The Meaning Of The Movie

IT (Part 1) Jul 06, 2024

It's time to go to Derry, Maine. We're doing a deep dive about the meaning of the movie, the novel, and the mini-series IT. It's one of Stephen King's greatest stories and his most iconic villain. But is IT just a scary movie or is there something deeper here?
We're joining the LOSERS club. We all podcast down here.

Civil War May 05, 2024

It's time to talk about Alex Garland's new film CIVIL WAR. Does it have a political point of view? What does it mean? Is it fair? Is it bold or is it cowardly? We debate it all on this week's episode.

Parasite Apr 04, 2024

It's a film with a title that makes a statement and asks a question, "Who is the parasite?" It's time for a deep dive into one of the best films of the 2010s; a film loaded with meaning in every frame. Click the episode and join the discussion.

La La Land Feb 13, 2024

It's February and we're doing another romantic film. La La Land is in the running for best movie about LA ever made, and the most devastating romance. Is this a musical for people who don't like musicals? Is there a deeper meaning beneath the surface?
We discuss it all in this week's episode.

The One I Love Jan 28, 2024

Maybe you've never heard of this film. But sometimes those are the most rewarding. It's almost February and we're watching THE ONE I LOVE... a charming, funny, weird, scary, and shocking film about relationships.

7 Meaningful Movies of 2023 Dec 29, 2023

For our final episode of the year, we want to give you a BONUS EPISODE. Seven meaningful movies of 2023. Rob Stennett goes solo to share what about watching and thinking more deeply about these films.

It’s A Wonderful Life Dec 17, 2023

Is this the most meaningful Christmas movie ever made? We encourage you to watch this classic and then join us as we debate the characters, the themes, and what it all means.
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Killers Of The Flower Moon Dec 13, 2023

We begin with a SPOILER-FREE discussion on Martin Scorcese’s 3.5 hour epic. And then we breakdown our most meaningful scenes, characters, and the meaning of The Killers Of A Flower Moon.

Inside Out Nov 21, 2023

It’s our FIRST Pixar film and we have questions: What emotions should they have added? Where does INSIDE OUT rank in the PIXAR cannon? What is the most meaningful emotion?

We debate all of this and more in this week’s episode.
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The Sixth Sense Oct 28, 2023

What if we told you the meaning of The Sixth Sense is much more than it’s twist? What if we told you this is one of the best ghost stories ever made? We discuss M. Night Shyamalan’s masterpiece, Bruce Willis, and so much more in this week’s episode.

Scream Oct 17, 2023

Do you like scary podcasts? So do we! So let's talk about Wes Craven’s self-aware meta slasher SCREAM. Is there depth? What is it trying to say? Let’s find out in this week’s episode.

The Social Network Sep 28, 2023

This is the definitive story of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook. But is it accurate? Does that matter? What does a movie that came long over a decade ago say about social media today? We get into it all in this week’s episode.

Oppenheimer Sep 12, 2023

It's time to discuss Christopher Nolan's summer blockbuster / biopic / epic film...Oppenheimer. What did we make of all of the cameos? How do you talk about meaning in such a dense film? What Oscars will it win next year? We get into it all in this week's episode.

BARBIE Aug 27, 2023

It’s time to talk about THE MOVIE of the summer. It’s made lots of money. It’s the talk of social media. Does this movie work? Does it unfairly attack men? Does it have the most outfit changes in cinema history? We have thoughts and it’s time to debate what it all means in this week’s episode…

Fargo Aug 08, 2023

We finally discuss our first Coen Brothers film, the 1996 masterpiece FARGO. We debate the script, the setting, the characters, and of course what it all means.
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The Founder Jul 17, 2023

What if we told you The Founder holds a place right alongside films like Citizen Kane and The Social Network? We think it does and we're going to back up our claim (or at least Rob will try) in this week's episode.

Join us for Michael Keaton's film 2016 film...THE FOUNDER.

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Whiplash Jun 24, 2023

Damien Chazelle (LA LA LAND) tells the story of a mentor relationship unlike any other. This is no Yoda or Mr. Miagi… BUT it is a show-stopping Oscar-winning performance by JK Simmons. It’s time to dive into what it all means.

_NOPE May 26, 2023

It’s time to talk about one of our most anticipated films of last year. But did it live up to they hype? We have a lot of questions and thoughts about Jordan Peele’s NOPE.

