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!  Melanie and Daniel join Melvin to discuss the 20th anniversary of Ben Affleck Daredevil! Is it as bad as Catwoman? Let’s find out together as we dissect the film from start to finish!TOPICS:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 51-minutes discussing the Oscar Nominations, who we think will win, standouts, and the Oscar’s as an institution (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Daredevil has a director’s cut with an additional 30+ minutes, content that does contextualize and improve a few plot details and subplots that otherwise are expedited in the theatrical cut.Although it’s dependent on what the movie needs at the time, it’s neat that this version of Daredevil is, in a way, more blind than the Marvel/Netflix Daredevil, who functionally can just “see” everything despite his condition.This version of Daredevil isn’t particularly devout in his Catholicism, and parts of the initial R-rated pitch of the film are evident in the film’s tone and violence.Both Colin Farrell’s Bullseye and Michael Clarke Duncan’s Kingpin are extreme highlights of the movie.Daredevil is noticeably truncated from a much longer cut which results in every sequence feeling like a lightly tethered series of decent scenes.Celebrating the dope early 2000’s nu-metal, Hot Topic-esque licensed soundtrack which includes Rob Zombie and Evanescence.After rewatching Daredevil, 20 years later after its release, how do we feel about this early 2000’s superhero relic?Recommendations:Born Standing Up by Steve Martin (Book)Overlord (2018) (Movie)We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021) (Movie)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Daredevil - Is It As Bad As We All Remember?

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!  Melvin and Melanie explain, beat for beat, the entirety of Where the Scary Things Are, one of 2022's most baffling and hilariously unwatchable features that nobody knows about. Amidst frustrated and confused laughter, the two bring you from opening to closing credits! Hilarity ensues! Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 18-minutes discussing Christmas seasonal stress (gift giving and decorations) and the balancing Christian traditions with Western traditions (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) The blurb for Where the Scary Things Are is about a group of students who find a monster and turn it into an influencer. Sort of. The choice to shoot Where the Scary Things Are at Field of Screams, a real horror themed park, greatly benefits the general aesthetic of the film. A teacher gives the students their project to create a local myth, and while the film showcases him as a moral third-party, the things he does as a teacher are remarkably not great. Ayla is a combination of an extremely unhinged bully who also cares a lot about her grades, which is an inherently funny combination. There comes a point early on the audience will go, "Why are these kids even friends?" because it's clear nobody likes each other. The creature design for Where the Scary Things Are is a major plus to the film, despite the creature doing nothing throughout the movie. Melanie's biggest frustration is how unclear Where the Scary Things Are is when it comes to its tone and theme. Speaking of, there's one scene that theoretically comes together in showcasing the theme of Where the Scary Things Are, but it's a scene where the performances are so poorly executed that it completely disrupts the film. It takes an hour before the first kill happens and it's limited to the small viewfinder of a handheld camera, so the spectacle of violence is mostly stale. Melvin proposes what makes a "so bad its good" movie good, and how Where the Scary Things Are fits perfectly into that category. Recommendations: The Iron Giant (1999) (Movie) Roar (1981) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Where the Scary Things Are - Delightfully Terrible in All the Right Ways

LET'S TALK:  TrucePodcast.com (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 25-minutes talking about Chris Staron's fascination with Jordan Peele's latest film Nope, why it can just be a fun movie and doesn't need to necessarily mean anything to someone, and the difference between straight horror movies and science-fiction horror movies. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)  Chris Staron of Truce Podcast joins Melvin to chat a bit of Gremlins, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, and play a Hallmark-Christmas themed quiz game! Ultimately, this episode is an excuse to continue our several-episode's long discussion on the concept of comedy and its ever-changing nature, alongside the eternal nature of slapstick! Recommendations:Family Fears: Gremlin Party! – Cinematic Doctrine (Article)Mixed Nuts (1994) (Movie)Klaus (2019) (Movie)Also, we found the movie Chris said he worked on. It's on Amazon. Stream it here!Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Chris Staron and A Royal Gremlins Christmas

