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.

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 Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024), Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian catch up on the past few weeks and talk about two films they’ve seen recently, The Life of Chuck (2024) and Materialists (2025).

(15:58) Fr. Matt introduces the film for this episode, How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies. Although the characters in the movie aren’t Christian, both Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian are struck by how the film points to Gospel truths, exploring self-sacrificial love, the way relationships take precedence over material wealth, and how even imperfect portrayals of family life can reveal universal human longings for God.

(27:17) A major portion of the discussion focuses on cultural practices surrounding death and remembrance. Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian compare the Thai customs depicted in the film with Catholic teachings and rituals, from the Communion of Saints to funeral liturgies.

(42:10) One of the film’s underlying tensions is the temptation to treat people as means to an end—especially when inheritance is involved. Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt contrast this with Catholic teaching that things are meant to be used and people are meant to be loved. This leads into a reflection on St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, emphasizing the dignity of the human person and the self-giving nature of love.

(43:47) Wrapping up the episode, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian give their Seeds of the Word ratings.

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 the news that Cinema Verbi was chosen Podcast of the Year by the Catholic Media Association.

2:16 – Before discussing the two movies that are the focus of this episode, Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian talk about some other movies they’ve seen recently, including Friendship (2024) and Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025).

7:29 – Fr. Matt introduces the two movies that are the focus of this episode, Superman (2025) and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).

12:04 – In talking about the ways in which different superhero movies handle character backstories—whether to include it or assume the viewer already knows the backstory—Fr. Matt makes a comparison with the Gospels: Matthew and Luke provide the “backstory” leading up to Jesus’ birth, whereas in the Gospel of John, the backstory is simply: the Word became flesh.

16:08 – Fr. Brian talks about how Superman (2025) attempts, more so than previous Superman films, to make the character more human and less one-dimensional. He and Fr. Matt talk about how other recent superhero films have done this, and whether it’s done well and in service of the character.

21:00 – Our hosts talk about some of the main themes of the film. Fr. Brian shares about parent-child relationships and Fr. Matt talks about the tension between fate and free-will.

28:40 – Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian give their star ratings for Superman (2025) and introduce the next film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).

39:15 – After an extended discussion about the film’s plot, Fr. Matt introduces the dilemma at the core of the movie: Do the ends justify the means? Specifically, can one innocent life be offered to save humanity?

45:26 – Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt give their star ratings for The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).

47:49 – Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian share their seeds of the word for each film and wrap up the episode.

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 franchise, and a fun mythology quiz to wrap things up.

0:28: Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt begin by catching up on the few months since they last recorded an episode, discussing the appointment of Archbishop Weisenburger as Archbishop of Detroit and the election of Pope Leo XIV. They also catch up on some of the movies they’ve recently seen, including The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) depicting the relationship between Michelangelo and Pope Julius II during the painting of the Sistine Chapel; Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 remake starring Keira Knightley; Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005); Snow White (2025); and Warfare, (2025) about he real-life experiences of soldiers in the 2003-2011 Iraq War.

10:41: Fr. Brian introduces the film that is the focus of this episode, Thunderbolts*. Released in 2025, the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was directed by Jake Schreier and written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo.

11:48: Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian discuss the expansiveness of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which shows and movies they’ve seen, and how keeping up with all this content can make it difficult for casual viewers to keep up with the characters, plots, and maintain a sense of engagement with the heroic characters. Our hosts also discuss how the last several Marvel shows and films seem to have been trying to convey a message or promote an agenda rather than simply tell an entertaining story.

16:33: Fr. Matt provides a brief overview of the plot and main characters of Thunderbolts*.

24:41: Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt discuss some of the major themes in the film: how to deal with the parts of ourselves that we may not like, managing the effects of wounds from our pasts, and breaking the stranglehold that psychological trauma can have on our lives.

28:46: Fr. Matt talks about how the film depicts the power of love to overcome conflict. Fr Brian adds to that discussion, noting that for the characters in the film, their success only comes when they stop working in isolation and begin working together. This is very much akin to our understanding that we do not suffer alone; Christ enters into our suffering with us.

30:56: Fr. Matt notes that the film also portrays the notion that we are not defined by our worst moments and that great freedom can come from bringing them to the light.

34:16: 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.

39:46: In the last segment, Fr. Brain quizzes Fr. Matt about characters from Roman and Greek mythology.

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 world prepares for the real-life conclave to elect his successor.

(0:27) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt begin by discussion some of the movies they’ve seen recently, including Gladiator II (2024), a sequel to the 2000 film Gladiator, A Real Pain (2024), a film about two cousins who, to honor their late grandmother, travel to Poland for a Jewish heritage tour, and Nosferatu (1922), a silent film (recently remade) that was included on the Vatican’s 1995 list of 45 outstanding films from the first century of filmmaking.

