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.