Cinematic Doctrine: A Movie Review Podcast Hosted by Christians

PARTY PLEASER: 

Melanie and Melvin continue their summarization of The Hunger Games franchise following their previous party pleaser on The Hunger Games! This time, Katniss and the Hunger-Games-Gang is pulled into another Hunger Games! Who could have expected that? Melanie and Melvin are ready to pick-apart the political intrigue of Panam and question whether Katniss and Peta will ever stand a chance against President Snow! 

Topics: 

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 23-minutes discussing different ways to engage movies (phone, tv, theater) and hilarious-or-terrible movie theater experiences. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire succeeds in being a sequel that increases the scope of the world, characters, and everything in between. 
• Despite some of the improvements, parts of Catching Fire essentially re-do the material of The Hunger Games which got a little tiresome for Melvin who wanted to see some new experiences in the Hunger Games universe. 
• During the transition between outside life and the beginning of the Hunger Games the aspect ratio becomes much fuller. This likely helped engross audience members into the passive disorientation of going from clinical science-fiction décor to the outside survivalist environment.
• It's a Young-Adult trope to have the protagonist vie between two romantic partners, but in the world of the Hunger Games it always feels like it's a matter of whether or not Katniss will end up with Peta, not whether Katniss will end up with Peta or Gale.

Recommendations:

• John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) (Movie)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) (Movie)

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Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

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LET'S TALK: 

After Fantasia Fest last year there was hubbub surrounding a particularly strange horror film called Skinamarink. Considered to be aggressively nontraditional, the film terrified audiences and led to intense popularity on TikTok. Then, in January, it finally received wide-release. Melvin and his wife Kathryn caught it in theaters and they felt "aggressively nontraditional" wasn't strong enough a description: Skinamarink was borderline oppressive in its prose and horror. 

Not only is Skinamarink Melvin's #3 film of 2022 (out of 100), it inspired him to get the Cinematic Doctrine gang together to discuss Skinamarink and its very clear influences. These influences include the unique strain of horror-storytelling available on the internet. From Creepypasta to YouTube oddities to the modern folktale of the Slenderman, Melanie, Daniel, and Melvin discuss the very-young yet three-decades-long history of internet horror. From popular Creepypasta Ben Drowned to more obscure titles like Dogscape, the Slenderman mythos and Mark Z. Danielewski's format-bending novel House of Leaves, Cinematic Doctrine explores what makes internet horror storytelling unique from the rest. 

In addition to setting the groundwork, Melanie, Daniel, and Melvin discuss three internet horror themed movies without spoilers: Host, We're All Going to the World's Fair, and, of course, Skinamarink. Each film showcases a different way of exploring Internet Horror. From popcorn thrill-ride, slow-burn reflection, and outright arthouse, these films have it all! 

(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 50-minutes discussing the horrifying untrustworthiness of the Internet, the Skype-set horror movie Unfriended, and Rob Savage's sophomore movie Dashcam, and much more. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
 

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

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MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Melanie and Melvin discuss the poignantly melancholic New Zealand film, Whale Rider, one of Melanie's favorite movies! 

Topics: 

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 22-minutes of discussing specific qualities we love (and hate!) in movies with examples, and why these things work (or don't!). (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 
• Whale Rider opens on an extremely dour note, which functionally means it's a great tone-setter for a dour movie!
• Keisha Castle-Hughes is particularly stellar in a movie that's already stacked with excellent performances.
• The character of the grandfather made Whale Rider very difficult for Melvin to watch. Not out of anything personal, but just because his character is so insufferable.
• The ending of Whale Rider is conflicting, so Melvin and Melanie explain more about the movie before explaining more about their feelings.
• Regardless of cultural strain, a community often produces the same toxic attributes when it is in deterioration: lethargy, apathy, and a drunken sleaze. Cultural rejuvenation, however, can come in multiple ways.
• The two curiously ponder other movies that contain healthy depictions of non-Anglo-Saxon cultures.
• Melvin angry-rants about the poor streaming quality of Whale Rider on both Peacock and Prime (two services it was available on at the time of recording). He frustratingly ponders the state of film preservation in the age of streaming. 

Recommendations: 

• Little Giants (1994) (Movie)
• Braindead (1992) (Movie) (DVD purchase) (Justwatch)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

Social Links: 

• Threads
• Website
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• Facebook Group 

PATREON MOVIE DISCUSSION:

This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard!  

