First, Argo is the story behind the rescue of Americans hiding in the Canadian embassy during the early days of the Iranian revolution in 1980.  I watched it from the edge of my seat and highly recommend it.

Second, Lincoln is the story behind passage of the constitutional amendment outlawing slavery, which is normally over-shadowed by the gruesome backdrop of the Civil War.   It is impossible to watch without being impressed by the actor, Daniel Day Lewis, and I highly recommend it.

Third, Zero Dark Thirty is the story behind the beautiful killing of Osama bin Laden.  My love, respect, and kinship with all Special Forces knows no bounds  Again, I watched from the edge of my seat and highly recommend it.

Fourth, Amour is different.  It is a story about the quiet agony of both the failing human body and the exhausted human spirit.  It is a French film with English sub-titles, making it a bit difficult to watch, but it should be required viewing for anybody with very elderly parents.  It details the never-ending and exhausting struggles of a husband caring for his beloved wife.  There can be no happy ending for a story like this, only a lingering sweetness.

As a child, I was taught that decent, hard-working Christians have no time for fiction, whether in novels or in movies.  The first three movies are about non-fictional or historical events and therefore acceptable.  The fourth movie is about an entirely fictional family based on a fictional book and therefore unacceptable.  Still, it is profoundly touching.

Yet, sometimes, fiction can teach us more about truth than history can.  Tonight, I’ll be pulling for Amour to win Best Picture.  All four movies are certainly well worth seeing but only one will touch your soul and change your perspective.