Christ and Pop Culture: Recent Episodes
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Christ and Pop Culture acknowledges the good, the beautiful, and the true in pop culture, no matter how trivial or inevitable, indulging in and enjoying examples of common grace we find in the world without uncritically embracing the worldviews they flow from. We aren’t interested in redeeming, baptizing, abandoning, or dominating culture; we desire to be a faithful presence, honoring God and edifying our neighbor as we wisely participate in culture.
Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson invited Sarah Pabody to Persuasion to share the lessons she's learned working Triple Wren Farms, the flower farm she runs with her husband.
Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson invited Sam Haist to Persuasion to provide insight on balancing the desire to preach the gospel with the need to participate in bringing the gospel to bear in the public square. For episode 203 of the For God and Country series, Sam shares how his church has included political engagement in their Christian discipleship program to encourage their church to invest in the common good in their community.
Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson invited Alan Noble to Persuasion to provide insight into how Christians can approach the voting process without succumbing to fear or nihilism. For episode 205 of the For God and Country series, Alan and Erin discuss his recent article at Public Discourse that urges Christians to rally around the truth to guide their voting decisions.
CaPC Managing Editor Erin Staza returns this week, along with Kevin McLenithan, K. B. Hoyle, Tyler Burns, Kathryn Freeman, and Tyler Glodjo to solidify The 25 for 2019.
In the final episode of our annual The 25 series, the group goes back and forth to determine the rankings of the 25 items on the list submitted by CaPC staff writers and editors.
Theme music by Lee Rosevere and used under Creative Commons License 4.0.
Managing Editor Erin Staza is back, along with a consortium to sit down for a lively discussion to form the final 25 entries for our annual year-end list. The pop culture events, people, movies, TV shows, albums, and more that defined 2019 in ways that reflected the good, the true, and the beautiful are molded into near-final form in this two-part extravaganza!
This year Kevin McLenithan joins us, along with returning guests K. B. Hoyle, Tyler Burns, Kathryn Freeman, and Tyler Glodjo. Trying a new format this year, the group adds and subtracts from the list with their own nominations while not being able to bump anything from the top 5 survey responses.
Then in Part 2, which will air later this week, the same crew will go to the mat to rank the 25 entries and crown the most influential artifacts in 2018, from 25 to 1.
Theme music by Lee Rosevere and used under Creative Commons License 4.0.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their series called The Creative Process by inviting Mike Cosper to a conversation about productivity in creative work. Mike is a writer, speaker, and podcaster who has been quite successful in producing a body of work (and organizations). His productivity has been steady over the years, leaving many wondering how he’s gotten it done. Since many artists struggle to get their ideas from ideation to completion, we wanted Mike’s insight!
There's an abundance of guests on this week's episode! Critic Ryan Holt returns to the show to help Kevin explore the bonkers plot twists and class commentary of the top-honors winner at this year's Cannes Film Festival: Bong Joon-ho's Parasite. Meanwhile, Wade sits down with Wired senior writer Brian Raftery to chat about Raftery's latest book, Best. Movie. Year. Ever. True to its title, the book looks backs at one of the best movie years ever: the Year of Our Lord 1999. Music interlude by The Surface of the Deep, "We'll Be Fine." Used by permission. Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Seeing & Believing takes a voyage into some hearts of darkness with the two films this week. Angelina Jolie returns in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, the sequel to Disney's 2013 revisionist take on the iconic villain of Sleeping Beauty. Wade and Kevin also fill in a big gap in their horror-movie backgrounds, offering their first-time impressions of 1973's classic portrait of spiritual evil, The Exorcist. The film's infamy certainly precedes it; does it live up to its harrowing reputation?
Music interlude Stage 1, Leve 24 by Monplaisir. Used under CCLI 0 1.0
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their new series called The Creative Process by inviting Sara Groves to a conversation about remaining authentic while pursuing your creative work. Sara has been nominated for seven Dove Awards and has produced a string of successful albums over the past two decades. When it comes to authenticity, Sara has wrestled this out personally through her music and interviews.
Seeing & Believing is seeing double this week with two Will Smiths! Ang Lee's latest film pits the star against a science experiment gone too right: a younger clone of himself. Lee is experimenting behind the camera as well, attempting to introduce a revolution in filmmaking with his high-frame-rate cinematography and 3-D wizardry. The guys take a look at how ultimately successful these two experiments are, then turn their attention to Vince Gilligan's own minor experiment with Netflix: can a two-hour film follow-up to a six-year-old series finale still carry the bite of that series? Breaking Bad fans, rejoice!
Music interlude by The Climb, "Forgiven." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Some movies just want to watch Twitter burn. That's what Todd Phillips's new film Joker has been doing for a couple of weeks now, and in today's episode Wade and Kevin take a look at the film to see what all the controversy is about. They also offer their review of the latest film from Japan's most prolific filmmaker, Takashi Miike. Does First Love's story about a boxer and a call girl caught up in a yakuza plot gone wrong to offer anything to the discerning genre lover? Seeing and Believing is on the case!
Music interlude by Christian Rakotoarisoa, "90s Kids." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Erin and Hannah continue their new series called The Creative Process by inviting baker and theologian (and Christ and Pop Culture staff writer!) Kendall Vanderslice to a conversation about art’s temporal nature. Kendall shares about her work that is made only to be consumed and how she frames the temporal nature of her work. Such constraints are important in today’s world, as we all are creating work that is in some sense “consumed” and temporary.
Whether you like biopics of golden-age Hollywood stars or picaresque tales about people pursuing their pro-wrestling ambitions, Seeing & Believing's got you covered in this episode. Renee Zellweger makes her bid for an Oscar this year with her electrifying turn as Judy Garland in Judy. Smaller indies are represented this week as well, as Wade and Kevin dig into The Peanut Butter Falcon, about a young man with Down syndrome who has dreams of a career as a professional wrestler.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their new series called The Creative Process by inviting artist Michelle Berg Radford to a conversation about making space for creative work. Michelle shares her personal philosophy for making time and space for her work. Creatives of all sorts will appreciate her perspective on the place and importance of art as well as being a good steward of the gifts God has entrusted to each one of us.
This week's episodes pairs a science-fiction movie about humanity's search for belonging with a comedic TV show about televangelists surrounding themselves with belongings. The Brad Pitt-starring Ad Astra has been hotly anticipated ever since it received its 2019 release date. Does its moody contemplation of the mysteries of the cosmos live up to expectations? Meanwhile, HBO's new series The Righteous Gemstones, created by Danny McBride, approaches spiritual questions from a different angle with its portrait of a dysfunctional family of televangelists. Wade and Kevin take a look at how successful McBride & company are at skewering the celebrity-preacher subculture.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson kick off a new series called The Creative Process,exploring how the emergence of the gig economy is shaping our creative pursuits. For example, digital platforms allow anyone to become someone through the power of social media. This access is wonderful, but it’s not without it’s disadvantages, especially when we sacrifice quality output to meet platform and audience demands. All the hustle required to make a substantial place for our creative work may have a greater impact than we care to admit.
