09-09-2026 Movies and TV and EMSO09-09-2026 Movies and TV and EMSO
Levelheaded Talk
Dr. Andrea Vitz and Jon Leon Guerrero talk about how films and TV shape emotions, beliefs and relationship expectations through the lens of emotional sobriety. They share favourite movies and invite the audience to re-watch their own with EMSO awareness to see what those stories are really teaching.
12:42•9 Sept 2026
Movies, TV and EMSO: What Your Favourite Films Say About You
Episode Overview
- Favourite films and comfort shows can reveal your beliefs about yourself, love and struggle.
- Re-watching stories "with EMSO eyes" helps you notice emotionally unsober themes you once absorbed uncritically.
- Many romantic and holiday films model game-playing and imbalance in relationships, shaping unrealistic expectations.
- Storytellers often hook audiences by putting characters in emotional deficit, then giving them a dramatic change.
- Considering fictional characters’ imagined backstories can build compassion for real people’s behaviour and pain.
“"Re-watch with EMSO eyes. What are you consuming?"”
Experience how emotional sobriety changes the way you see your favourite films and shows. This chat on Levelheaded Talk brings together Dr. Andrea Vitz and co-host Jon Leon Guerrero for a relaxed, funny and surprisingly sharp look at movies, TV, and what they quietly teach you about feelings, relationships and yourself. Dr. Vitz shares her love of films like *Rudy* and *Top Gun: Maverick*, explaining how they carried her through tough times and why they still resonate.
She laughs about being the only girl watching the famous volleyball scene thinking, "I want to be them," not swooning over the actors. That moment links straight into her EMSO work: the underdog grit, courage and, above all, humility she saw in those characters. You’ll hear her challenge the audience to "re-watch with EMSO eyes" and ask what your go-to comfort films say about your beliefs.
Do your favourite romantic comedies or Hallmark-style Christmas movies quietly train you to expect drama, emotional games and lopsided relationships? She points out how many of those stories show women being "disrespectful, gamey" while devoted partners patiently chase them, setting up very skewed expectations. Jon joins in with his own favourite, *Snatch*, and they playfully imagine the childhood traumas behind its gangster characters.
That leads into a deeper point: no one grows up dreaming, "I can't wait to make my child feel horrible." Something happened first, and behaviour came after. Throughout, they remind you that entertainment is fun, but it’s also emotional training. EMSO is about asking, "What are you consuming?" and noticing the feelings and thoughts your favourite stories stir up.
You’re invited to look at your own film list and ask: what do these stories teach me about love, conflict and change—and do I actually agree with that?
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