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The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

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Theme: Religion


Religion concerns the belief in a creator deity and the practice of worship. Doing so usually requires adherence to a moral code of some type and obeisance, sometimes sacrifice, to said deity. Practice widely varies from region to region, or even within factions of the same religion.

Various aspects of individual religions are discussed on other pages including Biblical and Christian Themes, Catholicism, Eastern Beliefs, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam. The titles listed on this page focus on depictions of traditional religion, works of criticism and others about the finding of faith.

Appearances of The Almighty are dealt with under God, while all other gods are covered under Gods and Deities. Occurrences of the miraculous are discussed under Miracles. The afterlife, which most religions concern themselves with, is dealt with under The Afterlife, Heaven and Hell. Strange breakaway religious factions and their usually controlling behaviour are dealt with under Cults; religions in the future or that might exist on other worlds are covered under New Religions.

For more detail and an overview of the genre see the Theme Essay Religion in Fantastic Cinema.


Angels in America (2003)

6 January 200525 August 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Surreal AIDS Drama/Angelic Visitations

Director: Mike Nichols
Actors: Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Justin Kirk, …
Category: Fantasy

Await Further Instructions (2018)

26 January 20203 January 2022

Rating: ★★★

Imprisoned in a House with Instructions from the TV

Director: Johnny Kevorkian
Actors: Sam Gittins, Grant Masters, Holly Weston, David Bradley
Category: Science Fiction

The Baby of Mâcon (1993)

12 February 200115 October 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Miraculous Child/Meta-Fiction

Director: Peter Greenaway
Actors: Julia Ormond, Ralph Fiennes, Philip Stone
Category: Fantasy

The Believers (1987)

5 June 200021 February 2022

Rating: ★★★

Santeria Cult

Director: John Schlesinger
Actors: Martin Sheen, Helen Shaver, Jimmy Smits, Harley Cross, …
Category: Horror

The Bishop’s Wife (1947)

12 September 19992 February 2025

Rating: ★★

Angelic Intervention

Director: Henry Koster
Actors: Cary Grant, David Niven, Loretta Young, Elsa Lanchester, …
Category: Fantasy

Black Death (2010)

20 February 20113 February 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Mediaeval Journey to a Village of Witches

Director: Christopher Smith
Actors: Eddie Redmayne, Sean Bean, John Lynch, Carice Van Houten, …
Category: Horror

The Body (2001)

21 June 200121 February 2020

Rating: ★★½

Archaeological Discovery of Christ’s Body

Director: Jonas McCord
Actors: Antonio Banderas, Olivia Williams, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel, …
Category: Fantasy

Breaking the Waves (1996)

13 December 19996 March 2020

Rating: ★★★★★

Religion and Miracles

Director: Lars von Trier
Actors: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge, Adrian Rawlins, …
Category: Fantasy

Candy Land (2022)

25 March 202525 March 2025

Rating: ★★★

Killer at a Seedy Truck Rest Stop

Director: John Swab
Actors: Olivia Luccardi, Sam Quartin, Owen Campbell, William Baldwin, …
Category: Horror

Carrie (1976)

6 June 20008 June 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Telekinetic Teen’s Revenge/Stephen King Adaptation

Director: Brian De Palma
Actors: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, John Travolta, Nancy Allen, …
Category: Horror

Carrie (2002)

22 November 200424 March 2020

Rating: ★★

Telekinetic Teen’s Revenge/Stephen King Adaptation

Director: David Carson
Actors: Angela Bettis, Patricia Clarkson, Kandyse McClure, Emilie de Ravin, …
Category: Horror

Carrie (2013)

26 October 20133 June 2020

Rating: ★

Telekinetic Teen’s Revenge/Stephen King Remake

Director: Kimberly Peirce
Actors: Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Portia Doubleday, Judy Greer, …
Category: Horror

Conquest of Space (1955)

1 June 19996 July 2022

Rating: ★★

Expedition to Mars

Director: Byron Haskin
Actors: Walter Brooke, Eric Fleming, Mickey Shaughnessy, Benson Fong, …
Category: Science Fiction