Seeing & Believing begins the transition into awards season with this week's episode. The guys review John Crowley's latest literary adaptation, this time of Donna Tartt's Pulitzer-winning The Goldfinch. They also offer a glimpse of their most-anticipated films of the upcoming Oscar season. Some heavy hitters are lined up in the wings for the holidays which ones have caught Wade and Kevin's eye?
Music interlude by Mad Bello, "So What!" Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
With Kevin out this week, Wade is joined by Grindhouse Theology's Blake Collier to discuss "IT Chapter Two." "IT Chapter Two" picks up 27 years after 2017's "IT," bringing the now grown up cast (which features Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, and James Ransone) back to Derry, Maine to battle Pennywise once again. In their second segment, Wade and Blake discusses David Cronenberg's 1983 horror picture, "The Dead Zone." It's all things Stephen King on Episode 216 of Seeing and Believing.
Song: “Poisonous Tentacles” by Steven Melin
Theme music by Alexander Osborn†and†Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
With Kevin out this week, Wade is joined by film critic Sarah Welch-Larson to discuss 'Ready or Not, the new horror-comedy from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The film's synopsis is pretty straightforward: on her wedding night, a young bride named Grace (played by Samara Weaving) is reeled into a terrifying game of hide and seek by her wealthy in-laws. Now, with hours until dawn, Grace must fight to survive the night...and her new family. Talk about crazy in-laws.
In their second segment, the Wade and Sarah discusses 'The Last Black Man in San Fransisco,' the new drama from director Joe Talbot. It's a balance between deadly games and gentrification on Episode 215 of Seeing and Believing.
The music of the Boss figures prominently in this week's episode, as Wade and Kevin review Blinded by the Light, the latest film from the director of Bend It Like Beckham. Based on the memoir by Sarfraz Manzoor, Gurinder Chadha's new film centers on a Pakistani teen trying to survive Margaret Thatcher's Great Britain with the help of Bruce Springsteen's music. Does it manage to do justice to the power of Springsteen's music? The guys (Wade, especially) are on the case! They also take a look at Richard Linklater's latest effort, and adaptation of Maria Semple's bestselling novel, Where'd You Go, Bernadette.
Music interlude by Cliff Clavin, "Lifescapes." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Gather around the campfire, shine a flashlight under your chin, and cue up this week's episode of Seeing & Believing, in which Wade and Kevin revisit the creepy tales of yesteryear with Andre Ovredal's adaptation of Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The guys take a trip down a different memory lane for their second segment, in which they revisit the movies of 2009, from Avatar to Zombieland, to find their five favorites from that year.
Music interlude by Beaker Beetle, "Moving On Up." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Seeing & Believing features something (slightly) old and something (very) new with the two semi-autobiographical films being reviewed on this episode. The guys take a look at Lulu Wang's quirky, touching The Farewell, a story about a family coming together to lie to their beloved matriarch about her diagnosis of terminal cancer. Also under review is Joanna Hogg's The Souvenir, the just-released-to-streaming film about a drug addict and an aspiring filmmaker and the stormy bond between them.
Music interlude by HaTom, "Naya." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0. Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Quentin Tarantino is back with another period piece, this time set in Hollywood during the closing days of the 1960s. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie lead a cast that retells the events surrounding the Manson murders of 1969, particularly the tragic killing of actress Sharon Tate, in Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood(note the position of the ellipsis). Wade and Kevin also offer their review of the indie film Them That Follow, which tells a story that is right up Seeing & Believing's alley: a pastor's daughter finds herself at a crossroads when it comes to her Appalachian community's Pentecostal snake-handling ways.
Music interlude by Martin Miller, "Imagination." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Join Wade and Kevin for an episode featuring the incredible heights that humankind is capable of achieving with technology! Witness the power of Disney to create all the wildlife of the savannah out of 1s and 0s in their remake of The Lion King! Thrill at Todd Douglas Miller's use of never-before-seen archival footage to retell the story of the historic 1969 moon landing in his new documentary Apollo 11! The guys offer their thoughts on these films, plus two more in the recommendation segment, on this brand-new episode.
Music interlude by Martin Miller, "Imagination." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Jump in the way-back machine with Wade and Kevin and travel back to Hawkins, Indiana, as they review the latest season of Netflix's hit original series Stranger Things. The Duffer brothers take a page out of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix's book, as teenage and romantic drama complicates the already-complicated plot set in motion by some nefarious Russians and an even more nefarious creature known as the Mind Flayer. If romantic comedies and the Beatles are more your speed, this episode also has you covered with a review of Yesterday, a high-concept comedy that posits an interesting scenario: What if everyone in the world except one person forgot about the existence of the Beatles' music?
Music interlude by Magico Tree, "If There's a Reason." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Seeing & Believing reaches the end of its Summer of Stan series this week, as the guys dig into Barry Lyndon, Kubrick's often underappreciated follow-up to A Clockwork Orange. Kubrick's pet theme of humanity's capacity for inhumanity is cloaked this time in the gentility of British high society as he follows the travails of a young man trying to make his fortune among the powdered wigs and "gentlemanly" warfare of the late 1700s. Wade and Kevin also take a look at a different vision of savagery with their review of Ari Aster's bonkers horror thriller Midsommar, a sunny tale of terror and cults in the picturesque Swedish countryside.
Music interlude by Artemus, "My Little Regret." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Wade and Kevin do a no-spoilers review of the film to examine whether the post-Endgame world of superheroes is still worth visiting. They also continue with the fourth film in their series on Stanley Kubrick with A Clockwork Orange. Malcolm McDowell's depraved hoodlum Alex has been iconic ever since the film's release in 1971, and the guys examine whether Kubrick's plays on the audience's sympathies result in a muddled curio or a complex cinematic classic.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson wrap their Never Seen series with a thorough discussion of Titanic—a film on Hannah’s Never Seen list and one that Erin saw on the big screen almost 22 years ago. They offer gut reactions and hot takes as they peel apart this story that oozes with class divides and stereotypes. Class divisions were much more sturdy in 1912, when first-class society didn’t mix and mingle with those outside the fold.
Whether you prefer your doomsdays to involve zombies or thermonuclear weapons, Seeing & Believing has you covered this week. First up is The Dead Don’t Die, directed by Jim Jarmusch, who returns to movies about the undead after his vampire riff Only Lovers Left Alive to tell a story about a zombie apocalypse in a sleepy rural town. Bill Murray and Adam Driver star as two police officers who have a pretty good idea of how everything is going to end. Wade and Kevin also continue their “Summer of Stan” series with Stanley Kubrick’s famed Cold War satire, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Over half a century after it first came out, the guys explore how well Kubrick’s vision of bomb-riding cowboys and fluid-obsessed military maniacs holds up. And that’s not all, anticipation of the Toy Story 4 review next week, Wade sits down with Pixar production coordinator Dana Frankoff to talk about the studio’s creative process!