Ani-May is almost over, but there's still room for one more episode! Melanie and Melvin discuss A Silent Voice, the popular Kyoto Animation project from 2016 about an elementary school bully who seeks amends during High School. The catch? He incessantly bullied a deaf girl, and must overcome his shame before he can apologize.

Topics:

• (FREE PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 54-minutes reflecting upon Princess Mononoke, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica while also discussing the recurrent themes of Ani-May: 'Self-Destruction by Evil Desire', 'Acceptance of Reality', and 'The Maturity of Growing' complete with biblical verses and theological discussion! (FREE PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Melanie was still processing A Silent Voice  and verbalizes that something felt off, but she doesn't know what. The two explore what that may be.
• Melvin details what makes the original A Silent Voice One-Shot so great at exploring themes of bullying, shame, guilt, and the fear of reconciliation.
• Melvin then shares some thoughts on the Manga adaption, a seven-volume expansion on the original one-shot that goes in strange directions, never fully satisfying the promise of a complicated, mature teen romance.
• Melvin then discusses his thoughts on the movie which are wrapped in his thoughts on both the One-Shot and the Manga and how it may be one of the worst things he's ever seen.
• Accounting for cultural differences, Melanie, as a school teacher, was really upset with how the bullying was handled by the school staff to a fault.
• Melvin observes that Princess Mononoke, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Puella Magi Madoka Magica permit an open-ended exploration of their complicated, mature themes. A Silent Voice, however, hand-holds so aggressively it almost bruises the knuckles.
• Unlike the Manga and especially the One-Shot, the fact that Nishimiya has such little screentime is stupendously felt.

Recommendations:

• Your Name. (2016) (Anime)
• Nichijou: My Ordinary Life (2011) (Anime)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

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LET'S TALK: 

Melvin coaxes Melanie into the wonderfully tragic and poignant world of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, one of his absolute favorite - if not his favorite - fictional stories ever! From it's deeply rich characters, memorable action set-pieces, and heart-wrenching drama, Puella Magi Madoka Magica and its sequel film Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Part III: Rebellion are extensively explored in this episode of Cinematic Doctrine! During its first half, enjoy non-spoiler reflections, and during the second half, enjoy a beat-by-beat dissection of Puella Magi Madoka Magica's various revelations! And, if you haven't seen the show yet... check it out! Melvin highly recommends it! 

(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 50-minutes of additional content including Melvin discussing 7 manga spin-offs from the Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise, talking about how they connect to the original story, what makes them engaging, and which ones to avoid. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

Social Links: 

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• Website
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• Facebook Group 

LET’S TALK: 

Melanie and Melvin are joined by Kathryn, Melvin’s wife, to discuss the much celebrated psychological-mecha anime Neon Genesis Evangelion and its sequel film Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion. The first half of the episode is a comprehensive non-spoiler discussion on what makes the show and film so enjoyable, provocative, challenging, and rewarding. The second half gets into more spoiler-specific discussions regarding the final two episodes of the show, the iconography of the film, interpretations of the ending, and most importantly: who is best girl? 

(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 1 hour of Melvin talking about the Director's Cut of the last three episodes of the show, and Melanie asking Melvin and Kathryn about other Neon Genesis Evangelion material such as what makes the manga different from the show, whether or not the “Rebuild” films from 2009 to 2021 are worthwhile, and a particular cross-over experience Melvin learned about while investigating extra material. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

Social Links: 

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PARTY PLEASER:

Happy Piccolo day! Melanie and Melvin check out the long forgotten Hollywood live-action adaption of Dragonball!

Topics: 

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 41-minutes discussing what makes Anime/Manga live-action adaptions so difficult to adapt, what unique characteristics separate the mediums, and what Anime/Manga would make a good live-action adaption (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 
• What background do Melanie and Melvin have with the Dragonball franchise?
• The start of Dragonball Evolution is an info dump that immediately confounds the movie. Melvin cross examines the Dragonball Evolution canon against the actual Dragonball canon.
• Dragonball Evolution’s general sense of setting and location is all over the place, and it never permits its audience a solid footing. Is it set on Earth? Is this a fantasy continent? What time period is it?
• There is one truly great thing that has come from Dragonball Evolution and it's a goofy edit someone made for YouTube. Here it is.
• Dragonball Evolution infrequently contains somewhat intriguing setting design choices, such as Master Roshi's house, but most of the time the movie is unpleasant to look at.

Recommendations: 

• Howl's Moving Castle (2004) (Anime)
• Aiura (2013) (Anime)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

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MOVIE DISCUSSION:

Happy Ani-May! Melanie and Melvin kick things off this month by discussing Hayao Miyazaki's adult animated feature: Princess Mononoke! 

Topics: 

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 38-minutes discussing comments made about forgiveness in last week's Fireproof episode, as well as a further deep-dive into what God expects from His people regarding the concept (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Melanie and Melvin open by discussing adult nature of Princess Mononoke: political intrigue, warring factions, violence, etc.
• Princess Mononoke sports deep, nuanced characters with incongruent mutual goals. This leads each character to be simultaneously relatable and at odds with the audience, depending on how the audience interprets each figure.
• Despite all reasons for aspiration and conflict, everything dies under the weight of death. The end of Princess Mononoke explores this idea in particular.

Recommendations:

• Inferno Cop (2012) (Anime)
• The Karate Kid (2010) (Movie)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

Social Links: 

• Threads
• Website
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• Letterboxd
• Facebook Group 

PATREON PARTY PLEASER:

This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard!  

Melanie and Melvin travel back to 2008's big Christian-Marketed Movie release, Fireproof, a Kirk Cameron led Kendrick Brothers production! From occasional filmmaking flubs and functionally-okay narrative decisions, the two figure out if Fireproof is a Party Pleaser or a Party Pooper! Or, maybe something in between? Find out now!

Topics: 

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 33-minutes discussing the Christian-Marketed Movie Complex (CMMC, as coined by Melvin Benson) and positive ways in which it could be improved, rather than dogging on it as people are prone to do. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• The verdict of a Party Pleaser can be for any reason, but Melvin thought it would be interesting to think about whether Fireproof would be edifying to watch with friends or not. You know, because it's a Christian-Marketed film.
• Melanie and Melvin agree: the movie starts very poorly. It's not much of a tone-setter for the rest of the film, and they each propose alternative ways for the film to open.
• Fireproof doesn't have successful comedy, and it's drama is oddly voyeuristic which makes for a very awkward film.
• Fireproof is just shy of 2 hours. To make it more palatable, it could have easily been trimmed.
• Occasionally Fireproof has some semi-well constructed sequences. They're very much in the "almost there" category.
• The first half of Fireproof showcases the result of marital dysfunction in Caleb, and the second half labors to show that equal-yet-opposite result in Kathryn.
• Upon reflection, Fireproof seems structurally sound, but the execution leaves itself wanting.

Recommendations: 

• Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds by Jen Wilkin (Book)
• Abbott & Costello's Who's On First? (Radio Comedy Sketch)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

Social Links: 

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MOVIE DISCUSSION:

Melanie joins Melvin in discussing one of her all time favorite flicks, and the two also get into what makes The Prince of Egypt far more palatable than most Bible or Christian-marketed media. 

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 42-minutes discussing a list of movies Christian's say are commonly known by other Christians such as Nacho Libre, The Book of Eli, and many others, and why we think they may be popular in the Christian community (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• What familiarity do Melanie and Melvin have with the Book of Exodus?
• John 1:1 makes it clear by stating that God's word is God Himself, as Christ also is God and therefore also God's word. So, when we create adaptions, we add degrees and opportunities for loss in translation when God's word is already authentic and reliable. This is a deeply important reality necessary for engaging in Biblical or Christian-marketed media: it is degrees away from God's literal word.
• Moses' character, strangely, is sort of depicted as a combination between Jacob and Moses. Other historical figures such as Aaron and Miriam, Moses' brother and sister are also depicted differently from Scripture.
• Getting into what's likely most memorable for people: the music!
• Melanie riffs on the closing song "When You Believe" and how it's full of platitudes.
• The Prince of Egypt stands apart from other Biblical or Christian-marketed materials, and the two discuss why that may be.
• The Prince of Egypt is already a mature PG family flick, but Melvin feels it would have been benefitted by being a little nastier.

Recommendations:

• The Case for Christ (2017) (Movie)
• Beetlejuice (1988) (Movie)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
• One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & Pins

Social Links: 

• Threads
• Website
• Instagram
• Letterboxd
• Facebook Group