Podcast: Married to the Media
Married to the Media: A Wrinkle in Time
Pastor Robin and Cass dive deep into Christian theology this week in their wrap-up of Disney's A Wrinkle In Time (as part of their "What You Can Watch on Netflix" series!). Based on Madeline l'Engel's book of the same name, A Wrinkle in Time is a fantastical sci-fi adventure that hones in on those oft-depicted angsts of teenager-dom. Meg, our main character, is struggling with school and her social life while being preoccupied with the mysterious disappearance of her father. Her little brother, Charles Wallace, while wonderful, is an eccentric and precocious boy who is also teased mercilessly by his classmates. He enlists the help of some magical women to take him, Meg, and their friend Calvin on a journey to find their missing father.
We explore the message of ubiquitous love, truth, and the spiritual implications in A Wrinkle in Time, as well as our nerdy film-critic takes on the artistic direction and how it helps the messages hit home. And maybe comment on Oprah's make-up a little bit.
https://marriedtothemedia.podbean.com/e/christianity-science-drag-queens-and-other-mysteries-of-the-universe-disneys-a-wrinkle-in-time/
Our Podcast is online!
Married to the Media is now officially available for subscription and download on Podbean, iTunes, and GooglePlay! Please listen and subscribe at the following links to keep up-to-date with all of our releases.
Podbean: https://marriedtothemedia.podbean.com
iTunes: Married to the Media: Media Literacy for Parents, Children, and Family
And for updates, comments, news stories, and to suggest movies/shows/channels for us to review, follow us on Facebook: Married to the Media - Home | Facebook
Married to the Media: Brave
Pastor Robin and Cass don't exactly see eye to eye on this last installment of their Disney Princess saga. There was a lot riding on this movie when Merida was added to the Disney Princess line: it was Pixar's first jaunt into the Princess narrative, and one of the only Pixar movies to feature a female protagonist (coming from a studio with a reputation for a less-than-fair work environment for women). We'll save our Pixar qualms for another episode; but Cass doesn't exactly hold her punches when addressing Merida this week.
So what makes Merida different from the other princesses of the "Disney Renaissance"? Does Brave hold up as a "better representation of feminism" in 2018? What does Brave say about family relationships? Who is this movie for?
Pastor Robin offers crucial Cliff-Notes for the faith lessons in this film, while Cass takes on a modern feminist perspective. It's clear that baby boomers and millennials get different messages when watching this film, so how can you help your family develop their understanding together? We hope you'll enjoy this episode of Married to the Media as much as we enjoyed making it!
Cinderella
We've all heard the debate: will watching Cinderella ruin your children forever? We don't think it's quite that simple. Take a dive with us into the history of this fascinating glimpse into 50's Americana: early Disney animation before Disney was the king of animation- what was the purpose of this film? What points of view were intended? What does the Disney retelling of Cinderella say about family, about love, about hope, and about faith? All this and more this week on Married to the Media!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Married to the Media is Pastor Robin and Cass's place to discuss children's media- so why not start with the beginning of animated film? Let's talk about Disney's 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!
Married to the Media is our regular podcast where we discuss movies, television, news stories, and children's media, and the impact media can have on your family's life.
On Parkland
Headlines on gun violence and the real reactions in small communities to school shootings lead to a lot of difficult conversations. How do we talk about this with our kids? Our teachers? In our communities? Pastor Robin and Cass go over their own experiences with school shootings and try to take the politics out of the discussion- and get back to the family.
Podcast: Married to Media
Look for media literacy tips with an accent on spiritual connections between us...
It would be terrific if all media messages from major platforms were meant to lift the spirit, respect differing opinions, and inspire understanding. Overwhelmingly, though, this isn't the case. Families in particular suffer when children's media doesn't take care to nurture its audience. Programs and messages designed for children tend to be involved in influencing consumer behavior more than education, and there can be genuine spiritual harm in absorbing these consumerist messages as "normal". Television shows, books, podcasts, Youtube videos, games, and music are so influential to young hearts and minds. But mass media is a business, driven by the need for profit, and that can't be overlooked in our consumption of media. Parents need to be mindful of the profit-driven motives of the media children consume, and you probably already know this!
As past, current, and future parents that work in media, we are focused on caring for our children and helping others be active in their understanding of family content. And we want to give you the tools to understand the messages you hear, so you can help your children be active participants in their media consumption- not just a passive audience.
There are many voices that speak to the need for a kinder media for children and families. We listen to them here. Rev. Robin Blair, DMin, and media producer, Cass Medcalf, host and speak to how we can carve out a friendship with media that helps, not hurts, the most vulnerable among us.
Podcast samples coming soon!