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Cinematic Doctrine

Melvin Benson

Welcome to Cinematic Doctrine, a non-spoiler Christian Movie Podcast where we sit at the table of Cinema and eat. Sometimes we dine on popular cuisine, other times we savor a cult classic!

  • 1 hour 17 minutes
    Hot Frosty - The Hottest Movie of 2024!

    PARTY PLEASER:

    Shirleon, Kathryn, and Melvin summarize Winter-2024's most discussed film... Hot Frosty! Excited for some seasonal silliness? They've got you covered, along with some fun commentary as well! Tune in now!

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 25-minutes of Kathryn and Shirleon figuring out which review-blurb from RottenTomatoes goes to which poorly rated Sony Spider-Man(less) Universe film; Morbius, Madame Web, or Kraven the Hunter! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Hot Frosty is clearly evoking some Hallmark motifs – Lacey Chabert notwithstanding – so how does it compare to the standard visual profile of a Hallmark feature?
    • Craig Robinson can be fun, but his police-officer character was more irritating than enjoyable, save for one or two jokes.
    • Hot Frosty gender-swaps the “Born Beautiful Yesterday” trope that so many films have explored (and is closely related to the “Fish Out of Water” trope). How does the gang feel about this?
    • Can a man be kind without the magic of Christmas?

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    18 December 2024, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 30 minutes
    The Unknown – w/ At Home with the Lectionary on Perpetual Actors

    MOVIE DISCUSSION:

    Marissa & Aaron Burt: At Home with the Lectionary Podcast / Marissa Burt Instagram & Substack

    Marissa Burt & Kelsey McGinnis upcoming book: The Myth of Good Christian Parenting: How False Promises Betrayed a Generation of Evangelical Families

    Marissa & Aaron Burt of the At Home with the Lectionary Podcast join Melvin to discuss The Unknown, a silent-era flick from classic horror director Todd Browning! This film has got it all: profound characters, incredible drama, twists and surprises, and so much more! Tune in now!

    Topics:

    • (FREE PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes discussing how Christian celebrity may differ from secular celebrity, the use-cases for Christian celebrity both for the individual and the masses, and the responsibility thrust upon celebrities in general. (FREE PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Marissa & Aaron Burt share about their podcast At Home with the Lectionary, where their inspiration came from, and then Marissa shares about her past fiction books and upcoming nonfiction book.
    • Don’t be fooled by The Unknown being a silent film: this film is disturbingly dense! 
    • So… why is it titled The Unknown?
    • Todd Browning cleverly utilizes everything at his disposal to tell a complex, layered story about possession, power, and gender.
    • The whole gang agrees: these characters are deeply resonant.
    • Talking about arms, because we literally must!
    • Ranting and raving about the brilliant twists and turns this story unveils.
    • Discussing and interpreting the ending statement.

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    4 December 2024, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Signs - A Contrived Deus Ex Machina

    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 another early M. Night Shyamalan success, Signs! Many consider this another knock-outta-the-park, while others look back and say, “It’s all downhill from here.”. Regardless, there’s plenty to discuss from this semi-spiritual alien-invasion flick.

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 24-minutes discussing how 20% of Americans regularly get their news from influencers rather than old-media institutions, as per the Pew Research Center. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Shirleon liked the movie, and felt it was easily digested. Melvin, however, felt it was the beginning of the end.
    • Mel Gibson left a lot to be desired even if a few of his scenes were decent.
    • Melvin see's what people love about Signs but feels it's flip-flops between Shyamalan at his best and Shyamalan at his absolute worst.
    • Discussing the usage of doors, doorways, framing, and staging.
    • How a PG-13 rating may have made Signs hugely accessible to filmgoers and families, and how that may have helped make the "Brazilian Birthday Scene" so frightening (...even when it's not that scary).
    • How the ending feels both rushed and sluggish.

