Epilogues and Epiphanies – Good Movies Make Good Humans

Rick Power couldn't have written that song without becoming a father first. Danny had everything — the fame, the momentum, the platform — and still couldn't write it. Because you can't manufacture the life that makes the art real. Lyndsey sits down with Ian Elliott — indie musician, TikTok breakout, and brand new signee — to talk about John Carney's Power Ballad and the question underneath the who...

The movie's over. Let's talk about the priest. Lyndsey and returning guest Mark Hansher dig into Rian Johnson's Wake Up Dead Man — and it turns out there's a lot more going on under the surface than a whodunit. Father Judd might be the most quietly countercultural character either of them has ever seen on screen, and they are not done talking about it. This one goes places: how keeping people afra...

Arrival (2016) is not a sci-fi movie. It's a philosophical gut punch about language, love, fear, and what we lose when we mistake certainty for safety. In this episode of Epilogues and Epiphanies, Lyndsey McPherson and Scott dig into Denis Villeneuve's Arrival and find themselves asking the question the film poses at its core: would you still choose love if you knew exactly how it ends? What we ta...

Twenty years later, they actually got it right. Lyndsey sits down with her friend Bri — who she's known since they were both wide-eyed interns walking to work in New York City — to break down Devil Wears Prada 2. They get into why Miranda was never really the villain, what the film gets surprisingly right about ambition and the cost of loving your work, Nigel's long-overdue character arc, and why...

When The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was announced, a lot of Hunger Games readers had one reaction: we don't need a book that makes us feel sorry for Snow. They weren't wrong to worry—but the book isn't quite that. Lyndsey sits down with young adult literature teacher Jake Rupp to figure out what it actually is: a story about what systems do to people, what self-preservation costs, and why the...

An eldest daughter and a couple of berries nearly took down an entire empire. Let's talk about that.    Lyndsey sits down with Jake Rupp - 20-year teacher, young adult literature obsessive, and the person who has watched The Hunger Games an uncomfortable number of times - to break down why Suzanne Collins' story keeps getting more relevant, not less.    They dig into why Katniss Everdeen succeeds...

What looks like a silly 90s Disney movie turns out to be a surprisingly honest story about growing up, wanting independence, and wanting to stay connected at the same time.    Lyndsey and Ben Wong revisit A Goofy Movie and talk about authenticity, parent-child tension, and why the parts of ourselves we try to hide are often the parts people love most. They explore what the film gets right about th...

Elphaba made her choice. Glinda made hers. Now what? Lyndsey and PJ Gassman unpack Wicked Part 2: For Good — the friendships that change you, the cost of doing what's right, and why this story resonates so deeply with anyone who's ever had to choose between fitting in and standing up. They explore the film's portrayal of female friendship under pressure, what it means to let someone go without let...

Superman might be faster than a speeding bullet, but even the Man of Steel has bad days. Lyndsey sits down with musician, podcaster, and Superman super-fan Rick Lee James to unpack James Gunn's 2025 Superman movie. They talk about what happens when the world's most aspirational hero actually struggles — emotionally, physically, and spiritually — and why that makes him more relatable than ever. Fro...

Jurassic World Rebirth is here, and so is returning guest champion Jordan Kennedy. This time, the franchise trades chaos for Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and a surprising course correction toward what fans actually love. Lyndsey and Jordan dig into the title that makes no sense, the casting choices that saved it, and why "Killing a Dinosaur Is a Sin" might be the most telling line in the w...

Humans are wired for story — not just for entertainment, but for survival. From cave walls to cinema screens, our brains are built to recognize patterns, feel connection, and find meaning through narrative. Lyndsey and Neil Greathouse unpack the invisible scaffolding that holds great stories together — and why we feel so disoriented when that structure breaks down. They dive into the Hero's Journe...

La La Land looks like a love story, but it's really about what you're willing to give up to become who you're supposed to be. Lyndsey and Justin Jordan (aka @FreddiesRoommate) break down Damien Chazelle's exploration of art, ambition, and heartbreak — from Mia's gut-wrenching audition to Sebastian's questionable life choices. Justin brings the hot takes (including why Ryan Gosling might've been be...

Part two of Lyndsey and PJ Gassman's deep dive into Wicked Part One. They continue unpacking the moments that hit hardest — Elphaba's realization that wanting something badly enough doesn't mean you should keep wanting it, the cost of seeing the world more clearly than everyone around you, and what it feels like to stop performing for a system that was never going to accept you anyway. If you have...

Lyndsey and PJ Gassman dive deep into Wicked Part One — the movie adaptation that brought Oz to a whole new generation. From childhood obsessions with the Broadway cast recording to first impressions of seeing it on screen, they explore how the film reimagines the musical's biggest moments. They dissect Elphaba and Glinda's dynamic, the privilege baked into Oz's social structure, and the darker th...

It's a story about digging holes - and also about everything that got buried long before Stanley Yelnats showed up.    Lyndsey and Hillary Scholz revisit Holes and its adaptation from the beloved Louis Sachar novel. They explore what the film gets right about generational emotional attunement (and what happens when it breaks down), the uncomfortable realities of the juvenile justice system in Amer...

In this episode, Lyndsey and her friend Joe discuss the movie 'The Princess Bride' and its adaptation from the book. They explore various aspects of the movie, including the characters, the humor, the fight scenes, and the themes of love and determination. They also discuss the idea of honesty and authenticity, as well as the concept of fairness in life. In this conversation, Lyndsey and her guest...

Join Host Lyndsey McPherson and guest Mark Hansher as they delve into the classic “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" and topics like the power of hope, entertaining new ideas, and sharing the goodness of life.

Join Host Lyndsey McPherson and guest Chris McPherson as they delve into the award-winning marvel “Everything Everywhere All at Once" and topics like the power of choice, accepting ourselves and accepting others, choosing kindness, and taking responsibility for our own stories.

Host Lyndsey McPherson and guest Jordan Kennedy discuss the Secret Life of Walter Mitty and the idea of taking control of your own narrative. They also discuss the importance of self-compassion and how to navigate challenges with a positive and empowered mindset.

Join Lyndsey McPherson and special guest PJ Gassman in this episode as they examine the hilarious and heavy moments in 2023’s Box Office Hit: Barbie. 

1:30 Heart center overview (Types 2, 3, & 4) 1:55 Type 2: The Helper 9:13 Type 3: The Achiever 23:20 Type 4: The Individualist 36:52 Gut center overview 37:15 Type 8: The Challenger 48:12 Type 9: The Peacemaker 55:03 Type 1: The Improver

In this episode, Lyndsey and special guest James Smith discuss the Enneagram personality typing system and its value in understanding oneself and others. They share personal experiences and insights into their own Enneagram types, including Type Three, Type Five, Type Six, and Type Seven. The conversation explores the motivations, strengths, and challenges of each type, as well as their growth pat...

Join Lyndsey McPherson and special guest Mark Hansher in this episode as they explore the power of innocence, the need for others in the healing process, and the power of staying flexible and resilient when things don't go according to plan while discussing the Netflix film, Klaus.

Join Lyndsey McPherson and special guest Kelsey Adams in this episode as they unpack the iconic fashion film The Devil Wears Prada, body image messages of the early 2000s, changing perspectives as we grow up, work-life balance, and more.

Join Lyndsey McPherson and special guest Kyla Keller in this episode as they unpack the Disney sensation, Frozen. Dive deep into the film's core themes of female empowerment, authentic self-expression, and the journey from fear to self-acceptance.