Everyday Liminality: Recent Episodes
Br. Casey Cole, OFM and Br. Tito Serrano, OFM
We spend a lot of time consuming "entertainment" in all of its forms. But whether it's movies, television, video games, music, sports, or even literature, these things do more than just offer an escape from our world for the sake of pleasure. When done right, they offer a window into a deeper experience of our own world and a connection to a transcendent world in our midst.
Jay Woods was living his dream: working on broadway and giving glory to God. When his faith began to slip, so too, did his mental health. It wasn't until he left it all behind that he found his calling in serving others.
There's nothing like a ministry of presence, simply being with people and open to listening. Fr. Dennis Tamburello, OFM has spent his entire life with this mindset, listening to students, visiting prisoners, and conferencing with Protestants. Also, he plays the guitar and drums!
Like Shakespeare? Neither do we. But we love the high school cult classic 10 Things I Hate About You, based off of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.
Whiplash is everything a movie should be: well-shot, brilliantly acted, compelling, unique, and most of all, perfectly written. The ending may leave the viewer wanting from a character growth standpoint, but you can't deny how absolutely pitch perfect it is.
Few movies have quite the backstory as Good Will Hunting. Written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck because they weren't getting cast in any roles, it launched multiple careers, won Robin Williams his only Oscar, and wedged itself into our minds as one of the most iconic movies of the past 30 years. By no means the best or most popular, who doesn't know the story of the wicked smart janitor that solves the math problem on the whiteboard?
It's difficult to beat the comedic stylings of Robin Williams, and Good Morning Vietnam undoubtedly has funny moments. But is it a comedy? Frs. Casey and Tito discuss.
There's something so enticing about magic. How did he do it? The Prestige plays on that fascination to tell a story of ambition and pride that leaves you guessing until the end.
If you're a millennial, you probably grew up watching Big and amazed at the dream world he gets to live in. As adults, it's no less fun, but the nostalgia reminds us how hard being an adult is.
Watching Mr. Holland's Opus as a kid was a great experience. Watching it as an adult, that now works at a high school, hits different.
Back in the 80s, kids movies used to be kids movies. There were no jokes for parents, nothing speaking over kids' heads. Great for kids in the 80s, not great for us today. Watching The Never Ending Story,we can't help but admire it for what it was... while recognizing that it didn't age well.
We're back for another season of reviewing movies! This week, we discuss one of the strangest, most creative, wonderful movies ever made: Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. This movie is not for everyone...
The biggest movie experience in years has been the dual release of Barbie and Oppenheimer. The friars went to watch them on consecutive days and have some thoughts to share.
Listen as Fr. Tito, Fr. Casey, and guest host T.J. draft their favorite trilogies. Once it's picked, it's gone.
After a season discussing sequels, Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey crown the best trilogy with help of a repeat special guest.
Few movies are as iconic as the Aliens franchise. But did you know that they were actually reallygood?
The most controversial Star Warsmovie? It has to be the Last Jedi. Fr. Tito discuss why we love aspects of this movie but why it ultimately disappoints many.
The Bourneseries is about as iconic as it comes for action movies. Although we can look back and see flaws today, what it did in its time will never be forgotten.
There is much debate over who the real Batman is. Michael Keaton makes his claim in Batmanand Batman Returns.
There are many who say that Shrek 2 is the best sequel of all time that it's better even than the original. Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey debate.
Few movies bring the energy that Top Gun: Maverick do. It's dialed up to an 11 in every way, and we're here for it.
It shouldn't surprise us that Pixar puts out quality work. But some movies get lost in the shuffle. Toy Story 2 is one of those for us: a movie that we saw as kids and forgot about, only now realizing how good it was.
Return to a blockbuster from the early 2000s that you probably forgot to love: The Mummy Returns.
John Wickchanged the landscape of action movies with impeccable choreography and unique cinematography. John Wick: Chapter 2 builds upon that with a deeper backstory into the world of assassins.
Some sequels just don't need to be made. That's the case for The Lost World: Jurassic Park. It's not a bad movie, it just doesn't match the expectations set by the original, nor does it add much to the overall story.
