The Christ and Pop Culture Podcast Network

Back from their one-week break, Wade and Kevin continue their Summer of Darkness series on film noir by crossing the Atlantic to check out Elevator to the Gallows , the Miles Davis-scored noir that launched the careers of director Louis Malle and star Jeanne Moreau. Also lighting up the screen this week is the new release Tesla , an unconventional, postmodern biopic featuring Ethan Hawke in the ro...

In polite conversation, when someone greets you and asks how you are doing, the typical, benign reply is to say you "are doing just fine, thanks." But today, that reply feels disingenuous at best, considering the global pandemic, the racial reckoning across our nation, and the general polarization in society. Saying we are doing just fine, even when we're not, lines up with our country's indefatig...

After four months of navigating COVID-19 worries and addressing societal inequalities, it seems that most of us are embracing the reality that our world is forever changed. We're learning new ways to work, build community, celebrate milestones, and more. But none of it is easy or second nature. It's actually quite difficult. Most of us are getting by... but just barely. Learn more about your ad ch...

Two very different kinds of family melodramas are featured in this week's episode. First is actor James D'Arcy's directing/screenwriting debut, the Liam Neeson-starring Made in Italy , about a roguish artist, his estranged son, and the dilapidated villa in Italy they try to sell together. The other film this week is about a roguish salesman who gets involved in some family drama of his own when he...

This week, Seeing & Believing kicks off a new series on film noir! Our "Summer of Darkness" begins in a slightly unconventional place with the Humphrey Bogart-starring In a Lonely Place , about a hotheaded screenwriter whose romance with a neighbor hits a rough patch when the police accuse him of murder. The thing is, maybe he is guilty? The guys also spend time with another dark story, the Da...

Whether your tastes run toward the blockbuster or the literary, there's a review for you this week. Wade and Kevin sit down with Netflix's superhero-adjacent action flick The Old Guard , starring Charlize Theron as the leader of a band of immortal, Wolverine-like warriors. They also take some time for Flannery a documentary chronicling the life and work of one of the foremost Christian fiction wri...

Laughter is a gift. An excessive blessing without a practical purpose. Other things can bring relief, connect us with each other, and reveal our faults, but laughter does these things with playfulness and joy. What does it look like to receive and give this form of grace? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelly Reichardt's latest film has finally made its way to a home release, and the guys are ready for it! First Cow , a period piece about two friends trying to eke out a living in the hardscrabble Oregon Territory by milking a rich man's cow on the sly, has a lot to say about our present moment. Listen to find out why Wade and Kevin think it's one of the best films of the year! Listen to find out...

This is a story of getting burned out on comedy and learning to love it again. It's not a success story, but an enjoyment story that comes through accepting limits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In any other summer, a Tom Hanks-starring, Tom Hanks-written movie about World War II would be the biggest movie of the weekend. This is not a typical summer, but Wade and Kevin are still interested to see what Hanks serves up with Greyhound , a thriller about a naval captain braving the high seas of the Atlantic while fending off a swarm of German U-Boats. The guys then turn their attention to an...

It’s hard to acknowledge an offensive joke. You’ve failed on two fronts: you weren’t funny and your words were harmful. It contradicts stories we tell ourselves, like “I wouldn’t make a racist joke” or “I couldn’t be sexist.” In this episode, Ben shares how the practice of confession has helped him recognize his own harmful material and the structural inequality of the comedy industry. Written and...

Whether you're in the mood for a quiet family drama or a silly over-the-top comedy, Seeing & Believing has you covered for the Independence Day weekend. First up is The Truth , Hirokazu Kore-eda's follow-up to his Palme d'Or-winning Shoplifters and his first non-Japanese-language project. With a star-studded cast that includes Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke, and cinema legend Catherine Deneuve,...

