What movies taught you about life? Showed you truths you didn’t know you needed to hear? Join Heather Bigley, a former academic and film teacher, and the host of Voiceover: Movies that Move Us—the podcast where films have an impact. Each episode, our guests share the cinematic moments that changed their lives. We want to learn from those silver screen experiences, and so we share those moments with you, looking at the films from a whole new perspective. With a Doctorate in Film Studies and a passion for storytelling, Heather brings a little history, a little philosophy, some behind-the-scenes know-how, and her whole life to the movies she watches. From Wild Strawberries to The Wiz, Terminator 2 to Tree of Life, we’re finding the films that moved us when we least expected it—golden age classics, recent blockbusters, and even the tiny indie film that barely anyone noticed. While Cosmo Brown might just want to Make ‘em Laugh, we’re interested in the films that make you cry, too. Movies that revealed something about ourselves. Mentored us when we needed mentorship. Maybe even illuminated the Divine. Join us for Voiceover: Movies that Move Us for cinematic epiphanies, reel recommends, and maybe some self-revelations. Don’t miss a moment. Subscribe to us now on BYUradio, or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.byuradio.org/942a4562-cb8b-421a-936b-80763c262e6c en-us © 2026 BYU Broadcasting BYUradio BYUradio byurpodcasts@byu.edu false Episodic What movies taught you about life? Showed you truths you didn’t know you needed to hear? Join Heather Bigley, a former academic and film teacher, and the host of Voiceover: Movies that Move Us—the podcast where films have an impact. Each episode, our guests share the cinematic moments that changed their lives. We want to learn from those silver screen experiences, and so we share those moments with you, looking at the films from a whole new perspective. With a Doctorate in Film Studies and a passion for storytelling, Heather brings a little history, a little philosophy, some behind-the-scenes know-how, and her whole life to the movies she watches. From Wild Strawberries to The Wiz, Terminator 2 to Tree of Life, we’re finding the films that moved us when we least expected it—golden age classics, recent blockbusters, and even the tiny indie film that barely anyone noticed. While Cosmo Brown might just want to Make ‘em Laugh, we’re interested in the films that make you cry, too. Movies that revealed something about ourselves. Mentored us when we needed mentorship. Maybe even illuminated the Divine. Join us for Voiceover: Movies that Move Us for cinematic epiphanies, reel recommends, and maybe some self-revelations. Don’t miss a moment. Subscribe to us now on BYUradio, or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.byuradio.org/3d1db648-17db-427b-a34c-13d0d7533827 3d1db64817db-427b-a34c-13d0d7533827 Mon, 12 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 133 trailer It's spring! That means baseball is in season. Cleon Wall joins Heather to discuss Field of Dreams (1989) and how the film attempts to show us what forgiveness, faith, and heaven can be in our lives. Cleon Wall produces Sports Programming at BYUradio and in the past was a sports journalist and podcaster for KSL. https://www.byuradio.org/2172a080-98f5-4ac0-99a0-4984fb3b19ea 2172a08098f5-4ac0-99a0-4984fb3b19ea Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT false 1744 full 2026 12 Elizabeth Hansen, founder and owner of Dramafy, joins Heather for a discussion of the Leonard Bernstein classic West Side Story (1961) that includes why musicals reach us so deeply and who the real underdog is of this urban tragedy. West Side Story was the highest grossing film of 1961 and won 10 Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor & Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Editing, Sound, Musical Scoring. In 1997, the film was selected for the American National Film Registry. Elizabeth Hansen is the executive director of Utah Lyric Opera, a writer, and actor. She holds an MFA in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute. https://www.byuradio.org/f5f6db10-3c02-4909-b5ed-f7c53d4f649f f5f6db103c02-4909-b5ed-f7c53d4f649f Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT false 1893 full 2026 11 Raj Mankad, Deputy Opinion Editor at the Houston Chronicle, talks to Heather about what Deepa Mehta's 1998 film Earth meant to him during America's Iraq & Afghanistan wars and what it means to him now. They chat about immigration, violence, and religious engagement, and why Raj wanted his teenage son to watch this movie with him. As deputy opinion editor at the Houston Chronicle, Raj Mankad won a Pultizer Prize in 2025, shared with Sharon Steinmann, Lisa Falkenberg and Leah Binkovitz, for a series on dangerous train crossings in Houston. https://www.byuradio.org/8b9068bb-2341-4a18-88c4-9b48e28298c0 8b9068bb2341-4a18-88c4-9b48e28298c0 Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT false 1805 full 2026 10 Dr. Lee Harms, former Army Chaplain, talks to Heather about his connection to Band of Brothers (2001), a limited series created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. The series is adapted from Stephen Ambrose’s research of "Easy" Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Easy Company landed at Normandy during World War II’s D-day and then spent the next year moving through Europe until they reach Hitler’s Eagle Nest in Bavaria, and the end of the war. Dr. Harms' great-uncle served in Fox Company, also part of the 2nd Battalion. But, as a chaplain who saw active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Dr. Harms came to relate to the series as a veteran. Dr. Lee Harms is a retired Army Chaplain with combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He first served in the United States Army as a Hebrew Linguist. He holds a D.Min. from Erskine Theological Seminary. He has also worked as a supervisory Hospital Chaplain (Chaplain Senior Clinician). He is currently an Assistant Professor in the BYU Chaplaincy Masters program. https://www.byuradio.org/dfabb136-5ec7-4702-8aa8-5c5e9ba227f8 dfabb1365ec7-4702-8aa8-5c5e9ba227f8 Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT false 1882 full 2026 9 Liberty Barnes, sociologist and ethnographer, joins Heather to discuss Hamnet (Zhao, 2025) and how the film demonstrates the importance of expressing grief. Liberty is the author of the forthcoming The Children’s Hospital: Healing America with Pediatric Love (Oxford University Press), which is the story of the development and culture of pediatric hospitals in the United States. It is also the story of industrialization, urbanization, immigration, education, medical science and the radical notion that people are fundamentally good, every life is worth living, and health is a basic human right. https://www.byuradio.org/0c8a7442-7a16-4ddd-973b-da2787a3bce8 0c8a74427a16-4ddd-973b-da2787a3bce8 Mon, 16 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT false 1738 full 2026 8 Hubbel Palmer joins Heather to discuss Terms of Endearment, a film that premiered the year his mother died of cancer. Hubbel and Heather discuss whether male writers can capture the honesty of women's lives. Hubbel Palmer is an American screenwriter. He is best known for writing A Minecraft Movie; Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life; Masterminds; and the Oscar-nominated short film Ninety-Five Senses, all with frequent collaborator Chris Bowman. https://www.byuradio.org/18b4875f-694f-4a39-9fab-0b31dc175174 18b4875f694f-4a39-9fab-0b31dc175174 Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT false 1925 full 2026 7 Lex Rofeberg introduces Heather to Paddington II. They talk about how Paddington II is more than a delightful children's tale—it's a mirror reflecting our society's complexities. They analyze its commentary on immigration, incarceration, and the goodness in every person. And most importantly, Lex discusses how children's art can inspire us to be kinder and more connected in our communities. Lex Rofeberg is the Senior Educator with Judaism Unbound and host of the Judaism Unbound podcast. https://www.byuradio.org/b8b56851-88c6-4f24-b7dc-6317e645f3da b8b5685188c6-4f24-b7dc-6317e645f3da Mon, 09 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT false 1873 full 2026 6 Heather reflects on how films have shaped her understanding of fatherhood, using five informal categories of movie dads: noble single fathers, absent dads, dead dads, and unprepared dads. Heather explores the tensions between fathers’ responsibilities to their children, their communities, and their own identities. These cinematic fathers, though exaggerated like modern fairy tales, tap into deep longings for love, safety, moral guidance, and emotional presence. https://www.byuradio.org/9372fdf6-1516-4093-994e-ae550024b7ef 9372fdf61516-4093-994e-ae550024b7ef Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT false 1290 full 2026 5 Adam Jortner joins Heather to discuss Knives Out and the search for truth in the movie mystery genre and our lives today. Adam Jortner is a history professor by day and in his off hours a film instructor with Great Courses, where he explains the importance and history of the horror genre. https://www.byuradio.org/2533b49b-d506-41c5-8a70-e94efa13f7b1 2533b49bd506-41c5-8a70-e94efa13f7b1 Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT false 1734 full 2026 4 Shane Seggar joins Heather to talk about feeling shut out from the rom com experience in the 1990s. Today they tackle Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, and Notting Hill, some of the biggest romcoms of the decade. They also compare to the 2025 films