Well... it's Saturday morning! I'm at my sisters and the morning started with my 2 year old niece, Ruby, crawling in to bed with me to watch "Awwa" on my laptop... for those of you that are not down with the kids, Awwa is otherwise known as OLAF hahaha... Frozen, yet again... she loves her movies too! Now it's mid morning and my sister has taken Ruby out for a while and I have just fed and got over to sleep my 11 week old nephew Finn!
Yes... the rumours are all true...I am 'Super Aunt' lol!
But while the house is all quiet, I am sitting with a cup of tea to write up a new blog that has been on my mind and heart for a long time. The TV is on in the background and this morning I fancied putting on my favourite film series of all time... Star Wars! I am an absolute freak for Star Wars; prequels - no thanks, sequels - a bumpy road but I still liked, my love of Star Wars is, of course, all about the originals, so with A New Hope on in the background, I'm all set!
They were the very first films I have memories of watching when I was maybe 5/6 years old... influenced by my loving father of course, but this is where my passion for films began and I have never looked back.
My favourite films, without question, are the stories all about the battle of Good Vs Evil. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel etc... you name it ... I love it! I love all sorts of movies; from The Goonies to Titanic, from Fast and Furious to Schindler's List, from Pride and Prejudice to Jurassic Park, from ET to The Devil Wears Prada, from Back to the Future to It's a Wonderful Life from Cape Fear to Gladiator... I don't think you need me to go on - you get my drift. Ohhhhh so many of them, and for that I would probably be the worlds worst film critic! But, there is something about Good vs Evil movies that stir me and pull at my heart strings more than any others.
Before we go any further, let me expand on my love for movies.You might be thinking movies are just entertainment, and while, YES they absolutely are entertainment, do you know that one of the biggest industry's in the world is the film industry! While movies are created for our entertainment, the power that this industry holds, especially in influencing and shaping culture, is huge! This is where I am a little bit of a freak... lol... To give you an idea, you only have to watch one behind the scenes documentary of any film, (how movies are made absolutely fascinates me), to discover more about the story, the meaning behind it, the purpose and the message that the directors and writers are trying to get across and what the character arcs look like for the actors, how they connected with who they are portraying on screen, and the process of how they got there... so think about it, it might not be your thing but every story ever told has a purpose and a much greater meaning behind it!
So back to Good vs Evil briefly. As a Christian it is these stories that stir my heart the most, have moved me to tears at times, and make me constantly reflect on my faith and my relationship with God. The themes of loyalty, doing the right thing, doing the difficult thing for the greater good, sacrifice, looking for purpose, love and hope are all incredibly strong themes through these films... and I just love them!
Over Christmas I was reading a book by Timothy Keller called 'Hidden Christmas" - it's a great little book, but there was a statement that he made that struck me... with my love of films and in my search to find that deeper meaning in them, I have found myself asking the question, with what lens do I watch movies?
Timothy Keller said this...
"The Gospel story changes how we read other stories... The Christmas story is not fiction, and yet, I would argue, it changes the way we read fiction in the most wonderful way."
Now one of my goals for 2021 is to get better at setting time aside to enjoy reading more, but I couldn't help but feel that this quote can be just as easily considered for films or whatever art form inspires and challenges you.
Ultimately, I have no doubt that my faith plays a massive part in not only what I watch, and how I watch movies, but also how I analyse and search for deeper meanings in these stories!
Now, it's time to share what I came here to talk about... I am going to share about a movie that I really liked - you may wish to not read any further when I tell you what it is.
As a disclaimer, please hear me out, read to the end, these are just my thoughts and my opinions, with some questions for you to consider, as I share with you my personal experience of this movie!
Darren Aronofsky's 2014, controversial, biblical epic NOAH, staring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly.
Again, I want to stress here that this is just my opinion, my experience of watching it and the impact it had on me. My prayer over this is that you would read to the end with an open heart!
Firstly, let me ask a question...
When it comes to biblical epics or any movies based on biblical truth why do we automatically, and perhaps before we have even seen it, have our judgment default button set to "this film must be and has to be perfect and completely accurate"? Think about that...
Having that kind of expectation, as Christians, will automatically set any biblical movie up to fail and from the very first scene of a movie we could write it off!... Personally speaking, where is the joy in that!
Let me explain a bit further...
Like many directors and writers in Hollywood who produce biblical based/themed films Darren Aronofsky is not a Christian, he was born into a Jewish family and in many interviews he openly states that he is an atheist!
That doesn't put me off - in fact the complete opposite... that automatically piques my interest. Why does he want to do a film based on the bible story and character of NOAH? I can't help but think that there must be something playing on his subconscious that has drawn him to this particular story ...
Let me pause and ask you, if you have seen the movie, with your default mode on, did you ask yourself disappointedly, why did they do this?
When Noah was released I spent some time on Youtube looking at interviews about the film, again because this is me being a wee freak! Film geek through and through.
When I listened to an interview with Darren Aronofsky, it completely blew my mind...
He openly states...
That the story of Noah, from a very young age, is one that he has always been fascinated with!
That our original 'super' heroes, come from the bible, they are amazing stories and he was interested in making a movie for believers and non-believers.
He has knowledge of the book of Genesis as he mentions the introduction story line of creation, the original sin and the first murder being important to setting the scene to bring the audience to the story of Noah.
