The[ART]ology

What does it mean to wonder, to live in awe? How can we access and practice a sense of wonder in our lives? What role do movies play in all of this?

Special guest Marcus Smith (host of BYU's Constant Wonder podcast) joins Vincent in a thoughtful discussion about living with wonder.

Movies discussed in this episode:

• A River Runs Through It
• Babette's Feast
• Marcel The Shell With Shoes On
• The Tree Of Life

Books referenced in this episode:

• In The Disquiet by Vincent Nel
• Say Yes by Scott Erickson
• The Idea Of The Holy by Rudolf Otto

Why is it that many men struggle to express their feelings or forge intimate friendships with other men? What will it take to break free from societal norms and embrace the beauty of platonic love and friendship?

Let's unravel the layers of the male psyche and discover the true art of the bromance.

Films explored in this episode:

• Close
• I Love You, Man

Screenwriter and Story Developer Kiel Murray has a conversation in which we talk about her career, her faith, and her experience writing strong female characters over the last 30 years for various animation studios like Pixar, Disney, and Skydance.

Movies discussed:

• Brave
• Cars
• Cars 3
• Raya and the Last Dragon
• Luck

Other topics discussed:

• The Creative Process
• Feminism and female representation
• The Confidence Gap
• The Bechdel Test

An exploration into depression (the emotional kind, not the financial kind). How is depression represented in modern cinema, how do we reconcile our personal experiences with these portrayals, and how do we make it through despite them?

Movies explored in this episode:

• Aftersun
• The Hours
• It's Kind Of A Funny Story

I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want: two guys with accents discussing the merits of Spice World: The Movie. And a zigazig ah.

Article referenced in this episode: https://www.vulture.com/2018/01/spice-world-20-years-later-is-weirdly-relevant.html

"What is grief if not love persevering?" - WandaVision

An exploration into the nature of grief, how it is represented in film, and the devastating effects of it on our personal lives.

Movies explored in this episode:

• Manchester By The Sea
• Ordinary People

"There is always something to love, even in a stupid, stupid universe where we have hot dogs for fingers."

A deep dive into the film "Everything Everywhere All At Once."

Somewhere between suffering and prosperity we find the truth about our lives with God.

Let's explore two polar opposite films starring Andrew Garfield to better understand this idea:

• The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Silence

What do we leave behind when we die? How do we measure a meaningful life? Are we living “our best lives” - or is there something more to be found, in the midst of the ordinary?

Movies discussed in this episode:

• It's A Wonderful Life

• Synecdoche, New York

• tick, tick... BOOM!

Additional resources: https://ronrolheiser.com

What does it mean to hope? When the dark comes crashing through, when you need a friend to carry you, and when you're broken on the ground, where will hope be found?

A deep dive into the movie "Dear Evan Hansen."

Single? Married? Broken-hearted? The quest for love is something that plagues and intrigues us all, even if you’re not a fan of romantic comedies. Movies explored in this episode:

• My Best Friend's Wedding
• The 40-Year-Old Virgin
• When Harry Met Sally

The masculine within is called forth from the masculine without. Only the love of a father can open the door. But what do we do when we don't have the love of a father to show the way? Movies explored this episode:

• A Perfect World
• Animal Kingdom
• Billy Elliot
• Boy A

Are you the kind of person that sees signs, sees miracles? Or do you believe there are no coincidences? Join me as I share my story of faith and the doubts I encountered while watching my favorite science fiction movies.

Movies explored in this episode:

• Arrival
• Contact
• Deep Impact
• Interstellar
• Signs

At the intersection of art and faith, God is speaking to us. Yet there is a divide between our experiences in these two worlds. Can we bridge the gap?