Eternity and Materialists. Shane Seggar once worked in the film industry as an assistant director and location manager. Now he works with the State of Hawaii in wildfire recovery, with a focus on housing, infrastructure, workforce, and long-term community stability. https://www.byuradio.org/73b706d4-afd8-4386-854c-43eb885e4475 73b706d4afd8-4386-854c-43eb885e4475 Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT false 1825 full 2026 3 The Testament of Ann Lee is up for discussion on our first episode of season 2. Directed by Mona Fastvold (The World to Come, The Brutalist), the movie tells the story of Ann Lee, the leader of a Shaker group that journeyed to the American colonies in the 18th century. Heather talks to Caroline Johnson, whose research on the Shakers reveals what's historically accurate and what's not. More importantly, they discuss what this film has to say about female religious experience and the body. Caroline Johnson is the author of the scholarly article “The Reinterpretation of the Round Shaker Barn How Patriarchal Values Changed the Doctrine, History, and Architecture of a Religion," published by the journal AWE. She teaches in the Comparative Arts & Letters department at BYU and is also the co-director of JKR Gallery in Provo. https://www.byuradio.org/503b4fc1-dbe1-4237-abb8-e86ece142d3c 503b4fc1dbe1-4237-abb8-e86ece142d3c Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT false 2045 full 2026 2 Here is what has caught Heather's eye, coming to a theater near you in 2026. Plus, movies turning 25 this year. https://www.byuradio.org/ed57f02c-81d6-4721-85b5-7cab06d89165 ed57f02c81d6-4721-85b5-7cab06d89165 Fri, 16 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT false 594 full 2026 1 Heather wades into the debate about whether movies are better than books. Check out our YouTube channel for the full video experience. https://www.byuradio.org/75e80aaf-9be3-44ad-a352-fda617dec179 75e80aaf9be3-44ad-a352-fda617dec179 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT false 467 full 2025 35 Heather discusses the 2024 Novel "James" by Percival Everett and its potential cast for the upcoming film rumored to be directed by Taika Waititi. Added bonus: Heather talks about key things to consider when casting a movie. The book "James" is a rework of the American classic "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" from the perspective of Jim and won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. https://www.byuradio.org/33a7ee73-b185-4f63-ace7-9beba3c9df1a 33a7ee73b185-4f63-ace7-9beba3c9df1a Fri, 26 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 693 full 2025 34 Heather heard there was a sincere discussion of religiosity in the satiric Wake Up Dead Man [Knives Out 3]. So she made the sacrifice for a 10am ticket at her local theater and watched the film to help prep you for the Netflix drop. What do you think? Is the film arguing for the benefits of religion, even if there have been so many problems created by religious institution and religious people (see Benoit Blanc's passionate speech)? https://www.byuradio.org/baf0a036-c72b-4e13-a08d-e8db62f92f4f baf0a036c72b-4e13-a08d-e8db62f92f4f Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 605 full 2025 33 Brian Tanner joins Heather to share how the empathy, sacrifice, and despair of the Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life continue to resonate with him and audiences generally. Brian is the producer of Kaboom, an audio drama anthology podcast, and Winner of 4 Signal Awards, including Best Kids Podcast, Best Road Trip Podcast, and Best Writing (Fiction)! https://www.byuradio.org/3fbb2649-3bfe-4830-ada8-7c181fba049e 3fbb26493bfe-4830-ada8-7c181fba049e Mon, 08 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 1739 full 2025 32 Simran Jeet Singh joins Heather to discuss Hidden Figures (Melfi, 2016) and how the film has meant even more to him as the father of daughters. Hidden Figures stars Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae as Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary at NASA whose work helped America win the 20th century Space Race against the USSR. Simran Jeet Singh is an Assistant Professor at Union Theological Seminary and Senior Advisor for the Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program. He is the author of The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life (Riverhead, Penguin Random House), and he hosts the podcast, Wisdom & Practice, which is produced in partnership with PRX and The Aspen Institute. https://www.byuradio.org/9e2bd2c4-867c-4c0a-9d10-50be96a83fbc 9e2bd2c4867c-4c0a-9d10-50be96a83fbc Mon, 01 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 1769 full 2025 31 It's a bonus episode here on Voiceover--this time Heather is in conversation with Matt Whitaker, writer, director, and producer of Truth & Treason. The