Seeing & Believing kicks off its first-ever series surrounding a famous director this week! The "Summer of Stan" begins with a deep dive into Stanley Kubrick's early picture about World War I, Paths of Glory, with Wade and Kevin exploring Kubrick's pessimism, stylistic signatures, and unique take on the Western Front. The guys also finally get around to offering a review of David Robert Mitchell's Under the Silver Lakeóa weird, entirely unmarketable film about wealth, pop culture, Hollywood sleaze, and humanity's search for meaning. This one may be headed for cult-film status in a couple of years ... or it might sink entirely into obscurity.
Erin and Hannah discuss Chariots of Fire. Erin was familiar with the film due to her background in running, while Hannah knew of it from the faith community angle. Both were surprised by its gentle, quiet retelling of two amazingly talented runners vying for Olympic Gold in 1924. Eric Liddell is a Christian whose faith frames his quest as part of his life goal of serving God. Harold Abrahams is Jewish, driven to prove his worth through his running feats.
Two major figures: Godzilla and Elton John duked it out this week to see which one of them would be king of the multiplex, but which of them will be king of Seeing & Believing’s heart? Wade and Kevin had plenty of affection for the 2014 Godzilla reboot, but is the latest film a worthy successor or a mere pretender to the throne? Meanwhile, musical biopics haven’t been getting much love from the show lately, despite Bohemian Rhapsody‘s Oscars. The guys dig in to see whether Dexter Fletcher’s whirlwind trip through Elton John’s early career fares any better.
Music interlude by Busker & Co, “Red Is the Rose.” Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Erin and Hannah pack the Persuasion house with two guests to discuss The Breakfast Club: Wade Bearden and Kevin McLenithan, who host the Christ and Pop Culture film podcast Seeing and Believing. Only Erin had seen The Breakfast Club before, so this was a Never Seen for Hannah, Wade, and Kevin. After watching this iconic film for the first time, the trio gives their gut reactions as Erin explains why this film became such a definitive part of her high school and college experience.
With Disney's new Aladdin remake recently making waves at the box office, a lot of people are wishing for a Seeing & Believing review. Your wish is our command! Wade and Kevin explore the latest live-action remake of a beloved Disney classic to see how it measures up, both as a successor to the animated original and as a standalone film in its own right. Then the guys turn their attention to a film that is decidedly less family-friendly: the raunchy high school comedy Booksmart, Olivia Wilde's feature-film directing debut. Starring two promising young actresses in the form of Lady Bird's Beanie Feldstein and Short Term 12's Kaitlyn Dever, Booksmart aims to misbehave. How well does it succeed?
Music interlude by Ashton Jenicek, "Know." and Lee Rosevere, "Not My Problem" Used under Creative Commons license 3.0. Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson discuss Singin’ in the Rain after watching it for the first time ever. To help with the analysis, classic movie enthusiast and Christ and Pop Culture staff writer Gina Dalfonzo joins the conversation. If this movie is on your Never Seen List, you’ll be convicted to watch it just from Gina’s summary alone! Her passion for the film is stirring and her knowledge of the genre as a whole is a tremendous help in understanding this classic
After last week's big 200th-episode blowout, Seeing & Believing is back to its regularly scheduled programming with reviews of two films about two exceptional individuals. Keanu Reeves is back to his headshot-dispensing ways in John Wick Parabellum. If something with a bit less mayhem is more your cup of tea, the guys also take a look at Patrick Creadon's documentary about Father Ted Hesburgh: priest, presidential advisor, and leader of the University of Notre Dame.
Music interlude by the Fisherman, "Future Was Now." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Erin and Hannah continue their Never Seen series with Mean Girls—a film never seen by either. After watching this 2004 film for the first time, conversation begins with gut reactions, favorite lines, and memorable scenes (some quite cringeworthy!). Then Erin and Hannah hash out the messages that Mean Girls tells. How have these messages shaped our narratives around social interactions? Or are these merely reflective of society? Key to the discussion is what makes us who we are.
The guys have something special in store for listeners this week. To celebrate the 200th episode of Seeing & Believing, Wade and Kevin decide to dig into their favorite films of all time and answer one deceptively simple question: what do they prize most in a film? Each host has come up with a list of their five cardinal virtues of cinema: the characteristics, themes, and stylistic techniques that make them fall in love with a particular film and that many of their current favorites have in common. Tune in to get a peek behind the curtain at what makes Wade and Kevin tick as film critics.
Erin and Hannah discuss Casablanca with its memorable lines and Hollywood glam. It has shaped our cultural narrative in countless ways. Casablanca is responsible—at least in part—for why we associate Paris with lovers and the feelings that stir when we hear the song “As Time Goes By.” Interacting with the origin of these cultural emblems and ideals enriches our understanding of them.
Wade and Kevin's fellowship is reunited just in time for this week's review of Tolkien, the biopic about a certain fantasy author that seeks to dig into where exactly the man got his ideas for his own fellowship. The guys also take a look at Shadow, the latest film from the Chinese director best known for his martial arts epic Hero. Does Zhang Yimou's departure from the aesthetic that made him famous to American audiences pay dividends in his latest? Listen to find out!
Music interlude by Wilder Adkins, "Henrietta's Waltz." Used by permission.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson kick off a new series titled Never Seen, exploring a collection of key movies that you might be surprised to learn have never been seen by your Persuasion hosts. To help with the series launch, Vox.com movie critic Alissa Wilkinson joins the conversation to help frame up the role movies play in our lives and the power these silver screen stories can have upon us individually and collectively. Conversation touches on the shame that comes when you’ve missed a key film, to the way our movie choices are shaped by those with power in the industry, to the way older films can make us cringe based on today’s standards for equality and tolerance. Is it possible to catch up if you’ve missed an entire era of stories? Is the life of a film critic as glamorous as it seems? Should we shame people who don’t watch the same movies we do?
Wade is off for the week, so Kevin gets Dave Canfield of Screen Anarchy and Mindframe(s) to help him plumb the depths of two complex films: Claire Denis's sci-fi experiment High Life and Penny Lane's documentary about the Satanic Temple, Hail, Satan? Denis's film is her first foray into genre fiction, but it's anything but straightforward, evoking themes surrounding scientific ethics, the value of human life, and mortality. Lane's documentary deals with even thornier issues, especially for Christian viewers, as it delves into the practices, beliefs, and political priorities of the Satanic Temple and its self-professed Satanists.
