In a world where movie tickets are pricey and you could spend hours browsing streaming platforms, Zoe is here to help by giving you the nuts and bolts of a movie or TV show without the spoilers! But movies and shows are more than just mindless consumables, they’re stories that tell us something about our world and the people around us. Zoe invites you into a deeper conversation about media and how to navigate modern storytelling.
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.
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.
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.
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....
In this spoiler-filled review, Zoe discusses the original "A Quiet Place" film and the subsequent films in its franchise (A Quiet Place: Part II & A Quiet Place: Day One). Zoe makes the case these films completely miss the point of the original film which was a family-centered, heart-felt story that had scifi horror elements, instead of being a scifi horror film about a family. There is apparently a difference!
Zoe missed it while it was in theaters, so she decided to catch it on streaming: A Quiet Place Day 1. Zoe was super hyped for this film and avoided all the spoilers so she could make up her own mind. A Quiet Place is beloved by her, so she was very curious about the new entry of the franchise. But watching a movie when its recently left theaters means it comes with a heavier cost for renting online, and Zoe paid $20 to stream it. For her, this movie was NOT worth the "ticket price" and she does not recommend it... and she is looking forward to going deeper into spoilers next week.
Reel 2 is where Zoe gets to talk spoilers about the new movie but in this case, Zoe wanted to open up a conversation about the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe because this new movie (Deadpool & Wolverine) offers a stark contrast to the kinds of movies we've been getting lately... and Zoe isn't talking about the R rating, she means the heartfelt storytelling and character archs.... Also in this discussion, she talks about the recent news that Robert Downey Jr is cast as Dr. Doom, and she does not sugarcoat her feelings about it. It is almost like Deadpool knew Marvel was going to resurrect a beloved character for their money-making purposes.
In this spoiler-free review, Zoe is talking about the new movie in the Disney Marvel Cinematic Universe: Deadpool & Wolverine. This movie has been hyped as the movie of 2024, but Deadpool is a character full of debauchery and filth with his foul language, sexual references, and bloody violence... will being a "Disney" film change that? Zoe's answer is both yes and no... and this movie surprised her in some ways, while not surprising her in others. One thing is for sure: this is NOT a family film.
If you listen to Reel 1, you'll get a spoiler free review on the new movie Twisters, where Zoe expressed how surprised she was by the film. She personally loved it, and felt inspired to watch the original 1996 movie Twister, because she vaguely remembered not liking it as a kid. Maybe she was wrong and Twister was a good movie after all.... So, she compares and contrasts the two tornado films in this reel review.