Succession Mar 31, 2023

It's time to talk about the best-written show on television! In the first part of the episode, we have a SPOILER-FREE discussion about why you should be watching the show (if you're not already) and why we love it.
In the second part, we get SPOILER-Y as we talk about our most meaningful characters, moments, and what we hope to see leading up to the finale. Join the disgusting brothers Rob Stennett and Patton Dodd for today's episode of The Meaning Of The Movie (or show).

The Empire Strikes Back Mar 20, 2023

Luke, I am your podcast. It's time to cover one of the greatest sequels ever made. We'll talk about twists, the characters, and the surprising meanings we find in this film.
Guest hosts Ryan Fraizer and Darren Shaw join Rob Stennett for this week's episode of The Meaning Of The Movie.

The Menu Mar 10, 2023

Are you hungry for a good podcast? It's time to dine on 2022's horror/thriller/satire The Menu. Host Rob Stennett invites two friends of the show Jon Michael Simpson and Jeff McQuitty to discuss... what does it all mean?

The Oscars Preview Guide Feb 20, 2023

The 2023 Oscars are coming on March 12th! What movies matter? What movies do we think are going to win? What movies do we want to win?
Rob does his first-ever solo podcast to give you some thoughts and help you prepare for Oscar Night in this BONUS episode.

Jojo Rabbit Feb 11, 2023

Rob and Andrew are IN PERSON for Takia Watiti’s 2019 (comedy? drama?) Jojo Rabbit. We debate the themes, the meanings, and how he somehow pulls an impossible premise together.

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Vengeance Jan 16, 2023

What if we told you Ryan from The Office created a film noir that delves deeply into the cultural divide in America? What if we told you it’s one of our most interesting films of 2022?
We give you Vengeance from writer/director BJ Novak. It’s a murder mystery rooted in the divide between red and blue states. It’s a tale that shocks you like spicy ketchup from Whataburger.
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Now streaming on Peacock (but this changes all the time to so keep current with the Just Watch app)

The Meaning Of 2022 Movies Dec 30, 2022

What did 2022 mean in movies? What movies surprised us most? What movies disappointed us? And what were our top five movies of the year?
We get into some major disagreements about some of our favorites and look for the deeper meaning across all 2022 films. Join us for this week's episode.

We'd love to hear your top five films:
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The Fabelmans Dec 19, 2022

Where does Speilberg rank on the list of all-time directors? How do we feel about him making a biopic about himself? Is this navel-gazing or artistic and one of the year's best films?
We have lots of questions and even more answers and takes on this week's episode. You can listen to a spoiler-free opening 10 minutes as we discuss Speilberg. Listen to the episode. See the film. And decide for yourself..."What does it all mean?"

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Die Hard (classic episode) Dec 09, 2022

Let's talk about Die Hard. This is a re-release of our pilot episode of MOTM. We debate what makes a Christmas movie, the most meaningful scenes and characters, and what the movie means.
Come out to the podcast, we'll get together, have a few laughs...for this classic episode with Die Hard.

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Planes, Trains & Automobiles Nov 22, 2022

This is not a Thanksgiving movie. It is THE Thanksgiving movie. What makes it last? Is the ending actually dark and disturbing? We discuss the incredible performances of Steve Martin and John Candy, the career of John Hughes, and a whole lot more in this week's episode.
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The Shining Oct 27, 2022

The Shining is an all-time classic Halloween film. But is it scary? In this week's episode, we debate the film, the many interpretations, and the battle between Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick.

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Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power (pt2) Oct 19, 2022

In part one we talked about the first two episodes. Now you can hear what we think of the whole season. Did we like it more or less than we thought we would? What makes something Tolkein-y? What does it all mean?
Hear our analysis and thoughts on the meaning of the full season of The Lord Of The Rings: Rings Of Power in this week's episode.

ZODIAC Oct 06, 2022

Is the Zodiac Killer ground zero for America’s fascination with serial killers? Is this film a horror or a thriller? What’s the difference? And whose story is this (Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, or Robert Downey Jr)?
We’re doing a deep dive into Fincher, the Zodiac, the history, the meaning and the hidden messages. Join us as we debate it all in our kickoff to October films.