film is currently in theaters, distributed by Angel Studios. You can also see a 4-episode cut of the same material on Angel's streaming platform. Matt Whitaker's previous writing credits include: Saints & Soldiers (2003), Work & The Glory II & III, Messiah: The Lamb of God (TV Series), and Instrument of War. Matt is a name many will know from the Mormon Cinema movement of 20 years ago, and one topic here is whether Truth & Treason is connected to that film trend. https://www.byuradio.org/0f4be590-74c5-4ccb-b4db-15c01c639a9e 0f4be59074c5-4ccb-b4db-15c01c639a9e Mon, 17 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 1872 full 2025 30 Today's movie is Song of the Sea from Irish animation company Cartoon Saloon and Heather is joined by Rev Dani Lee at St. Mary's Episcopal and her bestie Oana Stan, who called in from Romania. Song of the Sea is about siblings, Ben and Saoirse, who have lost their mother—she is a selkie, a creature who can shape-shift between human and seal form. It's got gorgeous animation and is haunting and lovely and a total recommend! Join us for a conversation about grief and healing and Brad Pitt. https://www.byuradio.org/e9a1274c-53e9-41bf-8dcb-d4b673e69391 e9a1274c53e9-41bf-8dcb-d4b673e69391 Mon, 24 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 1783 full 2025 29 Brian McLaren discusses The Color Purple (Spielberg, 1985) and what he learned about redemption and forgiveness. The film is an adaptation from The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Originally published in 1982, the book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award. It’s a book of letters, from the main character Celie to God, as she tries to understand the brutality of her life. The trajectory of the film is to witness Celie’s growth from victim to survivor to a member of a thriving sisterhood. Brian McLaren is an author, activist, and public theologian. He is a faculty member with the Center for Action and Contemplation and a podcaster with the CAC’s podcast Learning How to See. He is a co-host of Southern Lights and has written more than 20 books, including his newest, The Last Voyage (2025), the first installment in a science fiction trilogy. https://www.byuradio.org/0a21933c-1ca2-473f-9f2b-b2512d9be4d9 0a21933c1ca2-473f-9f2b-b2512d9be4d9 Mon, 10 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 2198 full 2025 28 Kaleigh Cohen talks through The Outsiders (Francis Ford Coppola, 1983), the main stay of her after-school decompression process when she was 12. We explore the movie's themes of authenticity, friendship, and overcoming adversity. and even dive into 'Napoleon Dynamite' and 'Forrest Gump' because of their similar themes of outsiders embracing their uniqueness. Kaleigh Cohen creates free cycling and strength home workout programs that are designed to be engaging, fun, and time-efficient, perfectly balancing high-energy cardio to boost endurance with targeted strength training to build power and resilience—all from the comfort of home. https://www.byuradio.org/9c354e97-440c-4133-8373-b3c4fc2eef98 9c354e97440c-4133-8373-b3c4fc2eef98 Mon, 03 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT false 2290 full 2025 27 Uzma Jafri and return guest Kevin Blankenship discuss Season 1 of Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime and how the show has been a bee in Uzma's bonnet, or a hornet in her hijab, for a while now. Jack Ryan Season 1 was seen by 40% of Prime members its first year on the platform, which makes it an important artifact when discussing Muslim representation in American media. We discuss negative stereotypes, Islamophobia, and authentic representation, as well as how these portrayals impact American policy. Uzma Jafri is the producer and co-host of Mommying While Muslim podcast. She grew up in Houston TX, the daughter of Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and India. oday, Uzma is a physician running her own practices in Phoenix, medical director of an assisted living and hospice agency, and graduate medical faculty. She is also a certified speaker for the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona and volunteers with multiple organizations to support refugees. Kevin Blankinship is a professor of Arabic and the medieval Middle East at BYU. He holds a PhD in classical Arabic literature from the University of Chicago and an MA in comparative literature from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Kevin also spent a research year in Morocco as a Fulbright-Hayes scholar. https://www.byuradio.org/57b8d417-d59e-48f7-9400-23a22d61c6c2 57b8d417d59e-48f7-9400-23a22d61c6c2 Mon, 27 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2058 full 2025 26 Rob Taber talks about Remember the Titans, the first sports movie featured on Voiceover! This 2000 classic about integration in 1970s Virginia stars Denzel