Contact (1997)

25 May 20094 December 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Communications from Space

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Actors: Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Skerritt, James Woods, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

21 June 200624 October 2021

Rating: ★★

Secret History of Christianity/Historical Conspiracy

Director: Ron Howard
Actors: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, …
Category: Fantasy

Dogma (1999)

18 November 19998 June 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Angel War/Catholic Irreverence

Director: Kevin Smith
Actors: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, …
Category: Fantasy

Doomsday Book (2012)

3 April 201810 March 2025

Rating: ★★★

South Koren SF Anthology

Director: Yim Pil-sung, Kim Jee-woon
Actors: Doona Bae, Song Sae-Byeok
Category: Science Fiction

Escape from L.A. (1996)

11 September 200313 October 2020

Rating: ★★★

Action/Los Angeles as a Future Prison

Director: John Carpenter
Actors: Kurt Russell, Steve Buscemi, Stacy Keach, George Corraface, …
Category: Science Fiction

Existo (1999)

1 October 199926 August 2021

Rating: ★★★½

Fundamentalist Dystopia/Musical Satire

Director: Coke Sams
Actors: Bruce Arntson, Gailard Sartain, Jim Varney
Category: Science Fiction

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

4 November 202310 November 2023

Rating: ★

Demonic Possession

Director: David Gordon Green
Actors: Leslie Odom Jr, Lidya Jewett, Ellen Burstyn, Ann Dowd, …
Category: Horror

Fanny and Alexander (1982)

29 July 20029 May 2020

Rating: ★★★★★

Family Saga/Ghosts

Director: Ingmar Bergman
Actors: Ewa Froling, Jan Malmsjo, Jalle Kulle, Pernilla Wallgren, …
Category: Fantasy

The Fiend (1971)

8 November 200412 August 2020

Rating: ★★

Religiously-Repressed Psycho

Director: Robert Hartford-Davies
Actors: Tony Beckley, Patrick Magee, Ann Todd, Madeline Hinde, …
Category: Horror

Frailty (2001)

10 November 20035 March 2023

Rating: ★★★½

Religious Visions and Serial Killings

Director: Bill Paxton
Actors: Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Matt O'Leary, Powers Boothe, …
Category: Horror

God Told Me To (1976)

19 May 20114 September 2020

Rating: ★★★½

Alien Messiah/Cult Killings/Alien Abduction & Impregnation

Director: Larry Cohen
Actors: Tony Lo Bianco, Richard Lynch, Deborah Raffin, Sandy Dennis, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Handmaid’s Tale (1990)

24 December 200228 May 2021

Rating: ★★

Fundamentalist Dystopia

Director: Volker Schlondorff
Actors: Natasha Richardson, Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway, Aidan Quinn, …
Category: Science Fiction

Hercules (2005)

14 December 200820 November 2019

Rating: ★★★

Greek Mythological Hero

Director: Roger Young
Actors: Paul Telfer, Elizabeth Perkins, Leelee Sobieski, Sean Astin, …
Category: Fantasy

Heretic (2024)

20 December 20246 April 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Religious Imprisonment Thriller

Director: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Actors: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace, …
Category: Horror

In Your Hands (2004)

29 July 20049 March 2023

Rating: ★★★

Miracle-Healing Prison Inmate

Director: Annette K. Olesen
Actors: Ann Eleonora Jørgensen, Trine Dyrholm, Sonja Richter, Henrik Prip
Category: Fantasy

Jennifer (1978)

10 April 201321 March 2024

Rating: ★★

Snake Controlling Teen’s Telekinetic Revenge

Director: Brice Mack
Actors: Lisa Pelikan, Amy Johnston, Bert Convy, Jeff Corey, …
Category: Horror

The Lair of the White Worm (1988)

7 June 200323 December 2024

Rating: ★★

Snake Priestess/Campy Horror

Director: Ken Russell
Actors: Hugh Grant, Amanda Donohoe, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, …
Category: Horror