Bridesmaids Sep 20, 2022

It’s time to cover our first true comedy on the podcast! We talk Apatow, rank comedy eras, and ask why are comedies so easily written off.
This week we're joined by special guest Naomi Beatty. She brings great insight as a screenwriting consultant and instructor. You can get her book here (we love this book) and you can learn more about her work here.
Run to download this episode like you’re searching for a bathroom after a bad batch of Brazillian BBQ.
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Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Sep 11, 2022

We know it’s a TV Show and not a movie…BUT we also talk about the original LOTR films, The Hobbit films, and the new series on Amazon Prime. What does it mean? How did we feel watching this show? It’s a Tolkein fest on our latest episode.
Editor’s note: Rob’s audio is rough and we’re working on fixing it. But we still think this episode is worth a listen.

Summer Blockbuster Recap Aug 11, 2022

The summer movie season is almost over. We wanted to stop and reflect. We normally talk about the movies we love. What about the movies that didn’t work? We’re going to get into that this episode.
We’ll also talk about the podcast itself. What we got right. What we got wrong. The state of Disney. The state of our souls.
We cover a lot in this episode. It’s our last episode of the summer and then we’ll kick it off again in the fall.
MOVIES COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:
Jurassic World: Dominion
Lightyear
Dr. Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness

Stranger Things 4: Vol 2 Jul 29, 2022

In a summer of lackluster blockbusters, STRANGER THINGS still has our attention. So much so that we recorded with ROB IN FRANCE.
His AUDIO is not as sharp as normal but we couldn't wait any longer to do a deep dive into part 2. What did at all mean? Why did it work for us? What characters were strongest? And where were we right and wrong with our predictions?
We discuss it all in this episode of The Meaning of The Movie.

Back To The Future Jul 14, 2022

Is Back To The Future the perfect film? Great Scott this episode gets heavy as we talk about why this film is so beloved and what it’s meant over the years. We’ve got to go back and debate the score, the characters, the quotes, and most of all the meaning of the movie.

Stranger Things 4: Vol 1 Jun 27, 2022

We don’t usually cover TV shows. We had to make an exception for Stranger Things. What do we think of the show overall? What did we make of Season 4? What do we expect when the show returns? Who are the most meaningful characters? Who are the least meaningful? And what is the meaning of Stranger Things?
You have to listen to this episode. It’s unlike anything else we’ve covered.

Top Gun: Maverick Jun 20, 2022

This is a podcast 36 years in the making. It's time to talk about the sequel of the summer 🔥. Where does it rack up as an all-time sequel? Why do people love it? And most importantly what is this movie trying to say?
Buckle up because we're going fast. It's time to discuss the meaning of Top Gun: Maverick.
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Arrival Jun 09, 2022

It's time to journey into the deep end of space... or Montana. We're reviewing 2016's ARRIVAL, starring Amy Adams.

We think it has to say a lot about 9/11, the pandemic, Christmas, and why Jeremy Renner never became Tom Cruise.

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And Brick and Elm

Jurassic Park May 27, 2022

Welcome to Jurassic Park! In this episode, we talk about why this movie works, why the sequels (mostly) don’t work, and our thoughts about the new film.

This is a film with a story structure very different than most blockbusters and it’s interested in bigger ideas. We think there’s meaning here and it’s worth dissecting faster than you can say dino DNA.

Want to share feedback on an episode? What you loved? What we got wrong? Email your thoughts to our producer rob@storyize.co and we may share an email on the next episode.

Terminator 2 May 16, 2022

Is T2 the greatest sequel of all time? Let the debate begin.
T2 is a summer blockbuster. Action masterpiece. A movie that somehow both critiques and validates conspiracy theorists.

It was a seismic leap in special effects but does it hold up? And more than anything… what does it all mean?
We’re about to run towards this answer faster than T-1000 chases after John Conner. Join us for this week’s episode of The Meaning Of The Movie.

Everything Everywhere All at Once May 02, 2022

Everything Everywhere All at Once. This is not a movie that you just see. This is a movie that you see and immediately *need* to talk about with someone.

Is this the best movie since the pandemic began? We’re not sure.

BUT we know we needed to process our feelings about it. And laugh. And cry. And question all of our life choices.

No matter what timeline you’re in join us for a one-of-a-kind episode.

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The Truman Show Apr 15, 2022

The Truman Show. Is it a prophetic film about the age of YouTube and reality TV? Scathing satire about what we watch and how we create? Metaphor for feeling trapped and finding meaning of life?
Yes. We think so. At least 2 out of the 3 of us do.
Join us for a lively discussion about Jim Carry’s (best?) film The Truman Show. Rob Stennett, Andrew Harmon, and John Bolin have a lively debate about everything (like what does Laura Linney do during the day?).

