Category: Reel to Real

Seeing Jesus in the Arts

A REEL to REAL Look at Sia’s Snowman -Seeing Jesus in the Arts

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Snow is on my mind. After glorious sunshine and temperatures in the 60s yesterday, we woke up to 7 inches of God’s magical white fluff … even though the daffodils are blooming. So, I thought it would be cool to take a REEL to REAL look at Sia’s Snowman video.

I came across this sweet, catchy tune in December after my husband found the Christmas station on Sirius in our car.

Immediately, this little melody got stuck in my head. I found myself playing it several times throughout the holidays, and then I watched the YouTube video.

Y’all, this story is seriously precious and made me love the song even more.

I wasn’t familiar with the Australian artist, Sia, but her raspy tone and fast vibrato highlight a controlled technique referred to as glottal stops.

These vocal gymnastics happen because of the way she pronounces vowel sounds while controlling her air. It’s a difficult, complex technique to accomplish, and I love everything about her voice. Her style is uniquely identifiable, like Elvis or Johnny Cash.

This unique Claymation masterpiece portrays a love story between Mr. and Mrs. Snowman, but the little girl becomes the story’s hero.

The video begins as a childlike version of Sia builds Mr. and Mrs. Snowman. She places their stick hands together, and they come alive. They affectionately gaze at each other while twirling and dancing. In essence, the little girl creates a love story within her snowy creativity.

The lyrics are written as a love song from Mrs. Snowman to her Mister. As the sun brings signs of Spring, the snow couple becomes troubled as they start melting. Nevertheless, Mrs. Snow pledges her faithfulness to her snowman and suggests they hide from the sun.

Sia becomes concerned with the melting snow too, and takes it upon herself to help Mr. and Mrs. Snowman.

With the aid of her adorable, hairy sidekick, Sia loads a cooler with ice in her trusty red wagon. She then shows a map of the North Pole to Mr. and Mrs. Snowman and places them inside the cooler.

They’ve melted significantly, and if ever snowmen showed fear, it is evident that Mr. and Mrs. Snowman are anxious.

So, let’s watch the video, and then we’ll talk more.

Is that sweet or what?

I’ve thought about this little story so many times since first watching the video. Besides being a hauntingly, beautiful melody, there is so much goodness in this imaginative work of art.

Helping someone in need can make a big difference. For Mr. and Mrs. Snowman, it saved their lives.

It took great effort for the little girl and her pup to find the North Pole, yet they pressed on.

Her toil exhibits all the fruits of the Spirit.

 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 AMP

Sometimes circumstances or people in our lives will test our willingness to share some of our fruit. Yet … Paul said that only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we as believers live out these fruits, successfully denying our fleshly selves.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Paul listed love first. Honestly, I don’t think we can operate in the rest of these fruits unless we love and care about people.

I remember when God challenged me to consider if I truly loved my fellow man? So, I started praying that He would help me genuinely love people. I realized I would never have a burden for their soul if I didn’t love them.

Love isn’t necessarily about words, is it? 

Love is all about action.

The actions we take such as concern for another’s well-being or practicing peace in less than peaceful situations. Showing patience in our behavior by being kind or being good to others just because we can -even when it doesn’t feel good. Exercising self-control, gentleness, and persistent faithfulness that promotes endurance in hard times.

You see, all the fruits of the Spirit lived out together, or even one by one, can make a big difference in a broken or lonely heart.

Patience can calm anger and soothe grief.

Kindness can encourage, and goodness can cultivate hope and joy.

Gentleness can promote healing, and self-control can produce faithfulness.

It’s a never-ending, perpetually evolving love that shows up over and over in countless ways when someone needs us the most.

Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 16:14 …

“Let everything you do be done in love” [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us].

That’s the bottom line, folks; God’s love for us should motivate us to love without boundaries. After all, He put action behind His love when He sent Jesus to die a cruel death for our sin.

Will it be easy? Probably not; we’re not all easy to love, are we?

But Jesus told us why we needed to love each other in the book of John.

“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.” John 13:34-35 AMP

“Everyone will know that you are My disciples if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”

Our love for each other, or the lack of … will identify to the world who we are or are not, right?

The ending of this video finds Mr. and Mrs. Snowman safe. They’ve made it to the North Pole or perhaps their heaven or eternity … all because of a little girl who created and loved them well.

This sweet story reminds me of another love story created within our world’s divine foundation … the greatest story ever told.

So, let’s go love well … there are lives to be saved.

Love you, and I mean it!

Mel

Important Disclaimer!!! I do not own or claim any rights to Sia’s Snowman video directed by the immensely talented Lior Molcho. I’m just a massive fan of this beautiful song and carefully crafted video. Well done, Sia! I’m your newest fan! Be sure to add this sweet tune to your Christmas/winter playlist – I guarantee it will make you smile every time you hear it!

A REEL to REAL Look at Pride and Prejudice

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In the 2005 movie, Pride and Prejudice, directed by acclaimed British director Joe Wright, two scenes grab my heart.

First, Mr. Darcy walks through the cold morning fog to declare his love for Elizabeth Bennet. Gads! My heart jumps right up in my throat and chokes the tears clean out of my eyes. It’s a big swoon moment of the entire film. 