I'm not sure if we got older or times changed, but this movie is not as funny as it was when we were 10. Go figure. Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss why that is and whether this movie lives up to the original.
Star Wars is obviously a classic. Even on its own, it's a great movie. Who would have thought that its sequel, which was not planned from the beginning, would be even better?
Can you believe that we've been doing this for 10 seasons? Crazy. Fr. Tito and I are excited to begin again next week and we have a great theme for the season: sequels and prequels.
Listen to Fr. Casey, Fr. Tito, and special guest draft their favorite Pixar movies. Once it's drafted, it's gone!
There have been 26 movies produced by Pixar, many of them among the best movies of a generation. But which is the best? With the help of a special guest host, Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey complete the Pixar bracket to determine the champion.
You thought the original Spider-Man was good? Wait until you see the 2012 reboot starring Andrew Garfield. Although it's using the same source material, it feels very different.
At this point, superhero movies are a dime a dozen. Everyone knows their tropes and everyone knows they'll be successful. This was not the case in 2002 when Toby Maguire portrayed the iconic character. In many ways, this movie vaulted us into the superhero era we know today.
Imagine a world where if you open your eyes outside, you die. You must survive entirely by touch and sound, feeling your way around the world, lest the monsters get you. For this reason, Bird Boxmight be the most unsettling movie I've ever seen.
A Quiet Place is about monsters that kill people who make sounds. It's also about coming together as family to live a contemplative life. I dare you not to see the Catholic imagery in this movie.
Robin Williams as Peter Pan? Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook? Sign me up! While the classic kid's movie Hook has a lot of flaws, there's something really wonderful about it. Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey find a lot to discuss in this episode.
How do you help a kid that feels alone? How do you help a kid when he loses his best friend in a tragic death? These were questions that Katherine Paterson had with her son in 1977, inspiring her to write the classic novel, The Bridge to Terabithia.The movie is a bit uneven, but it has something important to say.
For people of my generation, there is no more iconic high school movie than Mean Girls. If you were in high school in the early 00's, you can probably quote a dozen famous lines from it. But it's not just an iconic movie: it tells a great story and shares a relatable lesson.
Everyone in high school wants to be noticed and to fit in. But what if it takes lying about something to achieve that? What if that lie gets out of hand? Based on the themes of the Scarlet Letter, Easy Ais a warning about how rumors can spread.
Some movies are just fun. They don't evoke deep questions or require a lot of thought to enjoy. That's how we feel about Red.
Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey are torn on this one. One thinks it's brilliant, the other used to think it was brilliant. There's no denying, though, that it's original and interesting to watch.
They say there isn't a perfect movie. That might be true, but you're not going to hear any criticisms from Fr. Tito or Fr. Casey about the movie Shutter Island. Beautifully scored, powerfully acted, meticulously directed, and ingeniously written, it is one of the best thrillers ever made. Not for the faint of heart though, so be attentive to the R rating.
Most movies these days are remakes or sequels, leaving very little room for originality. Free Guy is by no means an original concept, borrowing a lot from various sources (see The Truman Show) and yet it feels fresh and creative. It's a bit shameless at times, playing to emotion and cheap tricks, but man do we love it.
Birdman is a dizzying work of art. Enter the anxiety of a man trying to show the world that he matters by creating a hit Broadway show when, ironically, the best bit of advice he receives is that he doesn't.
Few movies leave you feeling as awe-inspired and stricken as 1917. It's the sort of movie where, once the credits begin to roll, you just continue staring from your seat. "What just hit me?" Fr. Tito and I highly recommend it.
This semester, we've been focused on the under-appreciated movies, the gems that bombed at the box office, received no awards, or have been forgotten to history. Now, we have 32 movies to battle them out to determine which is the most under-appreciated movie!
You can follow the bracket here:
https://twitter.com/caseyofm/status/1523102433324548096/photo/1
Fr. Casey and Fr. Tito both agree that The Last Castle is a great movie for the first two acts. Regarding the third act... well, there's a reason is bombed at the box office...
Chevy Chase was known for being silly and foolish in his work, using sarcasm, a quick wit, and a lot of slapstick to make people laugh. No performance is better than the 1985 comedy Fletch.
Fr. Tito loves the movie Willow. Fr. Casey... found it very strange and very unoriginal.
Cloud Atlasis a polarizing movie. Some love it, some hate it. This podcast is entirely in the LOVE category. It's complex, stimulating, inspiring, and cinematically original. As far as we're concerned, you can't get much better. Sad that the movie only grossed 27 million in the US.
The 1999 adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow isn't a perfect movie, but it's pretty interesting. Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is sent to uncover the mystery of mysterious beheadings in 1790s New York, only to find that there is more than he expected going on.
Everybody loves a good mystery. In K-PAX, the mystery surrounds the identity of a lovable, odd figure in a mental hospital that changes people's lives.
Portraying the CIA as cold and calculated, treating human beings as collateral damage, is fairly common for blockbusters. In 2001's Spy Game, we see a spy in Brad Pitt who struggles to keep his emotions out of his work.
Tina Fey is a beloved writer and actor across the world, but it seems that her works never receive the popularity they deserve. Nothing highlights this more than her 2016 biographical film Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Marketed as a slapstick comedy, it's actually a deeply moving story of conversion and self-actualization.
By now, the idea of a comic book or super hero movie is old news. Over the past 20 years, the genre has exploded into major franchises worth billions of dollars. And yet, one little, mostly forgotten movie from 2000 tops them all. At least, according to Fr. Casey and Fr. Tito.
You've seen movies where a child is separated from his/her parents and spends the whole moving lost, looking for home and finding themselves. You've probably never seen one so politically charged, and for kids.
Big Fish is a fantastic movie in every sense of the word. It's whimsical, imaginative, and deeply touching in the way that it portrays a father and son learning to understand each other late in life.
V for Vendettais one of the most riveting, well-written movies I've ever seen. For a number of reasons, it received very mixed review and won no awards.
There might not be crying in baseball, but tears might be shed watching this movie about baseball. In some ways a classic for its comedy, we want to argue that it is tragically underrated for its cinematic power. One of our favorite movies of all time.
You've probably seen Jackie Chan in American movies later in life, but have you ever seen him in his prime? Police Story is his directorial debut and it was an incredible hit in China. Too bad few have ever seen it in the West.
Last season we looked at the most iconic, well-known films. This season we're going the opposite direction.
Hey everyone! We have a special announcement for you. Be sure to check out the details at https://breakinginthehabit.org/2021/12/13/special-opportunity/
Could there be a more iconic comedy than Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Chances are, even if you've never seen the movie, you've heard the jokes.
You may remember E.T. as a movie about an alien. In reality, it's about a boy dealing with his parents divorce and finding someone to connect with. At least, that's what director Steven Spielberg says.
Snow White is without a doubt one of the most significant works in cinematic history. Like it or not, you have to appreciate what it's done for the industry even 80 years later.
Philosophical thriller. Action-packed martial arts sequences. Innovative camera work and CGI. The Matrix is one of the most iconic, original works to hit the big screen in the past 30 years.
Everyone's seen the classic scene of the woman getting stabbed in the shower; everyone knows the high pitched screeching strings. Alfred Hitchcock was a master as suspense and horror, paving the way for generations to come.
Back to the Future is not only one of the most iconic 80s movies, it's one of the most iconic science fiction movies of all time. It's a classic that everyone should see... even if it has some major flaws and creepy plot points.
You may not like the Star Warsfranchise, but you do know about it. There is hardly a person in the world who can't identify the characters and say something about it. That's worth discussing.
Forrest Gump is arguably the most beloved movie of the 90s. It's nostalgic and wholesome, funny and heartbreaking. There's a reason it won best picture. And yet, not everyone is on board. Is there a problematic agenda to this movie?
In 1955, Rebel Without a Causebegan a new genre of movies: the teenage angst movie. In this episode, Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss its significance in the history of cinema.
Few movies have been quite so influential—and bizarre—than Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. To say that it's a bit different than other movies is an understatement.
There are a lot of problems with 1995 film Braveheart. That said, we still think it's a classic everyone should see.
The Dark Knight is one of the most iconic movies of the new millennium. We take a look at what makes it so memorable.