Music Interlude by Goingside, "Such Friends" by grapes (c) copyright 2014 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
It’s a moment eleven years in the making. Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame is here, resolving the events not only of Infinity War but also of the nearly two dozen Marvel films to have come out since 2008’s Iron Man. Wade and Kevin offer their (spoiler-free) thoughts on the superhero behemoth that’s hitting screens this weekend, examining how well it works as its own film as well as the culmination of an entire phase in the franchise. They pair this discussion with a look back at arguably the biggest action blockbuster of its own decade,The Matrix. How has the reality-bending sci-fi of the Wachowskis aged in the two decades since its release?
Seeing and Believing takes a journey into a realm whose bounds are that of imagination in today's episode. Terry Gilliam's The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is a movie more than two decades in the making, but it's finally out. With Adam Driver as a creatively frustrated film director and Jonathan Pryce as the eponymous crackpot knight, was this film worth the wait? The Jordan Peele-produced revamp of The Twilight Zone also gets a look this week. The guys examine how well the first three episodes of the new series fills the shoes of the beloved original.
Music interlude by the Fisherman, "Bad Timing." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
DC takes another stab at the whole superhero-franchise thing this week with Shazam!, and the guys are on the case. Does the Big-inspired story of 14-year-old Billy Batson's transformation into an adult-sized caped crusader have anything to recommend it? Also, just in time for Holy Week, Wade and Kevin offer their reviews of the long-awaited Mary Magdalene, the Rooney Marañstarring exploration of a commonly overlooked follower of Jesus Christ during Jesus' earthly ministry.
Music interlude by Honey, "Yellowboy." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Tune in this week to hear our interview with authors Kutter Callaway and Craig Detwiler about the book they co-authored with Robert K. Johnston: Deep Focus: Film and Theology in Dialogue. Kutter and Craig sit down with Wade to discuss the intersection of their faith with their cinephilia, the often rocky relationship between Hollywood and the church, and what it means to be in conversation with a work of art. Wade and Kevin also offer their review of Tim Burton’s latest crack at directing a live-action remake of a beloved animated Disney film, Dumbo.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson invite Anne Kennedy for a Holy Week Primer. Anne is a writer and serves in an Anglican church in New York with her husband who is the rector. First Anne gives an overview of Holy Week happenings, laced with her trademark wit. Conversation then turns to the push behind the recent interest in high church tradition and how (or if) these observances should be practiced individually. How does Holy Week prepare our hearts for a richer Resurrection Sunday worship? What does the increased interest in liturgical practice reveal? Should Christians dive in to Holy Week happenings? Listen in for dialogue on issues like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
Two genre films are up for consideration this week: one set in the farthest reaches of space, and one that hits uncomfortably close to home. Wade and Kevin do a deep dive into Us, Jordan Peele's follow-up to the celebrated Get Out. Is this new chiller as frightening and incisive as its predecessor? Paired with this film is the hard sci-fi film Prospect, created by indie filmmakers Chris Caldwell and Zeek Earl and recently hitting its home release.
Music interlude by The Fisherman, "I Won't Be There." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
The guys lean into the rule of threes with this week's pair of films. First up is Triple Frontier, the first collaboration between director J.C. Chandor (All Is Lost), screenwriter Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty), and Netflix. Is this film's story of U.S. Army veterans turned heist thieves in South America successful? Wade and Kevin then take a look at the new film from Iranian master Jafar Panahi, 3 Faces. Panahi's penchant for metafictional gamesmanship is well established; how does his latest fit into that phase of his career?
Music interlude by Joey Pecoraro, "Novice Juggler." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
The human brain is an astounding organ that coordinates all of our intellectual, sensing, and nervous functions. It also stores our mental frames—the term we’ve been using during this series to summarize the collection of presuppositions and preconceived notions that point our thoughts in a particular direction before we even think of them. Our mental frames can lock us into patterns and ruts of thinking, but that doesn’t mean we are stuck with the same thinking for life. Because of the brain’s plasticity, it’s possible to experience renewed thinking.
In this episode of Persuasion,Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson wrap-up their Ready, Set, Think!series with a conversation about the way our brains can grow and change. And this is good news considering the frustration we can feel about our knee-jerk reactions and negative thought patterns. Because the way we think affects how we engage with our neighbors and cultivate grace in the world, Erin and Hannah passionately argue for Christians to explore the heart-level undercurrents that affect us unaware. Is it possible to experience that renewed mind referred to Romans 12? How does this transformation happen? Is there hope for renewed thinking? Listen in for dialogue on issues like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
Seeing & Believing is back from its break with a big, bombastic episode. They offer their review of the much-anticipated Captain Marvel, the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first female-led superhero movie and an integral building block in the upcoming Infinity Warsequel in May. To stay in the blockbuster spirit, Wade and Kevin also look ahead to the warmer months, which are brimming over with cinematic offerings. Which ones have gotten the guys most excited to see?
Music interlude by mell-ø, "Musing." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Ready, Set, Think!series by inviting Laura Turner to the conversation. Laura is a freelance journalist covering religion and politics for outlets such as BuzzFeed,the Atlantic,and Politico,and she is currently writing a book about the cultural history of anxiety. Discussion for this episode covers the way that anxiety affects our thinking and decision making, how time scarcity infects our professional and personal pursuits, and why anxiety can actually be an entry point for God’s grace and power.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Ready, Set, Think! series looking at the way our mental frames are shaped by the groups and systems we live within. Despite the way independent thinking is favored in our society, none of us are as detached and neutral as we presume ourselves to be.
With Lent on the horizon, the guys take a look back at one of the defining Christian movies of modern times: Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Gibson's film hits its 15th anniversary this year. Both Wade and Kevin are on record as having been powerfully affected by it at its initial release; a decade and a half later, has their opinion changed? Also up is the latest film from a favorite Seeing & Believing director, Asghar Farhadi. How does the Javier Bardem- and Penelope Cruz-starring Everybody Knows compare to the Iranian master's previous films?
Music interlude by Daggerwing, "Keep Moving." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
It's been a while since Blade Runner 2049 came out, so we were about due for another movie about a futuristic dystopia filled with robots and cyborgs. Robert Rodriguez's and James Cameron's latest film, the adaptation of Yukito Kishiro's Alita: Battle Angel manga, certainly fits the bill. Having satisfied that need, we turn our attention to Shawn Snyder's tragicomedy about the messy mechanics of mortality, To Dust, starring Matthew Broderick and Geza Rohrig.
