Cinema Verbi

Unleash the Gospel
  • 4.7 (12)
  • Film Reviews
  • Updated Monthly

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.

  1. Sep 14

    Cinema Verbi: Brand New Day

    In this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026), one of the biggest blockbusters of the year and one of the biggest franchises of all-time. They also talk about movie popcorn habits and other recent films they've seen, including Tony (2026) and The End of Oak Street (2026).

    Cinema Verbi: Brand New Day

  2. Aug 17

    An Epic Episode of Cinema Verbi

    In this episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt discuss some of the movies they've seen recently, including "Pressure" (2026), "The Death of Robin Hood" (2026), and "Toy Story 5" (2026), before turning to "The Odyssey" (2026), Christopher Nolan's telling of Homer's epic. Beyond reviewing the film, they also touch on the Greek language, the many translations of Homer's works, and some of the Greek roots for our Chrisitan faith.

    An Epic Episode of Cinema Verbi

  3. Jul 15

    Disclosure Day: Should There Be Tension Between Faith and Reason?

    In the latest episode of Cinema Verbi, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss movies they've seen recently, including Diary of a Country Priest (1951) and Masters of the Universe (2026). In this month's featured film, Disclosure Day (2026), Steven Spielberg returns to films about extraterrrestrial life and asks questions about the relationship between faith and reason.

    Disclosure Day: Should There Be Tension Between Faith and Reason?

  4. Jun 23

    Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

    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).

    Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

  5. May 13

    Project Hail Mary (Full of Grace)

    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.

    Project Hail Mary (Full of Grace)

  6. Apr 7

    Playing God in "Frankenstein"

    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.

    Playing God in "Frankenstein"

  7. Mar 10

    Sentimental Value and What Really Matters

    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.

    Sentimental Value and What Really Matters

  8. Feb 11

    Wake Up, Dead Man: How well does Hollywood portray the priesthood?

    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 and Fr. Matt catch up on the past month and briefly discuss some of the movies they've seen recently, including an animated film about King David and Jay Kelly (2025). (5:18) Fr. Matt introduces the film that's the main topic of this episode, Wake Up, Dead Man (2025), the third installment of the Knives Out series. He and Fr. Brian are particularly excited about this film because the two main characters are Catholic priests. (14:15) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt talk about how accurately the film depicts aspects of Catholicism such as the liturgy, the ministry of a priest, etc. (41:25) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian give their seeds of the Word ratings for the film and close the episode with a trivia game.

    Wake Up, Dead Man: How well does Hollywood portray the priesthood?
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Unleash the Gospel
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Unleash the Gospel
  • Show Website
    Cinema Verbi

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