Best Chris Staron Podcasts (2024)

1
Republicans and Evangelicals I Prologue: What Is Biblical? 21:01

2d ago21:01

21:01

Give to help the Truce Podcast Thomas McIntyre stood before the US Congress to deliver a moving speech. The man was being hounded by a fringe movement known as the New Right. The movement came from the work of men like Paul Weyrich, Howard Phillips, and Richard Viguerie. Their goal was to disrupt the Republican Party. They wanted to do away with mu…

1
Tom McCarthy 1:27:05

16d ago1:27:05

1:27:05

Tom McCarthy co-wrote and directed Spotlight, which took home the Oscar for Best Picture. McCarthy won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The next time McCarthy returned to the director's chair was for the direct to Disney+ Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made (since pulled from the platform). McCarthy has spent his career attempting to make film…

1
Behind the Scenes Bonus 11:43

24d ago11:43

11:43

Give to help Chris make Truce In this special bonus episode, Truce host Chris Staron walks you through a day in the life of a podcast host. He works about 11 hours per day between this show and his full-time job driving a school bus. Imagine what he could do if he were doing this show full-time!!!! Chris has worked on Truce for 6 1/2 years and is r…

1
Season 6 Trailer 1:54

1M ago1:54

1:54

Give to help Chris make Truce Season six is almost here! This season we're exploring the backstory of why so many evangelicals turned to the Republican Party in the 1970s and 80s. It's a huge story that involves murder, corruption, greed, taxes, school choice, racism, and a lot of big questions. Special guests include Rick Perlstein, Frances Fitzge…

1
Alexander Payne 1:43:18

3M ago1:43:18

1:43:18

In this episode, we are joined by high school teacher and wine drinker (not at the same time), Mark Staron, to discuss the films of Alexander Payne. We had a fun discussion covering everything from voiceovers and Omaha to which film made us cry the most. We also drank some wines featured in Sideways, so all in all a successful podcast. As always le…

1
Advertising, New Cover Art, Season 6 Update 2:42

4M ago2:42

2:42

Give to help Chris keep Truce going! Season six is coming along nicely! I'm super busy trying to get it all put together before I start releasing episodes. But I want to also make everyone aware that I'm looking for more advertisers for the show. Want to participate? Visit www.trucepodcast.com/advertise to get started! Learn more about your ad choi…

1
Jordan Peele 1:47:35

6M ago1:47:35

1:47:35

Happy Halloween! This October 31st, we delve into thinking-man's horror with the films of Jordan Peele. We welcome back Paul Kowalski for this fun conversation. As always let us know what we got wrong on Facebook, on Twitter, @PopcornAuteur, or email us at popcornauteur@gmail.com. Staff Notes/Sources: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row…

1
Greta Gerwig 1:29:42

6M ago1:29:42

1:29:42

Greta Gerwig's career is firing on all cylinders. She has the biggest film of 2023, Barbie, consistent critical acclaim, and Academy love. But will she get the Popcorn Auteur badge of approval? Join us as we review Gerwig's career as a filmmaker, starting with the oft-overlooked Nights and Weekends. As always let us know what we got wrong on Facebo…

1
Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn (featuring Larry Tye, author of Demagogue) 47:05

8M ago47:05

47:05

Give to help Chris make Truce! Joseph McCarthy was an unexceptional junior congressman from Wisconsin. He grew up brawling in the streets, playing cards, and embellishing his stories. Then, during a Lincoln Day address in 1950, Joseph McCarthy told an audience that he had a list of 205 communists working in the government. Within days, he was a hou…

1
Love Thy Neighborhood - Where the Gospel Meets Artificial Intelligence 1:04:06

8M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

Give to help Chris make the Truce Podcast! The Love Thy Neighborhood podcast is really well produced. But they also take deep dives into some of the things going on in modern Christianity that I can't cover on Truce. They are a good supplement to the stuff we cover on this feed. So we thought... why not share each other's show? In this bonus episod…

