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Mary, the epic biblical movie, centers on Noa Cohen's portrayal of the mother of Jesus, from her early years in Nazareth to Jesus' birth. The story follows Joachim and Anne, who are blessed with a daughter, Mary, whom they dedicate to God after years of desiring a child.
As she gets older, she meets Joseph, and they are engaged shortly after. However, Mary's existence is upended when the angel Gabriel informs her that she will give birth to the Son of God.
Although the movie has been receiving a lot of backlash online for casting an Israeli actress, Noa Cohen, as Mary and for the lack of Arab and Palestinian representation, it is still worth watching for those interested in its historical and cultural themes. Here is a list of 7 other movies to watch if you like Mary.
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Noah, The Two Popes, and 5 other movies to watch if you like Netflix's Mary
1) The Nativity Story
The Nativity Story is a biblical drama movie that premiered in Vatican City on November 26, 2006, making it the first film to hold a world premiere in the city.
A tyrant's brutality led to the terrible "Massacre of the Innocents" in Judea. God informs priest Zechariah that his elderly wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son a year prior to the murder. Meanwhile, Mary, a 14-year-old Nazareth girl, is visited by the Archangel Gabriel, who informs her that she will give birth to Jesus, God's son.
Both Mary and The Nativity Story focus on Mary's faith and the challenges she faces as the mother of Jesus.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+
2) The Passion of the Christ
The Passion of the Christ is an epic biblical drama film co-written, co-produced, and directed by Mel Gibson. It stars Jim Caviezel as Jesus of Nazareth, Maia Morgenstern as Mary, mother of Jesus, and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene. It depicts the life of Jesus largely according to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The final 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life are the main subject. The story starts with his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, then moves on to Judas Iscariot's betrayal, the severe scourging, Mary's grief as Simeon predicted, followed by a heart-wrenching crucifixion, and maybe a resurrection as well.
Both Mary and The Passion of the Christ explore spiritual suffering, with the former focusing on the mother's perspective of Jesus' life and death and latter depicting Jesus' crucifixion.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+
3) The Two Popes
Anthony McCarten's play The Pope served as the inspiration for Fernando Meirelles' 2019 biographical drama movie The Two Popes.
The movie, mostly set in Vatican City following the scandal of the Vatican leaks, centers on Pope Benedict XVI as he tries to persuade Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to change his mind about stepping down as archbishop and reveal his own plans to resign as pope.
The two men discuss the future of the Church, face their pasts, and express regrets in a very intimate exchange. The two erstwhile enemies witness the world shift, bound together by their shared faith.
Mary and The Two Popes both deal with faith. While the former focuses on personal faith and divine purpose, The Two Popes portrays the spiritual journey of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis as they reconcile their differing beliefs and challenges within the Church.
Where to watch: Netflix
4) Noah
Noah is an epic historical drama movie starring Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Anthony Hopkins. It is based on the biblical tale of Noah's Ark from the Book of Genesis and the Book of Enoch.
When Noah was younger, he witnessed a king murder his father. As Noah gets older, he seeks assistance from his grandfather, Methuselah, after experiencing distressing visions of a massive deluge.
Noah takes sanctuary with the Watchers, fallen angels who assist him in building an ark to save lives. The King, Tubal-cain conducts a conflict in an attempt to take control of the ark as the deluge draws closer. Amid the mayhem, Noah must decide between his obligation to the Creator and human survival.
While Mary explores the personal journey of Jesus' mother and her relationship with the divine, Noah focuses on Noah's moral and spiritual trials as he follows God's command to save humanity.
Where to watch: Netflix
5) Ben-Hur
Ben-Hur is based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and is a remake of the 1925 silent film. It had the largest budget ($15.175 million) and the biggest sets of any movie made at that time.
In the movie, a wealthy Jewish prince in ancient Jerusalem named Judah Ben-Hur is betrayed by Messala, a childhood friend now in charge of the Roman army. Messala condemns Judah to the galleys after he refuses to betray his people while his mother and sister are put in jail.
Three years later, Judah becomes a champion charioteer, and to exact revenge on Messala for torturing his family, Judah travels to Judea.
Both Mary and Ben-Hur explore the theme of divine intervention in ancient times.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+
6) The Ten Commandments
The 1956 epic religious drama movie The Ten Commandments is based on the Bible's Book of Exodus, Dorothy Clarke Wilson's 1949 novel Prince of Egypt, J. H. Ingraham's 1859 novel Pillar of Fire, and others.
The Ten Commandments dramatize the historical tale of Moses who leads the Exodus to Mount Sinai, where he receives the Ten Commandments from God. Moses guides his people to the edge of the "Promised Land" in his later years, but he is unable to enter, thus Joshua is left to decide the future.
Mary and The Ten Commandments both focus on biblical figures and their struggles with faith and following God's will.
Where to watch: Apple TV+, Prime Video
7) Andrei Rublev
Andrei Rublev is a 1966 Soviet epic biographical historical movie. The film was re-edited from the 1966 film The Passion According to Andrei by Tarkovsky, which was censored during the first decade of the Brezhnev era in the Soviet Union.
Russia in the early 15th century serves as the backdrop for Andrei Rublev. The movie aims to present a realistic picture of medieval Russia, although loosely based on Andrei Rublev's life.
Andrei Rublev (Anatoliy Solonitsyn), a well-known painter of holy icons, is the subject of this Russian drama. He travels about looking for calm during a chaotic period and finally becomes well-known for his artwork. After accidentally becoming embroiled in a bloody conflict and vowing to keep quiet, Rublev leaves his job. He resumes painting while he recovers.
The inner struggles that both characters go through are a common similarity in both the movies Mary and Andrei Rublev.
Where to watch: Amazon, Apple TV+
Netflix released the movie Mary on December 6, 2024, and is now available to stream.