MOVIE DISCUSSION: Beyondtherut.com Guest Jerry Dugan of the Beyond the Rut podcast joins Melvin to discuss James Cameron's latest flick Avatar: The Way of Water, a sequel many years in the making! Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minute interview with Jerry Dugan about his podcast, the difficult experience of podcasting, and his favorite episodes (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Jerry Dugan shares some of his affinity for James Cameron as a director, and the two discuss what it is they've come to know about his style.Giving just enough plot setup for all the 10-year questions we've had about what an Avatar sequel would be about and saving spoilers for the end of the episode.When Avatar: The Way of Water's initial trailer came out, Melvin was, admittedly, not excited in the least. Now that the movie is out, he can confidently say he loved it!One primary takeaway from Avatar: The Way of Water is how expertly directed the film is, clearly showcasing a confidence in its whimsical, simple-yet-complicated worldbuilding and storytelling.The directorial economy present in every scene of Avatar: The Way of Water far exceeds the inefficiency in virtually every scene from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which Melvin brings up because of some comparison's he's seeing due to each films visual setting. Ultimately, this makes the 192-minute runtime much more bearable.Discussing the state of CGI in the industry, things we dislike, and why Avatar: The Way of Water stands out from the rest.Opening spoilers so we can open predictions for future installments!Sequels are complicated because they need to converse with the previous film's themes, tone, and general experience. We wonder how subsequent features will innovate on all of these things, including its visual technology and connecting with the Pandora section in Disney World (which, if you didn't know, is canon to the film's story).Recommendations:Truce Podcast The Last Dragon (1985) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Avatar: The Way of Water - Jerry Dugan and Celebrating Great CGI

MOVIE DISCUSSION:  Were you able to catch Glass Onion in theaters before its holiday weekend release? Melvin and Dan did, and they're excited to share some details on what makes Glass Onion worth the wait! Don't worry, they don't get into spoilers until halfway into the discussion, and they'll make it clear when to tune out if you're wanting to go into Glass Onion blind! Topics:  (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 31-minutes discussing Melvin's Covid sickness part 2, the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and the rumors surrounding changes to the DC Universe (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) To give a non-spoiler review, Melvin and Dan celebrate the film's ensemble cast, general themes, and upbeat atmosphere. The atmosphere of "body positivity" within the film as it showcases various actors in bathing suits was a little shocking for Melvin despite the setting, and he suspected some of Cinematic Doctrine's Christian audience may want to be forewarned about some of the non-sexual body-positive imagery within the movie in terms of preserving a pure thought-life. Glass Onion is very-much a "theater movie" and a "crowd pleaser" despite being on Netflix.In contrast, a brief aside on The Gray Man, a Netflix flop, and the Kenneth Branagh "Poirot" mystery movies Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile.Getting into spoilers [27:25]Glass Onion is very much of the now, a quality that Knives Out had but not nearly to this degree.Recommendations: The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood - How Spider-Man Conquered Hollywood (Podcast)Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 (Video Game)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - A Solid Whodunnit

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!  Melvin and Stephen discuss not just one of Stephen's favorite movies but his absolute favorite movie, It's a Wonderful Life!Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 27-minutes celebrating the holiday season, from busy shopping to exciting gift giving, and everything in between (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Summarizing It's a Wonderful Life because most summaries just summarize the last 20-minutes of the movie.Melvin, "[It's a Wonderful Life is] a very good depiction of a conflicted man."It's a Wonderful Life is Stephen's favorite movie, period. When he first watched it, he felt it depicted God in a way that he yearned for in film.Melvin ponders how we transform movies into something more when we recognize they're our favorites.What Melvin enjoyed about the movie was how it depicted the unique positives to community cohesiveness, including how that social construct is developed often through one man's kindness.A brief meditation on how It's a Wonderful Life has been misrepresentative of Christianity and God, including the cultural, spiritual belief that people have specific guardian angels.Discussing what we think keeps this movie in the public conscience. Stephen thinks it's the film's benevolence. Melvin thinks it's the depiction of a conflicted everyman.It's a Wonderful Life is very grounded, and the addition of the fantastical is almost a wish-fulfillment version of very realistic wants we often have in real life.In It's a Wonderful Life there's an evil man who enjoys being evil and a conflicted man who sees it costs something to do good.Recommendations:Drag Me to Hell (2009) (Movie)You Can't Take It with You (1938) (Movie)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

It's a Wonderful Life - Enduring Against Discontentment

MOVIE DISCUSSION:  Melanie Dejesus joins Stephen and Melvin to talk about another Criterion Collection entry, In the Mood for Love. Often considered in competition for Wong Kar-Wai's best film against Chungking Express, the three discuss its themes of unfulfilled romance and intimacy, as well as meditations on time. Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 25-minutes talking about foreign movies we recommend, from kung-fu flicks to zombie horror! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Melanie immediately caught on to the film's usage of music and loved how it balanced its romance and friendship between Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan.Melvin felt the film cleverly depicted scenes as dreamy, which is amplified with the aforementioned soundtrack including multicultural music.Stephen, "I think more than anything, it's the way the movie looks, sounds, and feels that really connects with me."Our two leads are simultaneously emotionally complex and emotionally immature.Discussing the developed motif for the song "Yumeji's theme", which plays several times within In the Mood for Love.In the Mood for Love displays a very dynamic and extensive image of the allure toward a lifestyle that cannot and will not fulfill someone's lost desires.In the Mood for Love is also the kind of movie that is both extremely interpretable and also clear about its themes.A discussion on non-sexual, intimate co-ed relationships in a religious culture that often separates or discourages co-ed relationships, despite living in a post-sexual revolution world where an individual's sexuality may not be heteronormative.In the Mood for Love also has a strong through-line about time and transition, and the fleeting nature of present or potential joy.Recommendations: Quarantine (2008)[REC] (2007) with qualifiersIp Man FranchiseSupport the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

In the Mood for Love - Melanie Dejesus and Falling for a Fiction

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. Topics:(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 44-minutes discussing Kevin Conroy's passing, Video Rental store nostalgia, and media curation (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Reflecting on Black Panther's immense cultural impact and success. Reminiscing on the intended plans for King T'Challa in the MCU post-Endgame. 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) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Ambitious and/or Bloated

TV-SHOW DISCUSSION:  Marvel couldn't get through one more show without fans going nuts, and Melvin & Dan are here to parse through the mire. We get through what makes She-Hulk: Attorney at Law extremely fun and a breath of the fresh air, as well as what makes its ending both clever and dull. Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 33-minutes discussing Phase 4 Marvel, it's ups and downs, the overwhelming content-drip of borderline week-to-week Marvel content and wanting more creativity from Marvel despite knowing its still, you know, Marvel. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Daniel details the conception of She-Hulk as a Marvel comic character in the late 70s/early 80s.Daniel, "She-Hulk is, other than WandaVision, one of the only one of these [Marvel shows] to take advantage of the fact that it is a streaming show."Although anyone could have predicted the negative response to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, it was funny to see how the show, episode after episode, would almost commentate on the live-responses it was actively receiving.The CGI in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was a big worry for many, but it looks alright throughout the show. Even so, it seems people are really pining for something real with their film and television, and Marvel continues to frustrate its audience with disorienting or cartoonish CGI.Talking the official return of Daredevil!And finally, a long discussion on the confused feelings Melvin & Dan have with the final episode of the show.There aren't a lot of fourth wall breaks throughout She-Hulk: Attorney at Law so it can make the intense fourth wall break during the final episode extremely jarring.In terms of power levels, thanks to She-Hulk's fourth wall break, does this mean She-Hulk is the most powerful figure in the MCU over Kang the Conqueror and the Celestials?At the end of the day, the stuff that works really well with She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is the more grounded, legal procedural stuff than either the standard superhero or the wacko fourth wall breaking stuff, and a second season capitalizing on a week-to-week court-room drama with superheroes could be far more rewarding to watch than this first season's strange content amalgamation.Recommendations: Using justwatch.com to search where movies and shows are streaming. Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas (Book)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law - Melvin Officially Has Marvel Exhaustion

