Great Christian movies you don't need tickets for

God’s Not Dead, playing in 600 theaters nationwide, tells of a devout college freshman who stands up for his beliefs against an adversarial philosophyprofessor.Two faith-based films already available for home viewing, take on the same subject matter, the existence of God.

The Genesis Code. When it comes to the matter of how we got here, could scientific explanations and the Bible’s creation story both be right? That question is asked in The Genesis Code, a 2010 film about a college journalist who sets out to prove that science and the biblical book of Genesis do not conflict.

Though veterans Louise Fletcher, Ernest Borgnine, and Fred Thompson have little to do in the film other than lend their names to a cause they must have believed in, young actors Kelsey Sanders and Logan Bartholomew do a nice job. Directors C. Thomas Howell and Patrick Read Johnson keep the action going at a good pace.

This production presents of a theory that mixes science and creation. It posits that life could have happened in six days—that’s six days in God’s time. Though inconsistent with the Young Earth theory, the argument should at least cause the scientific community to re-examine its anti-creation views.

In an age when the Big Bang and Darwinian evolution are taught in science classes, The Genesis Code is a film every student should see. The DVD is available through American Epic Entertainment. It’s rated PG, and I’d say teens and adults are the intended audience.

Seven Days in Utopia. In this 2011 film, Lucas Black plays Luke Chisholm, a talented young golfer set on making the pro tour. But when his first big shot turns into a public disaster, Luke escapes the pressures of the game and finds himself unexpectedly stranded in Utopia, Texas, home to eccentric rancher Johnny Crawford, played by Robert Duvall. Crawford’s profound ways of looking at life force Luke to question not only his past choices, but his future direction.

The film also stars Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo, and True Blood’s Deborah Ann Woll. The depth and precision of greater films is not found in Seven Days in Utopia. But beside the engaging cast, the film’s themes include a father-son allegory and directions for leading a successful life. Utopia suggests most accidents aren’t really accidents. What’s more, the plot suggests a need for a Christ-centered life. Its spiritual message is subtly incorporated but nonetheless unmistakable.

I also found it interesting that Duvall, from Network and The Great Santini, and Leo, an Oscar winner for The Fighter, starred together in a G-rated movie. Not sure those stars will ever line up that way again, so we should appreciate the phenomenon.

Hear Phil Boatwright’s DVD recommendations on The World and Everything in It: