All Things Narrative Presents:
The LIVE A MEANINGFUL STORY Podcast
Connecting the movies we love with the stories we live
40: Finding God Through Nature and Grace (THE TREE OF LIFE)
What does it mean to wrestle with God? In our season finale, we analyze the richly complex theological masterpiece THE TREE OF LIFE. In this arthouse film, director Terrence Malick takes us on a tour through everything from the vastness of the cosmos, to the fragility of our own memories. Using a Sparklines storytelling structure, he allows us to grapple with the tension between creation and Creator. Our analysis incorporates the biblical narrative, the writings of Augustine and Dostoevsky, and the Tree of Life Narrative Practice, all accompanied by world-renown classical music. Additionally, we get personal about the family dynamics portrayed in THE TREE OF LIFE.
28: The Tragedy of Maintaining Power at All Cost (THE GODFATHER)
Why does one pursue power, even if it keeps resulting in tragedy? In our new series on 'Lost Justice', we examine one of the greatest films of all time: THE GODFATHER. We compare and contrast Vito "Don" Corleone with his son Michael, and what their diverging paths say to us about different perceptions of justice. Joining our conversation is acclaimed television screenwriter Kyle Arrington.
27: Healing Our Fractured Humanity (ROBOCOP)
How do we heal and maintain our identities when society tries to dehumanize and reprogram us? In this final episode of our 'Masculinity in the Modern Age' series, we broadcast from the '80's Movies Club in West Palm Beach after a screening of the '80's sci-fi satire ROBOCOP. This story depicts the challenges of a man reclaiming his heart of flesh after it's been replaced by a heart of metal, and what that means for us today. We also discuss the similarities between Robocop and Batman, the fickleness of memory, and the challenges of being a police officer.
21: Coming-of-Age in an Ever-Changing World (PINOCCHIO)
How do we grow and mature in a world that is trying to mold us into its own image? In this first entry of our 'Power of Myth' series, we discuss at-length one of the most influential stories in the last 150 years: PINOCCHIO. We compare and contrast the book with the 1940’s Disney Classic, and the contemporary stop-motion film by Guillermo Del Toro. Throughout our conversation, we connect PINOCCHIO to the various biblical narratives it references, while gaining insights from Joseph Campbell and Jordan Peterson. Derrick also gets personal about fatherhood and welcoming his son into the world.
20: Renewing Your Purpose through Family and Sacrifice (LOGAN)
How do we renew our sense of purpose when life feels meaningless? How do past and future generations inspire us to embrace our identities more fully? LOGAN, the final film in our fatherhood series, illustrates how family helps us find meaning in the sacrifices we make. We analyze LOGAN through the lens of archetypal storytelling, while providing insights from Joseph Campbell, Donald Miller, Viktor Frankl, Narrative Therapy Practices, and the Bible. Derrick also gets personal by sharing how this film awakened fatherhood within him.
19: Re-Membering Your Parent (AFTERSUN)
When we get older, we often think back to our own parents, trying to make sense of that relationship through our fractured memories. In this emotional episode, we discuss parenting from both ends (as sons and as fathers) through the film AFTERSUN. We get vulnerable sharing about experiences with our fathers, and how this realistic father-daughter story broke Derrick. Along the way, we discuss the struggles of parenting, the Narrative Practice of Re-Membering, and the power of film as a visual medium for storytelling.
18: Examining Fatherhood Expectations and Discourses (PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS & BICYCLE THIEVES)
It’s fatherhood month on our podcast! And we’re kicking things off by comparing two iconic depictions of fatherhood in cinema: the classic BICYCLE THIEVES, and the more contemporary PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS. We compare and contrast these relationships between fathers and sons, and how different discourses (expectations, narratives) around fatherhood manifest in both films and the world we live in. We also discuss the implications of race, and what true happiness entails according to C.S. Lewis, Viktor Frankl, and the Ancient Greeks.
Bonus: Atonement with the Father (RETURN OF THE JEDI)
In our first bonus episode, we share an outtake from our Star Wars conversation regarding Joseph Campbell's "Atonement with the Father" stage, and how it connects with both Return of the Jedi and Derrick's healing with his own father.
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