MOVIE DISCUSSION: Melvin & Dan discuss the latest entry in the troubled, frustrating, and extremely strange DC Universe. This time it features fan-and-mom favorite Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson donning a cool black suit and looking maliciously confused. Neat!  Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 35-minutes talking about Walter Hamada stepping down from the DCU, James Gunn replacing him, and the lack of cultural permanence DC has compared to Marvel, or even Horror/Slasher icons. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Daniel briefly details the 15-year journey Dwayne Johnson took to get Black Adam made, featuring himself in the titular role. Melvin & Dan agree: The first half of the film is pretty dang fun, albeit nothing new. Despite a marginally enjoyable experience, Melvin feels like it's "a movie that I'm already tired of seeing", one that has been made for the last decade and a half. Every two years the DCU has shifted and turned and changed its mind; do we really care anymore? Does it matter? Why even bother speculating? Black Adam's trailer, its opening exposition drop, and its plotline all tell a different story about Black Adam's origin, which is obviously cleared up by the film as it unfolds but makes the experience of watching the movie extremely confusing. Apparently, parts of Black Adam were "Rated R" worthy, and the current product in theaters is a trimmed edit to reach a PG-13. Melvin wonders which scenes were different. Apart from Black Adam feeling like most mid-Marvel flicks, it's also a superhero film releasing after Marvel had, like, 5-7 film and TV projects. The Superhero genre is feeling especially tired in 2022. Discussing Darren Mooney's Escapist Review of Black Adam where he felt the film was functionally worse than Morbius for various reasons. Melvin proposes that HBOmax start putting up the R-rated cuts of DC flicks since they can't seem to decide what they want with their DC films. Recommendations: Wendell & Wild (2022) (Movie) Emily the Criminal (2022) (Movie) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Black Adam - Rentable

LET'S TALK:   (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 17-minutes discussing Halloween Halloween Halloween! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) When Melvin saw Halloween Ends, he wasn't sure if he liked or disliked the movie. Mostly, it left him confused. So, he embarked on a journey: rewatching all three David Gordon Green Halloween flicks and seeing how they stand up. In doing so, his opinion on Halloween Ends has completely changed, and both he and Daniel discuss the experience of having their opinions change on movies, media, and life in general, and how the practice of mulling over and meditating on media is a helpful, often good practice. Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

David Gordon Green's Halloween Trilogy and Changing Opinions

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!  Frank Peretti's film adaption of Hangman's Curse arrived with an official youth devotional. Or, at least, Melvin's DVD copy did. In part two of their Hangman's Curse discussion, Melvin, Dan, and special guest Melanie Dejesus (from Melvin's church) spend time working through the official Hangman's Curse devotional guide questions, including what makes some of them so problematic. But, before they get into the spicey stuff, the three laugh over 20-year-old IMDB reviews.  Topics: Melvin feels the Online Christian Review complex is very "team jersey", in that they often celebrate and 5-star films that are otherwise quite bad or uninspired despite containing all they need: the "Christian" tag in the marketing field. Thus, he reads a few silly reviews that celebrate Hangman's Curse for being good actually. Melvin, Dan, and Melanie spend time talking about the positive and negative critical phrase, "It is/isn't realistic." and how that's sort of a silly criticism at times for movies, which aren't real to begin with. Unlike Dan's DVD which arrived barely intact, and Melanie's DVD which was new, Melvin's DVD of Hangman's Curse arrived with an official devotional partnered with the film specific for youth small groups for Christians and non-Christians alike. He summarized interesting parts into a few points. The devotional occasionally references scripture, which Melvin summarizes to save time. In addition to scripture, the angle of the Devotional is very "Assemblies of God", which means it focuses heavy on "words of death" and "words of life", among other nuanced AG Pentacostal ideologies. Daniel shares further insight here. Due to the film's subject matter, the official devotional talks about topics like bullying and suicide. Our discussion cautions heavily against what's included. Unlike the film, the devotional sure has a climax that leaves each member flabbergasted.Christian movies and stories created to be used as "ice breakers" for small groups often don't turn out very well, and at other times end up causing more damage in their depictions of various difficult topics. Ultimately, nothing competes with a genuine relationship cultivated to foster healthy discussion. SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE: 988Recommendations: Spy x Family (Show)The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) (Movie)Bring It On: Cheer or Die (2022) (Movie)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Hangman's Curse (Part 2) - Melanie Dejesus and the Official Hangman's Curse Devotional