1
James Mangold 1:28:25

8M ago1:28:25

1:28:25

James Mangold has one of the more eclectic filmmaking careers. From indie dramas to romantic comedies to R-rated superheros and now Indiana Jones, Mangold's films run the gamut. We were excited to explore this filmography and shocked to discover that Mangold lifts the time travel dynamics directy from Kate & Leopold for Indiana Jones and the Dial o…

1
Sarah Polley 1:09:26

10M ago1:09:26

1:09:26

Fresh off of winning the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Women Talking, Sarah Polley is posed to become a major voice in modern filmmaking. In this episode, we review Polley's short but impressive list of films. Warning: We also talk rickshaws. As always let us know what we got wrong on Facebook, on Twitter, @PopcornAuteur, or email us at popcorn…

1
Season 6 Update 3:10

10M ago3:10

3:10

Season 5 of the Truce Podcast was a blast! I'm hard at work on season 6, which will discuss how American evangelicals got tied to the Republican Party. It is already coming together so well! I can't wait to share it with you. God willing, season 6 will drop in the fall or early winter of 2023. Like, subscribe, sign up for the email list, and rememb…

1
Takeaway #5 - The Only Thing We Have to Fear 16:00

11M ago16:00

16:00

Give to support the Truce Podcast On March 4, 1933, FDR delivered his inaugural address. In it, he used the phrase "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". I did a little searching and this phrase is used a LOT in Christian books. So often. But it almost always refers to the fear one person has in their heart. In reality, it is a comment on…

1
"From Sulawesi to Seattle: A Life Shaped By Compassion" Arie Mahler 58:08

11M ago58:08

58:08

Compassion can shape lives. So many babies have been born in adversity. Their start in life is so difficult. And yet God has a plan. Adoption is so often part of that. And sometimes, the most hopeless story, can be the one God uses to display His great power, and His gentle compassion. Arie Mahler shares his inspiring testimony, from a tiny village…

1
Takeaway #4 - We Are A People of the Means 37:29

11M ago37:29

37:29

Love Truce? Give a little to help support the show! "The ends justify the means" is a phrase we hear occasionally. Often it is used to justify bad behavior, so long as it creates a profitable outcome. But we Christians know that we are called to live righteous lives. Are we people of the ends, or should we be known as a people of the means? Chris i…

1
Takeaway #3 - The Great Divorce 15:58

11M ago15:58

15:58

Give a little to help Chris continue to make Truce! In 1945, C.S. Lewis published his excellent book "The Great Divorce". It happens to be one of my favorite books. It has many themes, the biggest of which is that there can be no hell in heaven. The two are divorced from each other (hence the title). Another is that humans are easily distracted fro…

1
Benson & Moorhead 1:20:31

12M ago1:20:31

1:20:31

Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are filmmakers that embody independent filmmaking. There latest film, Something in the Dirt was made largely by just three people. In this episode, we have a blast jumping into their micro-budget Lovecraftian multiverse. As always let us know what we got wrong on Facebook, on Twitter, @PopcornAuteur, or email us at …

1
"Private and Public Restoration from Secret Sin" Pastor Neil Matthews 55:00

12M ago55:00

55:00

Disclaimer: This story contains sensitive content that may not be safe for young ears. Consider putting in earbuds if you have kids present. Has your spouse or roommate ever stumbled upon a private addiction and confronted you? What if you were a young and new pastor who loved working with kids? Today’s guest walks us through how his secret porn ad…

1
Takeaway #2 - Extremes Lead to Extremes 12:54

12M ago12:54

12:54

In the fall of 1814, the powers of Europe gathered together to discuss what to do with the continent after the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon had changed a lot in his time in power! He cowed the Roman Catholic Church, ended serfdom where he went, freed Jews from their ghettos, took away kingdoms, and placed new kings in charge. The Congress of Vienna wa…

1
Takeaway #1 - How Should We Deal With Heretics? 20:13

1y ago20:13

20:13

Donate to help Chris make Truce! The first-century Christian Church had a lot going on. Their Savior died and was resurrected, sending the Holy Spirit and leaving them with the command to take this new message to all tribes and tongues. The book of Acts records some of their travels, as they went all over the known world with this good news. But th…