The Last Exorcism (2010)

29 August 201025 December 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Exorcism Found Footage Film

Director: Daniel Stamm
Actors: Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Iris Bahr, Louis Herthum, …
Category: Horror

The Last Thing Mary Saw (2021)

7 September 20237 September 2023

Rating: ★★★

Horrors in a Religiously Oppressive Household

Director: Edoardo Vitaletti
Actors: Stefanie Scott, Isabelle Fuhrman, Judith Roberts, PJ Sosko, …
Category: Horror

The Man From Earth: Holocene (2017)

28 January 20184 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Immortal Man

Director: Richard Schenkman
Actors: David Lee Smith, Akemi Look, Brittany Curran, Sterling Knight, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Man Who Sued God (2001)

26 February 20025 January 2025

Rating: ★★

Man Sues the Churches Comedy

Director: Mark Joffe
Actors: Billy Connolly, Judy Davis, Colin Friels, Wendy Hughes, …
Category: Fantasy

Messiah (2001)

30 July 202430 July 2024

Rating: ★★★

Serial Killer Thriller

Director: Diarmud Lawrence
Actors: Ken Stott, Frances Grey, Jamie Draven, Neil Dudgeon, …
Category: Horror

Midnight Mass (2021)

9 October 20217 June 2025

Rating: ★★★★½

Vampires and Religion

Director: Mike Flanagan
Actors: Kate Siegel, Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford, Henry Thomas, …
Category: Horror

Midwinter of the Spirit (2015)

20 February 20164 June 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Woman Exorcist

Director: Richard Clark
Actors: Anna Maxwell Martin, David Threlfall, Ben Bailey Smith, Sally Messham, …
Category: Horror

The Mist (2007)

25 May 200920 April 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Creatures in the Fog/Stephen King Adaptation

Director: Frank Darabont
Actors: Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, …
Category: Horror

The Mists of Avalon (2001)

2 April 20068 January 2025

Rating: ★★★½

Revisionist Arthurian Legends

Director: Uli Edel
Actors: Julianna Margulies, Anjelica Huston, Samantha Mathis, Edward Atterton, …
Category: Fantasy

Monty Python’s The Life of Brian (1979)

15 July 200215 October 2022

Rating: ★★★★★

Accidental Messiah Absurdist Comedy

Director: Terry Jones
Actors: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, …
Category: Fantasy

The Next Voice You Hear … (1950)

18 March 202118 March 2021

Rating: ★★

Messages from God on the Radio

Director: William A. Wellman
Actors: James Whitmore, Nancy Davis, Jeff Corey
Category: Fantasy

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

6 January 200119 January 2025

Rating: ★★★★★

Children Pursued by Psycho Preacher

Director: Charles Laughton
Actors: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, Peter Graves, …
Category: Horror

The Ninth Configuration (1979)

4 November 200019 September 2019

Rating: ★★★

Military Asylum Black Comedy

Director: William Peter Blatty
Actors: Stacy Keach, Jason Miller, Scott Wilson, Ed Flanders, …
Category: Horror

Nudist Colony of the Dead (1991)

26 May 201516 September 2024

Rating: ★

Gonzo Zombie Musical

Director: Mark Pirro
Actors: Deborah Stern, Steve Wilcox, Forrest J. Ackerman
Category: Horror

Oh, God! (1977)

12 November 200213 June 2020

Rating: ★★½

The Almighty Appears Comedy

Director: Carl Reiner
Actors: George Burns, John Denver, Teri Garr, Paul Sorvino, …
Category: Fantasy

Ordet (1955)

20 December 201715 March 2022

Rating: ★★★★

Religion and Miracles

Director: Carl Dreyer
Category: Fantasy

Orgazmo (1997)

9 March 200130 November 2021

Rating: ★★½

Mormon Porn Star Superhero

Director: Trey Parker
Actors: Trey Parker, Dian Bachar, Matt Stone, Ron Jeremy
Category: Science Fiction

