All Things Narrative Presents:
The LIVE A MEANINGFUL STORY Podcast
Connecting the movies we love with the stories we live
47: Authenticity - In Search for Something Real (NETWORK)
How do you hold onto what's real when everything around you feels artificial? In our next episode on 'Authenticity', we deep dive into one of the most critically-acclaimed satires of all time: NETWORK. Through its novel-esque writing and theatre-like directing, NETWORK is a masterclass at showing how societal decay corrupts our true self, and the wayward journey back towards authenticity. We discuss how this film is godless, but true in its chilling relevancy for us today. Derrick also shares about his journey as a writer and how that factors into NETWORK.
42: When the Power of Cinema Takes Over (CINEMA PARADISO)
What is the relationship between the movies we love and the stories we live? This is a question we explore with on this podcast. But in this episode, we examine the pitfalls of our own premise through one of the most acclaimed films of all time: CINEMA PARADISO. Nick leads us through this intimate installment of our "I Am the Protagonist" series. Nestled within this so-called love letter to the movies is a cautionary tale about the dangers of projecting our worldviews onto others. We also wrestle with the iconic ending, which might be more tragic than you think.
31: Moral Ambiguity and Cinema (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS)
How can a film both vanquish evil, while also revealing the darkness within? In this first entry of our 'Hearts of Darkness' series, we tackle Quentin Tarantino's WWII fan fiction: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. But despite the often black-and-white view we have about the heroic Allies versus the evil Nazis, this film reveals the moral ambiguities that characterize war. And as we'll see, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS places us in its crossfires through its meta-engagement with the power of cinema. We also discuss how this film uses a Nested Loop story structure, how Tarantino brought this film to life, and how its ending ties into the Jewish Shema. Joining us is professional screenwriter Kyle Arrington.
10: How Stories Shape Reality and Identity (DUNE PART TWO)
Whoever controls the narrative can shape reality to how they see fit. In our analysis of the newly released 'Dune Part Two', we confront the beauties and horrors of storytelling. You'll also learn how 'Dune' embodies a Narrative Therapy perspective on identity, confront the dark side of religion, and explore the various archetypes within Paul Atreides.
9: A Cautionary Tale about Destiny and the Power of Dreams (DUNE PART ONE)
Dreams are messages from the deep; but where will our dreams ultimately take us? In this episode, we begin our deep dive into all things 'Dune', including an analysis of the 2021 film. We explore this cautionary tale through the lenses of identity and destiny, incorporating insights from Jonathan Gottschall's book The Storytelling Animal.
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