Below you will find all of the episodes of Ruminations, a culture podcast focusing on movies, history, and religion, discussed over a glass–or three–of some type of adult beverage.
Subscribe to our feed on Apple, PodcastAddict, Spotify, and Stitcher and follow us on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Episode XVIII: The Prequels
In what should be the first of (at least) three episodes on a certain long-running space opera franchise, Christ and Steve talk about the Star Wars prequels with special guest star Diana, Steve’s wife of 9 months. Why do they love these movies so much? Has the trilogy been redeemed in the last two decades? What color lightsaber does Chris yearn for? All this, and more, in an episode years in the making!
Published March 11, 2023
Episode XVII: House of Power, Rings of the Dragon
Christ and Steve talk about the two prequels to juggernaut fantasy series that premiered in September, HBO’s Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon and Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and for the second time this year, this is the second version of an episode they recorded. Before you ask, no, no one was too drunk this time! In August, they’d recorded a grab bag episode, ending with their varying degrees of apprehension towards HoD and RoP, but since each show finished its first season before the episode could be edited… well, here is Version 2.
Published November 11, 2022
Episode XVI: Apocalypse Redrunks!
In an episode two months in the making, Chris and Steve delve into the heart of darkness to explore five of the most famous Vietnam War movies made in the aftermath of the war in the 1970s and 80s. Which version of Apocalypse Now is best? Why is The Deer Hunter so dull? Which of them grew up thinking Full Metal Jacket was a comedy? Why does Vietnam have such a visceral place in our pop culture and collective memory? Stay to the end for a game of “Would You Rather?” and a glimpse into the first time they recorded this episode–yes, they liked this topic so much, they talked about it twice! (But only Chris remembers that.)
Published June 3, 2022
Episode XV: Squidnight Mass
Chris and Steve break down their experiences watching two of Netflix’s recent shows, the stressful South Korean juggernaut Squid Game and Mike Flanagan’s latest horror slow-burn, Midnight Mass. Was Squid Game better in Korean or in English? Was Midnight Mass a good Catholic show, as one Vox reporter lamented?
Published October 31, 2021
Episode XIV: On Her Majesty’s Secret Agent
Chris and Steve discuss the ins and outs of the James Bond franchise, which saw its 25th movie, and the fifth and last of Daniel Craig’s run as 007, No Time to Die, premiere in theaters in October 2021. Well, it’s less of a discussion and more of Steve talking about a series of movies and books near and dear to his heart while Chris feigns interest. Ruminations will return!
Published October 16, 2021
Episode XIII: The Podcast of the Rings
Chris and Steve they talk about their favorite piece of popular culture ever, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and Peter Jackson’s seminal film adaptations, just in time for the trilogy’s 20th anniversary. Altogether, it amounts to 2 hours of Middle-Earth content! A day may come when Ruminations releases a short podcast … but it is not THIS day.
Published April 18, 2021
Episode XII: Christmas All the Way
Chris and Steve discuss a range of topics relating to Christmas movies with Lou, Ruminations’ second-ever guest host. Questions like: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Is Ron Howard’s Grinch movie worth its two-hour runtime? Why can’t Steve keep the Rankin/Bass movies straight? Will Mel Gibson’s Fatman become a perennial Christmas watch? How many times has Lou seen Jingle All the Way?
Published December 24, 2020
Episode XI: Underrated Horror
Just in time for the strangest Halloween in memory, Chris and Steve talk about three of their favorite underrated horror movies: Wes Craven’s Haiti-set The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), the ’80s pastiche The House of the Devil (2009), and the Nicolas Cage mystery Pay the Ghost (2015).
Published October 30, 2020
Episode X: Onward and Up-ward!
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris and Steve rank the best and worst of Pixar Animation Studios, once the baby of Apple’s Steve Jobs and now an integral part of Disney’s galactic empire.
Published June 12, 2020
Episode IX: The 2010s
As a capper to the final year of the 2010s and the first year of Ruminations, Chris and Steve discuss their 10 favorite movies of the decade. Happy New Year!
Published December 31, 2019
Episode VIII: What an Excellent Day for an Exorcism
Just in time for Halloween, Chris and Steve delve into the theology behind demonic possession and the Catholic Rite of Exorcism, as well as the Mount Rushmore of exorcism movies: The Exorcist, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Rite, and Exorcist III.
Published October 31, 2019
Episode VII: A Pirate’s Life for Us
Along with Ruminations’ first-ever guest, Ruben, Chris and Steve discuss the 5 mostly-maligned Pirates of the Caribbean movies, real piracy, and the best alcoholic drink around, rum.
Published September 10, 2019
Episode VI: Urbs Aeterna
In their most historical episode yet, Chris and Steve recount their April trip to Rome, the Eternal City, highlighting the history and splendor of St. Peter’s Basilica, the glory witnessing the Capitoline Wolf and Augustus of Prima Porta statues in person, an unexpected visit to an actual medieval castle, and more!
Published July 4, 2019
Episode V: Disappointment
Everything is Terrible in Episode V of Ruminations! Chris and Steve discuss the sorry state of pop culture in Spring 2019, particularly the ending of Game of Thrones, Aladdin, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and Star Wars. (Only Avenger: Endgame managed not to disappoint.)
Published May 31, 2019
Episode IV: Endgame of Thrones
April 2019 saw the premiere of the final season of Game of Thrones and the culmination of 11 years’ worth of MCU movies, Avengers: Endgame. Chris and Steve discuss both franchises and make predictions as the two behemoths draw to a conclusion.
Published April 18, 2019
Episode III: Catholic Films Through the Ages
Thinking outside the box on this one, Chris and Steve discuss three historical eras of Catholicism through the movies Quo Vadis and Kingdom of Heaven, and the TV show The Young Pope.
Published March 11, 2019
Episode II: The Blah-scars
Just in time for the 2019 Oscars ceremony, Chris and Steve tackle the lackluster bunch of movies nominated for Best Picture at the 91st Academy Awards.
Published February 23, 2019
Episode I: The Best and Worst of Disney
In the inaugural episode of a podcast 5 years in the making, co-hosts Chris and Steve discuss the 57 animated films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Published February 19, 2019
Ruminations Podcast @ Flipp's Quips 