Cinema Verbi

In this episode, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt talk about the big summer movies they're looking forward to seeing (and maybe reviewing on a future episode of Cinema Verbi ?), what movies they've seen recently, and review the latest film in the Star Wars universe: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026).

On the 20th episode of Cinema Verbi , Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt look back on their favorite moments, movies, and review Project Hail Mary (2026). Our hosts appreciate that the film, while not explicitly Catholic, has many positively-portrayed Catholic elements.

In this episode of Cinema Verbi , Father Matt and Father Brian review Frankenstein (2025), directed by Guillermo del Toro. What begins as a discussion of the film's pacing and fidelity to Mary Shelley's original novel quickly turns into a deeper reflection on its rich theological and philosophical themes.

In this episode of Cinema Verbi, Father Brian and Fr. Matt review Sentimental Value (2025), a Norwegian film about family dynamics, generational trauma, and the healing of emotional wounds. They also look ahead to the Academy Awards, talking about some of the nominated films and actors.

In this episode of Cinema Verbi , Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt review Wake Up, Dead Man (2025), the latest film in the Knives Out murder mystery series. With two main characters who are Catholic priests and taking place primarily in a Catholic church, the film presents a unique opportunity for Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian to evaluate how well a major Hollywood film portrays the priesthood. (0:05) Fr. Brian an...

In this episode of Cinema Verbi, Father Matt and Father Brian reflect on the movies they watched in 2025 before diving into a discussion about Wicked (2024) and its sequel, Wicked: For Good (2025). They explore the evolution of the story from Gregory Maguire’s original novel to the Broadway musical, and finally to the big-screen adaptations. Our hosts discuss themes of friendship and debate the va...

This special live episode of Cinema Verbi was recorded at Detroit’s Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Fr. Matt, Fr. Brian, and a live audience watch the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). 0:29 – Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian introduce this episode—the very first live episode of Cinema Verbi . Recorded live at Sacred Heart Major Seminary during a fundraiser for Detroit Catholic Campus Ministry, th...

In this episode of Cinema Verbi , Fathers Brian and Matt welcome their very first special guest: Alyssa, daughter of the show’s sound producer. She’s here to help them unpack the wildly popular animated hit, K-Pop Demon Hunters . The trio discuss the film’s themes of good versus evil, identity, and truth, finding once again that even pop culture can reflect the Gospel message.  (0:29) The epi...

In this episode, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian talk about Triumph of the Heart, a 2025 film about the final days of the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest killed at Auschwitz. (0:05) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt catch up on the past few weeks. Fr. Matt talks about his recent pilgrimage to Rome for the canonizations of St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, and Fr. Matt shares about the new...

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies  is a story about inheritance, caregiving, and family obligations—but as Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discover, it also carries surprising echoes of the Gospel. Themes of love, sacrifice, and the dignity of the human person shine through the story, even when the characters themselves don’t share a Christian worldview. (0:55) Before discussing How to Make Mil...

In this episode, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt discuss the two summer superhero movies of 2025, Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps . In particular, they explore how these movies, from two of the biggest superhero franchises of all-time, try to bring new, deeper meaning to the genre. 0:25 – Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian greet each other and catch up on the time since the last episode. They share t...

In this episode, Father Matt and Father Brian discuss Thunderbolts* (2025), the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They explore the film’s central themes of trauma and the power of love to overcome conflict, drawing connections to Christian understandings of suffering. The episode also includes reflections on recent films they've watched, commentary on the direction of the Marvel...

Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss Conclave (2024), particularly whether it accurately portrays this unique aspect of the Church’s life—the election of a new pope. They also look at how the film depicts the relationship between faith and doubt. Finally, they discuss the film’s twist ending. Editor’s note: This episode was recorded before Pope Francis’ illness and death and is being released as the wor...

Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt explore the treatment of time and place in Here , a 2024 drama film depicting the events of a single spot of land over time. They discuss how this unique perspective, and the non-chronological order in which events are shown, mirrors the omniscience of God, who is similarly outside time. They also consider the passage of time in real life, and the significance of nostalgia a...

Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt explore the treatment of death and the afterlife in both Beetlejuice (1988) and its sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024). They compare the films’ lighthearted approach to death to the Christian concept of “ memento mori ,” a sober recognition of mortality and living life in preparation for death. Regarding the afterlife, while the film’s depiction of an otherworldly bureau...

Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt dive into the Pixar universe to break down themes of anxiety and sense of self in this year’s Inside Out 2 , the highest-grossing animated film of all time and sequel to the 2015 hit Inside Out . Our hosts draw parallels between the other emotions’ efforts to rein in Anxiety (the character) and the Christian understanding that anxiety (the emotion) is not from God. They also...

[Editor's note: This podcast episode was recorded over the summer, before the recent hurricanes impacting areas in the southern U.S. The Archdiocese of Detroit offers its prayers for all those impacted and invites the faithful to visit catholiccharitiesusa.org to learn about ways to help.] On this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt talk about Twisters , a standalone sequel to the 1996...

On this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt explore the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes , set 300 years after the series’ previous installment and featuring opposing clans of apes. Our hosts find parallels between the Catholic faith and the film’s portrayal of community life, interpretation of teachings found in historic texts, the hope for mercy and forgiveness, and more. Editor’s n...

On this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss what they consider one of the best films of last year, “The Holdovers.” They recognize the cast members' performances and what they appreciate about this film set in a 1970s all-male boarding school. They unpack the theme of fatherhood found in the film and how it contains some truths that can be applied to our own relationships with...

On this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt dive into the futuristic universe of Dune . They share some of their critical views on the films and unpack the commentary on religion, power, and control found in the narrative. They discuss where they find truth, goodness, and beauty in the movies and also note some important distinctions between religion found in these stories versus the l...

On this inaugural episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Brian Meldrum and Fr. Matt Hood, priests of the Archdiocese, get together to share some of the inspiration behind the podcast, why it’s called “Cinema Verbi” in the first place, and their favorite films. Both share their favorite movies, unpacking why he is drawn to each film and citing some of the “seeds of the Word” found in them.  (00:27) Fr....

Discover what’s found between the silver screen and the sacred! Each month on Cinema Verbi, Fr. Matt Hood and Fr. Brian Meldrum, priests of the Archdiocese of Detroit, discuss a popular film and unpack the truth, goodness, and beauty found within it. Listen to find the seeds of God’s Word in the movies you love.