I really enjoyed Saving Mr. Banks. It has surprising depth - way more than a recounting of how Mary Poppins got made. This is the story of a man who couldn’t face the challenges of life and overcome them. It offers an insight into the lasting effect this failure to grow into his heroic self had on his daughter.

I am noticing a pattern. Guys in films are being presented as more than heroes (or less than heroes, but always more interesting). I first noticed this in The Hurt Locker. This is a story of a guy who is spectacularly heroic but an abysmal failure at taking it to the next level of maturity i.e.. being the Warrior King who can cross the distance between himself and another. Sergeant William James couldn’t stand the fate worse than death of allowing his heart to exist in someone else. He couldn’t see the deeper meaning in buying the groceries and being there for his son.

Time to think about our collective values, and go deeper on our understanding of what makes our life worth living, in an upbeat way.

Joker is exceptional for the sparseness of the dialogue, yet every line and every scene drips with meaning. In movies of transformation, such as this, the protagonist grows, and the community grows in response. How they will grow and what the kingdom will look like when the chaos comes to an end is yet to be determined. This is an excellent example of a Virgin story that emphasizes the community’s need for transformation. The beats of a Virgin story are repeatedly hit, in continuously unexpected ways and sequence, reminiscent of Rachel and Monica’s lesson to Chandler on how to please a woman.

Fear and love are the backbone of storytelling. Fear interests me. It’s not the same as being afraid. Bravery, after all, is feeling fear and taking action anyway. The hero story is our roadmap for existing, and surviving, in a fear-based world.

A Virgin story is the journey inwards to know yourself and be yourself. Here are 8 variations of the Virgin story with examples.

What comes to mind when you think of self care? I’m sitting six inches from three slices of bacon and right now, that feels like self care. Or wrapping myself in a wool blanket and watching my favourite Christmas movie in the middle of this snowy day. I loved to do this as a kid.

Duncan is just trying to be himself. You couldn’t have missed the Secret World in this story - a rundown water park in a beach town. I loved the metaphor of finding a place nobody wants to go to when there is all the glitz of the beach.