Field of Dreams is arguably the greatest sports movie of all time. But it's about much more than just sports.
Few movies have had quite the impact on cinema goers than The Godfather.And yet, one of the hosts just doesn't like it.
Everyone talks about how good of a movie Casablanca is... and they're right. Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss what makes this such a timeless work of art.
This season, we're sticking to a theme: classic movies. Each week, Tito and I will select one all-time must-see movie, never more than one each per decade.
Some of the largest blockbusters, greatest dramas, and whackiest comedies took place in the 90s. But which one is best?
For those born in the late 80s or early 90s, it doesn't get much better than The Sandlot. It's got it all!
Kung Fu movies are often deeply serious, detailing an epic journey of a hero to protect a people or avenge lost honor. Kung Fu Hustle is not that. Seemingly influenced by Loonie Tunes, there is very little serious about it... and we appreciate that.
In 1953, Arthur Miller released The Crucible, a play dramatizing the events of the Salem witch trials. In 2018, Aaron Sorkin used it as a framework to tell the story of Molly Bloom, a woman known for running poker games, falsely accused of laws she didn't break but unwilling to tarnish her name to avoid punishment.
Aaron Sorkin's first movie set the tone for an incredible career. A Few Good Men has everything you love from his other words including quick banter, long monologues, baseball, honor, and respect for the military. Not only that, it offers a catalyst for an interesting discussion about obedience and conscience. Definitely worth a rewatch!
Independence Day isn't just one of the most iconic action movie of the 90s. It's also a story with well-developed characters and excellent pacing. While many actions movies these days are dark and cold, this one is hopeful, inspiring, and keeps you invested in the characters until the very end.
Space Jamis an incredibly iconic 90s movie dripping with nostalgia. Unfortunately, it's a bit lacking in story structure, acting, and just common sense... but man! That soundtrack! Frs. Tito and Casey discuss what makes this movie so likable despite its many flaws.
The Chosenis a hit show unlike any other. For one, it's about Jesus. Two, it's actually done well. Three, and maybe best of all, it's entirely free to watch on YouTube. It's not without its flaws, but Fr. Tito and Fr. Casey approve.
Few movies stand the test of time quite like the original Jurassic Park (1993). As Hollywood continues to churn out sequels, Frs. Tito and Casey discuss why the original is an absolute masterpiece.
What do you get when you put Ned Flanders in the movie Major League? Apparently a hit British comedy called Ted Lasso.It's funny, hopeful, crude, and generally speaking, the above average comedy that a post-2020 world needs.
The Wizard of Oz is one of the most iconic movies in history. It has been referenced and reinterpreted countless times, making it an absolute classic. But returning to the original source material, what can we say its original purpose was?
What if you had to live the same day over and over and over again? In the world of COVID-19, it's actually not that hard to imagine. In this 1993 classic, Bill Murray is cursed to relive the same events time and again, until he realizes that it's not a curse at all, but an opportunity.
The Coen brothers O Brother, Where Art Thou is a clever retelling of the epic poem The Odyssey.Except, it is more than that. As. Frs. Casey and Tito discuss, it begins with the source material, but takes the story in its own direction.
Christopher Nolan's new movie Tenet is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Truly, a masterpiece of cinema. But is it actually good?
The Goonies was a huge hit in 1985, and fans have made it a cult classic. But those who didn't see it as kids aren't as convinced. Fr. Casey and Fr. Tito discuss.
Pixar's Soul is yet another incredible work of imagination and animation. Frs. Tito and Casey just wish the story had been given as much attention.
In this episode, Fr. Casey, Br. Tito, and a special guest discuss the merits of 32 Christmas movies and determine the best on by putting them head-to-head in a bracket format.
Not every movie is going to win awards. But that doesn't mean that there can't be truly delightful, average movies out there. That's what Br. Tito and Fr. Casey thought about the new Netflix movie Enola Holmes.It won't blow you away, but it's a well-spent two hours!
Netflix just released six more episodes of its Unsolved Mysteries reboot, and it is wildly entertaining. But is it healthy in our current climate of distrust of authority and conspiracy theories?
