Rephonic
Artwork for Cinematic Doctrine: A Movie Review Podcast Hosted by Christians

Cinematic Doctrine: A Movie Review Podcast Hosted by Christians

CINDOC
Family Dynamics
Horror Films
Magic
I Saw the TV Glow
Event Horizon
Death Note
Chef
Hot Frosty
Now You See Me
Smart House
Anime
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
When Evil Lurks
The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Toxic Masculinity
Artificial Intelligence
War Of the Worlds
Signs
Nostalgia
The Assistant

Cinematic Doctrine is a mature, millennial-infused film/tv discussion podcast from Melvin Benson that features Movie Discussions (conversational episodes about specific movies), Party Pleasers (movies fully-summarized from start to finish to discern if its a 'Party Pleaser' or 'Party Pooper'), and Let's Talks (prepared film-or-Christian related topical episodes). Influenced by Acts 17 and Romans 2... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes349Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ChristianityFilm ReviewsReligion & SpiritualityTV & Film

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Cinematic Doctrine: A Movie Review Podcast Hosted by Christians

Latest Episodes

Send us a Question!

MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss Zach Cregger's new adaptation of a popular horror franchise, Resident Evil! How does it compare to his previous, original films Barbarian and Weapons? How much does the film dra... more

Send us a Question!

PARTY PLEASER:

Kathryn joins Melvin to summarize what might be 2026's punching-bag movie, The Runner, featuring Gal Gadot! The two endure against the film's confounding plot, poorly edited "action" sequences, and the continued s... more

YouTube

Send us a Question!

MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss a little-seen existential horror, It Ends, a film about a car that drives on and on... and on. From its curious hook to its Gen Z attitude, the two explore what works, what does... more

YouTube

Send us a Question!

MOVIE DISCUSSION: 

Shirleon joins Melvin to discuss an offbeat in-world horror comedy called Buffet Infinity! The two discuss the ease of watching a film told by commercials, the mysterious sinkhole, what's actually happening to... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Grant Gow
Assistant Programmer for Hiway Theater; lead programmer of Cult Cinema Club
Hiway Theater
Episode: Grant Gow on "What's Theater Programming?" at the Hiway Theater
Matt Hanna
Co-host of Horror Hour with the Hannas
Horror Hour with the Hannas
Episode: The Fly (1986) - w/ Horror Hour with the Hannas on Fragile Bodies, Men, and Stomachs
Chris Staron
From Truce Podcast
Truce Podcast
Episode: Podcast Update + A Royal Christmas Mini-Game
Marissa Burt
Co-author of "The Myth of Good Christian Parenting"
Episode: Kelsey, Marissa, and (Not So) Shiny Happy People (S1-2)
Kelsey Kramer McGinnis
Co-author of "The Myth of Good Christian Parenting"
Episode: Kelsey, Marissa, and (Not So) Shiny Happy People (S1-2)
Jessica LM Jenkins
Podcaster and educator focusing on historical context of women in the Bible
We Who Thirst
Episode: The Incredibles - w/ Jessica LM Jenkins on Pixar's "The Fantastic Four"
Will Rose
Co-host of Systematic Geekology and lifelong surfer
Systematic Geekology
Episode: North Shore - w/ Systematic Geekology on Surfin' 101
Aaron Burt
Co-host of the At Home with the Lectionary podcast and an Anglican priest
At Home with the Lectionary
Episode: The Unknown – w/ At Home with the Lectionary on Perpetual Actors
Sheila Gregoire
Author of several books and host of the Bare Marriage Podcast
Bare Marriage Podcast
Episode: The Assistant - w/ Sheila Gregoire on Toxic Workplaces and How They (Don't) Manage

Hosts

Melvin Benson
Host of Cinematic Doctrine; leads discussions with strong Christian framing and film critique.
Kathryn
Co-host who joins discussions and contributes genre and thematic analysis.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 75 ratings
  • Such a fun show!

    Hands down some of the best horror movie reviews out there! Especially loved the episode on Welcome to Derry 👀. This show can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of faith, and it’s really awesome to hear such BASED takes 💪🤧

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tessarn12
    United States5 months ago
  • Narcissistic, Nihilistic Joke of a Podcast

    Revising the review a bit - to summarize: Melvin is still narcissistic, cynical, nihilistic, ungrateful, envious and worst of all, promotes physical violence towards those he disagrees with.

