{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Echoes Podcast","title":"The Stories That Form Us","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/545feb6c\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2645,"description":"Movies don’t just entertain us—they train our imaginations. In this episode, New York Times film critic Alissa Wilkinson helps us think about Hollywood, media, AI, and the stories shaping our shared reality. It’s a thoughtful conversation about truth, criticism, and how to choose better narratives in a fractured age.In this episodeHollywood is an American “dream machine”Movies shape both personal identity and national self-understandingWhat happens when shared cultural stories fragmentThe bright side of film: friendship, representation, and moral imaginationJoan Didion on truth, spin, nostalgia, and storytellingWhy criticism matters and how it can model civil disagreementHow advertising, lifestyle branding, and media shape our picture of the good lifeWhy AI-generated video poses a serious challenge to truthPractical habits for becoming a more discerning viewerAlyssa’s thoughts on the 2026 Oscar nominees and a few films worth seeking outBooks mentionedWe Tell Ourselves Stories by Alissa WilkinsonSalty by Alissa WilkinsonHow to Survive the Apocalypse by Alissa Wilkinson and Doug JoustraAn Experiment in Criticism by C. S. LewisFilms mentionedThe Truman Show (1998)The General (1926)Ratatouille (2007)E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)Sinners (2025)The Testament of Ann Lee (2025)Train Dreams (2025)Hidden Figures (2016)The Lord of the Rings (2001 - 2003)My Girl (1991)Tron (1982)","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/6Eotx3BgFj8dDshzTJrinC8ofahO8kcvqmuHPfEVOF8/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9hYTRj/Nzk1YjQ2YjkwZDYy/MDhiYzJjNGFlZTQy/NjU0Zi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}