Heavens, this has got to be the most romantic and artistically creative scene ever produced in the history of cinematography. I’ll provide this hopelessly romantic scene below – just for good measure, right?

But I want to talk about another scene that so sums up the sinful side of man.

The beautiful Elizabeth Bennett thought Mr. Darcy was arrogant when they first met, and perhaps he exhibited some upper-crust cheekiness.

He thought she was a gold digger.

After all, her family’s audacious sass and blatant flirting made him feel like a trapped mouse in a bucket.

 It was no secret Elizabeth’s mum was looking for husbands for her daughters.

The plot for this Jane Austen masterpiece is charming and culturally mesmerizing.

In truth, the only relatable factor in this high society story is how messy people and relationships can be. But I still love this timeless, literary masterpiece. 

So, watch the scene, and then we will talk about it.

What you don’t see just before this spirited exchange is that Elizabeth finds out that Mr. Darcy ruined her sister’s chances of marrying the man she loved.

Little by little, Elizabeth has been building a case to hate Mr. Darcy via rumors and lies that she entertained.

But as her feelings continued to sour, Mr. Darcy’s were passionately festering; he was falling head over heels in love with the unwitting Elizabeth.

As we see in the clip, he asks for her hand in marriage. It wasn’t the most romantic or flattering proposal because he speaks to her family’s flaws, lack of station, and reputation.

However, it’s obvious Elizabeth’s feisty ways and outspoken opinions have wooed Mr. Darcy to a place of great pining.

But smack dab in the middle of this gorgeous, climactic scene … two people have chosen to believe the worst about one another.

Gosh, I can so relate. How about you?

Too many times, I’ve chosen to take rumors, perceptions, or distorted truths and make them real in my mind.

Too many times, I’ve let brief encounters paint a negative picture of another’s heart. 

Far too often, I believed gossip or lies because they came from the lips of someone I seemingly trusted or enjoyed.

In truth, it’s a fatal flaw to believe one side of a story without getting the other side.

In time, Elizabeth learns that Mr. Darcy is painfully shy and doesn’t make a friendly showing in crowds. She realizes that Mr. Wickham with his own agenda has grossly distorted Darcy’s character.

Elizabeth experiences his tender heart when he generously helps her younger sister, who gets into scandalous trouble. And in truth, he did discourage his friend from marrying Elizabeth’s older sister because he thought she didn’t love his friend; however, the sister was painfully shy and loved his friend desperately.

But the point is, his motives were pure.

It’s incredible how much we can assume and be wrong, right?

It’s amazing how wrong thoughts and assumptions can harm or destroy relationships.

It’s mind-boggling how much damage loose talk and repeating gossip can cause.

So, what’s the fix?

The fix is in our hearts and minds.

According to Philippians 4:8, we should take the high road.

Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. Amplified Bible (AMP)

According to this scripture, our job is to think the very best about each other regardless of what we see or presume, and especially what we hear.

Unfortunately, our feelings lie, and so do we humans if we have bitter lips like Mr. Wickhams.

So the fix comes in training our minds and hearts to think only good about each other.

Can you imagine what our relationships would be like if we obediently followed this scripture?

Can you imagine how loving our churches would be?

God thinks the best about us and our futures; we need to take a cue from His script and live it out in love. 

After all, God loves to watch His kids make it big in love!

So whatever good we can believe about another’s heart, let’s believe it and leave the judgment to Jesus!

Love you and I mean it!

Mel

Oh, I almost forgot; here is the link to watch the most romantic movie scene that’s ever been produced. I promise your heart will skip a beat!

Important Disclaimer!!! I do not own nor claim to own any rights to these clips or this cinematic masterpiece. I’m just a huge fan of this beautiful film and literary classic, and I can always see my creative God in the arts. Now go rent or buy this movie and enjoy it for yourself; I own the collectors’ edition with all the director’s notes, and it’s glorious!

Welcome to … REEL to REAL!

Published on by melanieporter45Leave a comment

I’m a big movie fan! I love watching a good story unfold and figuring out what will happen in the end. I have to confess; it irritates my husband to no end when I correctly guess the ending before the movie’s over.

I fell in love with the Theatre at the tender age of twelve after winning the role of a damsel in distress in a children’s community theatre production.

My love for the arts spurred an interest in acting and all things drama. I studied scriptwriting, production, and directing in college. Eventually, I changed my major to the study of Communication before I felt called to write. Funny how God works.

But over the years, I realized that my love for a good story goes much deeper than being entertained. I love sizing up the characters, understanding their motivations, and studying the deeper themes.

God has spoken to me numerous times through a movie scene or even a line voiced by a character. I even get these inspirational epiphanies in music videos and, oddly enough, commercials.

God is our Great Creator. He’s passed His love of creativity down to us humans for our pleasure but primarily for His glory. So, in this space, I will highlight video clips (from YouTube) that speak to me, and hopefully, you too.

I believe God can use any form of wholesome entertainment He chooses to encourage and spur on our obedience, spiritual endurance, and creativity. So, enjoy the clips and ask God to help you see Him behind the stories in your world, every day.

Love you and I mean it!

Mel