Welcome to Satanists on Cinema. We are your hosts Satanist Cameron John and Reverend Campbell. Satanists on Cinema is a film review and commentary series that travels to ancient ruins, capture undead parasites and force them off on our new non-denominational christian cult as an angel, all the while ignoring painfully obvious truth that though they believe in an invisible all-powerful god and his angels, vampires are just a bridge too far to believe in. Welcome to our review of Midnight Mass.

Discussion

* Released on Netflix on September 24, 2021* Log Line: An isolated island community experiences miraculous events - and frightening omens - after the arrival of a charismatic, mysterious young priest.* Series creator Mike Flanagan described Midnight Mass as a passion project, one that was "deeply personal" and dealt intimately with Flanagan's upbringing in the Catholic Church, and his eventual sobriety and atheism.* He conceived the idea first as a novel, then as a film script, then as a television series that he unsuccessfully pitched to various production companies in 2014* Flanagan planted a prop book bearing the title as an Easter egg in his films Hush (2016) and Gerald's Game (2017)* The angel shares traits with alukah, a type of vampiric demon. Alukah are first mentioned in "Proverbs", same as the episode title where it first appears.* Episodes:* Book I: Genesis* Riley Flynn returns to his hometown of Crockett Island, a tiny offshore fishing village, after serving four years in prison for a drunk driving crash that killed a young woman. Having lost his faith during his incarceration, Riley struggles to reintegrate with the town's devout Catholic community, which includes his parents Annie and Ed, teenage brother Warren, childhood sweetheart Erin Greene (who has returned to Crockett Island pregnant and is now working as a schoolteacher), zealous parishioner Bev Keane, and Father Paul Hill, a newcomer who is temporarily replacing the aging Monsignor Pruitt (whose whereabouts only Father Paul seems to know). The town is reeling economically after an oil spill that crippled its fishing industry. While out at night to drink and smoke marijuana with his friends Ooker and Ali, Warren spots strange movement in a remote island area populated by feral cats, which are later mauled by an unseen entity. The following night, Riley sees the figure of Monsignor Pruitt walking along the beach amidst a raging storm, but the figure soon vanishes. The next morning, hundreds of dead cats are discovered along the beach.* Book II: Psalms* The townsfolk cannot determine a cause of death for the cats found along the beach. Bev covers the church perimeter with 1080, hoping to fend off potential predators. Father Paul learns that Leeza Scarborough, the Crockett mayor's daughter who uses a wheelchair, was paralyzed after being accidentally shot by the town drunk Joe Collie. During the island's annual Ash Wednesday "Potluck" Festival, Joe's dog suddenly dies after eating food off the ground. Joe suspects Bev, whom he personally despises, for extracting church donations from the townsfolk after convincing them to accept a settlement with the oil company that poisoned the bay's waters, knowing it would benefit the church. Erin witnesses a mysterious creature stalking through her property. Riley attends a one-on-one AA meeting with Father Paul, where he expresses his contempt for the doctrine of theodicy, owing to his guilt over the fatal car accident. During Mass that Sunday, Father Paul insists that Leeza rise from her wheelchair to accept the eucharist; to everyone's shock, Leeza stands and walks.* Book III: Proverbs* Crockett Island begins experiencing a religious revival after Leeza's sudden recovery, which the residents believe was a miracle. Leeza visits Joe, who witnesses her recovery for the first time,