Anime is an incredibly popular genre in the world of entertainment. In this episode, Br. Tito introduces Fr. Casey to the genre by way of the 1988 movie Akira.
This election day, you might be looking for a small escape from your current reality. If so, check out the 1993 movie Dave, which offers a view of politics far from our own, one that asks, "Could we simply elect a good person for once?"
Horror movies are always about reckoning with something we have suppressed or believed gone for good--a demon, vampire, werewolf, etc. But when you think about it, the scariest thing that we ever have to reckon with is ourselves. Jordan Peele explores this concept in the movie Us by having literal doubles of the main characters appear with a choice: either deal with your dark side or be destroyed by it.
Even those who do the worst things have the capacity to be heroic. Even those who do heroic work are still capable of major sins. That's what the movie Crash captures so well.
Shrek is the ultimate anti-Disney movie with a great message for those who feel left out. That said, Br. Tito and Fr. Casey wish the movie would have ended differently.
Little Miss Sunshine is a wonderful tragi-comedy about a dysfunctional family forced on a road trip together. While it is their common goal of arriving at their destination that initially holds them together, it is in their disillusionment with the goal that ultimately changes them for the better and makes them a healthier family.
St. Francis is arguably the most revered saint in history. Books have been written about him, paintings commissioned to depict his life, and movies upon movies produced to inspire the world. And yet, despite all his attention in Hollywood... Br. Tito and I aren't exactly impressed. Here's what we make of two of the most famous movies, and how we would make our own Francis movie.
History is often boring an irrelevant to people. Which is a shame, because it is often repeated in our own day. The Gangs of New York may appear, at first, to be a movie about a time completely unlike our own, but the themes and values of the 1860s are the same ones driving our political and social lives today.
St. Vincent is a funny, heartwarming, and mildly tragic movie starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy. In it, Hollywood gives it take on what it means to be a saint, but Br. Tito and Fr. Casey thinks it falls flat. Great entertainment, horrible life advice.
Arrival might be the greatest movie ever made. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it is a top 5 movie for both Br. Tito and Fr. Casey. If you haven't seen it, you might want to watch before listening... spoilers ahead.
Black Jeopardy is just a stupid sketch on SNL making fun of white people, right? Not exactly. Through self-deprecating humor and subtle satire, what is achieved is a powerful message of encounter across cultural lines.
Many movies use Christological imagery to cement the main character as the hero. We can certainly see Christ-like characters taking on a variety of forms. What can we learn about these characters, and what might we want to be careful of?
Heist movies are often fun, creative, and so very satisfying. Which is weird, right? Are we doing anything more than glamorizing criminals?
In the 17th century, Christians in Japan faced persecution. Jesuits ministered to them but also fell to persecution. The 1966 book and 2016 movie Silence offers a fictional account of the horrors faced by those Christians, asking a difficult question: in the midst of torture and stress, why is God silent?
In the art and entertainment industry, there are certain things that "haven't aged well." Whether it be a portrayal of a certain race or ethnic group, our use of language, or the overall values we express, something that was acceptable in a certain time may not be acceptable in our time today. What do we with these works today?
There are certain works of cinema that defy explanation. Despite being a technical train wreck, unappealing to the majority of people, they find a home among a fanatical base. What is it with these films that makes them so likable among some groups of people?
War movies are among the most popular in the industry, often given large budgets and grossing hundreds of millions of dollars. There are certainly some well-made films about war, but should we be watching them? Br. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss the merits, and dangers, of this popular genre.
Network television and major production companies can create awe-inspiring works of art, but they are often limited by industry standards, engrained expectations, and bottom lines. Not YouTube. On this platform, creators are in charge, meaning the world gets an incredible mix of informative, inspirational, and weird.
Her is one of the most beautiful, creative, thoughtful, and weird movies ever made. So contends Br. Tito and Fr. Casey in this episode, as they analyze the nature of human communication in light of artificial intelligence.
In the absence of an NCAA tournament, we figured that it was important that people be able to fill out a bracket. This week. Br. Tito, Fr. Casey, and guest T.J. Cofield discuss 32 classic sports films in an attempt to crown one the greatest of all time.
