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PODCAST

Live A Meaningful Story

All Things Narrative

Welcome to the Live A Meaningful Story Podcast, where we connect the movies we love with the stories we live. We are four friends with different backgrounds who love watching movies and conversing about their deeper meanings. Each week, we discuss a film, wrestling with how its story, characters, settings, genres, and themes connect to the stories we find ourselves living. We often relate these films to principles found in Narrative Therapy and our Christian faith. Through this podcast, you will

tv & film self-improvement

All Episodes

01:03:37

37: (DO THE RIGHT THING)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/11/20

How do we navigate racial tensions amidst our differing and limited perspectives? In this next installment of our 'Politics' series, things heat up as we dive into the controversial Criterion film DO THE RIGHT THING. We discuss how director Spike Lee maintains a balance between objectivity and subjectivity in portraying diverse characters. And throughout the conversation, we seek to find common ground amidst our differing perspectives on what it means to do the right thing. Introduction (0:00) Why

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39:16

36: When the World Goes Crazy (DON'T LOOK UP)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/11/13

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. Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose DON'T LOOK UP (0:55) Does the Satire and Social Commentary Work? (4:56) Conclusion

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58:24

35: What's Left to Believe In? (MR. SMITH GOES TO...

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/11/06

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. Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose MR. SMITH GOES TO

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01:13:08

34: The Shattered Psyche (BATMAN RETURNS)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/10/23

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. Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose BATMAN RETURNS (2:30) Penguin: The Tragic

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33:06

33: The Importance of Community (THE BLOB)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/10/16

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. Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose THE BLOB (1:14) The Outlaw Becomes the Revolutionary (8:59) The Power of Community (13:25) How to Stop the Blob in Your Life (19:21) What We Contend Against

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47:05

32: Why Are We Drawn To Villains? (AMERICAN PSYCHO)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/10/09

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. Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose AMERICAN PSYCHO (1:23) Analyzing Evil: Patrick Bateman (10:46) Identity and the Normalizing Gaze (18:56) Sin and its Hidden Potential (26:57) Conclusion

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01:20:59

31: Moral Ambiguity in Cinema (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/10/02

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. 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

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45:20

30: When Your Moral Code Fails (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/09/18

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

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59:04

29: Would You Sell Your Soul To Save Your Family?...

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/09/11

"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. Introduction (0:00) How Contexts Shape Us (3:48) Analyzing Michael

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47:05

28: The Tragedy of Maintaining Power at All Costs...

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/09/04

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. Introduction (0:00) When the American Way Becomes Morally Gray (1:58) Corrupt Order vs. Calculated Vengeance

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01:03:43

27: Healing Our Fractured Humanity (ROBOCOP)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/08/21

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

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56:31

26: Regaining Control of Your Narrative (THE HOLDOVERS)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/08/14

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

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59:57

25: The Wayward Journey of Manhood (FIGHT CLUB)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/08/07

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. Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose FIGHT CLUB (1:53) A Diagnosis of

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59:28

24: Recovering Your Agency in a Broken System (ONE...

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/07/31

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

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33:08

23: Finding the Deeper Meaning (TRANSFORMERS)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/07/24

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. Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose TRANSFORMERS

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47:06

22: Saying 'Yes' to the Adventure of Life (THE GREEN...

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/07/17

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'.Introduction (0:00) Why We Chose THE GREEN KNIGHT [and our initial reactions] (1:04) The Power of Myth (7:28) Symbolism in THE GREEN KNIGHT

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01:17:09

21: Coming-of-Age in an Ever-Changing World (PINOCCHIO)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/07/10

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

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01:07:56

20: Renewing Your Purpose through Family and...

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/06/19

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

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52:42

19: Re-Membering Your Parent (AFTERSUN)

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/06/12

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

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47:55

18: Examining Fatherhood Expectations and Discourses...

Live A Meaningful Story ·

2024/06/05

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

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