    Recommendations:

    • Vampire Survivors (2022) (Video Game)
    • Arcane (2021) (TV-Series)
    • The Fog (1980) (Movie)

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    27 November 2024, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 46 minutes
    Joker: Folie à Deux - w/ Movies & Us on How it Might be Good?

    MOVIE DISCUSSION:

    Movies & Us: Podcast, Instagram, Threads

    TV & Us: Podcast, Instagram, Threads

    Jen & Sarah from the Movies & Us podcast join Melvin to discuss a surprise financial and critical flop of 2024, Joker: Folie à Deux! Is it really as bad as everyone says? At the very least there's a LOT to talk about, and everyone takes turns diving deep into Todd Phillips' follow-up to his billion-dollar success!

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30 minutes discussing 2 favorites from 2024 and 1 favorite first-time watch for 2024, why they’re favorites, and a few honorable mentions at the end. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Recap: What do Jen, Sarah, and Melvin think of Joker (2019)?
    • Sarah on Joker: Folie a Deux, “…anytime [Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn] was at the center, I’m like “Okay! I’m happy!”.”.
    • Jen feels the first film is ostensibly a better made product, but found this sequel was far more thought-provoking.
    • Melvin outright liked the movie, saying that he could understand why people didn’t like the movie but had extreme difficulty seeing the film as “bad” or even “mid”.
    • All three agree: Joker: Folie a Deux is prime for becoming a future cult classic.
    • Discussing music, the usage of Arthur Fleck’s color scheme, embracing artistic flare at the expense of logic, and “build a mountain”.
    • Turning trials of justice into entertainment.
    • Does Arthur deserve to die?
    • Talking Gary Puddles.
    • Talking Lady Gaga’s “Lee Quinzel”.
    • Discussing that controversial ending that left a lot of fans sour.
    • Melvin, “It’s sad to see [Arthur] go.”

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    20 November 2024, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    The Assistant - w/ Sheila Gregoire on Toxic Workplaces and How They (Don't) Manage

    MOVIE DISCUSSION:

    Sheila Gregoire: Bare Marriage Podcast / Bare Marriage Blog / Author Page

    Sheila Gregoire of the Bare Marriage podcast joins Melvin to discuss The Assistant, a hidden gem of pure psychological drama! It's depiction of modern office work in the film industry is understated, dour, and timely, as it tackles a combination of workplace inequality, systematic issues, and the thin line between the complacent and the complicit.

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 21-minutes discussing a report finding that bait, controversy, and enragement posting bolstered lucrative engagement on Threads (similar to other social media), and how this negatively impacts the platform, but also demands we utilize them in a healthier way. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • The Assistant is a bleak depiction of not only workplace abuse but also of human relationships.
    • Although uneventful, the film has perpetual unease and eeriness.
    • Sheila observed how the film depicts food, and the two discuss its non-nutritious showcase of a biological workplace distraction.
    • Medication plays a significant role in the setting of the film, making overt allusions to the film’s boss as a caricature of Harvey Weinstein.
    • Exploitation, abuse, and unethical practices in a company are ultimately anti-capitalist, even if the line is going up and to the right.
    • Pondering if abusive hierarchical structures are more common and dangerous in the church than in the workplace.
    • Sheila, “Often we feel like when we are in these situations that we are powerless… but quite often we do.”
    • Is Jane complicit?

    Recommendations:


    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    13 November 2024, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Ready Player One - w/ Geek Freaks on Nostalgia Overwhelming

    MOVIE DISCUSSION:   

    Geek Freaks: Podcast / Instagram / YouTube / Website

    Frank from the Geek Freaks Podcast Network joins Melvin to discuss a nostalgic hit from 2018, Ready Player One! From it's barrage of "Do-You-Remember-That?" to it's mix of live-action and CG storytelling, Spielberg takes us on a futuristic, rebellious journey through the Oasis!

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 1-hour discussing all 34 MCU films ranked least-to-greatest as per the Rotten Tomatoes score rankings, sharing momentary thoughts and reflections on each entry since the beginning! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Frank shares about his passion for podcasting, whether his own show or supporting others with theirs, and two “bucketlist” shows he’d love to make if time and money allowed.
    • Regarding the book… both Frank & Melvin couldn’t finish it. In fact, they had barely started it before putting it down.
    • The start of the film is an utterly bombastic, visually cluttered, overwhelming action set-piece that did not start Melvin off on the right foot. After about 20 minutes, things got better.
    • Frank on the film’s heavy-handed commentary, “It’s like if Michael Bay were to make a Black Mirror.”
    • Melvin wonders how a film predicated on nostalgia becomes its own marketable brand.
    • Talking favorite Easter Egg challenges.
    • Frank & Melvin agree: the Halliday B-Plot is the best.
    • Frank & Melvin also agree: The Curator is super cool.
    • Frank on the ending, "I would have appreciated if they just, like, had a stance and went for it.".

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    6 November 2024, 9:00 am
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    Shadowlands - Desire, Suffering, Love

    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 this month's Patreon Supporter selected film, Shadowlands! Based upon the later life of C.S. Lewis, specifically his growing romance with his wife Joy Gresham, and evoking much of his literature, the two discuss this much-celebrated early 90's feature that garnered an Oscar nomination for actor Debra Winger!

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 20-minutes discussing a new wave of Filmmakers utilizing YouTube to attract the attention of Hollywood studios and fans around the world, either by showcasing their skillset, producing short films, or releasing high-quality feature-length flicks like Milk & Serial! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Kathryn cried. A lot. Melvin wished he was more emotional, only finding the film "decent".
    • Thinking about the film in comparison to Christian-Marketed films like God's Not Dead or War Room, and how it passes what Melvin calls the "Christian Bechdel Test".
    • Kathryn, "I think that [Shadowlands] is very clear on what it is saying about the transition from childhood to adulthood... [and] the requirement of love to have vulnerability..."
    • Melvin celebrates how the film doesn't have any "member-berries", something that plagues most modern nostalgic or referential media.
    • Discussing a few icons and symbols within the film, including, of course, the wardrobe.
    • The perfection of desire, and the fear of experiencing disappointment or shame.
    • How the film displays what Melvin calls "Three Stages of Men".
    • Pondering the lines "Praying doesn't change God, but it changes me." & "Forgive me, Lord. Perhaps I have loved her too much.".

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    30 October 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 13 minutes
    Tower of Terror - More Theme Park Silliness

    PARTY PLEASER:

    Shirleon, Kathryn, and Melvin dive into that long-forgotten non-DCOM, Tower of Terror! If you remember programming on ABC called "The Wonderful World of Disney", then you'll remember this early Disney Parks ride-adaption! Ready to relive some memories?

    Topics: 

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes playing a horror-themed trivia wherein Melvin & Kathryn duke it out over who knows more horror trivia! Who knows, maybe you’ll score more points than they do while listening? (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 
    • Parts of the film are shot on the real Florida Tower of Terror location.
    • Tower of Terror is part of the canon 80s & 90s films wherein strange men hang out with younger counterparts, specifically teen girls… which surely makes you think…
    • For a film based on the The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride, the few special effects leave a bit to be desired.
    • The very minor romance subplot (if you can call it that) is not only cheesy, it's also lame.
    • So... if the ghosts are chill, why are they trying to scare everyone away?
    • The drama during the climax is effective, and Shirleon & Melvin stepped away enjoying it.

    Recommendations:


    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    23 October 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    Donnie Darko - w/ Liz & A Movie on Teen A(ngst)gnosticism

    MOVIE DISCUSSION:

    Liz & A Movie: Instagram / YouTube / Letterboxd

    Liz from Liz & A Movie (and Court from The B-Movie Critics Podcast!) join Melvin to discuss one of his old-school favorites: Donnie Darko! They get into the drama, the angst, and everything in between!

