What kinds of stories shaped us before we ever realized stories matter?

In this episode of Unreeled, we’re pulling back the curtain and sharing our history with movies, books, and storytelling—from the films we loved growing up to the preferences and habits that shape how we watch today. We talk favorite genres, comfort rewatches, changing tastes, and why none of us come to stories neutrally.

Think of this as a “get to know us” episode—and an invitation to reflect on the stories that have quietly formed you, too.

What makes a Christmas movie good — not just fun, but meaningful?

In this episode of Unreeled, we explore the deeper elements that set enduring Christmas films apart: redemption, grace, miracle, wonder, and a story structure strong enough to carry them. We talk about the difference between movies that are merely set at Christmas and those that are truly about Christmas.

Using The Christmas Chronicles as our primary example, we unpack its prodigal-son narrative, crisis of faith, and emphasis on remembering one’s heritage and identity. We also compare “good” Christmas movies with those that are simply fun, and discuss why stories rooted in restoration resonate so deeply during the holiday season.

Join us as we delve into why the best Christmas movies remind us not just of the season — but of who we are.

Part two of our conversation from last week on A Christmas Carol. We finish up our thematic look at the adaptations we watched, then call out our favorites as well as our least favorites and why. We also talk about why the story just doesn't work when you replace the Christian lens with a humanist/feminist lens in the Guy Pearce version of the story.

Lots of good food for thought here.

This week, we’re delving into A Christmas Carol—not just the novella, but the 5 or so film adaptations we’ve binged over the past couple of weeks. We’re exploring the themes of redemption, the deeper meaning of Christmas, and why Dickens’ story loses its power when the Christian foundation is stripped away. We’ll compare the best adaptations, call out the ones that didn’t quite land, and reflect on why Scrooge’s transformation still resonates today. We had a lot to say, so we've split this episode into two parts - this is part one.

We finally saw the new Fantastic Four — and wow, we’ve got thoughts. 😅
In this episode, we chat about what we expected going in, what surprised us, and the deeper theme that stood out most: the difference between self-sacrifice and sacrificing others for yourself.
It’s a story about family, responsibility, and how self-sacrifice echoes a deeper truth about love and what a true hero really is.

In the 1993 movie Tombstone, we see a picture of honor that’s costly, loyal, and steady. Wyatt steps into the fight not out of desire, but duty. Doc lays down his life out of love for a friend. Their story echoes a deeper truth: real strength is found in sacrifice. In this episode, we explore friendship, responsibility, the quiet courage of a good man– and we also look at how true femininity complements and elevates that strength, not by overpowering it, but by calling it toward purpose and hope for the future.

In this episode of Unreeled, Caitlin and Jeremy dive into the classic film, Rocky — not just as a boxing movie, but as a story about humility, perseverance, and quiet strength. They unpack how to watch movies with a critical eye without losing the joy of storytelling; exploring questions like: Who’s being lifted up? What’s being ridiculed? What worldview is being presented?

Caitlin shares how she went from avoiding Rocky to loving it — and together they explore why the film’s simple goodness still resonates decades later. From character contrasts to moral themes, this episode reminds us that the best heroes aren’t always the obvious ones.

🎙️ Tune in for a meaningful look at what Rocky teaches us about true victory, virtue, and watching media with intention.

Monsters aren’t what they used to be. In this episode, Caitlin and Jeremy continue the conversation from last week, and unpack how modern monster movies blur the line between good and evil — and why it matters. Learn how to watch stories critically, talk about them with your kids, and recognize the truths they reflect.

On today's episode, as Halloween approaches, Caitlin and Jeremy talk about monster movies and specifically vampire movies. We discuss how they've evolved and changed over the last 100 years of film history, and how that actually is an indication on how culture has shifted during that time too.

We'd love to hear your thoughts or questions. Or if you have an idea for an episode you'd like to hear, email us at [email protected]!

On our debut episode we're discussing why we're starting this podcast, what we'll be talking about, and why you might be interested in following along.

Bear with us, we're still figuring all this out, and certainly can only go up from here.

Follow along to see where we go from here!