Stories Are Soul Food

New Saint Andrews College hosts the SASF podcast with a live studio audience of a hundred and fifty high schoolers visiting Moscow for NSA's Called Conference. The kids take full advantage of the opportunity, asking questions ranging from "what do I do if my friend has been working on a novel for eight years and won't show anybody" to "why do Peter Jackson's LOTR movies suck" and many other pressing questions. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #NDWilson #NSA #NewSaintAndrewsCollege #MoscowID #CalledConference

Huge excitement for this episode as the guys have up-and-coming director Francis Annan on to discuss his movie "Escape from Pretoria" (which all must watch...really, do it!). Francis describes what it was like to get the film made, including challenges from local governments to talent and, ultimately, to a virus shutting theaters down four days into his movie's launch. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as do most things given by a good Father. This episode is extra long as the conversation covers all steps of the directing process, from inspiration to adapting from a book to working with A-list talent like Daniel Radcliffe and the real-life heroes behind the film. You'll find that there was a conscious decision behind everything the film portrays. And you'll hear the real-life pressure-cooker situation behind shooting the infamous "gum" scene. #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #NDWilson #FrancisAnnan #EscapefromPretoria #SASFLAMPC #director #directing

The guys discuss gangsters today, specifically the Godfather and why there's something compelling about the big happy Italian mob families portrayed -- at least until the murders start. But first: Nate's kids correct Brian's error that Jojo Rabbit won an Oscar. It was only nominated -- Parasite won in 2019. At this point, the guys wander into a discussion of violent portions of world history, foraying into ancient Israel and King David. Brian recently finished "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy, and explains why that book was so unpleasant and violent (it's about the Glanton gang of scalp-hunters on the Tex-Mex border). Nate never wants an episode to be too unobjectionable, so they stray into a discussion of why Untouchables is such a loser of a movie -- Elliot Ness/Kevin Costner is killing people over alcohol? And we thought our current tyranny was bad... Lest this episode be too Italian, the guys mix Ireland into the discussion with "Banshees of Inisherin" and "The Irishman" (also nominated for an Oscar in 2019). #SASF #StoriesAreSoulFood #gangsters #Godfather #BloodMeridian #violence #AlCapone #Untouchables #Italians #Irishman (edited) 

Discussion on parenting dynamics, setting boundaries, and dealing with adult interactions in the context of raising children. Emphasis on the importance of discipline, self-awareness, and creating memorable experiences with kids. Exploring the blurred line between sacred and secular in everyday life, advocating for a balanced approach to incorporating both into family dynamics.

This episode begins with something you probably missed in Jojo Rabbit -- and it answers the question "what's up with Yorki?" Brian thinks he has figured it out: The answer is that Adolf isn't the only imaginary character in Jojo Rabbit -- Yorki is also only in Jojo's head. Listen to the arguments and see if Nate is convinced. This episode is how to handle holocaust in stories, exaggeration and characterization, the strengths of caricature and its weaknesses, and why Taika Waititi chose this subject and this way of telling his story. For a movie that's so funny, Jojo Rabbit packs quite an emotional punch, set up perfectly with shoelaces. Yes, the guys also discuss the fabulous Klinzendorf, Taika's mockery of pre-WW2 Germany, and how in the world Taika thought of ending the movie with a David Bowie dance scene. If, like the guys, you grew up watching WW2 movies (Schindler's List, Boy with the Striped Pajamas, Inglorious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, etc.) or reading WW2 books like All the Light We Cannot See, The Book Thief, or Snow Treasure, this episode will be a great listen. #JojoRabbit #Yorki #imaginaryfriends #TaikaWaititi #SchindlersList #BoywiththeStripedPajamas #IngloriousBasterds #SavingPrivateRyan #BandofBrothers #AlltheLightWeCannotSee #TheBookThief

