Journey to Bethlehem: A Conviction of Fiction

This movie was selected by our Patreon Supporters over at the Cinematic Doctrine Patreon. Support as little as $3 a month and have your voice heard!

Shirleon & Melvin wish you a Merry Christmas while discussing a Family-friendly biblical musical, Journey to Bethlehem! The story is simple – a dramatization of the birth of King Jesus – but what about the music? And more importantly, how is it as a biblical adaptation? Tune in to find out!

Topics: 

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 23-minutes discussing Shirleon & Melvin reflecting on the movies they’ve discussed through 2024, whether they have any new feelings about them, and the experience of improving one’s critical thinking. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Spoilers are truly irrelevant for discussing the adaption of the immaculate conception and birth of King Jesus, so Shirleon and Melvin kick things off strong talking about everything.
• Shirleon was moved by two songs: Mother To A Savior And King & In My Blood.
• Melvin felt it wasn’t really his thing, and the whole of the project felt largely forgettable.
• Discussing how virtually every musical number could be removed because they weren’t integrated into the plot or pacing of the film.
• Shirleon & Melvin disagree on some things, and the two go back and forth.
• Talking Lacrae as the angel Gabriel. Or, as Melvin calls it, “Lacrangel”.
• Is the song Mary’s Getting Married supposed to be a Feminist or Trad Wife anthem? It’s messaging is unclear.
• No matter how minimal, Melvin never overcame a perpetual unease over the film’s alterations of the biblical account.

Recommendations: 

• One by One by Ruth Ware (2021) (Book)
• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley (2020) (Book)
• Top of the Morning Coffee (Blueberry Blast, specifically)
• Terrifier 2 (2022) (Movie)

Journey to Bethlehem is Rated PG for thematic elements. It features Fiona Palomo, Milo Manheim, Antonio Banderas, Joel David Smallbone, Rizwan Manji, Geno Segers, Omid Djalili, Lacrae, and Moriah. Directed by Adam Anders. Journey to Bethlehem is available here.

Consider supporting Cinematic Doctrine on Patreon! As a bonus, you can gain access to a once-a-month movie poll where you decide a movie we discuss on the podcast, early unedited episodes of the podcast, and merch!!

Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. Whether it’s a movie, show, game, comic, or novel, it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s rich, he’s ready and willing to give it a try! His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!

Cinematic Doctrine is available on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, and other major podcast apps.

Clayface – Kinda Fanfiction. Kinda Incel. DC. – Cinematic Doctrine: A Movie Review Podcast Hosted by Christians

MOVIE DISCUSSION: Kathryn joins Melvin to discuss the new-DCU's latest outing: Clayface! The two share its similarities with other body-horror classics, how it stands as another villain-without-its-hero comic-book film, and if James Gunn is haunted by his own words, [paraphrased] "We only greenlight good, finished scripts".Topics:Editor's Note: No Patreon Exclusive discussion! But, I do intend to trim this episode down from its original 1:37:28 length, so if you want to hear the UNCUT version, tune in on Patreon here!Kathryn kicks things off with a compliment sandwich.Melvin wasn't a fan, and he thought the last 20-minutes were genuinely brutal to sit through.The soundtrack feels uninspired, and the two wonder what an artistic approach would sound like.Melvin, "Did you feel like you were watching a 2000's origin story [comic book movie]?"There's a ton of movies that Clayface is evoking, and its always dangerous to remind an audience of better movies.Talking about James Gunn's response to a Thread asking ironically, "Who asked for Clayface?"Kathryn & Melvin agree: it's ironic that Clayface released a week-or-so after You Can See Everything.Melvin thinks the ending is an outright disaster.Kathryn notices the end culminates in Clayface kind of being an amalgamation of other Batman villains.James Gunn has reiterated a belief that a reason for the film industry's decline in success is due to one big thing: films moving into production without a finished script. Melvin has thoughts…Recommendations:Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't (YouTube Channel)THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake 1+2 (2022 – 2025) (Video Games) Support the showSupport on Patreon for Unique Perks! Early access to uncut episodes Vote on a movie/show we review One-time reward of two Cinematic Doctrine Stickers & PinsSocial Links: ThreadsWebsiteInstagramLetterboxdFacebook Group 

1. Clayface – Kinda Fanfiction. Kinda Incel. DC. 01:04:19
2. Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge – The Kyle Show 54:43
3. Dawn of the Dead (1978) – How Social Structures Rise & Fall 01:04:57
4. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 – Retconable 01:26:46
5. Pet Sematary (1989) – w/ Dreadful Digest on The CliffsNotes Adaptation 01:11:45