The Fear of God: A Horror Movie Podcast

Around May and June of 2021, we took a listener's advice to go wandering the Continent on a journey through Season 1 of Netflix's original series THE WITCHER. It was an often perplexing travel through character names, magical abilities, and the infamous law of surprise but the discussions were lively, thoughtful, and a ridiculous amount of fun.

So here for your listening pleasure -- as we wait to resume new content in February -- is the full menagerie of jokes, lists, and observations about the relationship between destiny and choice that resulted from covering every episode of THE WITCHER, season 1. Also featuring special appearances by recurring guests Steve Beckley and Blake Collier, we had tremendous fun revisiting these conversations and we hope you do as well.

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Throughout 2021, The Fear of God, alongside our listeners, brought into the light the twin questions that have become tentpole philosophical tenants on our show: "What Scares Us?" and "What Saves Us?". We used listener submitted films and media to guide the year-long dialogue, dredging the depths of fearfulness and ascending the heights of vulnerability to find solace in each other and in artistry that pointed to transcendent truths, and in so doing found sharper vision to see this tragically beautiful world and, hopefully, better understand our place in it.

But film and media have limits that sometimes curtail what living faithfully in a society can and perhaps should mean. So today's episode, something of an epilogue to What Scares/Saves Us, is a deeply personal, hopefully thoughtful, thoughtfully hopeful conversation between host Nathan Rouse and author, professor, and ethicist, Dr. David Gushee.

It is a discussion of ideas found often to 'scare' people of faith, but with any luck and a little grace, perhaps it also serves as a means to find ways to be 'saved' of those fears. But more than a discussion of ideas, it is an honest attempt to wrestle faithfully with the real world we all occupy.

May it be a blessing to you in this new year.

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Dr. Gushee's works and online presence can be found at https://davidpgushee.com

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We close out this year -- and our series of #whatsavesus -- with Reed's official selection: Frank Capra's IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. This film has seen a remarkable cultural rollercoaster, ranging from some considering it one of the most inspirational films of all time to others who regard it as, in Mr. Potter's words, "Sentimental hogwash." But in our exploration of this film's simple yet profound question of "what would the world be like without you?" we examine the ways in which current burdens can fog our perspective and deteriorate the relationships that we so vitally need to protect and cultivate. And in an effort to see things more clearly, we hope that each of us may find someone -- be they treasured friend or angel-second-class -- who could help us shift that perspective and begin to wish joy and gladness on what once was considered a cage of disappointment.

We've really enjoyed this series this year and we hope you have as well, so Happy New Year, FoGgers! We hope you enjoy this final episode of 2021 and we'll see you next year!

4:32 - Business Time

6:34 - Reflections on the #whatsavesus series

11:52 - Whatcha Watchin' / Readin' / Listenin' To?

21:20 - IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

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In our penultimate episode of 2021 -- and of our series #whatsavesus -- we venture to the outskirts of a not-too-distant future for the concluding chapter of an epic sci-fi/fantasy trilogy: WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES. While this franchise has its cinematic roots extending all the way back to the 1960s, this modern trilogy of prequels tells a richly drawn and emotionally complex story that dares to ask questions about what makes us human, and positions the central conflict as a war not for dominance or power, but about the character of the soul. Including a brief discussion about the previous two installments (RISE and DAWN), this discussion around WAR is one we think you won't want to miss and that, as always, we hope you enjoy.

6:50 - Business Time

12:15 - Christmas Trivia Fun

25:33 - WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES

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Well, the truth may be here to set us free, but first it's gonna piss us off. That's a direct line (one of the best) from TED LASSO, Season 2, which is our featured discussion this week. We welcome back guest Josh Rouse for his third round in the FoG as we discuss the joys, the tragedies, the outrage, and the wisdom of this show as it matures its narrative from a display about the strengths of kindness and optimism to the challenge of living with change. This is a fun and insightful conversation that we really hope you enjoy.

6:02 - Whatcha Watchin' / Readin' / Listenin' To?