    Topics:

    • Melvin asks Liz & Court a few questions about their movie tastes, as well as learns about their reticence for "super boys". 
    • Donnie Darko produces a lot of deep feelings, even if a lot of the film is hard to understand.
    • Melvin's rewatch was surreal, and he shares why he thinks it impacted him so much.
    • Donnie Darko plays with a mix of genres, tones, and characters, and this narrative fragmentation builds a picture of Donnie's confused world.
    • Contrasting the loneliness of Donnie and the loneliness of Cherita. 
    • The passage of time, time travel, and change are all ideas at play within Donnie Darko.
    • A lot of Donnie Darko starts to explore dynamics of predestination.
    • Melvin recalls the explanation for the movie Richard Kelly provided with regards to all of the weird, paranormal, timey-wimey stuff that happens in the film... and it's as bonkers as you think it is (and also not that important!).

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    16 October 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 33 minutes
    The Crow (1994) - w/ Daniel Braindead on Life, Death, Love, & Hate

    MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

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

    Daniel comes out of hiding to discuss The Crow with Melvin, but not before explaining why he vanished from the podcast. The two then explore both the original comic and the 90's production of The Crow. Afterward, they ponder the weirdness of remaking such a beloved film.

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 41-minutes of Daniel pitching the Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels shows and why he now understands the deep connection Star Wars fans have with the material. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Daniel has been in Mission’s during his time away from the podcast. He shares why that's not only important but also a lot easier to assist than you might realize.
    • Daniel & Melvin discuss James O'Barr's original The Crow comic book and use it as a foundation for their discussion.
    • The Crow feels inextricably personal to its creator.
    • Daniel explains how the film represents one of the more faithful hero adaptions prior to the 2000s.
    • The special effects put a lot of modern visual effects to shame.
    • Daniel, "Brandon Lee hangs heavily over this particular project... [it] imbues every scene that he's in with this kind of, just, interesting eeriness."
    • Discussing why it's so cool.
    • Complete confusion regarding The Crow (2024), which Daniel & Melvin both have not seen, but surely have a lot to say about it.
    • The IMDB trivia page for the remake is filled with pull-quotes from cast and crew members of the original film stating how they are against the idea, and how some had yet to see the original.

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    9 October 2024, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Spawn - w/ Systematic Geekology on Nobody's 90s Nostalgia

    PARTY PLEASER:

    Systematic Geekology: Spotify / Instagram

    Will Rose of Systematic Geekology joins Melvin to summarize Spawn, a notoriously bad superhero movie from the 90s! From John Leguizamo imitating Jim Carrey's The Mask, to shockingly bad CGI, the two get into the not-so-good, the pretty dang bad, and the stupendously ugly. It's a trip!

    Topics:

    • (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 34-minutes discussing Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU as Dr. Doom, and playing a trivia game called "Boo or False?" where, after guessing true or false, Pastor Will Rose has to utilize the trivia fact as a sermon illustration. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
    • Will Rose shares a brief history of how the Lord cultivated his enjoyment of comic books into a means for evangelism. Also, surfing!
    • As is tradition with most Party Pleaser episodes, the movie begins with a lore-dump to make sure the audience knows what's going on.
    • The filmmaking, aesthetic, and basically the whole package feels like a TV-production, not a Hollywood blockbuster.
    • Will & Melvin talk about the shockingly bad CGI, something that precedes the film in a lot of online film spaces.
    • The subtitles for the film were often adult in nature compared to the actual film, leading Melvin to believe the project was made "PG-13" during editing.
    • Will finally realizes why he can't stand John Leguizamo's Clown; he's doing his version of Jim Carrey's The Mask.
    • The final fight scene is incomprehensible. Good luck understanding what's happening.

    Recommendations:

    MAILBAG: Send questions with your first name and we'll answer them in future episodes!

    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:

    2 October 2024, 8:00 am
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