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!  Frank Peretti's Hangman's Curse was the first of his books to finally reach the silver screen, and Melanie Dejesus from Melvin's church joins him and Daniel on this first of two episodes where the three work through this weird amalgamation of teen scream and early 2000's "cool" Christian media.  Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 33-minute discussion of "cool" Christian media, the mid-90s to mid-00's craze of music, clothing, and all things "cool" in the western Christian world (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Melvin proposes, since no one on the planet has seen Hangman's Curse other than Melvin' sister, that the three detail the entirety of the film from start to finish. Daniel, a self-described Frank Peretti novel-fan, details Peretti's style and talent when it comes to literature. Melvin starts describing the opening 5-minutes of the film and all three members of the show levy criticisms. Melvin also confesses that, technically speaking, Hangman's Curse is the first horror movie he remembers watching... and scaring him as a kid. The faith-based Christian theming in the film is extremely awkward and often surprising as it's almost never-expected.One can practically feel Hangman's Curse pleading to have something horrific, shocking, dramatic, or scary happen on screen, anything to bring some life to an otherwise sluggishly paced snooze-fest.As the film continued, a lightbulb went off over Daniel's head, "Wait a minute... this should have been a TV-Show!"Hangman's Curse would have been benefitted by the Hollywood "Christianity" flair of gadgets with crucifixes, weird prayers for protection, the sort of thing we're used to with the Conjuring Universe.Frank Peretti plays a full-fledged non-cameo character in Hangman's Curse, a performance that is, at the very least, memorable.Coming in at 106 minutes, Hangman's Curse truly pushes the boundaries of patience, while also including many scenes that are obvious chaff. What's nearly 2 hours could have been a 45-minute TV-Special.Passively, the Assemblies of God influence of the film is apparent through its depiction and development of the "goth" subculture within the narrative, including a few other nods and references that otherwise might be missed.SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE: 988Recommendations: Spy x Family (Show)The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) (Movie)Bring It On: Cheer or Die (2022) (Movie)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Hangman's Curse (Part 1) - Melanie Dejesus and Talking Frank Peretti's First Spooky Film Adaption

MOVIE DISCUSSION: Remember that wild Halloween Kills episode from last year? Melvin & Dan are ready to rock your world with a roaring sequel episode on Halloween Ends, a finale so bonkers it blows our minds!    Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 34-minutes talking about Werewolf by Night, the borderline TV-MA Marvel special on Disney Plus! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Melvin and Daniel talk around the movie before actually getting into specifics, because that's what Halloween Ends has done to your hosts. Spoilers from the get-go, as Melvin and Daniel realize they can't discuss the movie much without getting into specifics. Daniel clocked it; it takes 40 minutes before Michael Myers even shows up in Halloween Ends. You practically forget it's a Halloween movie by this point. Daniel, "This really feels like a strange episode, a Halloween-themed episode of Twin Peaks." In isolation, a lot of the new ideas throughout Halloween Ends are neat, but the way all of them are used and balanced here is very poor. Melvin & Daniel agree: the diner scene is when the movie starts to lose them. There's actually a lot to appreciate and enjoy about Halloween Ends, including its general mood and atmosphere. Unlike most movies, all three of these Halloween features are exceptional at capturing atmosphere and look very sleek. As movie lovers, how we enjoy movies becomes much more complicated, as even the worst movies like Halloween Ends can become more enjoyable than the most competent ones. Melvin suspects the marketing, and the fact that this is a "trilogy finale" and not just another sequel with the expectation of another sequel soon after really impacts the reception and enjoyment of Halloween Ends. Melvin & Dan suspect Halloween Ends will earn a strange reevaluation as a black sheep in the Halloween franchise, largely due to its extremely strange ideas. Discussion: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer (Book) Significant Other (2022) (Movie) Book of Deuteronomy: New International Commentary on the Old Testament by Peter C. Craigie (Book) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Halloween Ends - Bonkers