To follow along with our bracket, you can access the file here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o5oF-LcbufTZcZ2erJ43WBKmhY4-deOH/view?usp=sharing
What's it like working in a hospital? At first glance, Scrubs gives the impression that it is a wacky, slapstick, and absolutely absurd existence, filled with games, fantasies, and constant fun. But beneath the comedic exterior, what we see is that it is all a coping mechanism to the tragic occurrences that happen on any given day. The show makes you laugh, but it also packs a punch.
One of the obvious casualties of the coronavirus shutdown is the loss of all sports. No NCAA tournament. No NBA. No NHL. No MLB. No nothing. Because of the immediate health risk to fans, nothing can take place. It has left a void so deep in our lives that ESPN has resorted to showing anything they can to keep fans interesting, including stone skipping, cherry pit spitting, belly flopping, and my personal favorite, "Slippery Stairs."
But it got Br. Tito and I thinking: why couldn't sports still be played, even without fans? Just 10 guys on a court, athletes in small numbers spread out on a field. Obviously, there's a health risk to the athletes, but that's small. And even more obviously, there's a financial hit that many would take. But surely there are aways around these things.
No, what we want to suggest is that the reason we have no sports now has nothing to do with the health of the athletes or lost revenue... and everything to do with the importance of the fans. (We're only partially joking.)
Today, there is only one thing on the world's mind: the COVID-19 virus. It is causing many to get sick, but more widespread is the panic and fear that it is causing. This week, Br. Tito and Fr. Casey reflect on a movie that captured this exact scenario 9 years ago: Contagion.
Agatha Christie made the detective novel famous and for years directors have been emulating her style. Knives Out clearly draws from that tradition, but offers a bit of a twist.
Parasite just won best picture at the Academy Awards. Besides being visually captivating, there is a lot that Christians can learn from it about our place in the world and how to employ Catholic Social Teaching.
The biggest movie of the year was by far the biggest disappointment of the year as well. As Br. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss, story arcs fell flat in the final episode of Star Wars, leaving many important plot lines unanswered or ignored.
John Wick is an incredibly violent movie series about revenge. On the surface, it is about as far as you can get from a good Christian movie. And yet, there is something very redeemable, even admirable, about it, as it throws us into a journey of spiritual warfare and anger at injustice. Br. Tito and Fr. Casey suggest that the series can be interpreted through the lens of spiritual warfare.
The Mandalorian is an action series in the Star Wars universe about a bounty hunter. At least, that's what it says it is. For Br. Tito and Fr. Casey, it's really a story of religious life, complete with the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
The Two Popes is anything but factually accurate, taking liberties left and right with history. And yet, there are some incredible moments that make this an amazing film.
There are some movies that shape us and change the way we see the world... and then we never want to watch again. This week, Br. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss those works of art that are a "must see" but are hard to rewatch.
Br. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss the relationship between art and culture, particular whether movies and pop culture are mere reflections of society, or if they have a greater influence on shaping it.
Objectively speaking, Christmas movies are the worst. Artistically, cinematically, creatively... they're just not good. And yet, we love to watch them every year. What is it that we like about them, and how might they be better?
Sometimes movies get the cast exactly right. Sometimes... we wonder how a movie would be different with a reimagined cast.
The other day, I finished a book that was wholly unsatisfying. I thought I was reading a mystery when in fact I was reading a tragedy. Sometimes, our art and entertainment throws us a curveball, giving us something that we didn't want or expect.
In this episode, Br. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss how works like this can sometimes be exactly what we need.
Some of the most exciting works of art and entertainment are that of the "quest," where characters journey to complete heroic tasks and overcome obstacles. But not all journeys are mythological or even involve leaving our normal lives.
It's Halloween, which means scary movies! In this episode, Br. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss the landscape of fear in movies and why some people love it so much.
Who doesn't love a good parody or spoof? From Mel Brooks to Saturday Night Live, Weird Al Yankovich to the Colbert Report, parodies bring us a laugh by making fun of what we know and love. But beneath the comedic exterior is often something deeper at work. What can media like this teach us?