1
"Do You Believe in Miracles?" Shauna Parker 50:06

1y ago50:06

50:06

Disclaimer: This story contains sensitive content that may not be safe for young ears. Consider putting in earbuds if you have kids present. Do you believe in Miracles? Is there anyone in your life whom every time you see them, you are reminded with a resounding swell in your heart that God is a God of miracles. Shauna’s story is this. Her story is…

1
Kasi Lemmons 1:15:17

1y ago1:15:17

1:15:17

Our film education continues with the films of Kasi Lemmons. Lemmons made the transition from acting to behind the camera with the stellar Eve's Bayou. A filmmaking career that has spanned over 25 years, including 2019's Harriet, her writing and directing output is worth a look. Join us as we discuss. As always let us know what we got wrong on Face…

1
Inherit the Wind | Christian Fundamentalism Series 44:28

1y ago44:28

44:28

US Senator Joseph McCarthy unleashed an era of suspicion on the American people as he went looking for communists. His trials, both public and behind closed doors, focused on the government as well as Hollywood and the Army. He claimed that he had lists of communists, but failed to produce that list. It wasn't until the Army-McCarthy hearings in th…

1
The Scopes "Monkey" Trial Part Two | Christian Fundamentalism Series 38:39

1y ago38:39

38:39

Love Truce?? Donate to keep the show going! The trial was basically over. The prosecution won. John Scopes was moments away from being convicted of teaching evolution in Dayton, Tennessee. The ACLU and the prosecution had what they wanted. But Clarence Darrow did not. He wanted to make a monkey out of William Jennings Bryan, the famous "fundamental…

1
“Newly Quadriplegic: Road From Despair to the Paralympics” Joe Delagrave | Vault 1:11:13

1y ago1:11:13

1:11:13

Newly Quadriplegic. Can you imagine at age 19, after a boating accident, waking up from surgery to the doctors telling you that you will never walk again? Despair settled in. This is the beginning of Joe Delagrave’s deep transformation. His journey to forgiveness and faith is one you will never forget. He brings us into his happy but imperfect chil…

1
Shane Black 1:27:30

1y ago1:27:30

1:27:30

Shane Black was once Hollywood's hottest screenwriter. After some rough times, he transitioned into the director's chair and has helmed a Marvel Cinematic Universe film (Iron Man 3) and 2018's The Predator. Nonetheless, we were most excited to talk about his other films - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys. In this episode we were joined by Shan…

1
The Scopes "Monkey" Trial Part One | Christian Fundamentalism Series 36:53

1y ago36:53

36:53

Give to help Chris do Truce full time! Tennessee was the first state in the United States to crack down hard on the teaching of evolution in public schools. Others had dabbled, but Tennessee went all the way. The ACLU wanted to challenge the validity of the case in the courts. In order to do that they needed an educator to teach it, get busted, and…

1
Are All Christians Anti-Evolution? | Christian Fundamentalism Series 41:27

1y ago41:27

41:27

Give to help Truce! Donate here. In the 1600s, an Irish Archbishop named James Ussher did a bunch of math. The Bible is full of numbers and genealogies. He sat down and calculated that, in his opinion, the Bible dated creation at 4004 BC. According to Ussher, that is when God created man. That number has really stuck around! I gathered my small gro…

1
"Falsely Accused Pastor" Markus Watson | Vault 1:08:49

1y ago1:08:49

1:08:49

Can you imagine being falsely accused as a pastor? Then add to that, false charges filed against you where even the FBI gets involved. Markus Watson walks through what he and his family went through at their church, and though months later, exonerated by the Presbytery was voted out of his church. Incredulous. Markus has arisen from that devastatin…