MOVIE DISCUSSION: Melvin is joined by Stephen and Shirleon again to discuss the much-awaited sequel to the Halloween cult-classic, Hocus Pocus 2! Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 37-minutes discussing the Avatar Remaster, as well as Cameron's Avatar in general. Also, a reappraisal of our interests in a sequel. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Brief introduction to Hocus Pocus 2 before realizing we want to talk about the cultural impact of the first Hocus Pocus. Melvin doesn't remember much from Hocus Pocus other than the film being congested with sexual frustration, an extremely weird trait to be had in a PG flick, but not unexpected for a Michael Eisner era Disney production. As for Hocus Pocus 2, Melvin felt the slapstick gags were very successful and the film contained a myriad of clever yet simple jokes. Mary's Roombas in Hocus Pocus 2 are the comedic antithesis to Thor's goats in Thor: Love and Thunder. Despite some successful comedy, Hocus Pocus 2's ending truly contains some ridiculous nonsense, and all three of us have individual gripes to share.For Melvin, the ending fails because it converts the Sanderson Sister's from slapstick villains into bizarre, unfun sympathetic figures. For Shirleon, the drama wasn't earned for the finale, nor did the visuals come together in a convincing manner. For Stephen, "I guess I've kind of been sandbagging here. I hated this thing from the first shot." There's a mutual irritation over the continued misrepresentation of puritanism in fiction. Hocus Pocus 2 is conscientiously releasing during a time when Wickenism and the witchy-aesthetic is culturally in full-swing. Disney has produced a lot of content lately that has perturbed the cultural christian crowd. What's a healthy response, or at least filter, to apply when watching content that isn't just alternative, but also rated PG? At the end of the day, this routine, cyclical, tired conversation is benefited by one response: pray for wisdom. Certain topics do not produce binary, eternal answers. In this case, wisdom is needed in balancing the myriad of influences that come not only in filmmaking but living in a complex multicultural environment. Recommendations:  Betrayal at The House on The Hill (Board Game)The Munsters (2022) (Movie)The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor (Book)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Hocus Pocus 2 - A Slight Slapstick Success

MOVIE DISCUSSION: Stephen and Melvin are joined by Shirleon to discuss the highly revered classic vampire film Nosferatu, a film with a 100-year legacy! Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes talking about our October/Halloween plans, from movies to habits! (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Nosferatu is a very simple movie about a vampire, a man, and his wife.This was Shirleon's second time watching Nosferatu. The first time was great. The second time... not so much.Stephen observed how Nosferatu can feel slow and boring for a modern audience, yet also feels Nosferatu is an effective film overall.Melvin had a unique experience in which he was confronted with his mortality. Why? Because everyone involved in Nosferatu, from its conception, plagiarism, and preservation is dead.Nosferatu is shot during a time when movies were "plays on film", and thus didn't contain the same freedoms and creativities we are now accustomed to movies that separate themselves from the stage.Count Orlock is grotesquely charismatic, parading the film with a transfixing nature.Discussing the hardship of film preservation and audience engagement for a film that is both pre-talkie and had a court case resulting in the destruction of all original film negatives.Back in the days of yore, black and white films could be colored by painting on the film itself, and musicians could perform original music for the film based upon their talents and interpretations. With this in mind, the concept of preserving the "original experience" of older films becomes far more complicated, as it cuts down as deep as regional and local creativity.Nosferatu seems to present a message around the overbearing presence of predator vs prey, from not only a man vs man angle (Hutter vs Orlock) but also man vs nature (the town vs the plague). Primarily, it seems Nosferatu is expressing a horror unique to nature.Despite Count Orlock's diabolical design, there is still an expressionistic depiction of sensuality throughout Nosferatu.Recommendations:Frankenstein (1931) (Movie), or any other classic Universal Monsters movie.Absentia (2011) (Movie)And I Darken by Kiersten White (Book)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Nosferatu - A Hundred Years of Frights!

