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• The Passion of the Christ (2004)

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In Mel Gibson’s most controversial film, The Passion of the Christ, Gibson gave us one of the most overwhelming and intense films of the decade - which also happens to be one of the highest grossing films of all time.

Whether one takes the retelling of the Christ’s passion as religious truth is not imperative in appreciating the splendor of the film and of the story itself. In 126 minutes, the movie recounts the several hours of suffering and torture leading up to Christ’s crucifixion. And while some have criticized the extreme brutality, gore and intent of the film, the point is made: mediocre films do not garner controversy, but great films do.

It is the in-your-face cruelty of Christ’s torment that will help Christians to understand the magnitude of his sacrifice, and for nonbelievers, it may place into context a hideous time in history when an innocent peace-seeker was beaten and hung on a cross.

Controversy aside, the film is Gibson’s interpretation of Christ’s passion, and gives never-before-seen humanistic qualities to Jesus and those around him. Gibson beautifully articulates his vision of the relationship between Jesus and his mother Mary through noncanonical flashbacks of their lives, with Jesus depicted as a playful son and Mary as a rather protective mother. It is through the honesty of the historical circumstances and heart of the personal relationships that one will see the beauty of the story despite controversy and religion.