Music interlude by MaxB, "Sunday Morning." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Every day we are reminded that our world isn’t even close to the Eden paradise God created. We know everything is in need of redemption. But that doesn’t prevent shock and outrage when particular instances of brokenness are exposed in people, systems, and society at large. When everything seems terrible, terrible becomes the norm. It becomes the way things are or the way things have always been—and that’s when we are in danger of conflating the status quo with God’s intent for the world. We need to think creatively to imagine something more than the norm.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Ready, Set, Think! series with a conversation about taking a fresh look at how the status quo shapes our thinking. Things that have always been a certain way become the normal mode of thinking and living, a thought framework that operates in our subconscious and influences everything we see. For example, our culture has incorporated Darwinian thoughts of might makes right and survival of the fittest. Most Christians would disagree with these theories on the surface but are completely unaware of how these still hold sway over their everyday choices for education, career, voting, and care for the least in society. How do we detect when the status quo is ruling us more so than God’s promised redemption? What societal norms do Christians need to be cautious about practicing? Can we subvert what’s always been to make room for God’s kingdom to flourish? Listen in for dialogue on issues like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook. Be sure to answer our question of day: Has your faith prompted you to discard the status quo on a particular issue?
Are Lego movies still awesome? That's the question that preoccupies the guys during the first half of this week's show, as they review the sequel to Phil Lord and Christopher Miller's hit The Lego Movie. The second film on the docket has fewer catchy songs in it but one heck of a title: The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot. Sam Elliott does indeed engage in some very selective violence in this film, so the film lives up to its title; but is the rest of what Robert Krzykowski is doing in it worth your time?
Music interlude by Sundaug, "Rays." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Good thinking can be hard to come by in the world today. Between the troubles we endure and the frustrations we face, the negative things loom large in our hearts and minds. Some say we should just choose joy and see the glass as gloriously half full. But that’s not always easy to do when the worst case scenarios play out at every turn and the glass hardly looks worse than half empty.
In this episode of Persuasion,Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Ready, Set, Think!series with a conversation about the blocks that form the foundation of our thinking for good or for ill. Our bent to find the good or the bad in a situation is more than mere optimism or pessimism—more than a mere personality bent. The way our brains respond to life goes even deeper. It’s more about having the core of our perspective redeemed and aligned with what’s been true since God created the world and called it good. If we see the world as hopelessly dark and broken, cynicism will stifle any hope for cultivating life and goodness. But if we see the world as good yet broken, we see the world and its creatures as God does: inherently valuable and worthy of redemption. Seeing the world as inherently good or bad shapes the way we see everything and the way we live.
Seeing and Believing Episode 187: Steven Soderbergh's High Flying Bird and Joe Cornish's The Kid Who Would Be King Whether you like Sorkin-esque sports movies or kid-friendly Arthurian fantasy, we've got you covered this week. Steven Soderbergh's first Netflix film, High Flying Bird, follows a cunning sports agent as he shepherds a pro basketball rookie and his own career through an NBA lockout. Meanwhile, Joe Cornish's The Kid Who Would Be King offers a modern-day spin on the King Arthur myth, romping through London and the English countryside as a band of kids team up with Merlin to defeat King Arthur's age-old nemesis Morgana once and for all.
Music interlude by bellsmarie, "Just Peachy." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
For all the thinking we do, we usually don’t think twice about the preconceived notions we use to keep life simple. We like to place ideas into categories and give everyone a label according to their personality type or their social leanings. It’s a sort of shorthand, relieving us of the effort it takes to explore other people or ideas in full. It’s easier to apply the categories we’ve already figured out to make sense of every mystery or unknown. While it may be easier, such rigid thinking can trivialize the important.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Ready, Set, Think! series by inviting Jen Pollock Michel to the conversation. Together, they explore the benefits of thinking twice about issues and ideas that deserve a second thought. Jen defines today’s context as an “Either-Or World,” one in which we run to the extremes and look for security in certitude. Try as we may, it’s impossible to eliminate the gray areas of daily life! Faith is required. Referencing her forthcoming book, Surprised by Paradox: The Promise of “And” in an Either-Or World (May 2019, InterVarsity Press), Jen explains the beauty and wonder of paradox in the life of a Christian and how its embrace allows us to be at rest in a tumultuous age. Because the way we think affects how we engage with our neighbors and cultivate grace in the world, it’s crucial to think twice about how we think in order to grow and bear hope to a desperate world. Listen in for dialogue on issues like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook. Be sure to answer our question of day: What’s the most unsettling paradox you’ve been wrestling with?
Seeing & Believing concludes its look at the eight Best Picture nominees this week with a review of Bohemian Rhapsody, the Rami Malek-starring biopic of Queen frontman Freddy Mercury and an arguable frontrunner for the big award. The guys also offer a review of Velvet Buzzsaw, the latest film from Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler). Releasing this weekend on Netflix, Buzzsaw offers a satirical look at the world of high art.
Music interlude by Wayne John Bradley, "Waiting." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Superheroes and politicians dominate the show this week, though both of the films Wade and Kevin are looking at color a bit outside the lines in their portrayals. First up is Glass, M. Night Shyamalan's superhero movie that provides a follow-up to Unbreakablealmost two decades after that film's release. The guys also make sure to review Adam McKay's Vice, now that it is officially a contender for the Best Picture Oscar. Is it worthy of that honor? Listen to find out!
Wade's list on Letterboxd
Kevin's list on Letterboxd
Music interlude by Bark Dog, "Wherever You Go." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
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Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
With their top-10 episode in the rear-view mirror, the guys get back into the groove of things with two films that are still going strong after their release at the end of 2018. First up is Disney's sequel to a certain much-beloved Julie Andrews classic, with Emily Blunt taking up the umbrella to play Poppins. Then Wade and Kevin turn to another Oscar hopeful, Barry Jenkin's adaptation of the James Baldwin novel If Beale Street Could Talk.
Music interlude by Mentalease, "Selfie." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
In this super-sized episode, the guys offer their picks for the best films of 2018! The past year has been a crazy one, not least because of the multitude of excellent films to be released. Does Paddington 2 get its due? Do Wade and Kevin continue the wave for First Reformed? Perhaps most importantly of all, where does Gotti fit into all of this? Join us as we watch 2018 take a victory lap!
Jonathan and crew are back to finish ranking the list of the Top 25 pop culture artifacts from 2018. Joining him is KB Hoyle, Kathryn Freeman, Tyler Burns, Luke T. Harrington, and Tyler Glodjo to mold the list of random entries from 1 to 25. There are passionate pleas to keep Mr. Rodgers down, the Royal wedding on top, and Luke's desire to cancel the list and join Thoreau in the wilderness. Listen as we threaten, cajole, and plead for our personal picks and shape the list for Christ and Pop Culture's Top 25 for 2018.
Jonathan is back, along with special guests .... to sit down for a marathon recording session to finalize the CaPC 25 for 2018. The pop culture events, people, movies, TV shows, albums, and more that defined 2018 in ways that reflected the good, the true, and the beautiful are molded into near final form in this two part extravaganza!
For Part 1, the panel sorts through the nominations from our staff writers to decide which entries will make the Top 25. Wild cards are brought in, nominations that didn't receive enough backing to make it on the list are considered, and the unthinkable happens when Jonathan attempts to remove Kendrick Lamar from the list!