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!  If you've seen The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor or Midnight Mass, you've seen director Mike Flanagan's work! However, for this episode we're traveling back to 2013 to discuss one of his earliest projects, Oculus!  Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 40-minutes talking about the complicated dynamics of modern movie watching like watching on airplanes, cell phones, the gym, or doing dishes. Also, the concept of director, producer, editor, or alternative cuts to movies. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Daniel has watched more Mike Flanagan projects than Melvin. Melvin is curious if he's noticed a style or focus of Flanagan across each project. Oculus is a fairly simple visual experience of reliving family trauma, but there isn't a whole lot else going on from start to finish. The concept of cursed objects, things or tools having an effect on life in malicious ways not intended, is extremely cool. Despite this, the mirror as a cursed object has little presence. Most every criticism Melvin and Daniel levy at the film feel sourced in young, undeveloped directing talent, which Mike Flanagan has likely improved since working on this 2013 film. Melvin has extreme criticisms for both the original score and the cinematography for the film, finding both to be wholly uninspired. Daniel, "[Oculus] moved between being kind of interesting and then being just kind of unpleasant because of the subject matter."Discussing the "unreliable narrator" aspect of the film's second and third act, which people will either love or hate about Oculus.The world of film, especially horror, uses poor mental health for its complicating incident, or to add flavor to its storyline. How do we feel about that?Recommendations:  Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily DevotionsCheck out the Shout! Factory catalog and maybe buy a Collector's Edition of your favorite movie!The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Movie)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

Oculus - Decent Despite Disappointments

MOVIE DISCUSSION:  Melvin & Dan talk about one of Mel's favorite movies, The Blackcoat's Daughter, perhaps the most painstakingly slow burning, brooding mood slashers ever made. Also, Melvin gets really honest about why he loves The Blackcoat's Daughter so much. Topics: Melvin has wanted Daniel to watch The Blackcoat's Daughter since they started the podcast. Finally, it happened. The Blackcoat's Daughter shows various aspects of alienation, loneliness, and general social dysfunction despite its small cast. Despite The Blackcoat's Daughter being set at a spiritually indistinguishable denominational school, an aesthetic choice likely chosen to add flavor to the horror, Melvin finds himself deeply connecting with the general atmosphere present within the film. The structure of The Blackcoat's Daughter is extremely subtle, with even its timeline giving small yet pivotal narrative clues. Daniel read that Ozgood Perkins wanted the film to be about loneliness, which as stated before clearly comes through the film. The Blackcoat's Daughter lends itself well to rewatching, both in shedding light on the narrative, and introducing more curiosities. When either a secular or religious person has no support system, they are prone to fill the void of community, companionship, and intimacy with risky and dangerous solutions often because those are easier or simpler to implement than an entire social structure. Melvin feels The Blackcoat's Daughter displays a convincing, gentle, yet clear perspective as to why one may be attracted to evil, and he feels the film can help bring a sense of clarity and compassion toward an otherwise contentious subject matter.There's a really strong dream-like logic to The Blackcoat's Daughter in which things don't necessarily make real-world sense but heavily improve the film's overall tone.Daniel, "Helping somebody who's [overtly] choosing something other than God; that's a tough one. Because there's something about the thing they're choosing that calls to them uniquely."Melvin, "In terms of [The Blackcoat's Daughter], a resolution to loneliness is companionship. But learning... learning to be a good friend is hard."Recommendations: Global Impact Bible: ESVFind and visit your local pop-up Spirit Halloween!Young Justice (Show) & Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Show)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

