This week ends our mini-series curated by friend of the show, the Rev DeAnna Daniels PhD by discussing a bold film from earlier this year. Adapted from her play of the same name, Aleshea Harris's IS GOD IS contains multitudes. It is a Southern Gothic revenge epic. It is a microcosmic history of inherited trauma. It is a darkly comic, allegorical odyssey. And it is a theological exploration of all that we perceive about -- and act in response to -- our understanding of God. It follows two twins -- Racine and Anaia (Kara Young and Mallori Johnson) who, injured from a young age by their elusive and absentee father (Sterling K. Brown), are contacted by their estranged mother (Vivica A. Fox -- aka God) and told to go on a quest to "Make [their] Daddy dead."

We're joined by a host of recent friends of the show, including DeAnna herself, Leland Merritt PhD, and cultural theopoet de'Angelo Dia for a rich discussion about what we talk about when we talk about God. We touch on the ways this film has the power to both inspire and infuriate, as it holds up a mirror to some of our worst suppositions and our fiercest tendencies.

It's a thoughtful and rewarding final chapter in this mini-series that has explored multiple facets of the horrific and the divine. We want to thank Dr. DeAnna Daniels again for curating and programming it and we really hope you enjoy it.

Patron Only Segment: Whatcha Watchin' / Readin' / Listenin' To?

6:00 - IS GOD IS

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Listener Discretion Advised - Before we begin, we'd like to ask you to take a moment and consider if this conversation may not be right for you. Our episode this week deals directly with the delicate subjects of mental illness, depression, and experiences of self-harm including suicide. Our conversation is vulnerable, honest, sensitive, and (we hope) ultimately encouraging. But if you are feeling uncertain about being able to engage such a conversation at this time, please prioritize your well-being as a foremost consideration.

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Danielle Deadwyler is a chilling portrait of oppressive grief. Ramona (Deadwyler) is injured, both physically and emotionally from an accident that claimed the life of her husband and the father of her two children. She struggles to sustain her sanity and the basic necessities of care for their remote farmhouse. One morning, when a mysterious woman dressed in black appears on their front lawn, Ramona will soon be forced to confront all that she's been keeping from her children and all that she's been hiding from herself.

We're joined by the curator of this series, Rev DeAnna Daniels PhD, and writer Johnny Lee Brown-Sampayo, whose blog, Black Horrific, merges Black history with social commentary and discussions of Black horror media. The film provides a unique opportunity to raise important questions of ourselves about empathy, struggle, grief, and despair. We present it in the faith that through the gift of seeing our neighbor's struggles more clearly, we can draw closer to a more meaningful understanding and a stronger sense of hope.

If you, or someone you know, is struggling, please consider reaching out to someone you trust or a mental‑health professional. You are not the first person to feel like this and support is available. And if you listen to our discussion, we hope it will uplift you and hopefully feel just a little less alone.

4:26 - Two Questions with Johnny Lee Brown-Sampayo

Patron Only Segment: Whatcha Watchin / Readin / Listenin to

16:17 - THE WOMAN IN THE YARD

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We have another interview bonus for you this week about a film that hits theaters Aug 21, 2026 from the acclaimed director of The Lure. In HOT SPOT, set in a near future society ruled by sentient A.I., a private eye investigates a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord. As the detective's identity slowly unravels, his world enters a state of hypnotic meltdown.

We were able to sit down with director Agnieszka Smoczyńska for a remarkably thoughtful conversation about loss of control amidst an era of escalating fears. Hot Spot is a thought-provoking, hypnotic experience that is part murder-mystery, part techno-neo-noir, and part body horror nightmare. It's inventive and propulsive and we hope you'll check it out.

Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy our conversation!

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