Popular American films are replete with story lines which involve the father-son relationship, often as the pivotal conflict or dragon which a hero must overcome to achieve success. Sometimes these conflicts are straightforward; other times they are projections of the central character's unconscious becoming conscious--in essence a modern form of myth. These American "filmmyths" serve as a visual means to project the psyche in an entertaining and easily accessible manner. Focusing on mythic structure, this volume explores 12 popular movies that deal with various aspects of the father-son relationship including the process of becoming a father, absent fathers, the rite of passage, and the turmoil between fathers and adolescents. Films examined include The Wizard of Oz, Back to the Future, Stand By Me, Red River, City Slickers, North by Northwest, E.T. the Extraterrestrial, Field of Dreams, Lone Star, The Lion King, Jurassic Park and The Searchers.

This wide-ranging collection investigates the father/son dynamic in post-Stalinist Soviet cinema and its Russian successor. Contributors analyze complex patterns of identification, disavowal, and displacement in films by such diverse directors as Khutsiev, Motyl', Tarkovsky, Balabanov, Sokurov, Todorovskii, Mashkov, and Bekmambetov. Several chapters focus on the difficulties of fulfilling the paternal function, while others show how vertical and horizontal male bonds are repeatedly strained by the pressure of redefining an embattled masculinity in a shifting political landscape.

What does it really mean to be a good father? What did your father tell you, that has stayed with you throughout your life? Was there a lesson from him, a story, or a moment that helped to make you who you are? Is there a special memory that makes you smile when you least expect it? After the publication of Tim Russert’s number one New York Times bestseller about his father, Big Russ & Me, he received an avalanche of letters from daughters and sons who wanted to tell him about their own fathers, most of whom were not superdads or heroes but ordinary men who were remembered and cherished for some of their best moments–of advice, tenderness, strength, honor, discipline, and occasional eccentricity. Most of these daughters and sons were eager to express the gratitude they had carried with them through the years. Others wanted to share lessons and memories and, most important, pass them down to their own children. This book is for all fathers, young or old, who can learn from the men in these pages how to get it right, and to understand that sometimes it is the little gestures that can make the big difference for your child. For some in this book, the appreciation came later than they would have liked. But as Wisdom of Our Fathers reminds us, it is never too late to embrace it. From the father who coached his daughter in sports (and life), attending every meet, game, performance, and tournament, to the daughter who, after a fifteen-year estrangement, learned to make peace with her difficult father just before he died, to the son who came, at last, to appreciate the silent way his father could show affection, Wisdom of Our Fathers shares rewarding lessons, immeasurable gifts, and lasting values. Heartfelt, humorous, engaging, irresistibly readable, and bound to bring back memories of unforgettable moments with our own fathers, Tim Russert’s new book is not only a fitting companion to his own marvelous memoir, but also a celebration of the positive qualities passed down from generation to generation.

Spanning nearly 50 years of family history, the book chronicles the remarkable lives of two creative talents, Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. It's a story of father and son set against the backdrop of Hollywood; this narrative is organized around their physical and spiritual journey along the Camino de Santiago, Spain, the thousand-year-old pilgrimage path which traverses Galicia. It is the area from which Sheen's father emigrated to the U.S. and to which Estevez's own son has returned. Along the Waywill focus not just on the lives these men have chosen as artists, but also (and most importantly) on the one they have lived together. It is a story of family bonds and artistic advances and setbacks; of good choices and hard choices; of opportunities lost and opportunities found. Sheen and Estevez will share what they have experienced and learned from each other in their forty eight years as father and son, as fathers of sons, as actors and director, as spiritual seekers, and as concerned citizens of the world. Readers will meet them as real people rather than icons, as two men who have accumulated decades of wisdom and insight they are now ready to share.

Gilmour offers his 15-year-old son an unconventional deal: Jesse can drop out of school, but he must watch three movies a week of his father's choosing. Through their film club, father and son discuss everything from love to drugs--and their own lives change in surprising ways.

