All Things Narrative Presents:
The LIVE A MEANINGFUL STORY Podcast
Connecting the movies we love with the stories we live
36: When the World Goes Crazy (DON’T LOOK UP)
Do we turn a blind eye to truth, or accept it as reality? In our next political installment, we cover the highly divisive satire DON'T LOOK UP. This apocalyptic allegory tackles many subjects pertaining to big government, big media, and big tech. We also debate about whether this film is true to our current political climate, while Joseph defines 'The System' for us once and for all.
35: What’s Left to Believe In? (MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON)
What are the lost causes worth fighting for? It's time to navigate the controversial landscape of 'Politics', starting with our first entry: MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. Despite releasing 85 years ago, it remains a relevant story about recognizing the infallibility of the institutions we hold dear. Derrick also gets personal by sharing how his own deconstruction of Christian Ministry connects with Mr. Smith's disenchantment of the American Dream.
34: The Shattered Psyche (BATMAN RETURNS)
Do our masks hide or reveal our most authentic selves? In this final installment of our ‘Hearts of Darkness’ series, Nick leads us through the underrated Burton masterpiece that is BATMAN RETURNS. We analyze these characters in hopes to better understand our inner demons, our relationships, and what it means to be a hero. We also explore the role of antagonists in storytelling, and why this is a definitive take on Batman.
33: The Importance of Community (THE BLOB)
This goes deeper than you think! This installment in our 'Hearts of Darkness' series focuses on the government-created virus THE BLOB. Joseph leads us through this archetypal horror film about the importance of standing together in community. We also share how we confront our struggles through this podcast.
32: Why Are We Drawn to Villains? (AMERICAN PSYCHO)
What are we truly capable of? We continue through our ‘Hearts of Darkness’ series by discussing one of the 21st Century’s most controversial films: AMERICAN PSYCHO. We wrestle with why so many people are drawn to Patrick Bateman, while also discussing the importance of confession, and the Normalizing Gaze.
31: Moral Ambiguity and Cinema (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS)
How can a film both vanquish evil, while also revealing the darkness within? In this first entry of our 'Hearts of Darkness' series, we tackle Quentin Tarantino's WWII fan fiction: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. But despite the often black-and-white view we have about the heroic Allies versus the evil Nazis, this film reveals the moral ambiguities that characterize war. And as we'll see, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS places us in its crossfires through its meta-engagement with the power of cinema. We also discuss how this film uses a Nested Loop story structure, how Tarantino brought this film to life, and how its ending ties into the Jewish Shema. Joining us is professional screenwriter Kyle Arrington.
30: When Your Moral Code Fails (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN)
Do you think it's getting harder to do good deeds in our modern society? Is the world getting worse, or has it always been this bad? In the last part to our 'Lost Justice' series, we analyze the Coen Brothers' thought-provoking film No Country For Old Men. We wrestle with this challenging commentary about the nature of arbitrary violence in our chaotic world, while contending with the struggle to be a Good Samaritan nowadays. Joining our conversation is acclaimed television screenwriter Kyle Arrington.
29: Would You Sell Your Soul to Save Your Family? (THE GODFATHER II)
"For what does it profit a man to gain the world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36). For Michael Corleone in THE GODFATHER II, lost justice comes in the form of vengeance. His unwillingness to forgive hardens his heart and turns everyone against him. Based on his tragic downfall, we outline the path to ruin, and how to avoid falling into the same pitfalls. Joining our conversation is acclaimed television screenwriter Kyle Arrington.
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.
26: Regaining Control of Your Narrative (THE HOLDOVERS)
How do we regain control over our lives? In this next installment of our 'Masculinity in the Modern Age' series, we propose a way forward for men through the recent film THE HOLDOVERS. As the book of Proverbs says, older men bring wisdom, and younger men bring strength, and film explores this dynamic through the relationship between a strict teacher and his wayward student. Through this, we share how this story relates to us as teachers, and how healthy masculinity involves stewarding what we've been given responsibly.
25: The Wayward Journey of Manhood (FIGHT CLUB)
How do we navigate manhood in the 21st Century? In our new series 'Masculinity in the Modern Age', we analyze one of the most talked-about films in the lat 25 years: FIGHT CLUB. This psychological thriller provides us with language to diagnosis the crisis men experience today in our society, while wrestling with ideas from Nietzsche, Jung, and Girard. We share insight from our lives, and how we are all, in a way, Tyler Durden.
24: Recovering Your Agency in a Broken System (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST)
How do people stuck in a broken system find liberation? In this final installment of our 'Power of Myth' series, we analyze Jason's pick, one of the most acclaimed films of all time: ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. Throughout this conversation, we explain how this is a Narrative Therapy film that challenges the 'normalizing gaze', and reveals why we should take a de-centered, yet influential approach in helping others. Jason also gets personal in sharing how he overcame depression, and how his passion for birds unlocks this story's deeper meaning.
23: More Than Meets the Eye (TRANSFORMERS)
Why do we gravitate towards certain kinds of stories? In this next episode of our 'Power of Myth' series, we search for the deeper meaning of TRANSFORMERS. Joseph shares what these robots in disguise mean to him, with their themes of peacemaking, beating the odds, and transformative leadership. We also discuss at length the TRANSFORMERS mythos; along with why we as humans enjoy collecting physical objects, and the deeper meanings we derive from them.
22: Saying “Yes” to the Adventure of Life (THE GREEN KNIGHT)
How do myths of the past speak to our present situations? In this episode of our 'Power of Myth' series, we learn how to accept the adventures life grants us through the A24 film adaptation of the King Arthur tale THE GREEN KNIGHT. Nick shares how Sir Gawain's journey parallels his own, while providing insights from Joseph Campbell's book 'The Power of Myth'.
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.
17: Humanity’s Conflict Within (WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES)
Humanity sure is complicated! And that's exactly what the PLANET OF THE APES prequel trilogy wrestles with, as apes gain consciousness and human-like qualities. We wrestle with the final film of this trilogy, WAR, and how despite its imperfections, it serves as a thought-provoking story about the battle for one's soul.
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