Sacred Frames

Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, Mike Yager

5.0 (1)
TV & Film
Updated Biweekly

A Moviecast about the overlap of film and spirituality.

6d ago

Science Fiction Movie Draft

Science fiction may be our culture's most spiritual genre. In celebration of Disclosure Day, Jeff Cook, Mike Yager, and Sean Palmer hold a science fiction movie draft built around eight themes that sit at the intersection of faith, philosophy, and the future. Cosmic Christ — The messianic figure who saves, sacrifices, redeems, resurrects, or carries unmistakable Christological themes. To Infinity and Beyond — Humanity pushes beyond its limits and encounters the grandeur, mystery, wonder, or terror of creation itself. Holy Communion — A transformative encounter with the Other. First contact that leads to understanding, revelation, friendship, or reconciliation. Unholy Communion — First contact gone wrong. Possession, corruption, invasion, conquest, or destruction. Imago Dei — Stories about creators and creation. Artificial intelligence, robotics, genetic engineering, and the question of what it means to make something in our image. Apocalypse — Not merely destruction, but revelation. Worlds ending, systems collapsing, and hidden truths coming to light. Kingdom Come — Visions of utopia and the future. Societies that promise salvation, perfection, or human flourishing—and the cracks that inevitably appear. Wild Card — The category for everything too strange, beautiful, profound, or unique to fit anywhere else. Along the way, the conversation touches on films such as Arrival, The Martian, Rogue One, Interstellar, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Ex Machina, Gattaca, Minority Report, Alien, WALL-E, and many more. What do our favorite science fiction stories reveal about sacrifice, hope, free will, creation, transcendence, and what it means to be human? Join us as we draft 24 films and explore the spiritual questions hidden inside some of cinema's greatest journeys into the unknown.

1h 51m
May 29

The Sheep Detectives | The Cost of Forgetting

Is The Sheep Detective just a clever animated mystery—or something much deeper? In this episode of Sacred Frames, Jeff Cook, Movie Mike Yager, and Sean Palmer explore one of the year's most surprising films. What begins as a charming murder mystery about a flock of sheep investigating the death of their beloved shepherd unfolds into a profound meditation on grief, memory, love, community, and what it means to become fully human. Along the way, the conversation touches on theology, storytelling, the role of remembrance in spiritual formation, the dignity of the outsider, and why some of the most important truths are best told through family films.

1h 9m
May 29

Project Hail Mary | Friendship, Death and Meaning

Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, and Mike Yager return to the mic to explore Project Hail Mary—a film that surprised audiences not just with spectacle, but with heart. From cosmic survival to unexpected friendship, from science to sacrifice, this conversation moves beneath the surface. We reflect on courage, mortality, connection, and the quiet question that sits underneath it all: What makes a life meaningful? We discuss: * Friendship in unlikely places * The longing to be known—and to give your life for something that matters * The tension between fear and bravery * Faith, sacrifice, and the possibility that love gives meaning to death Along the way, we touch on theology, storytelling, Enneagram insights, and why this film resonates so deeply with audiences right now. If you’ve seen Project Hail Mary, this conversation will deepen it. If you haven’t, it might just give you a reason to go.

1h 11m
May 26

The Pitt | Addiction, Identity, and the Cost of Caring

Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, and Movie Mike Yager step outside their usual film discussions to take on HBO’s The Pitt—a rare kind of show that feels like “must-see TV” in a fragmented, algorithm-driven world. What begins as a conversation about storytelling quickly deepens into something more personal: why this show resonates, what long-form storytelling can do that movies can’t, and how The Pitt captures both the chaos and the meaning inside a hospital’s walls. Along the way, the conversation moves into weightier territory—addiction, recovery, failure, mentorship, and the cost of caring professions. The group reflects on Langdon’s journey back from public failure, Robbie’s unraveling under the weight of responsibility, and the subtle ways the show explores spiritual themes without ever preaching. This is a discussion about medicine, but also about identity, calling, and what it means to hold yourself together while everything around you falls apart.

1h 48m
Apr 2

The Big Jesus Movie Draft

This week on Sacred Frames, we’re doing something a little different—a full-on Jesus Movie Draft. In honor of Holy Week, we step into the massive world of films shaped by the life of Christ, the Church, and the long shadow of Christian imagination. From direct portrayals to subtle allegories, from sacred to satirical, we’re asking a simple question: Where does Jesus show up on screen—and who tells that story best? With Mike Yeager serving as commissioner, we go head-to-head in a snake-style draft—building our own rosters and letting you decide who wins. But more than competition, this episode is about seeing how deeply the story of Jesus has shaped cinema across genres, generations, and perspectives. Draft Categories: Movie Jesus Direct portrayals of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ “Movie Jesus” (Allegory) Christ figures, sacrificial heroes, and messianic archetypes across storytelling Comedy & Satire Films that put religion and religious culture on trial The Church Institutions, clergy, and communities—both beautiful and broken The Devil & Spiritual Warfare Stories of evil, temptation, and the battle for the human soul Biblical Cinema (BC) Old Testament and non-Jesus-centered biblical narratives The Great Commission Mission, expansion, and the global impact of Christianity Wild Card Personal picks—films where the presence of Jesus shows up in unexpected ways

1h 57m
11/13/2025

"Sinners" | The Cost of Letting Them In

Ryan Coogler made a 1930s Mississippi vampire blues epic about race, land, faith, and the hunger to own another person’s story. Sinners isn’t just a horror film; it’s a meditation on who gets to live, who gets remembered, and who gets consumed along the way. In this episode of The Sacred Frames, Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, and Movie Mike Yeager finally sit down with one of 2025’s most talked-about films. We trace the story from Clarksdale cotton fields to blood-soaked juke joints, from hoodoo altars to bleached churches. We dig into how Sinners holds together a lot at once—race and cultural theft, Black joy and pain, war trauma, code-switching, sex, faith, and the American obsession with consuming what it refuses to honor. If you enjoyed this episode: 👉 Leave a rating & review so more folks can find the show 👉 Tell us your read on Sinners in the comments—what stuck with you most? 👉 Share this with the film nerd, theology friend, or horror fan in your life #Sinners #RyanCoogler #SacredFrames #FilmPodcast #FaithAndFilm #MovieDiscussion

1h 23m
10/08/2025

"One Battle After Another" | Art, Power, and Who Pays the Price

Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, and Movie Mike Yager dive into Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest—part revolution thriller, part political satire, part mirror held to 2025 America. We wrestle with the film’s big swings: the “Christmas Adventurers” as villains, whether satire trivializes white supremacy, how Black women’s bodies and sacrifices are depicted, the generational handoff at the end, and the perennial “Does art owe us a way forward—or just a clear-eyed look at now?” Along the way: DiCaprio vs. Penn, the robe discourse (!), why Sensei Sergio quietly steals the movie, and a spicy sidebar on who gets to make “unprofitable” art in Hollywood. Listen order tip: If you haven’t seen the film, pause after the intro and circle back—this one works best post-screening. Chapter Marks (HH:MM) 00:00 Cold open & mea/wea-culpa 02:05 Spoiler warning & quick plot frame 06:40 First takes: form vs. meaning 13:10 The “Christmas Adventurers” problem (satire or trivialization?) 22:45 Power, sex, and Lockjaw 32:00 Pería, Willa, and the generational handoff 42:10 Sensei Sergio & small-scale courage 50:05 “Art owes us what?” (mirror vs. map) 58:20 Industry/box-office inequities 1:05:10 Closing thoughts + streaming recs Streaming Recs from the episode Adolescence (Netflix) — one-shot storytelling that stings The Death of Stalin (Hulu) — political satire with teeth Punch-Drunk Love (Criterion) & Phantom Thread (Netflix) — PTA context pair Point Break (original) — Friday-night fun Alien: Earth — Episode 5 for a self-contained banger Schindler’s List — rewatch notes for our present New York (Rick Burns doc) — race, power, and a city’s soul Dexter: Resurrection — “top-tier Dexter” comfort chaos Join the conversation What did One Battle After Another get right—or miss entirely? Drop your take (and your favorite scene) in the comments. We’ll read a few on the next episode. 👍 If this helped you process the film, like, subscribe, and share with a movie friend. 🔔 New episodes of Sacred Frames land weekly.

1h 14m
09/15/2025

"The Long Walk" | Dystopia, Spectacle & Mortality

Stephen King’s The Long Walk hits the screen, and we dig into what it says about power, violence, and how we walk with each other toward the end we all face. We compare King’s novel to the film (3 mph vs. 4 mph, book’s crowds vs. film’s bleak roadsides), weigh the “prophetic horror” label, and ask whether this story critiques dehumanization—or risks feeding it. We track Ray Garrity and Pete’s bond, the Major’s face of authority, and the finale’s turn from vengeance to mercy. Along the way we name the pull of spectacle over dignity, the economy-over-people creed, and why friendship may be the only way to keep our humanity on the road. We cover * Book-to-film shifts and what they change * Dystopian rules, “choice” vs. coercion, and the lottery * Spectacle, reality TV, and the cost to the young * NFL/OnlyFans analogies: risk, poverty, and “tickets out” * Spiritual read: perverted pilgrimage, memento mori, mercy over revenge * Violence on screen: numbness, outrage, and discernment Plus * Where it ranks among King adaptations * A nod to 28 Years Later and why “forsaken worlds” keep calling us back * Content note: frank talk about violence and death.

1h 24m
08/29/2025

"Jaws" | Outsiders and Salvation

Fifty years ago, Jaws forever changed the way we experience movies. In this episode, Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, and Mike Yeager revisit Spielberg’s classic on its 50th anniversary and explore why it remains one of the greatest films ever made. From the birth of the summer blockbuster to John Williams’ iconic score, from themes of community crisis and outsiders to the haunting parallels with modern events like COVID, the conversation dives deep into what makes Jaws timeless. Along the way, we unpack representation, class, paranoia in 1970s cinema, and the unseen fears that still shape our culture today. Join us as we ask: What does Jaws reveal about who we are—and how we respond when the waters get dangerous?

1h 14m
08/15/2025

"Weapons" | A Discussion

In this episode, we dive into Weapons, the recent film from director Zach Cregger, unpacking its spiritual themes and the cultural conversations it sparks. From its layered storytelling to the moral questions at its core, we explore how the film challenges and engages its audience. This full discussion is available now on YouTube.

1h 13m
08/01/2025

"The Fantastic Four" (2025) | Review

In this episode of Sacred Frames, Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, and Mike Yager dive deep into Marvel’s new Fantastic Four—a film loaded with potential but plagued by missed opportunities. We explore the movie’s central moral question: Would you sacrifice one life—your own child—to save the world? Along the way, we compare this film to The Incredibles, unpack the themes of motherhood, cosmic hunger, and accountability, and ask what’s next for the MCU as it heads toward Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Plus, a hilarious game of “Dr. Doom or God?” you won’t want to miss. Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction 2:15 – First Impressions: Why The Incredibles Sets a Higher Bar 6:50 – Would You Sacrifice a Baby for Humanity? 13:10 – Galactus, Cosmic Hunger, and Enslavement 18:25 – The Missed Opportunity of Motherhood in the MCU 25:40 – Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards: Miscast? 32:00 – Why Fantastic Four Feels Like a Movie Made by Committee 40:15 – Dr. Doom or God? (Game Segment) 46:00 – What the MCU Needs to Fix Before Avengers: Doomsday #fantasticfour #fantasticfourmovie #fantasticfour2025 #fantasticfourfirststeps

56 min
07/19/2025

"Superman" (2025) | Review

A discussion of James Gunn's Superman, what it asks about us, and what it says about God. #Superman #God #Spirituality #Movies #moviereview

1h 6m

12 Episodes

A Moviecast about the overlap of film and spirituality.

Creator

Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, Mike Yager
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

12
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Copyright 2026 Jeff Cook, Sean Palmer, Mike Yager
Show Website

Sacred Frames