'Cause You Gotta Have These Faith-Based Films

In Captive, out Friday, a woman being held hostage by an escaped killer saves her life (and his?) by reading to him from the devotional book 'The Purpose Driven Life.' Faith-based movies, like the ones here, often fly under the radar, but bring huge audiences.  

All of Tyler Perry's films reflect his staunch Christian beliefs, but this film featuring his naughty granny has been the most successful at the box office. Look for Sofia Vergara as Madea's cellmate. 

'Fireproof' took the world by storm, becoming the top-grossing indie of '08. It starred Kirk Cameron as a fire captain whose marriage is in trouble, but he turns his dire situation around once he accepts Christ. 

Probably the granddaddy of all faith-based movies is Mel Gibson's biblical epic, for which Gibson called upon evangelical leaders to support and their audiences to see when no studio would fund or distribute the violent film. It remains the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

The first of the 'Narnia' movies, it isn't obviously Christian-themed -- four British kids evacuated during WWII discover a fantasyland being fought over by a huge lion and a white witch. But C.S. Lewis' book upon which it's based is actually an allegory of Christ's crucifixion.

Four Georgia deputies dealing with gangs, drugs and child-rearing find their faith tested when one of their daughters is killed by a drunk driver. It comes from Alex and Stephen Kendrick, the faith-filmmaking team behind 'Fireproof.'

In this story based on the 'New York Times' best-seller, Greg Kinnear is a small-town pastor struggling to deal with his son's claims of visiting heaven in a near-death experience -- and his congregation has its doubts, too.

AnnaSophia Robb plays the real-life role of 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton, a surfer on the rise whose arm was bitten off by a shark in 2003. Her strong faith got her through it and motivated her to get back out in the waves almost as soon as the stitches were removed. 

The most recent film from the powerhouse team of Alex and Stephen Kendrick finds an unhappy woman on the verge of filing divorce when she meets a feisty, devout older woman who urges her to turn to Jesus. 

A devout college freshman's faith is tested by his philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo), who challenges him to either admit "God is dead" or else prove God's existence over the semester -- ending with a student-teacher debate in front of class.

How hard could it be for Allyson (Sarah Drew) and her friends to have a night out on the town? Apparently nigh impossible, as this slapstick comedy would have you believe. Church isn't front and center here; it's more a backdrop as part of these families' lives.