What can we joke about? How far is too far? Our answers tend to be personal, which makes it hard to discuss why some humor is offensive. In this episode, Ben shares his search for an ethical framework that allows for great comedy, lines up with his Christian faith, and makes sense to collaborators with differing beliefs.  Written and recorded by Ben Fort. Produced by Jonathan Clauson. Art by Seth...

Seeing & Believing has a seasonal special for you this week! With the presidential election looming on the horizon, Wade and Kevin take a look at the latest cinematic political satire, this time from the mind of former Daily Show host Jon Stewart. The guys also celebrate the 45th birthday of Jaws with a retro review. In case you needed another reason to avoid going to the beach, Steven Spielbe...

Great comedians feel effortless, but behind each laugh is a lot of work. What is the work of humor, and what does that mean for us as we create and cultivate our own laughs? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Spike Lee’s latest film for Netflix has been causing a sensation, and this week Wade and Kevin check it out.  Da 5 Bloods , a sprawling look at the legacy of the Vietnam War for black Americans, is Lee’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning  BlacKkKlansman . The guys do a deep dive on  Da 5 Bloods ‘ themes and startling spiritual vision. On the more low-key side of things, Judd Apatow’s  The King of Sta...

Comedians and late-night hosts have increasingly been pausing the jokes to sincerely address events and issues. This raises interesting questions about humor. What is the relief of laughter, and is that enough for a hurting world? Have we been asking too little of comedians, or are we now asking too much? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Buckle up for terrible space puns, because they're in plentiful supply in today's episode. Wade and Kevin tackle Space Force , the new comedy series from Netflix, Greg Daniels, and Steve Carell. With Carell taking on the clenched jaw and jingoism of the first commander of America's fledgling outer-space military program, this series takes a stab at transplanting the workplace antics of The Office...

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, two favorite filmmakers of Seeing & Believing, have a new film out, so of course, the guys are on the case! Wade and Kevin take a close look at the Dardennes' story of a young teenager who is attracted to Islamic fundamentalism, and they discuss its spiritual underpinnings, its compassionate perspective, and where it falls in the Dardennes' body of work. The guys...

Many people are still homebound these days, which means it's a perfect time for an escapist movie about two friends traveling to picturesque locations and eating at incredible restaurants. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are back for a fourth go-round with the Trip to... series, this time retracing Odysseus's steps through the Mediterranean paradise of Greece as they crack jokes, verbally spar with ea...

Fresh off their "2020 auteurs" series, Wade and Kevin get back to basics with a review of a freshly released film: Josh Trank's biopic of Al Capone. Trank returns to small-budget indie filmmaking by writing, editing, and directing this unconventional examination of the last year of the infamous gangster's life. Faced with his own physical and psychological deterioration, Capone has to deal with th...

Wade and Kevin wrap up their series of director retrospectives with a look at the work of America's foremost purveyor of immaculately framed family dysfunction: Wes Anderson. The guys look ahead to the upcoming The French Dispatch by working their way through Anderson's filmography, from Bottle Rocket to The Grand Budapest Hotel . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...

The first rule of David Fincher movies: you always talk about David Fincher movies. The second rule of David Fincher movies: you always talk about David Fincher movies. In this week's episode, Wade and Kevin look back at the career of the director of Fight Club , Zodiac , The Social Network , and more! Listen in to find out which of Fincher's films rise to the top in the guys' personal rankings. M...

Wade and Kevin continue their series on modern directors with upcoming new releases with a retrospective on the filmography of Kelly Reichardt. Reichardt is a powerhouse of indie filmmaking whose quiet, unassuming style belies the sharpness of her storytelling and observational abilities. From River of Grass to Certain Women , Wade and Kevin rank Reichardt's films as they look forward to the day w...

With the South Korean marathon in the rearview mirror, Wade and Kevin look to the future: specifically, the new movies coming in 2020 from some big-name directors! With Christopher Nolan eking out a win in the listener poll, the guys prep for his upcoming summer release Tenet by taking the long view of his career, from Following to Dunkirk . Listen in for their thoughts on Nolan's thematic concern...