Paul (2011)

27 March 201116 January 2023

Rating: ★★★½

Science-Fiction Fans Encounter an Alien Comedy

Director: Greg Mottola
Actors: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, …
Category: Science Fiction

PK (2014)

19 June 201523 October 2019

Rating: ★★★½

Bollywood Film/Innocent Alien Visitor

Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Actors: Aamir Khan, Anushka Sharma, Saurabh Shukla, Boman Irani, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Prince of Egypt (1998)

10 May 199924 June 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Animation/The Biblical Exodus

Director: Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, Simon Wells
Actors: Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, …
Category: Fantasy

Privilege (1967)

20 June 20163 August 2021

Rating: ★★★★

Near-Future Political Manipulation of a Pop Singer

Director: Peter Watkins
Actors: Paul Jones, Jean Shrimpton, Jeremy Child, James Cossins, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Rapture (1991)

26 February 199921 February 2025

Rating: ★★★★

The Biblical End of the World

Director: Michael Tolkin
Actors: Mimi Rogers, David Duchovny, Will Patton, Patrick Bauchau, …
Category: Fantasy

Red Planet Mars (1952)

11 January 200230 September 2020

Rating: 0­

Radio Messages from God on Mars

Director: Harry Horner
Actors: Peter Graves, Marvin Miller, Morris Ankrum
Category: Science Fiction

Red State (2011)

25 September 201125 February 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Religious Cult

Director: Kevin Smith
Actors: Michael Parks, John Goodman, Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, …
Category: Horror

Resurrection (1980)

7 February 20016 April 2023

Rating: ★★

Faith Healer

Director: Daniel Petrie
Actors: Ellen Burstyn, Sam Shepard, Roberts Blossom, Eva Le Galliene, …
Category: Fantasy

Revealer (2022)

7 January 202331 October 2023

Rating: ★★★

Stripper and Fundamentalist Trapped Together During the Apocalypse

Director: Luke Boyce
Actors: Caito Aase, Shaina Schrooten, Bishop Stevens, Buzz Leer, …
Category: Horror

The Sacrifice (1986)

3 December 200319 August 2024

Rating: ★★★½

Praying Back the Nuclear Holocaust

Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Actors: Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood, Allan Edwall, Sven Wollter
Category: Fantasy

Saint Maud (2019)

15 February 202125 March 2025

Rating: ★★★½

Woman’s Madness and Religious Hallucinations

Director: Rose Glass
Actors: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Frazer, Lily Knight, …
Category: Horror

Sausage Party (2016)

20 August 20166 March 2025

Rating: ★★★★

Animation/Talking Supermarket Produce

Director: Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon
Actors: Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, Salma Hayek, …
Category: Fantasy

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

10 March 20047 March 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Voodoo/”True Story”

Director: Wes Craven
Actors: Bill Pullman, Cathy Tyson, Zakes Mokae, Brent Jennings, …
Category: Horror

The Seventh Seal (1957)

20 January 200111 March 2025

Rating: ★★★★★

Death Incarnate

Director: Ingmar Bergman
Actors: Max Von Sydow, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Bibi Andersson, Åke Fridell, …
Category: Fantasy

Signs (2002)

17 August 200230 September 2021

Rating: ★★

Crop Circles/Alien Invasion

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Actors: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, …
Category: Science Fiction

The Sin Eater (2003)

24 December 201217 September 2019

Rating: ★★★

Catholic Horror Film

Director: Brian Helgeland
Actors: Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Benno Fürmann, Mark Addy, …
Category: Horror

Strangest Dreams: Invasion of the Space Preachers (1990)

4 June 20204 June 2020

Rating: ½

Alien Invader Televangelists

Director: Daniel Boyd
Category: Science Fiction

Tamala 2010 (2002)

29 July 20047 April 2025

Rating: ★★

Demented Anime/Girl Cat’s Space Adventures

Director: t.o.L.
Category: Science Fiction

Teeth (2007)