25:16 - TED LASSO, Season 2

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It's hard to know how to set this week's episode up. Terrence Malick, a unique cinematic voice known for contemplative, sweeping stories focused more on evocative emotion than narrative structure directed A HIDDEN LIFE, based upon the true story of a conscientious objector in WWII who refused to swear allegiance to Hitler at the peril of his life and family. We are joined by special guest Andrew Nelson this week (known to the FoG community as the writer and performer of our "So Right" and "Ain't Right" jingles) for a vulnerable and heartfelt conversation on the power and strength of still, small choices and the beauty of being known beyond our relevance or our potential. It's a lovely film and a lovely discussion (also featuring our penultimate diversion through Richmond for TED LASSO, Season 2, Episodes 9 & 10) We hope you enjoy it!

6:57 - TED LASSO, Season 2, Episodes 9 & 10

28:13 - Meet Andrew Nelson (featuring a very special world-premiere song)

39:52 - A HIDDEN LIFE

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And away we go... right into 1960s for a wallop of a #whatsavesus entry courtesy of Quentin Tarantino's ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. Tarantino's work is distinct, and occasionally divisive, particularly when he dabbles in revisionist history like he did with Inglorious Basterds and, of course, this piece. But this exercise opens up a really special conversation about the risks and the value that such stories provide for us and how they help us navigate a world which can be, in turns, both lovely and cruel.

Also featuring a detour through TED LASSO Season 2, Episodes 7 & 8, this is a discussion you won't want to miss and we hope you enjoy it.

4:55 - TED LASSO, Season 2, Episodes 7 & 8 #tvguideposts

32:16 - ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

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We have a very hearty conversation this week for an absolutely incredible film on #whatsavesus. CALVARY, written and directed by John Michael McDonagh and starring Brendan Gleeson is a complex film with a very simple premise: a man who has suffered years of abuse as a child at the hands of a priest determines that he will kill the innocent local priest in retribution. The priest (Gleeson) has one week to set his affairs in order, and he spends that week continuing to pastor the eclectic, often very cynical people of the town, hoping to do some good before he must face his threatened end. The film confronts the burden of a broken world and the fractures of a broken church with startling insight, disarming wit, and profound sense of humanity. It is a film of remarkable power, unlikely to be forgotten once you've seen it.

We have a challenging and hopeful discussion about it; one we think you won't want to miss.

5:30 - Business Time

12:23 - TED LASSO, Season 2, Episodes 5 & 6

42:58 - CALVARY

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We have something truly special for this week's installment of #whatsavesus. FoG Staffers Asia Swartzentruber and Vera Goudie are your special EXCLUSIVE hosts this week with special guest Jess Fischli for a lovely and heartfelt discussion about Roberto Benigni's critically acclaimed and controversial film La Vita e' Bella (LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL). Set in the Italian countryside, what begins as a lovely romantic comedy soon takes on a darker sheen as the dangers of World War II threaten to destroy a family, forcing a father to do the only thing he knows how to do to protect his son's heart from the horrors around him -- convince him that it is all merely an elaborate game. At turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, in nearly equal measure challenging and inspiring, La Vita e' Bella stirred controversy upon its release with some claiming it made light of a tremendous tragedy while others praised its willingness to create a kind of fairy-tale about the power of finding joy amidst unspeakable tragedy.

It is an incredibly effective film, and Vera, Jess, and Asia have an absolutely wonderful conversation about it which you do NOT want to miss.

4:28 - Business Time

5:08 - Whatcha Watchin' / Readin' / Listenin' To?

21:34 - La Vita e' Bella (LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL)

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We're back this week with a particularly heartfelt and lovely film in our ongoing but temporary series called #whatsavesus, where we briefly intermission our usual excursions into horror to look at films beyond that genre. This week's film by Roland Joffe is called THE MISSION, starring Jeremy Irons and Robert DeNiro. It's an achingly beautiful and often melancholy exploration of the efforts of a small group of Jesuit priests to establish and defend a mission among an indigenous South American community from the political and institutionally religious forces which would uproot, enslave, and destroy them. At times profoundly inspiring and painfully sorrowful, the film evokes a vulnerable and honest conversation about Christ's place in this world, within and often despite the larger understanding of "the church".

Including a brief excursion through Richmond once again for TED LASSO Season 2, episodes 3 & 4, this is a film we strongly encourage you to see and a conversation we think you won't want to miss.

4:58 - TED LASSO, Season 2, Episodes 3 & 4 #tvguideposts

20:25 - THE MISSION

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