Acting is an art. Some do it well... and some are just entertaining. Br. Tito and Fr. Casey discuss their favorite actors and what we can learn from them.
There is hardly a more visible escape from reality than video games. People play them for hours at a time without even moving, completely oblivious to their surroundings. And yet, they can actually be an extremely helpful medium for social interaction, spacial reasoning, creativity, and problem solving.
For some, sports are just child's play. They are trivial events that mean nothing. Br. Tito and Fr. Casey disagree. Sports give us hope and inspiration. They give us an outlet for our emotions, capturing our greatest triumphs and most crushing defeats. Here are some of the most powerful moments in sports history.
The Catholic Church used to be portrayed very favorably in movies and television. Today, this is not the case. How is the Church portrayed today, why is this the case, and what changes would we like to see?
While some forms of entertainment like to pull from other sources for its content, some stick closer to home, referencing itself. This can be a useful tool for creating a faithful audience, but it can also push newcomers away.
Beauty is often talked about as a subjective quality. But for Catholics, this simply cannot be the case. There must be an objective sense of beauty, and an objective way to evaluate art.
Some songs have a very simple and direct: they tell you exactly what the song is about, no interpretation needed. And while that might be nice at times, the best songs are those that engage the listener and force them to bring their own reality to the words.
As we've talked about on the show before, death can be a powerful plot point in stories. But what comes after it, especially if it's in the form of rebirth, can be life-changing. Brs. Casey and Tito look at the many types of rebirth in stories, and how we can find meaning in our own baptisms.
Using God in entertainment is quite common, even in non-religious works. And while it's great, in one sense, to have religious themes inserted into popular culture, the theology is often so bad (or completely nonsensical) that all is does is confuse people.
It seems like the only thing Hollywood knows how to do is remake an old classic or reboot a franchise. Why does the industry do this, and might we learn something from this?
Ferris Bueller, Mel Brooks, Deadpool, Shakespeare. What do they all have in common? Their characters speak directly to the audience. And we think that's awesome.
The Simpsons is known for its quick wit and cultural commentary. It's also known for its use of stereotypes, of which some have caused controversy in recent years. What do we make of the use of stereotypes and what might we do about them?
May the Force be with you! For years, Christians have found parallels between the sci-fi world of Star Wars and our Christian reality, but the most recent movies offer some new developments. Br. Tito and Br. Casey take a deep dive into a galaxy far far away to see what we might learn from the galactic drama series.
While God's grace might be freely given and unmerited, that doesn't mean that there is no cost to discipleship. In this episode, Br. Tito and Br. Casey discuss the theme of forgiveness in entertainment and how sometimes it just doesn't feel "earned."
While most commercials are simply an annoyance, marking breaks between what we want to watch, some of them can actually be quite entertaining and even influential. Brs. Tito and Casey discuss the power, and danger, of such a medium.
As a child, we learned that there were words that you just didn't say because they were "bad words." At the same time, we were taught that "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." So which is it? Do words have power and so should be used carefully, or are they arbitrary combinations of vowels and consonants with assigned meaning?
Movies based on the Bible are all the rage these days. With multi-million dollar productions, Christians should be glad to see their holy book on such a popular stage, right? In this episode, Brothers Tito and Casey discuss how we can evaluate the merit of biblical movies and the merit (or detriment) that they offer to faith.
We are a sports-crazed society to say the least. We love sports so much that we're willing to make movies about them, essentially watching fake sports. What does this say about us, and what can we learn from this infatuation?
Documentaries can be great tools for sharing factual information. Unlike works of fiction that are scripted, set up, and crafted to show an imaginative world, documentaries consist of raw footage from historical events, giving the viewer a sense of objectivity. But are they really objective?
While the protagonist is usually someone that we can identify with and emulate, sometimes they are not. In these cases, "anti-heroes" present an image of what we shouldn't do, and what might become of us if we make the wrong decisions.
Sometimes, movies and television present a fantastical view of reality in which everything works out for the best. Some might criticize them for being unrealistic or overly optimistic, and that might be a fair critique, but there might be something else at work: rather than portraying the world as it is, grim and depressing, some works portray the world as it could be, aspiring to be more and inspiring us to make a change.