Cinematic Doctrine

Q4 Catch-Up 2025: The Finale!

Send us a Question!QUARTERLY CATCH-UP: Movies & Us: Podcast, Instagram TV & Us: Podcast, Instagram Quarterly Catch-Up is a co-production between Cinematic Doctrine & Movies & Us! While answering a few questions about watching habits, we also talk about what else we've been up to this quarter, as well as our enjoyment over completing this lil' series. We hope you had a wonderful 2025, and we look forward to what 2026 will bring!Things Mentioned:A Man on the Inside (2024-X) (Series)Hedda (2025) (Movie)Jane Austen's Period Drama (2024) (Short Film)Sorry, Baby (2025) (Movie)Train Dreams (2025) (Movie)Mr. Scorsese (2025) (Series)It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This (2023) (Movie)Occult (2009) (Movie)Good Boy (2025) (Movie)Support the showSupport 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

The Bishop's Wife - Cucked by an Angel

Send us a Question!PATREON MOVIE DISCUSSION: Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss The Bishop's Wife, an Oscar winning Christmas flick from 1947! What do they like? What do they dislike? It's got a lot of similarities to It's a Wonderful Life, but how does it compare? And what about that strange ending? Tune in to find out! Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 27-minutes discussing the current Avengers: Doomsday trailers - Steve Rodgers, Thor, and X-Men - and our current vibe regarding the MCU in the big '25 (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) Kathryn and Melvin take it easy: they list what they like followed by what they didn't like.The film is structured like a 3-episode sitcom condensed into a single, overly-long movie.Talking characters, and how the two wishes they were better.The two explore how The Bishop's Wife has many narrative and thematic similarities to It's a Wonderful Life, a bonafide perfect movie. Henry isn't convincing as the character he's supposed to be, and it left Kathryn cold.God builds his church, not man. Not Henry.Kathryn and Melvin spend time trying to figure out why the ending is the way it is.Despite their criticisms, the "Mrs. Hamilton" angle of the ending was appreciated.Recommendations:Popcorn Bucket Cookies (Recipe)Suspiria (1977) (Movie)Support the showSupport 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

Superman (2025) - Curtains for Comic Book Movies?

Send us a Question!MOVIE DISCUSSION: Shirleon joins Melvin to discuss Superman (2025), James Gunn's latest superhero feature and first of the new DC Studios flicks! The two explore what they like, what they didn't like, how there's an earnest hope in this modern, live-action iteration of Clark Kent/Superman, and if they're excited for any upcoming DC Studios projects. And, because he likes numbers, Melvin breaks down the finances for 2025's comic book movies. Topics: (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 30-minutes discussing McDonald's entirely "AI" produced Christmas-themed commercial, how it was taken down after receiving intense backlash, and the many philosophical issues regarding "art" made by AI. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)Shirleon feels pretty mid-to-good about Superman (2025).Melvin keeps it simple and starts with what he likes followed by his dislikes.There's a nostalgia that feels imbued within the style of the film.Are comic-book movies washed? Let's look at some numbers.Adjusting for inflation, Iron Man nearly cost the same to make as Superman (2025), yet the former outpaces the latter in being a "franchise starter" by a wide margin.Superman (2025) is the most profitable superhero movie of 2025, but it still didn't do crazy numbers at the box-office. Has the "superhero fatigue" officially set in?Why it's nice to watch a protagonist who is kind and hopeful.Discussing the ending and if they're interested in future DC Studios films.Recommendations: R.E.P.O. (2025) (Video Game)Rewatch a movie you love!Support the showSupport 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

Podcast Update + A Royal Christmas Mini-Game

Send us a Question!UPDATE: I'm a Store Manager for a popular retail space. For obvious reasons this time of the year is extremely busy for me. Like previous years I thought I could handle my irl work and my podcast work, but that is not the case this year. For the time being, the only guaranteed episode to release in December 2025 is the Patreon-Selected movie at the end of the month. Any other releases this month have released by the skin of their teeth.In the meantime, enjoy this bonus semi-rerelease of a lil' mini-game I played with Chris Staron of Truce Podcast. If you want to hear the full episode this mini-game is from, tune in to this episode here.Support the showSupport 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

Now You See Me - Audiences Deserve Better

Send us a Question!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 2013's insane surprise financial hit, Now You See Me! Despite being a critical flop the film was a blockbuster blowout earning nearly 5x its budget! So, who's right, the critics or the audiences? Tune in and find out! Topics:Editor's Note: No Patreon Exclusive discussion! But, I do intend to trim this episode down from its original 1:08:02 length, so if you want to hear the UNCUT version, tune in on Patreon here!Shirleon says she'd rather rewatch Death Note (2017) than ever watch Now You See Me again.Melvin, "I just thought the movie was bad."Every character basically sucks. If they don't suck, they're boring.Melvin has an issue with how normies and the working-poor are depicted, and he also feels it takes its audience for granted. It thinks its audience is a bunch of morons.Shirleon is overtaken by how much stuff is stuffed into this film, and the two discuss why that's a serious problem.Melvin talks about Safety Not Guaranteed, a movie that's got similar themes of belief and hope but isn't a total mess.Trying to make sense of the ending.Recommendations:What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (2023) (Novel)Smiling Friends (2020-X) (Series)Support the showSupport 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