    This podcast is leftist Tik Tok brain rot drivel - it is not serious film criticism for Christians. (See Deepfocuslense on YouTube for a similar, emotional review/response to film that Melvin used to have. Her channel is secular, but if you’re Christian and want serious discussion, see Criteria - a Catholic... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Reckoning 2.0
    United States6 months ago
  • Excellent show!

    Love the show and the balance of film critique and irl life!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Taff 79
    United States7 months ago
  • Pathetic, Nihilistic Joke of Podcast

    Melvin is nasally, cynical, bitter, and begs - LITERALLY BEGS for Patreon subscribers with ad interruptions in his discussions - CONSTANTLY. Episodes are either a description of the plot of a movie or a tangential diatribe of Melvin virtue signaling with whatever way his Tik Tok algorithm deems he think. He has no original thoughts or ideas. He regurgitates Marxist ideology like a barking seal.

    Seriously - listen to the joint Quarterly catchups he does with the “Movies & Us” podcast - the disp... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    The_Reckoning
    United States8 months ago
  • Inauthentic, Cynical, and Judgemental

    I have been listening to Melvin’s Cinematic Doctrine podcast for many years now and I am sad to say the “mature, millennial-infused” discussions are far from the “Acts 17 and Romans 2:4” inspired ideas that he may have started with.

    First, Melvin’s lack of sincerity is apparent - he makes numerous mistakes that lend to his lack of credibility as a film critic. He’s made claims that “horror is uniquely an American film genre - we export horror like we do capitalism.” This take was made simply t... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Lover of Film 00
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful Christian film talk with balanced critique and depth.
Some listeners perceive strong political and theological tone; the host's candor stands out.
Guests bring strong industry and genre knowledge, enriching conversations.

Top Christianity Podcasts

The Bible Recap
The Bible RecapTara-Leigh Cobble
2819 Church
2819 Church2819 Church
Street Preachers
Street PreachersPhillip Anthony Mitchell & Tim Timberlake
followHIM
followHIMHank Smith & John Bytheway
The Briefing with Albert Mohler
The Briefing with Albert MohlerR. Albert Mohler, Jr.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Matrix - The Mind, the Body, the Leather
Q: What did the movie evoke in you?
The film evokes a sense of urgency about self-belief and the potential for individuals to enact meaningful change, even within a larger system that seems constraining. It ties personal growth to collective action and frames human agency as a powerful force against dehumanizing structures.
Pride & Prejudice (1995) - w/ Marissa Burt on Patriarchy, Feminism, Shame, & Marriage
Q: What did you think of it?
Marissa shares her deep love for the story and its characters, explaining how it resonates with themes of longing and social class.
Pride & Prejudice (1995) - w/ Marissa Burt on Patriarchy, Feminism, Shame, & Marriage
Q: What compelled you to work on this?
Marissa explains her personal experiences and insights into the societal impacts of parenting teachings.
Q1 Catch-Up 2025: A Fresh Start
Q: Sarah, what do you got? What have you been watching?
Sarah highlights various films and TV shows, including 'Sing Sing', 'Black Bag', and 'Heretic', emphasizing their themes and performances.
Q1 Catch-Up 2025: A Fresh Start
Q: Jen, what have you been watching?
Jen discusses movies like 'Better Days' and 'Insecure', highlighting their emotional depth and cultural significance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Cinematic Doctrine centers Christian perspectives on film and television through thoughtful, opinionated discussions. Episodes mix in-depth reviews of individual movies, topically linked takes on faith and culture, and occasional behind-the-scenes context from guests and collaborators. The show frequently blends personal memories, theological framing, and cinematic craft to evaluate how faith, art, and storytelling intersect, with a clear emphasis on meaning, morality, and craft in popular media. A standout trait is its willingness to critique both cinematic artistry and the broader Christian media ecosystem, while maintaining accessible, millennial‑friendly conversation that often features guest experts, programmers, and genre specialists.... more

Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does this podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for this podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. Pop Culture Happy Hour

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 7 years ago and published 349 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact this podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Grant Gow
2. Matt Hanna
3. Chris Staron
4. Marissa Burt
5. Kelsey Kramer McGinnis
6. Jessica LM Jenkins
7. Will Rose
8. Aaron Burt

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days