Are we witnessing a storytelling crisis in the realm of modern cinema? Oh yeah we are! And the Critical Drinker gets it! Tune into our latest Cloud of Witnesses Radio episode, where we dissect the heavy-handed integration of social politics in today's films and series with our special guests Jeremy, Nick, John, Joshua, Dom, and Robert. We'll unravel the trend of humor overload, often labeled 'Marvel humor', and the polarizing effect of gender and role-swapping within cherished franchises. You'll hear us share candid moments of media discontent, as we grapple with the distinction between the seamless weaving of diverse characters into the narrative fabric and instances when it feels like a clumsy afterthought. We navigate the tricky waters of delivering social messages with finesse and invite you to consider if there's still room for subtlety in the art of storytelling. Join us as we celebrate films that resonate on a deeper level, like "Man of God", and question whether modern movies are too often guilty of hollow moral posturing. Can the power of art truly unite us in these divisive times? We debate this, illustrating the dangerous potential of division orchestrated through film. Our conversation culminates with a powerful reflection on the role of authentic, connective storytelling in society. This episode is an urgent call to all who cherish the transformative potential of cinema to foster unity and inspire profundity through the stories we tell and receive. Don't miss this engaging chapter of Cloud of Witnesses Radio, where we confront the challenges and champion the successes of contemporary storytelling.  Yes, Critical Drinker, But... Thank you for journeying w/ the Saints with us! Support the ministry: https://www.patreon.com/CloudofWitnessesRadio ***** I think the same is true of the critical drinker. As much as I like his commentary and he's putting his finger on why so many modern movies are terrible, his answer is well, just preach at us less or write better, whereas I would want to say, as an Orthodox Christian, no, how about we write stories that reflect the truth of the reality of the universe? Ie that God created this world, he created men and women with particular roles. We have, we are stewards of this earth and we can, we are called to fulfill those roles, et cetera, and in there is heroism and courage and loss and sacrifice, and I believe that's where the true romantic, historically speaking movie shines. And so I think that's where the critical drinker is probably lacking.  But a good art, or just good art in general, like I said, is, is, is participatory, it brings you in. You're supposed to, you're supposed to get something out of it. Right, you're supposed to learn something and in what you guys have been talking about, I think, most importantly, you're supposed to learn about yourself through this process as well, because you're stepping in the shoes. It's basically a spiritual journey that they're allowing others to go through this prism of a movie or visual art or literature.  My first thought is what Jonathan Pageau refers to as parasitic storytelling and why I think that's a perfect descriptor for what's happening with Snow White is they're not interested in the Snow White story. They're just using that name to get attention and then telling the story they wanna tell Interesting. So there's nothing actually creative about it. And if they were being honest, they would just tell the story they wanna tell, which would have nothing to do with Snow White. The problem is no one would care, wow well played.  God bless you! IC XC NIKA Thank you for journeying w/ the Saints with us!