Then in Part 2, which will air later this week, the same crew will go to the mat to rank the 25 entries and crown the most influential artifacts in 2018, from 25 to 1.
Seeing and Believing's first episode of 2019 sees them tying up some loose ends from 2018! On the docket: the latest entry in the DC superhero universe and an awards favorite from Poland. Does Aquaman sink or swim? Does Cold War leave the guys feeling cold? Ring in the New Year with an episode that answers these questions and others!
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Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Merry Christmas from Seeing & Believing! Our last episode before Christmas starts off with a bang as we take a look at the much-buzzed-about Roma, Netflix's latest shot at Oscar gold. Does Alfonso Cuaron's highly personal film about a domestic worker in 1970s Mexico deserve the hype it's been getting, or will the high expectations be dashed by cold reality? We also offer a little something for the superhero fans in our audience with our review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, an animated adventure starring everyone's favorite webslinger, multiplied by seven. Producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller waved a magic wand over The Lego Movie- can they repeat the feat with a Marvel property?
Music interlude by Erik Margolin, "Carol of the Bells." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson wrap up their holiday mini-series, Lessons & Carols. The first conversation covered the lessons we’ve learned about Christmas meeting the soul’s longing for connection and love. And the second episode turned to the ways we attempt to buy our Christmas joy (for others and even for ourselves). Here in the finale, Erin and Hannah dissect the tension between the peace we sing about and internal chaos we so often experience during Christmas. Can we learn to appreciate the message of Silent Night even when our reality is no match? Is a Silent Night even realistic? Is it possible we have unreasonable expectations for the season that magnify our need for the Prince of Peace? Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
Period pieces and Oscar chances come to the fore in this episode of Seeing & Believing. First up is The Favourite, a darkly funny look at courtly backstabbing, political intrigue, and the nature of power in the court of England's Queen Anne. The guys then move closer to home with their review of Green Book, Peter Farrelly's based-on-a-true-story film about racial tensions and friendship when a white bouncer agrees to be the driver and bodyguard for a black concert pianist in the Jim Crow-era Deep South.
Music interlude by Floral Dreamasaurs, "The Man Inside." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
What do you want for Christmas? Children are ready for that question, quick to list all the toys and treasures their little hearts desire. We’ve learned from an early age to make our lists and send our requests to Santa, all in the hope that come Christmas morning, everything we want will be underneath the tree. Our culture has tied Christmas fulfillment to the amassing of stuff.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their holiday mini-series, Lessons & Carols. The first conversationcovered the lessons we’ve learned about the way Christmas can meet the soul’s longing for connection and love. And in this installment, the conversation turns to the ways we attempt to buy our Christmas joy for others and even for ourselves. Maybe you attempt to hold consumerism off by implementing the three-gift or four-gift rule. Or maybe you attempt to redeem your participation in the season by donating your budgeted money for each person to a charity helping those much less fortunate. Try as we may, the commercialization of Christmas is here and the fault is ours to bear. How do the Christmas traditions and carols we practice each year contribute to this skewed perspective? Is there any way to uncouple our real need for joy from the false promise that it will be waiting for us under the tree on Christmas morning? Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
Both the internet and audience's hearts get broken with the films in this week's episode. Wade and Kevin check out Disney's sequel to Wreck-It Ralphto see if its satire of internet culture holds up, then offer their review of Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's Palme d'Or-winning Shoplifters.
Music interlude by Derek Joel, "Grateful." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Christmas blues are nothing new. And in today’s therapeutic and authentic age, we’re more willing to admit to and discuss how the holidays are something anything but merry and bright. For some of us, it’s grief. For others, it’s troubles and trials. But for all us, Christmas is when our longings are piqued and our hearts yearn for something more. Movies tell us Christmas is the perfect time to find our soul mate. Advertisements tell us Christmas is the perfect time to get the latest and greatest goods. Society tells us Christmas is the perfect time to be present to everyone in every circle we inhabit. But is this really what Christmas is all about?
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson kick off a holiday mini series called Lessons & Carols. This first conversation covers the lessons we’ve learned about the way Christmas can meet the soul’s longing for connection and love. From Hallmark Christmas specials to receiving the perfect gift from that perfect someone, we’ve all taken in ideals that lead our hearts to unavoidable disappointment. What we see in romance stories and jewelry commercials tells us we’re missing out. Is it possible we have unreasonable expectations on relationships that exacerbate our Christmas blues? How can we find joy in the holidays when our relationships are draining us? Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
It's an all-sequel edition of the show this week, as the guys take on two Thanksgiving-weekend releases that continue relatively new series. First up is the hotly anticipated Creed 2, which finds Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed squaring off against the son of the villainous Ivan Drago from the original Rocky franchise. Then Wade and Kevin take a look at the newest installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, J.K. Rowling's latest addition to the world of Harry Potter. What happens when the wizard Newt Scamander is drawn further into the international intrigue surrounding the schemes of evil wizard Grindelwald? And does this latest film match the magic of Rowling's best work?
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Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Seeing & Believing celebrates Thanksgiving and Black Friday with a generous dose of grand larceny and psychopathic cowboys. The guys follow up last week's interview with director Steve McQueen with a review of McQueen's latest, Widows, starring Viola Davis, Liam Neeson, and a whole host of other stars. They also spend plenty of time with The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a six-chapter anthology film from the Coen brothers, in their first partnership with Netflix. Enjoy!
Music interlude by Norden, "Bandage." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
In advance of next week's Thanksgiving feast, Seeing & Believing offers up an episode stuffed to overflowing with good stuff. First, Kevin sits down with director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) for a conversation about McQueen's newest film, the heist picture Widows. On top of that, the guys offer reviews of two films that have been making a splash lately: Paul Dano's directorial debut (and potential Oscar contender), Wildlife, a drama set in 1960s Montana; and the World War II monster flick Overlord, about supernatural Nazi experiments uncovered on the eve of the Normandy invasion.
Our digital age allows us to handle a lot of life devoid of live, in-person conversation. Business can be handled remotely. Socializing can be done via social media. Shopping and meals can be ordered online. We simply don’t need to converse with each other face to face.
But for all the convenience we gain, what do we lose? In this episode of Persuasion,Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson wrap up their Talking about Talk series with a special LIVE recording at their Word+Craft Weekend at Leaf Institute in Greenville, South Carolina. Marking only the second time the hosts have been together in person, their discussion covers the pros and cons of face-to-face conversation. Is it important to pursue others in live discussion, or will digital conversations suffice? Do our digital interactions help or hinder our in-person relationships? Can we really know others well without knowing their body language or voice inflections? Is it possible for Erin and Hannah to talk to each other without the usual digital divide?!
