Ne Zatvaryai Ochi

I just watched this movie in the premiere days. It is very clearly and directly communicated as an Orthodox Christian movie, so if you want to avoid such movies, you are warned.

Having said this, once you are comfortable with faith films, this is leaps and bounds above your typical US evangelical faith flick. It is not the same ballpark, not even in the same universe. It is deep, raw, packs a powerful punch, and keeps you gripping the edge of your seat until the final minute. Many people were crying during the premiere.

The most profound thing is that, not even for a second, does this sell you the cheap "Since you are a believer, God has you covered" message that one sees so often in other faith movies. It explores the razor-thin edge between confidence and despair, where true faith lies. None of the characters are white-washed (or black-washed). Not a single second is wasted. All story lines come powerfully together to deliver a shocking gut punch in the final prayer, such a punch that I can't get these 10 seconds out of my head hours later.

In the Christian movies genre, this is something that happens once in a generation. Personally, I think it manages to suprass Ostrov. A pure masterpiece.