) * LINK: http://store.aetv.com/html/catalog/s03.jhtml?search=History+of%20God * SUMMARY: Based on Karen Armstrong's acclaimed book, this feature-length film guides viewers along one of humanity's most elusive quests. * MY RATING: 6.5/10 * MY COMMENTS: Shows how myth and religion evolve throughout time. Shape of Life (PBS) * LINK: http://www.pbs.org/shapeoflife/ * SUMMARY: A revolutionary eight-part television series that reveals the dramatic rise of the animal kingdom through the breakthroughs of scientific discovery. * MY RATING: 9/10 * MY COMMENTS: A must see for anyone interested in the rise of animals in evolution. Scientific Frontiers (PBS) * LINK: http://www.pbs.org/saf/ * SUMMARY: A wonderful program that continues to present scientifically accurate shows year after year. * MY RATING: Of the various shows I have seen, they have been between 7/10 and 9/10. * MY COMMENTS: On the "Scientific American Frontiers" website you can watch streaming video of, or read transcripts, for just about every "Scientific American Frontiers" program that has been archived. The programs are available to view in streaming windows media format. Each one is around 50 minutes long. ( http://www.pbs.org/saf/previous.htm ) The 3 programs I recommend the most are: Episode 1210 - "A Different Way To Heal" - Debunks acupuncture, chiropractic, therapeutic touch, etc. Episode 802 - "Beyond Science" - They discuss and debunk psuedo-science topics like: Miracle healing, dowsing, palm reading, Roswell, etc. Episode 501 - "Life's Big Questions" - How did the Universe begin? How did the Earth get animals? Are we alone? (An interview with Carl Sagan too.)