The start of this episode, as the guys suggest improvements to Narnia, when you should be fine with a dad bod, and that time Nate almost died, is not to be missed. They also touch base on parenting submissive but fearless boys, when not working out is a good sacrifice (and when it's lazy), postmillennialism, and why the Narnia Chronicles as as series would be "much better" if "The Last Battle" was a better book. Then they finally get to the long-awaited Jesus Revolution episode: What is a "faith film"? What do "Chariots of Fire" and "Jesus Revolution" and Terrence Malick have in common? How is Jesus Rev organized? What's up with Lonnie Frisbee? How does the Spirit work in times of chaos, and does God care about the carpets? How can organizations use young people? How can hippies and squares co-exist? Ultimately Jesus Revolution is the story of parents reconciling with their children when they both find the Truth: because He is powerful. #JesusRevolution #ChariotsofFire #NDWilson #sasf #StoriesAreSoulFood #SasfLampC #watchingmovies #filmcriticism #TerrenceMalick #Narnia #TheLastBattle #CSLewis

Brian argues that murder mysteries are the worst genre for doing what literature does best. Nate disagrees, and the guys launch a discussion of whodunnits (which are actually a favorite reading snack of both). You'll learn why Agatha Christie isn't re-readable, how Father Brown is like a fig newton at your grandmas, what happens at the intersection of good and evil, why Raymond Chandler is one of the top writers in English; why detectives are so often atheists (it has to be that way if you don't want an incredibly devout protagonist!). And yes, you'll also hear which genre(s) Nate thinks are actually the worst. #sasf #storiesaresoulfood #AgathaChristie #RaymondChandler #FatherBrown #SherlockHolmes #murdermysteries #lotr #twokingdoms #ndwilson

Do we win down here? And what does winning look like? We'll tell you what it doesn't mean: holding on to your own life, and your own happiness, until they're pried from your fingers. But is it accurate to say we "lose" here on earth -- but win ultimately in heaven? The guys use MacArthur bashing on postmillennialism as a jumping off point to discuss an optimistic eschatology vs a Viking eschatology, what kind of story the Lord of the Rings would be if Frodo had had his throat cut by an orc, why Christians think it's prideful to talk about "winning" on earth, and -- finally -- how to actually win, because we serve a Lord who DID win, and wants us to follow in his footsteps. MacArthur has done a ton of winning vs mask tyrants, and he illustrates a wonderful truth: that "Christ is Lord" is the reason you have kids, start businesses, go on vacations, host block parties, and much more. Truth is, winning looks like sitting on a throne on top of a pile of skulls. And one of the best ways to behead an enemy is to convert him. #sasf #storiesaresoulfood #MacArthur #wewindownhere #christislord #merechristendom #lotr #twokingdoms #ndwilson #graceagenda

PSA: The LAMPC discussion for Jesus Revolution got postponed a week (sorry, it's almost like Jon Erwin is busy or something). In the meantime.... Puke or pass out: Ah, the joys of spring sports! Nate coaches track, BK coaches little kid rugby, and life lessons abound. The takeaway is that both boys and girls should be playing spring sports. Nate can't remember any individual moments from his school education, but can remember a multitude from high school sports. Brian thinks Nate must have been a very different kind of student. The guys discuss how good it is to have unhinged parents screaming at your kid on the basketball court. They discuss how good it is to be made to puke. They also discuss the dangers of being obsessed with sports. All around, another good time is had on the SASF podcast. A final PSA: Send in your Jojo Rabbit questions sooner rather than later to brian+sasf@canonpress.com, so we can be sure to see them before we record. #StoriesAreSoulFood #sasf #sports #football #basketball #JojoRabbit

LAMP Club is postponed a week because John Erwin, director of "Jesus Revolution", is coming on the SASF pod next week to discuss the movie himself! So in the meantime: You might remember that Nate had thrown out some reckless bait about Breaking Bad. A few bold listeners pushed back: Surely Breaking Bad isn't so very Bad, is it? The guys dig into the nuts and bolts of Christian artistic appreciation: the responsorial tier (what does the audience do with what they've watched), the aesthetic tier (how well or poorly is it made), and the objective tier (does God like it). You'll find such a system of criticism maps perfectly onto the classical trifecta of the true, the good, and the beautiful. So how does that apply to Breaking Bad? Listen to find out. Hint: It doesn't look like hosting a Breaking Bad party with rock candy in place of meth, as some Christians have done. The guys also discuss the next LAMP Club pick, which will be Taika Waititi's "Jojo Rabbit." #StoriesAreSoulFood #sasf #BreakingBad #JojoRabbit