Unreliable Narrators

In H.G. Wells' classic short story, a father and his son Gip wander into an antique shop run by a curious man who claims to be a magician. But the father feels something is not right. This magician seems he can make anything disappear...even Gip! In this episode, Sophie and Raymond discuss science, magic, hypnotism, and what it means to have childlike (or childish) faith. Along the way, we compare...

Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? Sophie and Raymond do! In this VERY BELATED Christmas episode (listen, nobody ever said we were reliable), your hosts discuss the 1965 short film, A Charlie Brown Christmas. What makes Charlie Brown a hero for the masses? What is the difference between a real tree and a poor tree? Can Sophie ever be trusted to edit an episode on time? All t...

Raymond may be doubtful about the reality of love at first sight, but it's nonetheless a story that has captured the imagination of people for generations. In this episode, Sophie and Raymond dive into a diverse discussion about the roots of rivalry, racism, and romance in Steven Sondheim's retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet . Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnreliableNarra...

According to Catholic tradition, Saint Anthony of Padua was the patron saint of lost or misplaced articles. In this episode, Raymond shares a poem that takes a lighthearted spin on that idea, read recently a certain person's wedding.

The wind is rising!...We must try to live! In this episode, Sophie and Raymond discuss the 2014 Studio Ghibli film The Wind Rises. Are artists and engineers really the same? Does the beauty of art justify the horrors of war? And most importantly, would you rather live in a world with pyramids or a world without them? All this and more in our latest episode! Support us on Patreon! https://www.patre...

She's everything. He's just Ken. Let's talk about that. In this episode, Sophie and Raymond don pink (metaphorically) to discuss feminism, fantasy, and family in The Barbie Movie. Why does Ken steal the show halfway through? Does Barbie's quest to become a human have surprising theological implications? Can Greta Gerwig's summer blockbuster really be suggestive of a long tradition of classic fairy...

One of the biggest complaints about modern video games is that they are too violent. But Toby Fox stabs this cliché right in the ribs in Undertale , a game where you actually have the choice to kill…or show mercy. Is pacifism really a possible way of life in our violent world? How are we called as Christians to think about pacifism? How does Toby Fox wrestle with morally ambiguous real-life dilemm...

The Unreliable Narrators are back! Today, Sophie and Raymond discuss about a recent Pixar short film in which a mother makes a dumpling that unexpectedly come to life. Among other themes, we discuss the character archetype of the "devouring mother," the relation between food, memory, and forgiveness, and...ancient Mesopotamian myths?? Find out how we pull all these ideas together in this...

"This is my body, which is broken for you." What is the Law of Equivalent Exchange? Can you really buy redemption with suffering? What is the price of a human soul...and why is it Edward Elric's right arm? All this and more on our SEASON FINALE. In our next episode, we'll be discussing the 2018 Pixar animated short Bao . Support us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/UnreliableNarratorsP...

Kim Namjoon, lead singer of BTS, pens this heartfelt lyric in the song Always : "If I met God, I would tell him that life is a cup of coffee I never ordered." Is this merely a cheesy line from a melodramatic boyband singer or an epithet of such feeling and profundity to equal Shakespeare and King Solomon? For the Unreliable Narrators, maybe it's a little bit of both. This month, in servi...

There is a crack in everything...that's how the light gets in. Or is it out? In this episode, Sophie and Raymond discuss the visual art piece "Perfect Imperfection: The Art of Healing," by Billie Bond. Along the way, we run into our old friends Milton, Dostoevsky, Lewis, Homer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and...Stephen Schwartz?? Hopefully they can help us figure out what golden cracks and brok...

"If I could change the way that you see your self, you wouldn't wonder why they hear 'they don't deserve you.'" Can Raymond and Sophie change the way Billie Eilish sees herself? Maybe, with a little bit of help from G.K. Chesterton. In this episode, we ask the question: for the Christian called to martyrdom, does this entail a desire to die? Questions? Comments? E-mail us at unreliablena...

What's going on with this Bruno guy? On the surface, Disney's Encanto seems to be just another typical "save-the-magic" princess story. But Sophie and Raymond think there is more hiding under the rafters of this magic house. In this episode, the Unreliable Narrators discuss scapegoats, innocent victims, cultures of the taboo, and the genius lyrics of Lin Manuel-Miranda, and more. Trigger...

