Think Christian: A Faith and Pop Culture Podcast · Think Christian

Coco and Movies For All Souls Day

·27 min·5 clips

Josh Larson opens with faith and pop culture. He starts from the idea that there is no such thing as secular, then names Christmas, Easter, Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day, and All Souls Day as part of the church calendar. All Souls Day becomes the focus. He notes that it is traditionally November 2 each year and brings in Abbey Olchesi and Claude Acho to talk about the day and Pixar's Coco. Abbey Olchesi joins because she has recently published her book, Films for All Seasons. The book moves through the church calendar by highlighting movies that fit each season. Claude Acho joins as well. Abbey says Coco was one of the early picks for the chapter and that she was interested in several other films too. The Day of the Dead connection is one reason she wanted it there. That link gives her a way to engage another community within the church and another holiday that matters to a portion of the world's population. She also points to its direct tie to liturgy. Abbey says the distinction between All Saints Day and All Souls Day matters to her because both days are lovely for different reasons. The chapter format helps her write about the same themes three different times. Josh then turns to Claude and asks what he saw in Coco. Claude says films and other art from a different cultural context can teach Christians a great deal, and he treats that difference as a way of illuminating particular themes theologically. For him, Coco centers on connection to those who have passed away. By the end, All Souls Day feels like a meaningful way to think through Coco.

As heard by us

Coco and All Souls Day anchor a faith-and-film conversation shaped by liturgy, remembrance, and Abbey Olchesi's book.

Josh Larson frames All Souls Day around Abbey Olchesi's recently published Films for All Seasons and a discussion of Pixar's Coco with Abbey and Claude Acho.

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If you want Coco framed by All Souls Day, this is your lane today.

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