Christmas came early this year for both cinephiles and blockbuster audiences! It's not every year that we get a new Orson Welles film, but Netflix brought us one this year in the form of the long-dormant The Other Side of the Wind. Wade and Kevin bring fellow critic Ryan Holt on the show to discuss whether this late addition to Welles's filmography is a worthwhile one. Then the guys turn their attention to Disney's latest attempt at cinematic magic, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. How well does this film adaptation of the story behind the much-beloved ballet succeed at crafting a brand-new adventure?
Much of the church talk happening today is seen as negative by the watching world. Whether intentional or not, when people of faith talk about current issues, fear and anger are heard and observed. This is off-putting (to say the least) for those who do not know Jesus. Why would anyone be drawn to a faith whose adherents use the same vitriol as those they are opposing? Something is amiss when Christians are more passionate about winning that day’s internet squabble than they are about reaching the world with the glorious gospel.
In this episode of Persuasion,Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Talking about Talk series with guest C. Christopher Smith. Chris is founding editor of Englewood Review of Books,co-author of Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus,and author of Reading for the Common Goodand the forthcoming How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church. Many years of leading and helping Christians have good conversations about difficult topics makes Chris a welcome addition to this series. The conversation addresses the ways our current church talk is devoid of power because it isn’t viewed as connecting the interdependent parts of one body. How can Christians grow in their conversational skill to relate matters of faith with grace and in truth? Is there hope for a new era that takes pleasure in the art of conversation? What changes must we embrace to see the church take on the role of healer in our relationships and in our society?
Today’s digital age means greater exposure to tech talk: and we mean more than just computer lingo and technological vocabulary. Every corner of our lives has its own set of words and phrases that makes plenty of sense to those within the system but have no meaning for those on the outside. The way we talk to one another either builds community or prevents it. Those who know the proper words and terms to use within a particular subgroup have a measure of power—and that power needs to be applied rightly, for the good of others. Understanding how our language creates or tears down barriers to community is critical for Christians in today’s cultural climate. And Christians bear great responsibility to display humility and create spaces that welcome outsiders, not only to draw them closer to Jesus but also to be effective ambassadors of the gospel. We must be aware of the tech-based talk we employ in our conversational spheres.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Talking about Talk series discussing the pros and cons of tech talk in our conversational bubbles. How does specific system-based language help people connect? How does insider language keep outsiders from participating? When is tech talk appropriate, and when do we need to adopt new words for a new era? Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook. Be sure to answer our question of day: What’s the most recent slang you had to Google?
The guys get into the Halloween spirit by reviewing the latest entry in one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time: David Gordon Green’s sequel/reboot of John Carpenter’s classic Halloween. Is this new movie a worthy successor to the Halloween crown? Wade and Kevin also take a look at the beguiling South Korean Oscar contender Burning, a dreamlike thriller that features The Walking Dead‘s Steven Yeun and is based on a Haruki Murakami story.
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Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Young men exploring outer space and old men robbing banksóthese are the two most common varieties of male, at least in this week's show, as Wade and Kevin discuss the two newest movies from directors who have gotten a lot of love on the show before. First up is First Man, the Neil Armstrong biopic that takes a look at the nuts and boltsóliterallyóof space travel. The guys then consider another biopic: The Old Man and the Gun, which may be Robert Redford's last role as an actor and certainly is an interesting encapsulation of his distinctive screen presence.
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Humor can be hard to find with all the heartache we face in the world today. As the weight of life presses down, our ability to kick back and laugh shrinks—to our detriment. Research shows that laughter is still good and needful medicine, strengthening the immune system, boosting your mood, diminishing pain, and protecting you from the damaging effects of stress. Rather than humor being a sign of ignoring life’s troubles, its pursuit is actually a way to combat the world’s troubles from the inside out.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Talking about Talk series by inviting Ben Fort to the conversation. Ben has been writing, producing, and composing for theater and sketch comedy for more than a decade. As head of the Comedy Writing Program at The Four Day Weekend training center in Fort Worth, Texas, Ben nurtures and develops others in their creative comedy skills and projects. Erin and Hannah pick Ben’s brain about the role of humor, asking questions such as: What role does humor play in matters of faith? Is it possible to build up your funny bone? How has comedy changed in the #metoo era? Does humor work in mixed-gender company? Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook. Be sure to answer our question of day: Who is the funniest person you know IRL?
The biggest movie on the planet right now seems to be Bradley Cooper's Lady Gaga-starring remake of A Star Is Born, and Wade and Kevin are on the case. Is the saga of a singer's rise to fame and fortune, accompanied by Gaga's powerful voice, enough to put the guys under its spell? The review is accompanied by some big news: Seeing & Believing is covering this year's Chicago International Film Festival, and Kevin has the details of the coverage to come!
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Think back to the most recent social event you attended—it’s likely you had to interact with people you didn’t know well or don’t see very often. Those situations require us to call upon our small talk skills—and for many, such situations produce a certain amount of anxiety and discomfort. Being a good conversationalist requires us to start talking about something—usually something light-hearted or devoid of potential strife. Small talk sticks to the outer edges of ideas, often consisting of commentary about the weather or local news or inquiries about one’s family.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Talking about Talk series with a conversation about the social chit chat that causes many a heart to flutter. What is it about small talk that makes us so uncomfortable? Is small talk even necessary? What good do social pleasantries contribute to a larger conversation? Listen in for dialogue on questions like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook. Be sure to answer our question of day: Do you know someone who’s great at small talk?
Terrence Malick's masterpiece The Tree of Lifeis back in a big way these days, as the new Criterion Collection release includes a brand-new cut from the director himself! Wade and Kevin revisit the film to explore how the extended edition changes Malick's vision, for better or for worse. They then turn their attention to a film that in many ways is the polar opposite of The Tree of Life: Jeremy Saulnier's meditation on human savagery, the Netflix original film Hold the Dark.
This episode has been brought to you by Kyle Matthews and the rest of our faithful Seeing & Believing patrons!
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How would you describe your family’s table talk during your childhood? Was it lively or subdued? Was it friendly or feisty? Was it harsh or loving? Whatever it may have been, the conversational style of your family—both around the table and throughout the home—had a profound impact upon your approach to conversation today. Our families were the first to teach us vocabulary, pronunciation, and syntax—the building blocks to relaying information. But our families also modeled conversation—how we exchange ideas with others. And those lessons have lasting power, drawing us to enter dialogue in ways that mirror what we were taught—and what we caught—as children.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson continue their Talking about Talk series by sorting out the role our families play in shaping our conversational style. Home life teaches us crucial skills about relaying information, listening, negotiating, dealing with conflict, and being vulnerable. All of these are crucial conversational skills, which is why being an adept talker is about so much more than just stringing words together. It’s learning how to live life together for the good of all. Considering the formative impact our table talk has upon us, is it possible to learn new skills? Did our family’s communication style doom us to broken relationships—and therefore, a broken society? Listen in for dialogue on issues like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook. Be sure to answer our question of day: What’s your family’s conversational quirk?