Join us for our episode The Meaning Of The Movie.
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CODA. Apr 08, 2022

It’s time to talk about CODA. And we have questions… Is Will Smith the worst (or best) thing to happen to the movie? What are we actually saying when we call something “Best Picture?” Are sentimental films artistic or should they be dark and angsty?
Most of all what is the meaning of the film CODA? What does it say about us all?

We get to all of this in today’s episode of The Meaning Of The Movie. Join Rob Stennett, Andrew Harmon, and special guest start Patton Dodd, for our latest episode.

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2022 Oscars Reaction (or What Was Will Smith Doing?!) Mar 28, 2022

Welcome to the Willennium! We are talking about everything and I mean EVERYTHING from a historic and insane Oscars. What won Best Picture? What deserved to win? What was the best moment and most of all what do we make of the Will Smith and Chris Rock moment?!!??

Pop your popcorn and get ready for our instant reaction to the 2022 Oscars. We debate it all in this BONUS episode of The Meaning Of The Movie!

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Encanto Mar 18, 2022

It’s time for a Deep Dive into Disney! We can’t talk about the state of film today without talking about Disney. So, let’s discuss the musical breakout (cult?) hit. Where does this compare to the lineage of “princess films” that came before it? What is Disney up to? What are they saying in this film? What’s the better song LET IT GO or WE DON’T TALK ABOUT BRUNO?

Lots to discuss and debate let’s spend some time with The Family Madrigal in today’s episode of ENCANTO.

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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Mar 06, 2022

It’s time to dive into the Holy Grail of “part threes.” Let’s talk about the Jones boys. Is this one of the best father and son movies? Is this the best part three ever made? How does it compare to Raiders and the sequels?

Most of all, is this just a fun summer blockbuster, or are there bigger ideas this movie is concerned with? We call us junior because we named the podcast Indiana.

Pop your popcorn and let’s get ready for chase scenes in every mode of transportation imaginable in this week’s episode of The Meaning Of The Movie.
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Memento Feb 24, 2022

It’s time to jump into the deep end of the pool with Memento. What is the meaning of this movie? Is it just a unique structure? Or is there a real message at its core?

This is the film that launched Christopher Nolan (Inception, Dark Knight trilogy…). It’s debated in film school. It’s a movie that was once talked about all the time, but now is it actually underrated?
Let’s break it down. Why is important? What does it mean? Who do we trust?
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Spider-Man: No Way Home Feb 08, 2022

Did Spider-Man No Way Home deserve a best picture nomination? Is it just cheap fan service or is it something with more depth?

What is the worst use of fan service ever? What is the best? Does this film accomplish something we’ve never quite seen?
We debate, we get angry, and we let our nerd flags fly in this week’s episode of The Meaning Of The Movie.
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Titanic Jan 25, 2022

Is Titanic just a high-budget Hallmark movie? Or is it a serious look at a profound historical tragedy?
We watched Titanic for the first time in a decade. Some of us watched it for the first time ever. It led to a passionate debate, “What if we’ve been all wrong about this film? What if it’s more than the memes and GIFS would have us believe?”

The performance, the themes, the Oscars, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, true love, it’s all up for a discussion in this episode of The Meaning Of The Movie.
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Don’t Look Up Jan 11, 2022

DON’T LOOK UP is Adam McKay’s satirical masterpiece. At least we think so. But most of the critics aren’t in our corner.

In this episode, we take on the critics themselves. Why didn’t they like this film? Where did we agree? Where do we disagree?

To find the answer we systematically argue with the four major critiques of the film. 1) Is too “on the nose”? 2) Is too mean-spirited? 3) Is it a poorly made film? 4) Is it too preachy?

And then we get into the heart of this story… What is the most meaningful scene? Who is the most meaningful character? What is this film trying to say?

The moment we saw this film we knew there was a lot of meaning to dissect. Download this episode and listen before it really is too late.

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Die Hard Dec 22, 2021

Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie? It’s a debate. It’s annoying. And it’s part of the Christmas discussion every year.

But our first episode asks:
“What makes a Christmas movie?”
“Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?”
“What is the meaning of the movie?”
We get into an argument faster than you can say Roy Rodgers. You may agree. You may disagree. But you have to listen.

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