WE'RE FINALLY BACK with a high-energy conversation about Oscar Wilde's novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. What does Oscar Wilde really think about art? Is Lord Henry the devil in disguise, or just a bad guy? What in the world is up with the ending? We may not have all the answers, but we do have a good time. In our next episode, we will be talking about Bruno. Questions? Comments? E-mail us at unr...

In this CHRISTMAS episode, Raymond and Sophie tackle Simon & Garfunkel's most popular song, Bridge Over Troubled Water . What does it mean to lay yourself down as a bridge over troubled water? Why did Paul Simon write the "sail on, silver girl" verse? What does any of this have to do with Christmas?? All this and more in our latest episode. In our next episode, we will be discussing...

We all know social media manipulates us. We know they're tracking out data. We know it's designed to get us addicted. And yet no matter how many times we are warned about what social media is doing to us, we still use it. Can we really have a healthy relationship with social media, or is it inherently detrimental to our mental health? In this episode, Sophie and Raymond discuss the 2020 Netflix Do...

"On hearing this, Jesus said, ' It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick . But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.'" In this episode, Raymond and Sophie discuss their mutual favorite superhero in Spider-Man: No Way Home. (Mostly because they wanted to discuss Into the Spider-Verse ,...

In this episode, we are joined by editor-in-chief and co-founder of the Rising Tide Foundation, Cynthia Chung. Cynthia has lectured on the topics of Schiller’s aesthetics, Shakespeare’s tragedies, Roman history, and the Florentine Renaissance among other subjects. She is a writer for Strategic Culture Foundation, and is a contributing author to the book series “The Clash of the Two Americas.” In t...

In the second installment of C.S. Lewis' epic science fiction trilogy, Ransom is commissioned by Maleldil on a celestial journey to the planet Venus. There, Ransom meets the Green Lady, who plays the role of a second Eve, and confronts a satanic force that is invading Perelandra through the body of his former colleague Weston. Throughout this episode, Sophie and Raymond debate the successes and fa...

In this episode, Sophie and Raymond tackle Billy Joel's hit song Vienna. Are only fools satisfied? What does Vienna represent, anyway? And when will you realize that Vienna waits for you? Along the way, we discuss miracle pranks, heavenly McDoubles, and Raymond's Billy Joel impression. Don't miss it! In our next episode, we will be discussing Perelandra, the second installment in C.S. Lewis's Spac...

Japanese-American artist Makoto Fujimura says, "We have a language for waywardness, but not a language for coming back home.” What does this mean? Anna Mason, art major at Hillsdale College, joins us to explore Fujimura's art series The Four Gospel Frontispieces , confirming for us once and for all that God approves of abstract art! What is "slow art" and why is it so important in m...

Sophie and Raymond discuss their most depressing topic since Silence by Shusaku Endo: The Seventh Seal, a film by Ingmar Bergman. What is the meaning of silence in the film? Who do the characters represent? How does medieval symbology help us understand this artistic enigma? The Seventh Seal may be nihilistic and full of dread, but your favorite hosts never are. In our next episode, we will be dis...

Trinity joins Sophie and Raymond to discuss absurdism in Gen Z humor, the problems of irony, and deconstructing commencement speeches in the YouTube short film THIS IS WATER!, taken from David Foster Wallace's 2005 commencement address at Kenyon college. Wallace earnestly challenges us to rethink what it means to a human being in the world, even when (especially when) it seems replete with tedium,...

In the SEASON 2 PREMIERE (!!), Sophie and Raymond tackle Rian Johnson's 2019 film Knives Out. What does it mean to be a passive observer of the truth? Why does Marta Cabrera inherit the earth? And how do you tell the difference between a stage prop and a real knife? All this and more as we kick off Season 2. New episodes every other Friday. Stay tuned for our next episode when we discuss This is W...

Sophie and Raymond discuss tragedy, psychopaths, jealousy, betrayal, human nature, and more and William Shakespeare's deeply existential and profound play Othello. This episode marks our last episode of Season 1. Check out the new Mars Hill topics in the link below. Time stamps: 3:47 - Aristotle’s vision of tragedy 10:31 - The difference between a Greek tragedy and a Shakespearean tragedy 12:37 –...