The Blackcoat's Daughter - The Horror of Spiritual Loneliness

MOVIE DISCUSSION:  Stephen McFerron, new contributor to Cinematic Doctrine (read him here!), joins Melvin again to discuss a pivotal film in the art-house canon: The Seventh Seal!  Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 50-minutes of Melvin and Stephen detailing their lifelong journey through movies, from the extremely good to the horrendously terrible, and everything in between (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Being our second Criterion-themed episode in a row, Melvin and Stephen joyfully discuss the Criterion Collection. The Seventh Seal is a movie that is intrinsically focused on and explores facets of death.The Seventh Seal's tone is very challenging as it expertly switches between extremely clever comedy and absolutely petrifying horror. Stephen, "The Seventh Seal puts a weight on death that is actually... actually makes the viewer try to grapple with the idea that they're going to die one day, too." A unique, tender tragedy to The Seventh Seal is the lament regarding the want to believe in something, although not believing in it. Melvin feels this is adjacent to the lament unique to faith, that one believes something they cannot see, but yearns earnestly to see it true. Stephen shares what it is about the end of the movie that convinced him to watch it over and over. Talking about the pseudo-communion scene between Antonius Block, Jof, Mia, Jöns, and the Girl. Is there room for frustration and doubt in the Christian life? At the time of watching The Seventh Seal and recording for this episode, Melvin was in the midst of the Book of Job, so he turns there for some insight. Recommendations: The Book of Job (Bible)Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Comedy Special)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

The Seventh Seal - A Classical Meditation on Life and Death

MOVIE DISCUSSION: Stephen McFerron, Cinematic Doctrine's newest contributor (read him here!), joins Melvin to discuss Stalker, the popular Andrei Tarkovsky science-fiction classic! Topics:Introducing Stalker is equally simple (three men travel through a zone to find a room that grants one's greatest desire) and complex (constant philosophical debate, ruminations upon the terror of desire, and the intimidating presence of The Zone).Stephen, "I think it's about evangelism and the Christian walk - to some degree."Stalker is not only literally long, coming in at 162-minutes, it also can feel long with exceedingly drawn-out sequences, but Melvin feels these moments imitate the mundane periods in our life that help us think.The Zone that our characters traverse is not only depicted like a character itself, but a deity as well.The Zone demands respect if what it has to offer is to be obtained, something one may consider is similar to God Himself.Spiritualism and Christianity were largely prohibited in Russian film and art during 1979, and yet Tarkovsky cleverly depicts Christian symbolism, strife, and meditations throughout Stalker's runtime.One of Melvin's favorite aspects of Stalker is the two brief reprieves where characters sit down and talk directly to the audience, exposing their soul through poetic raison d'être.Melvin, "Stalker really wrestles with the concept, "You may think you know what you want, but what you want may not be what you wanted.""Evangelism is often a painfully slow, seemingly fruitless process. And yet it often helps orient the evangelist to God first and foremost, despite its subject being the Godless.Getting into the final monologue of the film delivered by the Stalker's wife, which kills Melvin.Sometimes with evangelistic pursuits we neglect to focus on one of our most rewarding responsibilities: the family.God permeates not just the spectacular but also the mundane. Is that not also joyful?Melvin believes there's a severe criticism of industrialization through a particular B-theme of Stalker.It seems there's a perpetual frustration between Russian artists and the Russian government. Stalker definitely includes some of that cultural tension.Recommendations:The Criterion Channel (Streaming Service)Elden Ring (Game)Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks!   Early access to uncut episodes  Vote on a movie/show we review   Social Links:    Twitter   Website   Facebook Group

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