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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Tomatometer-approved critic
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat have been discovering spiritual meanings in films for five decades. We are always on the lookout for movies that "speak to our condition" (a Quaker phrase) and reveal new possibilities for our lives. We love movies that touch our hearts, illustrate universal experiences, knock down barriers between people, and evoke our compassion. We believe that a truly good film is not only thought-provoking and entertaining, it also leaves the viewer with a sense of what it means to live deeply and fully every day. We are the authors of two books, Spiritual Literacy and Spiritual Rx, in which we frequently use movies to illustrate spiritual "takes" on everyday experience. You can read about our approach to movies in "Befriending Films" and "Spirituality and Films" in the Film section at SpiritualityandPractice.com.
We publish an annual list of the Most Spiritually Literate Films of the Year -- features, documentaries, foreign language, and animated.
Claremont, CA
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Home (2008) |
A very clever and creative film that probes on family solidarity, change, the toxic residues of a car culture, and the physical, psychological and spiritual effects of noise pollution. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Mar 29, 2024
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The Teachers' Lounge (2023) |
Portrait of a school in crisis that mirrors clashes in the larger society between authorities in power and those accused of wrongdoing. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Mar 17, 2024
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20 Days in Mariupol (2023) |
Courageous reporting of the horrors of the Russian invasion of Ukraine by journalists on the ground as a city is destroyed. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Mar 17, 2024
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American Symphony (2023) |
A love story about how the creative process creates both music and healing. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Mar 17, 2024
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Perfect Days (2023) |
Perfect film about two weeks in the life of a cleaner of public toilets in Tokyo with a luminous performance by Koji Yakusho as an exemplar of everyday spirituality. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Mar 17, 2024
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The Monk and the Gun (2023) |
An insightful film about how Bhutanese villagers respond to changes coming through the influence of the West. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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Origin (2023) |
The origin story of how and why author Isabel Wilkinson researched her book Caste. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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The Boy and the Heron (2023) |
A boy’s spiritual journey through grief to commitment, conveyed through wonder-inducing animation. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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The Color Purple (2023) |
A new musical version of the classic story of a Black woman discovering the strength in a community of women. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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Freud's Last Session (2023) |
An imagined conversation between the renowned psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and the Christian apologist C. S. Lewis. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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Rustin (2023) |
An inspiring biopicture of the civil rights leader who organized the March on Washington. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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American Fiction (2023) |
A satire with heart challenging the stereotypes and narrative tropes in Black fiction. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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Fallen Leaves (2023) |
A heartfelt romantic drama about two lonely people with the courage to fall in love. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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Anatomy of a Fall (2023) |
Courtroom drama that raises questions about the stresses of a marriage. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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Werner Herzog: Radical Dreamer (2022) |
A creative portrait of a lover of Mystery. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jan 01, 2024
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Maestro (2023) |
A biopicture about how the marriage of Leonard and Felicia Bernstein influenced his career. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 27, 2023
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The Taste of Things (2023) |
A love story revolving around the awe cooks bring to the preparation of food. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 27, 2023
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Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (2023) |
A documentary guaranteed to make you laugh about one of the greatest comedians of our time. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 27, 2023
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Rose (2022) |
A road trip during which we meet a schizophrenic character and learn to see beyond stigma. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 27, 2023
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Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023) |
An extraordinarily intimate portrait of the actor who used a diagnosis of Parkinson’s to discover he is really was and what he could do for the world. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 27, 2023
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Napoleon (2023) |
A propulsive biopicture about France’s most famous military leader whose destiny was shaped by his narcissistic personality, tunnel vision, and need to win.
- Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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Ferrari (2023) |
A depiction of sports car racing as a metaphor for life’s journey with all its joys and stresses. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story (2023) |
The inspiring story of a video gamer who makes his dream of being a race car driver come true. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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Chile '76 (2022) |
A political and psychological thriller about the moral struggle of a bourgeois women living under a dictatorship. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis (2022) |
A pilgrimage with Pope Francis to visit the people and express his concerns for the world. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) |
A prequel to the four-film series that provides the origin story for the evil ruler of Panen. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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Air (2023) |
An immensely entertaining drama based on true events that changed the game and the business of basketball. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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It Ain't Over (2022) |
A wide-ranging portrait of the extradinary baseball player and coach, cultural icon, and family man. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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Joyce Carol Oates: A Body in the Service of Mind (2022) |
A wide-ranging documentary on the life and work of the prolific writer, outspoken political activist, and dedicated educator. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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The Boys in the Boat (2023) |
Thrilling recreation of the quest for Gold in the 1936 Olympics by the American rowing team. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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Earth Mama (2023) |
Touching story of a single mother who is trying to reshape her life to regain custody of her small children. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023) |
A courtroom drama about proper and improper military conduct that has contemporary relevance. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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A Still Small Voice (2023) |
A portrait of radical empathy practiced by chaplains in the pastoral care department of a New York hospital. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 24, 2023
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Radical Wolfe (2023) |
A spiffy documentary on the life and work of Tom Wolfe, who pioneered disruptive journalism and exposed American obsessions. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 14, 2023
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Being Mary Tyler Moore (2023) |
Biopicture with film clips showcasing the multi-talented pioneering tv and film actress. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 09, 2023
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Beyond Utopia (2023) |
A documentary that embeds viewers with defectors from North Korea on their harrowing journey to freedom. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 05, 2023
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The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023) |
An adaptation of a Ronald Dahl story about changing your life and doing the impossible. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 05, 2023
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Joan Baez I Am a Noise (2023) |
A raw look at the public and private struggles of the singer and activist.
- Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 04, 2023
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Nyad (2023) |
The true story of Diana Nyad’s marathon swim and remarkable lifetime friendship. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 04, 2023
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Biosphere (2022) |
A sci-fi buddy film that proves life finds a way. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Dec 01, 2023
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The Deported (2019) |
Stories of four immigrants and their families facing the heartbreak of deportation.
- Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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The Holdovers (2023) |
A dramedy about three people reframing sadness and loneliness during the holidays. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) |
A love story set amidst a series of murders revealing how indigenous people have been victims of the shadow side of American society -- racism and white supremacy.
- Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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My Sailor, My Love (2022) |
Touching story about a father and daughter dealing with the challenges of both giving and receiving care.
- Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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Oppenheimer (2023) |
An intense, inventively filmed, and well-acted biopicture about the kinds of events that are hard on the heart.
- Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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Barbie (2023) |
A sassy comedy that raises questions for people of all ages about what it means to frame your life as a quest.
- Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023) |
A riveting war story that reveals the bonds that build between soldiers and interpreters - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Nov 20, 2023
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Anna (1993) |
An incredibly thought-provoking documentary about the manifold ways in which politics and place can influence the soul. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Sep 21, 2023
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Close to Vermeer (2023) |
A substantive and illuminating documentary on the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer and his unique work. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jul 25, 2023
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Full Time (2021) |
A realistic drama about a single mother coping with a possible job change amidst a transit strike. - Spirituality & Practice
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| Posted Jul 20, 2023
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