1
Leopold and Loeb | Christian Fundamentalism Series 40:18

1y ago40:18

40:18

Give to help Chris make Truce! Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were wealthy young men in the early 1920s. They lived in big homes in Chicago and had world-class educations. They were both pushed hard academically, and Richard was sexually abused as a child. Both graduated early from high school and college. The two were an odd pairing. Nathan was q…

1
"In Case I Die" Jerry Dugan | Vault 1:19:05

1+ y ago1:19:05

1:19:05

Disclaimer: This story contains sensitive content that may not be safe for young ears. Consider putting in earbuds if you have kids present. While deployed to Kuwait, Jerry Dugan wrote to his family the “in case I die” letter. His whole hard life had led to this moment. You will see the wonderful way the Lord protected him, changed him and his fami…

1
Eugenics (Featuring Paul Lombardo) | Christian Fundamentalism Series 51:02

1+ y ago51:02

51:02

Eugenics. It's one of those words that gets thrown around these days, often by people accusing "the other side" of wrongdoing. But what is eugenics? I invited law professor Paul Lombardo, author of "Three Generations, No Imbeciles", to join me to try to answer that very question. It turns out that that question is harder to answer than you'd think.…

1
"Losing Her Beloved Through Medical Malpractice" Ami Shroyer | Vault 1:18:26

1+ y ago1:18:26

1:18:26

Losing a loved one through medical malpractice has to be one of the most difficult experiences in life. This is Ami Shroyer’s story, and she would say she was loved for 100 years in 20 by her beloved Mike. Not everyone gets to experience a love like this. As a traveling teen musician, she met the love of her life. They start their marriage in love …

1
"Bible Project Global Visionary" Michael McDonald | Vault 58:28

1+ y ago58:28

58:28

Bible Project has been a tidal wave of blessing to this world and one of the Bible Project’s key visionaries is Michael McDonald. Sometimes it takes a rough childhood, and the longing of a young boy to find a father figure, to inform his global focus and mindset. Changed by the love of his Father, he grows up to be a world changer, albeit imperfect…

1
Christmas 2022 1:53

1+ y ago1:53

1:53

Truce will be back on January 10th! Chris is working through the whole break in order to prepare for his big presentation in front of his church. He's trying to get Truce fully funded for 2023. New episodes are already done, but he's trying to create a little cushion of extra episodes in case of emergencies. Thanks for your support of the show!!! L…

1
David Cronenberg - Part 2 1:40:41

1+ y ago1:40:41

1:40:41

In part 2 of our journey through the films of David Cronenberg, we get away from the horror. In this episode, we examine the controversial (Crash), the confusing (Naked Lunch), and the upsetting (Cosmopolis). Paul Kowalski is back for a fun draft of all 15 films written and directed by Cronenberg. As always let us know what we got wrong on Facebook…

1
"Adopting Two Boys, Ages 3 & 4 While Single in His Twenties" Holland Webb | Vault 1:10:58

1+ y ago1:10:58

1:10:58

How many people choose adoption, while single in their twenties? I would imagine, not many. And to have the boys be age 3 and age 4. That is a true baptism into parenting. This isn’t a calling for everyone, but it was a calling for Holland Webb. You will hear how the loss of his own Father at an early age affected him, and how this whole adoption a…

1
The Battle for the Presbyterian Soul | Christian Fundamentalism Series 27:23

1+ y ago27:23

27:23

Love Truce? Donate to help Chris make the show! Harry Emerson Fosdick had a certain reputation. He was the theological "bad boy" of modernist theology when he stood at a lectern in the 1920s and delivered his famous sermon "Shall the Fundamentalists Win?". He was in New York City. One preacher, preaching one sermon. But this one talk spread all ove…

1
"Dreams Fulfilled and Disillusionment in Hollywood" Chris Staron | Vault 59:17

1+ y ago59:17

59:17

Have you ever wondered what it would be like, to move to Hollywood to pursue your dream of filmmaking? Chris Staron brings us right into his experience of dreams fulfilled and disillusionment in Hollywood. He will take us backstage into his own personal foray into the Christian Filmmaking industry. His experience may surprise you. Through all of th…

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