In this episode, we discuss some recent films they have enjoyed and how they contrast with other films that did not stand up to past expectations. We start the discussion with Top Gun: Maverick and why that film feels like a breath of fresh air compared to other sequels. So many sequels over the last decade lack the essence of what made the originals massive successes that have shaped our culture.
Read MoreMay fourth is the day Star Wars nerds rejoice! “May the fourth be with you” in pop culture is the holiday that we all celebrate the impact the galaxy far, far away has on so many of us. At the core of the hero's journey reimagined is a phrase first spoken by Obi-Wan, “May the Force Be With You.” Hearing this phrase for the first time is a bit cheesy. But once you have a deeper understanding of the broader context, it connects you to an in-group. Think about it this way: A phrase has now morphed into a play on words to be celebrated on the day.
Now let's rewind time and go back to the 1970s before George Lucas or anyone had any idea what Star Wars would become.
Read MoreIn this conversation, we get pretty granular and talking about how he looks at his writing process, why he is choosing to do screenwriting, As such a niche field, screenwriting can feel like a lost cause or something that is a pipe dream, for lack of a better term. And I even asked this question to him is what would you say to someone who says, why are you doing this? Screenwriting seems like a waste of time.
And beyond that, we have a great discussion around the film as an industry and loving critiques of it. What shows are good or great? What makes compelling stories?
We get into what is a fulfilling life like what drives someone to do something and fully immerse yourself in it. For Jordan, it's not leaving anything on the table. So with that, everyone, please enjoy this conversation with my good friend, Jordan Criss.
Read MoreIn this conversation starts with a discussion opening of American football season. From sports, we enter into a conversation around music touching on the artists we enjoy or have made an impact on us. For Ben and myself, we've always connected with Tom Delonge of Blink-182 and Angels & Airwaves.
We also talk about concept albums; albums meant to be listened to in sequence. Erich share a recent album of Mike Posner A Real Good Kid - The album shares how Mike dealt with the lose of his father. We highly recommend you give this a listen! Also check out his walk across America!
We close with a discussion around storytelling. We mostly centered around impactful films like The Matrix, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. We talk about what makes characters compelling. Why do we enjoy characters with nuance and flaws more than black and white?
It's not a stretch to have see an entire podcast on many these topics! Let us know if there's a favorite we should cover sooner than later!
Read MoreJohn Tenuto is a Sociology professor at the College of Lake County, IL, with over 25 years of teaching experience. He has given dozens of public presentations and media interviews on the sociology of the "Star Trek" film and television shows. Professor Tenuto has appeared on the Netflix series "The Toys That Made Us" for the Star Wars and Star Trek episodes. In this conversation, we talk about John's interest in pop culture and how it shaped his lens of the world. We take a deeper dive into John's interest in Star Trek. His research takes him now the path to understand and highlight those who helped make the show what it was. We close with how he views teaching and what he does for his students. What comes through is his caring and authenticity in the role of a teacher.
Read More