(This is a direct quote from the interview which I found most facinating...) that one of the key elements in their process for creating the story was how ...
“The creator goes from creating the world to wanting to destroy it.. so we really worked hard on trying to understand what it must have been like to make that decision, to want to destroy your creation to start over again...”
This guy isn't a Christian, but this says to me:
this is a story that has stuck with him from a young age - how many of us remember the story of Noah being one of the very first bible stories you are told in Sunday school?
he recognises the importance of not only the biblical text of these stories but also the people that lived through them - are people in the bible some of your heroes? mine sure are!
in some way shape or form he has read, maybe just parts of the bible - I would say the layout of Genesis is pretty important for us all?
the quote I mean wow just WOWWWW! - In my own words and especially as a Christian - How did God feel knowing he had to destroy what he created? I mean if that doesn't challenge you and make you think in anyway shape or form... I don't know what else to say!
I found this is so challenging and profound I have to say straight away he has my respect.
Now, you might not care, you might not agree, but again this is just my experience and I'm sharing my journey on the impact that my love of films, and this film in particular has had on my faith!
So, before I go on let me state for the record:
NOAH is not perfect a film, it is NOT biblically accurate and I don't need to defend that, but for the purposes of this blog, I felt it was only right to share that with you, before you consider righting me off and branding me with no credibility, for a biased view! LOL!
Let's pick up from our default position of our expectation of biblical perfection... we all live in a world that is far from perfect and personally, I have no problem at all with Hollywood taking "artistic license" when it comes to taking truth and creating personal interpretation, (they do that with everything, bio pics and all)... you might not like that or agree with me ... but as far as our expectation of perfection goes when it comes to Hollywood Biblical Blockbusters there are a few points I would like to make.
Even as Christian's do we agree on everything? No we don't - denominations, doctrine, how we do church, charismatic to more traditional etc.. all have differences, and even if a movie was "perfect" and completely accurate, which in and of itself would be impossible, are we all going to agree on it's perfection? I don't think so ...
I am a defender of movies as you can see, I think it's exciting to think about the fact that a very prominent and well known Hollywood film director such as Darren Aronofsky, wants to put a bible story out there for the world to see. Now, this film was heavily boycotted and what frustrates about that is while with its lack of biblical accuracy, why do we as Christians not use this as an opportunity to point people to truth of the story written in Gods word? I mean the film, if you are into visuals like me, is a spectacular basis to use for a bible teach ... show clips, have small group discussions, and bring it all back to the word of God ... You might be thinking Emma this is very idealistic and too optimistic of you, LOL , I appreciate that! But see it as a challenge!
I have friends and family members who don't like watching bible based films or TV shows, as they don't want to have in their heads the actors who portray the characters as they read their bible. I fully appreciate and respect that.
But, for those of you that do watch them and have seen Noah... even with my 'ever the optimistic' view, let me ask you this, do you believe it's possible for God to turn bad for good in this world? I sure do!
In Romans 8 v 28 Paul writes
"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
If we believe that God can take us through trials of any and every kind in this world, why would we doubt that God could do that with anything and use it for His glory?
Through people like me who have crazy passions like movies, especially when it comes to my faith, I don't doubt that God was working in my heart as I was watching the movie, that He was teaching me something deeper about Him, that He has stirred my heart with this passion I have to share this with you today! The movie isn't perfect, and neither are we ... but God is!
I just want to finish this off by bringing this full circle. This is how, with a faith lens, watching this movie, like so many others, impacted my faith. It challenged me, inspired me, got me really excited to dig so much deeper into the story of Noah. It made me think more about things like, how did Noah's daughters-in-law feel when they were permitted onto the ark, now being part of Noah's family, but their families weren't... and it makes me look back to the start of Genesis in more detail, to try and understand more of God!
Even in thinking about the story of Noah, it's one that even as an adult I remember it as it was taught to me as a child.. I think of the colouring in pictures, the fuzzy felt animals and ark and my Sunday School teachers holding up a beautiful big rainbow!
But there was one scene in the film that left me breathless and in tears...
That was the flood scene... it was not only excruciating the potential horrors of hearing people drowning... but when the camera draws out and you see the ark, to see an incredibly powerful image of how the world could have looked completely covered in water, broke me!
And that question of, how did God feel knowing He had to destroy what He created? was ringing in my ears as I watch and the tears fell!
Genesis 6 v 5-7 describes it exactly ...
"The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. And the Lord said, "I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth, Yes, and I will destroy every living thing - all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them."
To see the heart and anguish of God in this passage, I can't help but be reminded and think of the pain God went through when He sacrificed His son on the cross.
I am so glad that we don't ever have to go through what Noah went through!
I am so inspired by so much in this world that, while it is not perfect, can be used to point us to and open our eyes to the powerful truth of God's word.
I am so grateful for the passions God has put in my heart and how He uses them to draw me to himself, and grow in my relationship with Him.
I am so thankful for the opportunities God has opened for me to be able to share my journey with Him, with you!
So, there you have it! I don't watch films with out my faith, ever... I have lots more movies I can share and blog about, but that's for another time.
I hope this has given you some food for thought in whatever your passions are!
If you disagree with me, no problem, if it has made you think a little differently, that's great...
Praying this blesses and encourages you on your journey this month.
See you soon!
Emma xxx
