The Moral of the Story

Latest Episodes:

Episode 10 - The Meaning of The Tree of Life Dec 05, 2019

Show notes

As his new WWII epic “A Hidden Life” debuts, the guys look back at Terrence Malick’s masterpiece, “The Tree of Life” - a cinematic monument to Christian faith, the love of God, and hope for the world beyond.

Episode 9 - Are We Babies? Or Are We Drivers? Nov 27, 2019

Show notes

The guys take the hit film “Baby Driver” for a ride and dig beneath the romance, rivalry, and rhythmic genius to the bedrock morality of a film about a getaway driver who decides to face the music.

Episode 8 - The Second Death Of The Third Man Nov 21, 2019

Show notes

The Third Man” is considered one of the greatest noir mystery films ever made. But why? On the eve of “Knives Out”, the guys traverse the foggy streets of post-war Venice and discuss light and dark, the loss of faith, and what happens when the things you thought you knew couldn’t be further from the truth.

Episode 7 - The Prestige or "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde 2.0" Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

Magic tricks, obsession, storytelling that keeps the audience guessing till the very end - The Prestige is the Russian Doll of films. But what is its moral vision? The guys discuss doppelgängers and the dangers of the lies we tell and the illusions we believe.

Episode 6 - Disney: Divine or Diabolic? Nov 07, 2019

Show notes

With the storm clouds of Frozen II on the horizon, the guys face off with the cultural hydra of Walt Disney and analyze the good, the bad, and the in-between: the power of fairy tales, the dangers of escapism, vanity, commercialization, G. K. Chesterton, and the unlikely story of a young artist who changed the world with wonder.

Episode 5 - The Justice of God the Father vs the Justice of The Godfather. Oct 31, 2019

Show notes

In this episode justice takes center stage as the guys discuss perhaps the greatest film ever made: The Godfather by Francis Ford Coppola. The themes are Old World vs the New World, the dark and light sides of family, and the pivotal role of a Father who may or may not be like God.

Episode 4 - Sex Robots, Blade Runners, and What It Means to Be Human Oct 24, 2019

Show notes

The guys enter the sci-fi world of Denis Villenueve’s stunning sequel as it wrestles with the temptations of violence, what makes us human, the emptiness of illicit sex, and the power of purity in an apocalyptic world.

Episode 3 - Gandalf vs Dumbledore and Why Magic Matters Oct 17, 2019

Show notes

In Episode 3 the guys discuss the mystery and (controversial) magic of “Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter”: How is sorcery like science? And how many wizards can fit on the head of a pin?

Episode 2 - The Gravity of Interstellar Space Epics Oct 10, 2019

Show notes

With the release of James Gray’s psychological space epic, Ad Astra, starring Brad Pitt, the guys blast off on a voyage to the stars, discussing Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity, and whether space is good for your soul.

Episode 1 - Should Batman have killed the Joker? Oct 03, 2019

Show notes

In the pilot episode, Alex, Luke, and Ben tackle the biggest comic book conundrum of all: why doesn’t Batman kill the Joker? Plus vigilante justice, pacifism, the death penalty, and whether Jeff Bezos is channeling Bruce Wayne or Lex Luthor.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected