Cinematic Doctrine: A Movie Review Podcast Hosted by Christians

REBROADCAST MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Melvin & Dan can only agree on one thing: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is, in fact, a Marvel movie. To focus their attention, Melvin proposes four ambitions that he feels will make-or-break the film for audience members. (originally released November 16th, 2022)

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 44-minutes discussing Kevin Conroy's passing, Video Rental store nostalgia, and media curation (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 
• Melvin liked that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had a somewhat self-serious profile as opposed to the more flippant, light sensibilities of other Marvel fare. 
• However, Melvin has four headers - ambitions - that he observed within Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that he felt prevented him from "buying in" to the fiction of the film but may actually be beneficial qualities to certain audience members. 
• His first point covers the film's global stage for a political drama between potentially warring counties. 
• His second point covers the personal character stories within the film. 
• A brief aside from the points, Melvin and Daniel agree: the suits at the end of the movie aren't that good. 
• Melvin's third point has to do with the film's metatextual pairing of T'Challa's fictional death and Chadwick Boseman's real-life death. 
• Melvin's final point covers what he would consider inefficient pacing, such as scenes clearly setting up future movies, or scenes having only one purpose at a time rather than being dynamic in detail. 

Recommendations: 

• Galatians: An Expositional Commentary by R.C. Sproul (Book) 
• Amy (2015) (Documentary) 
• The Decade-Long Quest For Shadow of the Colossus' Last Secret (YouTube) 

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MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Ways to support missions: Open Doors International // Mission Next // Wycliffe Bible Translators // The Voice of the Martyrs

Daniel, returning from some time off the show, joins Melvin to discuss the latest anticipated MCU entry, Spider-Man: Brand New Day! The two talk about how it's the first proper "New York Spider-Man" movie in the MCU, it's third-act getting lost in the weeds, and their disinterest in Avengers: Doomsday when compared against the smaller, more intimate scale of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Topics:

• Editor's Note: No Patreon Exclusive discussion! But, I do intend to trim this episode down from its original 1:56:58 length, so if you want to hear the UNCUT version, tune in on Patreon here!
• Daniel, "[Spider-Man] is the perfect superhero for externalizing a lot of the issues that his audience deals with."
• Mel keeps things simple and shares what he likes followed by what he dislikes.
• Peter Parker's angst at the start of the movie is simple: "all my friends from high school are not my friends anymore.", and the film cleverly explores this difficult emotional experience.
• Mel wished he could have focused on Spider-Man: Brand New Day without thinking about future MCU projects.
• Disney/Marvel has shied from being "too woke" at risk of backlash, yet Spider-Man: Brand New Day feels like the first of many (from Disney/Marvel's perspective) boundary pushing projects.
• What does the future hold for Spider-Man?
• Mel, "I have tickets for [Avengers: Doomsday]. I do not actually want to see [Avengers: Doomsday] now. I want to see what's next [after Spider-Man: Brand New Day]!"
• Daniel, "I want to be excited, but..."

Recommendations:

• Get off the internet!
• Widow's Bay (2026) (Series)
• Enduring Word Study Bible: Pastoral Commentary from Every Chapter of the Bible (2025) (Resource)
• Tinsman Road (2025) (Movie)

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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! 

Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss Sunset Boulevard, a timeless, tragic, Hollywood fairytale. The two meditate on what its like to be transported back in time, the importance of resiliency, finding a place of belonging, and "the medium is the message" as it relates to photography and film. 

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes talking about the Avengers: Doomsday trailer, the roster of heroes confirmed, the ones missing, and why there's more excitement behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Kathryn, "Like seeing the source code for filmmaking."
• The opening act tone setting is really strong.
• Sunset Boulevard is grounded, but it has a touch of the fantastical.
• On belonging, resiliency, stagnation, and empowerment.
• Kathryn notices the mention, or visual use, of animals kept popping up in Sunset Boulevard.
• Talking about, as Kathryn calls it, "the car, the other car, and the nose".
• Melvin talks about how photography and film, as mediums of communication, can uniquely impact the world and people, and proposes it as a read for understanding Norma's neurosis.
• Talking about the haunting, tragic ending.

Recommendations:

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960) (Novel)
• Ed Wood (1994) (Movie)

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MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Kathryn joins Melvin for their first-time watch of The Matrix! The two get into its twists and turns, its partnering of action and philosophy, concepts like self-efficacy and self-actualization, and how "The One" is also a part of the whole.

Topics:

• Editor's Note: No Patreon Exclusive discussion! But, I do intend to trim this episode down from its original 1:20:47 length, so if you want to hear the UNCUT version, tune in on Patreon here!
• Kathryn talks about "that" moment, without spoiling it, and how it completely captured her attention.
• The Matrix joins many other films in exploring the Gen-X post-capital malaise.
• Melvin, on what he thinks the Wachowski's were thinking when creating their action set pieces, "We can't just put it on the screen. The audience needs to be there [...] to feel it."
• A movie that's over 2 hours but actually earns it? Say it ain't so!
• Melvin keeps learning that he loves stories about self-efficacy and self-actualization, and talks more about why.
• Kathryn found Morpheus, Neo, and Trinity's allegorical depiction of some biblical figures a little silly, but in a good way, so she shares some thoughts.
• The mind, the body, and the mind & body together.
• To be consumptive (willingly participating within the Matrix) and to be productive (actively seeking change without the Matrix)
• Humanity's intrinsic power.
• Even if there's "The One", they will always be part of a whole, and that collective is what helps "The One" be who they are.

Recommendations:

• The Shadow Over Innsmouth by H.P. Lovecraft (1936) (Novella)
• Evil Dead Burn (2026) (Movie)

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MOVIE DISCUSSION:

Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss Loner, an underseen in-world/found-footage, semi-horror, semi-drama film! Loner has more than its gorgeous setting to offer, from it's slow, contemplative pace to its curiously complex main character, and the two get into that and more in this episode. Tune in now! 

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 21-minutes discussing Supergirl's shockingly terrible opening box-office numbers, if the age of the Spielberg/Lucas-esque adventure blockbuster is over, and the ever-changing landscape of entertainment in 2026. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• First things first, Loner is more than the average "man lost in woods with camera" movie; the cinematography looks beautiful.
• Wishing there was more horror in this horror movie, but accepting it as the horror-lite psychological drama that it is.
• Melvin confesses that his general bitterness toward "male loneliness epidemic" characters prevented him from enjoying the film as much as he could have, and also finds it convicting.
• Kathryn observed a dichotomy between fantasy and truth, and explores how the film portrayed these things.
• Melvin, however, approaches it a little differently. He compares the film's portrayal of technology against nature, and how that's explored through manhood; or patriarchy.
• Melvin, "No person has lived well alone."
• The ending leaves Melvin a little confused. For Kathryn, the ending seems clearer, albeit still a little strange.
• Did Angus learn the right lesson at the end?

Recommendations:

• Afflicted (2013) (Movie)
• Go To Sleep (2026) (Movie)

Support the show

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• Early access to uncut episodes 
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PARTY PLEASER:

Shirleon & Kathryn join Melvin to summarize Frogman, a surprise found-footage horror feature from 2023 about the Loveland Frogman! The three discuss their familiarity with Frogman, the inherent qualities of Found-Footage narratives, and whether they're frog people or rat people!

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 33-minutes describing three cryptids, exploring their history, and deciding, "Do we believe?". (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Asking the important questions: what's Frogman, and is he a swamp-mermaid?
• Each scene cleverly employs a new framing device, helping the film keep a healthy forward momentum.
• So... what does the gang think about the film's characters?
• The interview section of the film is when Melvin thought to himself, "Oh, like, this is a competent, real found-footage film, not just some Tubi-esque feature. Nice."
• Frogman is a real cryptid, but some of the environmental stuff in Frogman isn't. Kathryn shares why that may be.
• Does the Found-Footage genre typically result in a main character's self-destruction?

Recommendations:

• Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie (2023) (Book)
• Old Gods of Appalachia (2019 - X) (Podcast)
• Hokum (2026) (Movie)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
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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! 

Shirleon joins Melvin to discuss Vertigo, a film many consider Alfred Hitchcock's greatest achievement! From it's haunting atmosphere to its incredibly performances, the two discuss love, memory, deceit, and whether Vertigo would cause an iPad kid's head to explode! 

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 32-minutes discussing some do's and don'ts when it comes to purchasing physical media. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Shirl enjoys a psychological thriller, but something about Vertigo wasn't hittin' right for her.
• For Melvin, he finished the film and went, "That's the best f***ing movie I've seen."
• Vertigo is spectacular, but it has little spectacle, opting for a patient, intimate, self-controlled mystery.
• There's so much going on in the film, and so much that it's thematically covering, that Melvin wonders if it'd make an iPad kid's head explode.
• Why the title "Vertigo", and what does it mean?
• Meditations on the past, desires, and deceit.
• The ending is a multilayered gift of misery that keeps on giving.
• Is the ending too coincidental?

Recommendations:

• How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold (2025) (Novel)
• Squirreleon (Twitch)
• Buy. Physical. Media. And learn to be selective.

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LET'S TALK:

Grant Gow: Instagram // Letterboxd // Cult Cinema Club

Grant Gow, Assistant Programmer for Renew Theaters, joins Melvin to discuss what goes into Theater Programming. With the financial failure of Mandalorian & Grogu amidst success for both Obsession and Backrooms, Melvin's been curious about the theater-side of this whole ordeal, and asks Grant, "So, what's Theater Programming anyway?". From new-and-current run films to special screenings, Theater Programming is a nuanced curation process with legal hurdles and audience influence, and Grant shares some insight into how this whole "running a theater" thing works! Tune in now!

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MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Dreadful Digest: Podcast // Instagram // YouTube

Tessa Nelson from Dreadful Digest joins Kathryn & Melvin to discuss one of 2026's most surprising successes, Obsession! Is the film really as scary as many say it is? What about Bear: is he a "nice guy"? And who's the actual villain of the film? There's so much to explore, so tune in now! 

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 31-minutes discussing what might be attributing to the exorbitant success of horror movies, most notably with Obsession & Backrooms, over the last few years. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Tessa catches the gang up with what Dreadful Digest is up to during their lil' hiatus, what to look forward to, and a "bucket list" episode they want to do.
• Some background about Curry Barker & Cooper Tomlinson, their YouTube work, Milk & Serial, and now Obsession.
• Tessa isn't head-over-heels for Obsession, but she has a lot of respect for it.
• Kathryn stepped away wildly impressed, considering it a great experience overall.
• On the ride home from the theater, Melvin remarked to Kathryn, "I want to buy a ticket and see it again this weekend."
• These characters are layered, and even have a level of realistic antagonism amongst one another, leaving Tessa thinking about them long after the film's ended.
• Melvin feels Curry Barker is innovating whereas a director he looks up to, Ari Aster, is wasting time. Tessa disagrees.
• Talking about Bear, as well as the friend group, and whether he is a "nice guy" or not.
• Having true Nicky appear every-so-often is a brilliant writing choice.
• What's with all the "cat" imagery in the film?
• Talking about the incredible ending.

Recommendations:

• Hereditary (2018) (Movie)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) (Movie)
• Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014) (Movie)
• Phantom Thread (2017) (Movie)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
• Vote on a movie/show we review 
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• Threads
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MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Shirleon & Kathryn join Melvin to discuss Kane Parsons' silver-screen debut for his hugely popular web-series; Backrooms! How does Parsons handle the transition from in-world storytelling to omniscient camera storytelling? The web-series doesn't really have character-driven narratives, so what do they think of Clark & Mary as the film's leads? And most importantly... is it good? Tune in and find out!

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 37-minutes discussing The Mandalorian & Grogu's shockingly awful 70% second-weekend drop-off against Obsession's generational box-office legs & Backrooms' incredible first weekend, and what this might signal for the industry (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• This is the first of Kane Parsons' "Backrooms" entries to be character-led, whereas the rest of the story has been largely ambient and abstract. How did it turn out?
• Rather than overloading the film with "lore-bloat", Backrooms cleverly adds nods to fans of the web-series through background material, visual trickery, dialogue, and much more.
• Thoughts on the characters of Clark & Mary.
• When the film ends... are they still in the Backrooms?
• The correlation between the Backrooms and people's consciousness.
• Clark's pivot in the third act feels like it jumps the shark, but the gang still thinks the ending works.
• Talking about Kane Parsons' appreciation of Valve and his impressive exploration of the deteriorating 90s aesthetic despite being born in the later 2000s.

Recommendations:

• I Found a Lost Hallway in a Dying Mall by Ben Farthing (2024) (Book)
• The real story behind the Backrooms (2025) (YouTube Video)
• People Still Live Here (2025 - X) (YouTube Series)

Support the show

Support on Patreon for Unique Perks! 

• Early access to uncut episodes 
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