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, the episode is divided into two parts. During the first portion, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian introduce this episode’s movie, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) then the recording pauses while the live audience watches the movie. In the second portion of the podcast, Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt share some thoughts about the movie, their Seeds of the Word ratings, and close the episode with trivia.

(2:27) Fr. Brian shares that he’s seen the movie several times and also acted in a stage production while in high school. Fr. Matt has only seen the film one other time.

(6:14) Fr. Brian provides a brief overview of the Church’s teaching regarding angels, particularly guardian angels; how the Church’s perspective on angels differs from that of popular culture; and the role angels play in the plot of It’s a Wonderful Life.

(10:52) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss another major theme of the movie, that of giving of oneself for others.

(20:30) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt return after watching the film with the live audience.

(22:16) Fr. Matt observes that he appreciates how the movie shows that suffering is never in vain, that the Lord can always use it for good.

(25:05) Fr. Brian shares his favorite line from the movie; one that’s not spoken but only seen in a sign in the bank, “All that you can take with you is that which you give away.” He also reflects on some of the character names and wonders if they were deliberately chosen to connect with the Passion story from sacred Scripture.

(26:33) Fr. Matt talks about appreciating seeing the events of the film unfold from the perspective of the angels.

(29:57) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt share their Seeds of the Word ratings and then play trivia with members of the audience.

(39:25) Fr. Brian closes the episode with prayer.

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 episode opens with excitement as hosts Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt introduce their first special guest, Alyssa. She’s the daughter of the show’s producer and has been recruited to discuss the Netflix summer smash hit, K-Pop Demon Hunters. She’s seen the movie at least ten times, which prompts our hosts to joke that she’s responsible for a significant share of the film’s 325 million global views.

(2:43) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian give an overview of K-pop, or Korean pop, a popular music genre that blends singing, dancing, and performing. Then they summarize the movie’s premise: a K-pop girl group, called Huntrix, whose members are secretly demon hunters using music to protect the world from dark forces.

(6:56) Alyssa introduces the three heroines and members of Huntrix: Rumi, Zoey, and Mira. The conversation shifts to the movie’s use of the word “demons” and what they symbolize. The priests explain that these characters aren’t really demons as understood in the Catholic faith, but rather human souls consumed by shame and lies—a reflection of the spiritual struggles we all face.

(11:46) Alyssa tells us about the film’s rival boy band, the Saja Boys, who are actually demons in disguise sent to thwart the efforts of the Huntrix group. She reveals that Rumi is actually part demon herself, something she hides from her fellow bandmates.

(16:03) The hosts unpack some of the movie’s moral themes, especially the temptation to believe lies and hide our flaws. They compare Rumi’s journey to the Christian call to reject shame and embrace truth.

(20:52) Alyssa and our hosts share their “seeds of the word” ratings for the film, based on how clearly they saw goodness, truth, and beauty reflected in the story. The episode concludes with the group highlighting some favorite moments, including a ghost tiger’s slapstick antics and the irresistibly catchy “Soda Pop” number.

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 academic year at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

(2:30) Before discussing this episode’s movie, Fr. Matt shares that he watched three movies on his flights to and from Rome: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), and Burnt (2015). Fr. Brian recently saw Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) with a group of seminarians.

(5:25) Our hosts introduce this episode’s film, Triumph of the Heart (2025), about the final few days of the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe. Fr. Matt provides a short biography of the saint and shares how that story influenced his own discernment of the priesthood. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish priest imprisoned in Auschwitz during World War II. When another prisoner escaped, the Nazis planned to execute 10 others. Maximilian offered himself in place of one of the 10.

(9:45) Fr. Brian warns listeners that because of its setting in Auschwitz, the film and their discussion of it deal with some and intense and horrific imagery.

(15:04) Fr. Brian talks about how the filmmakers use fictionalized versions of the other men imprisoned with Maximilian Kolbe as a way to tell the stories of all the groups that were imprisoned by the Nazis.

(19:19) Fr. Matt shares how Triumph of the Heart reminds him of The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928).

(26:54) Fr. Matt tells the story of how some of the very few first-class relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe were collected.

(34:43) Fr. Brian talks about the beautiful manner in which the film depicts the final days of St. Maximilian and the other last few men from the original group of 10 prisoners. He was particularly touched by the very end of the film, when all of the prisoners are seen at a wedding banquet. Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss that, as horrible as martyrdom is, it is also a victory.

(38:34) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt talk about other films and television shows that depict the saints and other important Catholic figures. They also discuss some more contemporary saints, including St. Edith Stein, St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, and St. Carlo Acutis. Wrapping up the episode, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian give their Seeds of the Word ratings.