24 September 200827 July 2021

Rating: ★★★

Vagina with Teeth

Director: Mitchell Lichtenstein
Actors: Jess Weixler, John Hensley, Lenny Von Dohlen, Josh Pais
Category: Horror

Teorema (1968)

30 April 201313 February 2020

Rating: ★★★

Miraculous Visitor

Director: Pier Paolo Pasolini
Actors: Terence Stamp, Silvana Mangano, Laura Betti, Massimo Girotti
Category: Fantasy

The Third Miracle (1999)

4 November 199922 November 2020

Rating: ★★★★

Catholic Sainthood and Miracles

Director: Agnieszka Holland
Actors: Ed Harris, Anne Heche, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Michael Rispoli, …
Category: Fantasy

Timber Falls (2007)

4 June 200920 March 2020

Rating: ★★

Backwoods Brutality

Director: Tony Giglio
Actors: Josh Randall, Brianna Brown, Nick Searcy, Beth Broderick
Category: Horror

Uforia (1985)

27 January 200114 May 2025

Rating: ★★★

UFO Religion

Director: John Binder
Actors: Fred Ward, Cindy Williams, Harry Dean Stanton
Category: Science Fiction

The VelociPastor (2018)

2 February 20204 June 2020

Rating: ★★½

Priest Who Transforms Into a Dinosaur

Director: Brendan Steere
Actors: Gregory James Cohan, Alyssa Kempinski
Category: Science Fiction

Voodoo Academy (2000)

20 October 200030 November 2020

Rating: 0­

Voodoo Rites in a College Dorm

Director: David DeCoteau
Actors: Debra Mayer, Riley Smith
Category: Horror

The War of the Worlds (1953)

8 June 20123 June 2023

Rating: ★★★★

Alien Invasion/H.G. Wells Adaptation

Director: Byron Haskin
Actors: Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne
Category: Science Fiction

We Summon the Darkness (2019)

1 August 20201 August 2020

Rating: ★★

Heavy Metallers Encounter Satanic Ritual Sacrifice

Director: Marc Meyers
Actors: Alexandra Daddario, Maddie Hasson, Amy Forsyth, Keean Johnson, …
Category: Horror

The Wicker Man (1973)

20 August 20031 September 2024

Rating: ★★★★

Pagan Religion

Director: Robin Hardy
Actors: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento, …
Category: Horror

The Wicker Man (2006)

18 November 200715 February 2023

Rating: 0­

Pagan Religion

Director: Neil LaBute
Actors: Nicolas Cage, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker, Leelee Sobieski, …
Category: Horror

The Wicker Tree (2011)

5 March 201220 November 2020

Rating: ★★★

Pagan Religion

Director: Robin Hardy
Actors: Brittania Nichol, Henry Garrett, Graham McTavish, Honeysuckle Weeks, …
Category: Horror

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

24 September 20083 November 2022

Rating: ★

The X Files Film Spinoff/Psychic Priest/Organ Harvesting

Director: Chris Carter
Actors: David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Billy Connolly, Amanda Peet, …
Category: Science Fiction

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Contact Moria

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Theme Essays

  • Films About Atlantis
  • Werewolf Films
  • Virtual Reality
  • Imprisonment Thrillers
  • Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program
  • Human Bloodsports and Death Games
  • Animals Attack Films
  • Films About Plague and Pandemic
  • Disaster Movies
  • Steampunk Films
  • Documentaries
  • Films About Halloween
  • Films About Prophecy
  • Magicians and Sorcerers
  • Secret Societies
  • Real-Life People in Fiction
  • Techno-Thrillers
  • Twins in Fantastic Cinema
  • Asylums
  • Possession Films
  • Films About Imaginary and Magical Lands
  • Religion in Fantastic Cinema
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Film Noir
  • Spy Films
  • Jekyll and Hyde Films
  • Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being True Stories
  • Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema
  • Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation
  • Alternate History Films
  • Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film
  • Law Enforcement in Fantastic Cinema
  • Weird Westerns
∧

Copyright Richard Scheib 1999-2025

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