(9:20) Fr. Matt introduces the movie being covered in this episode, Conclave. The film, directed by Edward Berger, written by Peter Staughan, and based on the 2016 novel by Thomas Harris, was released in 2024 and depicts a papal conclave—the gathering of Cardinals in Rome to elect a new pope following the death of the previous pope.

(10:17) Fr. Matt advises listeners that because he and Fr. Brian will be discussing some of the more sensitive topics addressed in the film, listeners should carefully discern whether younger members of their families should listen to this episode.

(12:01) Our hosts provide a brief explanation of how a papal conclave works: When a pope dies (or, as happened in 2013, resigns), all cardinals under the age of 80 gather in Rome to elect the next pope. Those cardinals are sequestered in the Sistine Chapel and must remain isolated from the outside world until one cardinal receives at least two-thirds of the votes cast, thus becoming the next Holy Father.

(12:58) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt agree that the film is visually accurate in terms of scenery, costumes, and set pieces. At the same time, however, the characters are often driven by a desire for power and to promote their own agenda. While it is true that, as St. Paul says, “we hold this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor 7)—meaning that God’s message is carried by human beings who, through original sin, are broken—that brokenness comes across in nearly all the characters in the film; none of them are virtuous or motivated by a desire to be open to the Holy Spirit in carrying out their sacred duty to elect the next Vicar of Christ.

(17:36) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt talk about how one of the central themes of the film is (or appears to be) doubt. One of the cardinals preaches that the Church needs a pope who doubts and that the enemy of the Church is certainty. Fr. Matt says that this is “ludicrous.” The whole Church and the faith of those who believe in God are rooted in certainty about the truth of the Gospels. Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian have an extended discussion about how each of the main characters in the film—all cardinals—have the acquisition and projection of power as their primary motive.

(25:54) Our hosts introduce one of the film's more controversial characters, a cardinal who was made a cardinal in secret, or in pectore. There is real life precedent for popes creating cardinals in secret—often in light of geopolitical concerns—but, unlike the character in the film, these cardinals would be ineligible to participate in a conclave and their appointments expire when the Holy Father dies.

(31:34) Fr. Matt brings up the most sensational aspect of the film. Cardinal Benitz, the cardinal who was created in pectore, wins the papal election. After the new Holy Father chooses the name Pope Innocent, viewers learn that this individual...

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 and memory in the Christian life.

(0:28) Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt open the episode by discussing some of the movies they’ve seen recently, including Whiplash (2014), Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024), and Didi (2024). Then, they introduce the movie being covered in this episode: Here, a 2024 drama film depicting the events of a single spot of land over time.

(6:48) Our hosts discuss the unique format of Here, which is shot from a single, fixed camera angle to show a single spot throughout time, from when dinosaurs roamed the area to the present day. The stories are shown in non-chronological order, allowing the viewer to identify parallels between different experiences in this spot over time. Fr. Brian provides the example of the film’s depiction of the Spanish flu alongside the COVID-19 pandemic.

(13:42) Fr. Brian talks about one of the main storylines in the film, the lives of a couple played by Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The hosts also discuss how the plot’s focus on time echoes the way time contributes to conflict in classical Greek tragedies. Fr. Brian and Fr. Matt then discuss the significance of sacred time and sacred places.

(19:02) Fr. Matt talks about the idea of time passing and changes taking place at his parish, Our Lady of the Rosary on Woodward Avenue in Detroit near Wayne State University. While the parish’s ministry today is mostly focused on campus ministry, around 100 years ago the pastor was known to ride his white horse to parishioners’ homes for sick calls. Similarly, while Old St. Mary Church is located in a neighborhood called Greektown, its stained glass windows feature the names of German donors who lived there when it was predominately a German neighborhood. Our hosts then talk about how the perspective of the movie—a single camera angle viewing events over time—mirrors the omniscience of God, who is outside time.

(25:02) Fr. Brian mentions that the director of Here, Robert Zemeckis, has notably worked on a number of other movies that deal with the passage of time, including Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, and Cast Away. The hosts then turn to the topic of nostalgia and memory in the Christian life, and how the climax of the film shows us that it's in the ability to remember that we see things from different perspectives.

(33:40) Fr. Matt and Fr. Brian share some of their critiques of the movie, most notably the aging and “de-aging” technology used to alter the actors’ appearances. They then rank the film using their “seeds of the word” rating, based on how clearly they saw goodness, truth, and beauty reflected in the story. Before concluding the episode, Fr. Matt invites listeners to send in their feedback—including which movies they’d like to see covered next—to cinema@aod.org.