With Wade out for the week, Kevin brings on two special guests to discuss this week's films. Steve Norton of Screenfish.net steps in to talk about Eli Roth's adaptation of the classic John Bellairs YA creepfest, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett(!). Next up is a review of the awards-season hopeful White Boy Rick, with Emmanuel Noisette of E-man's Movie Reviews on hand to examine whether the film's hopes are well-placed.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
With all the talking in the world today, you might think it best to keep your own thoughts and words to yourself. Words abound on social platforms, from airwaves, in print. Even our own conversations are packed full. So many of us have grown weary of words and discourse. We wonder if contributing our opinion on the latest news squabble is needed. We wonder if society would be better served by our silence.
In this episode of Persuasion, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson kick off a new approach to the show, one in which conversations can go deeper and be more robust. Persuasion will now use a series approach to episodes, grouping them together by topic to give more time and space for exploring issues at length. “Let’s Talk” is the first episode in the series Talking about Talk. Erin and Hannah present a compelling case for rigorously engaging the world with our thoughts and words, despite what seems to be an overabundance. Discussion covers the proliferation of words, the need for quality conversations in our circles, and the challenges we face in contributing value in a word-saturated culture. Because conversation is essential to healthy community, Erin and Hannah passionately argue for Christian to contribute sound and grace-filled words to the conversations we encounter in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. Listen in for dialogue on issues like these, and continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook. Be sure to answer our question of day: Do you believe YOUR words matter?
Those rascally extraterrestrial hunters are at it again. Shane Black just released the latest entry in the Predator franchise, in which aliens hunt the most dangerous game, and the most dangerous game hunts the aliens right back. Wade and Kevin offer their thoughts on this September’s The Predator, then move on to consider the prestige-movie season that is now upon us. What films are most worth getting excited about, here toward the end of 2018? Listen to find out!
Music interlude by Wayne John Bradley, “Connected.” Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
On the eve of prestige-movie season beginning in earnest, Wade and Kevin dip into genre cinema to see what they find. First up is the John Cho-starring thriller Searching, about a father who engages in some heavy digital sleuthing when his daughter mysteriously goes missing. Then the guys take a look at Kin, a sci-fi adventure that pits a boy and his ex-con brother against a gang of vengeful hoodlums and a duo of otherworldly soldiers. Will the futuristic firearm that the boy found in an abandoned warehouse be just what's needed to stay one step ahead? Probably, but more interesting is the sibling dynamics as the two brothers are forced to confront the holes in their relationship and their own principles.
Seeing & Believing kicks off September by sitting down with Corin Hardy, director of the new horror film The Nun. Kevin talks with the English filmmaker about telling stories about religious communities and the mysteries of the spiritual. Then Wade and Kevin return to a television series they've been quite enthusiastic about in the past, AMC's Better Call Saul. As the show enters the fourth season (and what appears to be a run up to a conclusion), the guys discuss whether the show holds up and how the show's moral vision is revealing itself in these latest episodes.
Music interlude by Poolside, "Which Way to Paradise." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
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As summer draws to a close, Seeing & Believing offers a little something for everyone. For the auteurist, we've got a review of the latest Spike Lee joint, BlacKkKlansman, which tells the true story of the first black detective in Colorado Springs and the 1979 sting operation he led against the Ku Klux Klan. If frothy escapism is more your thing, we take a look at the much-buzzed-about romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians, based on Kevin Kwan's novel about an American economics professor who discovers her boyfriend is both the scion of a fabulously rich Singapore family and the most eligible bachelor in the country.
Music interlude by Gordon Victor, "Spell." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
This summer marked the ten-year anniversary of the release of a film that reshaped the way filmgoers thought of superheroes: Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. Wade and Kevin commemorate the occasion by revisiting that film with a review. Does it still hold up? The guys then keep the 2008 train rolling by offering their picks for the best movies of that year.
Music interlude by Nicolai Heidlas, “Roadtrip.” Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
You can learn a lot about a person by how regularly his or her phone battery dips into the single-digit red zone. Because in this day, a dead phone battery can leave you helplessly detached from all crucial life details: your map, your schedule, your work, your contacts, and more. A draining battery prompts fear and frustration, as well as a frantic hunt for a power outlet to remedy the situation.
In this ounce of Persuasion fast chat, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson examine the way our mobile devices chain us to power outlets. Wherever we are—coffee shops, airports, public venues—a low battery can send us into survival mode, hunting for an open outlet. Sadly, many a hunter’s hopes have been dashed, when, upon spotting a free power outlet, find it is merely a sticker. Some sad soul is playing jokes upon the desperate, which prompts us to ask all sorts of questions about our relationship to devices and power. Is this stress about a draining battery necessary? Have we simply grown too dependent on (or addicted to) our devices? Are the people who place power outlet stickers truly evil?
Listen in, then continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
If you’ve ventured out to your local office supply or big box store, you’ve seen a sort of glory that descends about this time every year. It’s found in the endless aisles of school supplies. This is where shoppers can find rainbows of gel pens and Post-It notes and notecards… reams of blank journals and notebooks… and countless styles of clips, magnets, pouches, and folders. It’s an endless realm of possibility. And, well, kids need them for school too.
In this ounce of Persuasion fast chat, Erin Straza and Hannah Anderson gush over school supplies and how their annual appearance marks the most wonderful time of year for many who are no longer students. What is it about back to school shopping that non-students find so appealing? Why do we buy more blank journals when we already have a stash we’ve never used? Is there a gene that predisposes certain humans to go giddy over office supplies? Listen in, then continue the conversation on Twitter @PersuasionCAPC or in the CAPC members-only community on Facebook.
Episode 144 Resources & Links:
21 Euphoric Experiences For People Obsessed With Office Supplies, Buzzfeed
12 Very Necessary School Supplies for Adults, Marie Claire
25 Back-to-School Supplies for Adults Who Want to Feel Like a Kid Again, The Muse
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Theme music by Maiden Name.
The guys have gentrification on the mind this week, as they review two films about unwelcome new arrivals in the neighborhood. The unwelcome residents are white hipsters in Carlos Lopez Estrada's Blindspotting, a drama about race and perspective starring Daveed Diggs of Hamiltonfame. In the sci-fi/thriller indie The Endless, the new neighbor is an otherworldly force revered by a backwoods cult. Will two brothers and erstwhile cult members get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding this entity? Find out on this week's episode!
Music interlude by Nicolai Heidlas, "Roadtrip." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osbornand Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
The stakes are high this week, with super-spies and threatened nuclear annihilation on one hand and the perils and anguish of middle school on the other. Wade and Kevin review the latest Mission: Impossible film (alternate title: See Tom Run) and the latest indie darling from studio A24, Eighth Grade. Thrills and chills abound!
Music interlude by Joako, "Singular Radio." Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.
Theme music by Alexander Osborn and Lindsey Mysse. Used under Creative Commons license 3.0.