ACFmovie podcast

Titus & Oliver Traldi talk about slacking & slackers--music, movies, & the attitude of the 90s--how slack has been replaced by activists, therapy, & work; what there is to learn from slacking--how Socrates was a slacker; & why even serious endeavors require slacking, idleness, leisure, to afford inspiration.

Titus & Scott Yenor talk about his new book, The Recovery Of Family Life, the problem of loneliness, lack of marriage character, & of a public education that puts career above anything else. Feminism is a great success in achieving what it promised--autonomy, freedom, choice--but not so when it comes to happiness...

Titus & Pete Spiliakos continue their discussion on rhetoric & politics with criticism of the corruption of political institutions & the need to create a new political elite, that's populist & interested in governing.

Titus & Pete Spiliakos talk about Peter Lawler as pundit, how he influenced Pete as he became a pundit, Peter's realism about political matters & the distinction between politics & rhetoric. Then we talk about our political drama.

Titus & Armond White discuss Spielberg, America's preeminent pop artist, the most important Hollywood director of the last half-century, & Armond's new collection of essays & reviews on Spielberg.

Titus & Flagg Taylor talk about A Hidden Life, the new Terrence Malick movie, a beautiful portrait of faith & sacrifice, as well as an examination of the political corruption of the simple life of peasants in light of Plato's Republic. A true story!

Titus & Zena Hitz discuss The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, the last of our series of five Sturges comedies--going back to war, small town America, & rescuing losers from their fate, Sturges employs the powers of comedy to save a girl from the dishonor of being pregnant without a husband & a young man from the dishonor of failing to serve in the war, rededicating America to babies, hope, & peace in the process!

Titus & Zena Hitz discus Preston Sturges's war comedy--how the military transforms America into a very fun, very rambunctious democracy, & a small town boy can become mayor! Down with the business oligarchy, up with the public spirited--this is his most Capra-esque story.

Titus & Brandon Weichert discuss space power, the new space race & America's vulnerabilities, the new generational conflict with China, the need for a new vision & a transformation of national security bureaucracies & political leadership in D.C. to defend American assets in orbit & the need for a new high tech manufacturing push, with government R&D, to give the young generation something worth doing.

Titus & Zena Hitz talk Sturges' very popular solution to the money problem in a marriage--be astonishingly beautiful & not too moral. Money & images are twin themes in America, in politics as much as in the movies, since we're all trying to figure out what we want, what we're chasing after, & how to get it. We also talk about Zena's other love--Frank Capra, & a preview of coming attractions...