In this spoiler-filled, deeper-dive on the new release from Angel Studios, Zoe does not pull any punches while discussing "Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin." There were already a few red flags that Zoe had to contend with after watching the film, specifically the "call to action" at the end of the movie, but because she enjoyed the film so much she let it slide and gave it a glowing review. Now that she has had time to think deeply about the film and read articles about what was fact verses fiction about the movie, she has come to another conclusion.

Zoe now finds it difficult to recommend and wonders what Bonhoeffer himself would think of this portrayal of his life and legacy. Would he appreciate being called an assassin?

Links to the articles Zoe references:

https://www.angel.com/blog/bonhoeffer/posts/whats-true-in-bonhoeffer-pastor-spy-assassin

https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/11/bonhoeffer-movie-review-angel-studios/

Zoe reviews the latest theatrical release from Angel Studios: Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin. The title alone is intriguing; the words pastor, spy, and assassin are rarely used to describe the same person! If you know anything about the real theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, like Zoe, then that name alone could be intriguing and now his story is on the big screen. But is it worth the theatrical experience? Zoe says yes! Keep in mind, the film is not perfect and Zoe wants to break it down and compare it to the real life of Dietrich in her spoiler-filled deeper dive.

Welcome to Reel 2, Zoe's deeper dive on the new film, Wicked (Part 1, 2024). Zoe enjoyed the movie and recommended it on her spoiler free Reel 1 but now she dives deeper into the movie's themes alongside her special guest, Chaplin Justin. Chaplin Justin is a host of the Faith Refresh podcast on the Real FM Podcast network, and he was the perfect person to talk to.

Leaving the theater, Zoe had a lot of questions about Wicked. One of the film's lines is something like, "Was she born wicked? Or was wickedness thrust upon her?" And it made Zoe wonder... "Are we born sinful? Or is sinfulness thrust upon us?" Meaning, are we truly responsible for our sins? What does it mean to be "wicked"?

Another big question Zoe had about this movie is how people feel about "bad guys" being portrayed as misunderstood good guys, and "good guys" actually being the bad guys.... it seems to many that good and bad don't hold meaning, truth and morality are out the window. But through this conversation, Chaplin Justin helps Zoe unpack the ways Jesus told his stories in the Bible, and good and bad may not be as black and white as we want to think... and actually, perhaps stories like Wicked can help us emphasize more with our neighbors.

Wicked (part 1) was released on November 22nd, 2024, based on a popular Broadway musical of the same name that's been on stage since 2003. The musical is also based on a book, which was released in 1995. Wicked follows a similar pattern as the original Wizard of Oz, which started as a book in 1900, then became a stage musical, until becoming a movie in 1939.

Zoe went into this film completely blind - she never heard the music before, seen the play or read the book, didn't know anything about it. She was pleasantly surprised by the story, intrigued by its themes, and found the musical comforting and very enjoyable. A few things to note - its rated PG but Zoe wants you to consider a few things before bringing the whole family, and also the movie is nearly three hours long! Stay tuned for Reel 2 where Zoe dives deeper into the themes of Wicked.

The Covenant was released in 2023, created by filmmaker Guy Ritchie and starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The film is a fictional story inspired by the real life events between the United States and Afghanistan in 2018. It is a story centered on two characters, Jake Gyllenhaal's character a Master Sergeant in Afghanistan named John Kinley, and his Afghan interpreter named Ahmed. Ahmed and John have a unique relationship, as described in the title: The Covenant.

Zoe found this movie to be moving, powerful, heavy but good and important in many ways and she highly recommends it if you're looking for a movie to stream online. The film can be found on Amazon Prime or elsewhere for rent.

The box office success of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" has some people asking, "Is Tim Burton Back?" but that begs another question.... where was he? And who is he? If you're wondering these questions, Zoe has answers. In this episode, she breaks down the origins of the iconic film director, his filmography, where "he went" and where he is today with this new film's success.... And you can listen to the spoiler free review of the movie in Reel 1!

Don't say his name three times! Zoe is reviewing the sequel to a classic 80s Tim Burton film, but this begs some questions, "is the movie as good as the original? Is it necessary for the story progression? Or is it just a nostalgia cash-grab?" Zoe found the film entertaining and middle of the road, but a surprisingly fun theatrical experience. But she warns that this is NOT a family film or film for small kids!

This time Zoe is shaking things up, starting a brand new segment called "Manic Movie News Monday" where she discusses movie news, trending topics related to the industry, and upcoming releases... in this update, Zoe talks about what's coming soon to theaters (The Wild Robot from Dreamworks, Megapolis from Francis Ford Coppola starring Adam Driver, and the Joker sequel) plus Zoe rants about the Minecraft movie trailer that just dropped and has the internet in uproar....