Understand the shared story in which we all play a part. Connect human creativity with the impulse of our Creator. Explore the relationship between images and imaging God. Do you like movies? Are you a cinephile? Do your friends consult YOU instead of IMDB? Were you raised on television? Spend hours talking cinema? This book is definitely for you. If you're a casual consumer who thinks Hollywood exists simply for diversion, this book may change your life. ""I am a Junior film and Television student... your interpretations of the films have helped formed the kind of filmmaker I am becoming, and also the way I experience films."" Humans crave narrative and usually don't stop to question why. Are we perhaps created to consume story, to create story, because we're image bearers of a Master Storyteller? In this book, movies meet God at the multiplex as the author challenges readers to redefine entertainment, understand the story they're in, and experience a new integrated level of spirituality and entertainment. ""You actually look at the film aspects and see how the artist's worldview really comes through."" What can we learn about God from Doctor Who and Han Solo? What are people like Jon Stewart and even Michael Bay helping us understand about story, good and bad? Peppered with movie quotes and metaphors, journey through the incredible changes film and storytelling have had on 21st century culture. Instead of an overly-academic offering on film and faith, Cinemagogue weaves a narrative from the author's own pop culture saturated life to the Greatest Story Ever Told, from Superman to Citizen Kane, Bertrand Russell to John Frame, Kurt Vonnegut to the apostle Paul, from our favorite narrative to our shared meganarrative. .".".I grew up on television in the 80s and relate to the context you grew up in.... I thank God for you and your ability to glorify him in everything, no matter what."" Classic notions of story structure, "monomyth" and universally shared themes in both popular and classic tales are examined in light of ancient scripture. From there, readers can see the genesis of creativity and worldview distortions from which conversation can bring us back to the future. After a dirty dozen examples of popular film in chapter five (with questions for discussion) the book tackles common objections with genre and content: horror movies, foul language, violence, sexuality, magic and more... and how many traditional objections are overshadowed by incredible opportunities for those brave enough to overcome fear and wade into the culture stream, secure in their faith. ""Your talk was one of the final confirmations of our move to Los Angeles to re-engage the film business by getting upstream in culture and trying to influence from the top down. Worked as an assistant on a TV series for a year, and now I'm working at a digital marketing agency that does a ton of film/TV work, as well as writing/producing my own projects."" The book ends with a call and commission to those who consider themselves spiritual and religious to get their heads out of the sand, to start realizing and utilizing the power of narrative. .".".really convicted me in both the movie and gaming arena to analyze what I am watching/playing and why. I had almost zero discernment before stumbling onto your series..."" A requested resource by movie-goers, movie-makers, pastors and teachers, Cinemagogue is an extension of a website and podcast, providing a "how-to" for those who want to experience the transforming power inherent in all story. ""Listening to your podcasts... opened my eyes to examine what I watch even closer."" Take your entertainment seriously while simultaneously having more fun with it than ever before. Learn how to watch to glorify, to be edified, and possibly to evangelize. Even better, create to

'Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad. Chicken Soup for the Father and Son Soul takes a peak into the lives of fathers and sons, sharing the important male milestones from birth through childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, the senior years, and every step in between. This is a celebration of how fathers and sons carry each other along life's journey. Share the story of one man who didn't think much of becoming a father until the day he laid eyes on his son, and how in a matter of moments his perspective on life and being a dad had profoundly changed forever, and the touching story of a young boy who finds the father he always longed for in a special stepdad, as well as the story of the love and respect between a father-in-law and son-in-law that appears when least expected. Readers will be inspired by the stories of sons looking up to their fathers and learning by example, and fathers recollecting their own childhoods and relationships with their own dads. These insightful stories show men and boys working through the ups and downs of life, learning as they go and becoming better because of their relationship with each other. These powerful and poignant stories are written from every point of view—fathers, sons, grandfathers, mothers, and wives—everyone who has been deeply touched by the father and son relationship.

One of the most beloved writers of our time presents seven short stories exploring the vital ties between fathers and sons. Luke sees the ghost of his father but can’t figure out what Dad wants him to do. Paul takes a camping trip with the grandfather he’s just met and discovers what lies behind the man’s erratic behavior. Ryan has some surprising questions when he interviews his prospective stepfather for the job. In a compellingly honest collection of stories, multiple-award-winning author Avi introduces seven boys — boys with fathers at home and boys whose fathers have left, boys who spend most of their time with their grandfathers and boys who would rather spend time with anyone but the men in their lives. By turns heartbreaking, hopeful, and funny, the stories show us boys seeking acceptance, guidance, or just someone to look up to. Each one shines a different light on the question “What is the most important thing a father can do for his son?”

When Nathan's father, a decorated Navy SEAL, is killed in combat, he must rely on his father's teammates for direction while learning to become a man. The normal struggles of adolescence are amplified while growing up in the shadow of a war hero, and a young man's future hangs in the balance. No one is safe from the scars of war in this funny, heart-wrenching, poignant novel.

She’ll always be your girl. Whether your daughter is still small or all grown up, she holds a special place in her dad’s heart forever. Today, celebrate the gifts and blessings of the unique relationship between dads and their girls with this inspirational book by family counselor and widely acclaimed parenting expert Dr. James Dobson. Based on the New York Times bestseller Bringing Up Girls, Dads and Daughters is a beautiful tribute to a dad’s role in his daughter’s life. It’s an insightful collection of wisdom for dads on developing and preserving a truly exceptional connection with their daughters. And it’s a joyful celebration of the lifelong bond of love they share.