Washington and Will Patton as two coaches who must unify high school football players divided by race and racism. We cover community building, historical films, teaching leadership, and crying in sports movies. Rob Taber has taught history at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina since 2016. His research areas include Latin America and the Caribbean, The Black Atlantic (1400-1900), Slavery, Revolutions, African-American History. He is the Vice-President for Policy Outreach, Carolina Forward. https://www.byuradio.org/2540f80c-a787-487c-b6d9-7a99d252b500 2540f80ca787-487c-b6d9-7a99d252b500 Mon, 20 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 3119 full 2025 25 Nava Kavelin of Ninth Mode Media and Podcrushed talks to me about Now & Then, a movie that felt so real to her as an 11-year old that she was embarrassed to see it with her parents. Now & Then is about the summer of 1970, experienced by four 12-year olds on the cusp of teenage-hood. Starring Christina Ricci, Gaby Hoffman, and Thora Birch, the film wants to bring authentic female friendships to the screen, as understood by director Lesli Linka Glatter and writer I. Marlene King. We talk about who the movie is really for, whether these kinds of movies are made today, and sex ed. Nava Kavelin is the co-founder and CEO of Ninth Mode, a production company dedicated to developing content that shines a light on the brighter side of human nature. https://www.byuradio.org/e3e83143-288b-44e0-8479-cad270644722 e3e83143288b-44e0-8479-cad270644722 Mon, 13 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2072 full 2025 24 Danor Gerald discusses Darren Aronfsky's The Fountain, a visually stunning film, about accepting death as a way to understand life. In The Fountain, Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz play three different couples tied to each other over time, embattled by different desperate challenges, and trying to find a way to understand death. The Fountain is celebrated for its practical effects, made with macro photography. Danor Gerald is an actor, director, writer, and producer.  He stars in the new streaming series “Beauty and the Billionaire.”   He won an Emmy for "Roots, Race and Culture," which he co-hosts and produces on PBS Utah. https://www.byuradio.org/ac5940b7-c7d5-457e-97c4-70653c77c7a6 ac5940b7c7d5-457e-97c4-70653c77c7a6 Mon, 06 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2667 full 2025 23 Rabbi Lex Rofeberg from Judaism Unbound talks through American Jewish Representation in the Netflix series Nobody Wants This, starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody. The show was a massive sensation in 2024, season 2 premieres in Oct 2025. Lex shares what he sees as missed opportunities in Season 1 and what he hopes for Season 2. It's a great conversation that covers interfaith dating and marriage, the history of Jews in Hollywood, the problematic use of "shiksa", films from immigrant communities, and an ethics of care. Lex Rofeberg is Senior Jewish Educator at Judaism Unbound, where he co-hosts and produces the weekly podcast, facilitates live digital events, and leads the UnYeshiva—its digital center for innovative Jewish learning and unlearning. He graduated from Brown University in Judaic Studies and was ordained as a rabbi in 2021 by ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. https://www.byuradio.org/7ac0db00-ffa0-46ef-afc3-02c0b90e0070 7ac0db00ffa0-46ef-afc3-02c0b90e0070 Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 3342 full 2025 22 Haroon Moghul shares why Malcolm X is the film he recommends for every American Muslim. Malcolm X (Spike Lee, 1992) avoids hagiography and instead looks at the complex, controversial American civil rights leader who transforms as he embraces Islam. Haroon Moghul is the Founder and President of Queen City Diwan, a company that leads immersive travel experiences and hosts global leadership programs. An award-winning journalist and author, Haroon is the co-host of Avenue M, a podcast that explores faith, manhood and meaning with guests from across America and the world. He's written for The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and NPR's Fresh Air. In 2023 and 2024, EqualityX named Haroon one of the fifty most influential Muslims in the Americas. https://www.byuradio.org/a6776c95-7e30-4fc2-8fe0-6763b96a352b a6776c957e30-4fc2-8fe0-6763b96a352b Mon, 22 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2678 full 2025 21 Liberty Barnes discusses a French film about women's trauma during WWII and how difficult films can help us build empathy. Les Innocents (2016) is about a French doctor in Poland who discovers that a local convent is dealing with the aftermath of Soviet assault--many of the nuns are pregnant and must reconcile their religious vocation with their lived experience. Liberty Barnes, PhD, is a medical sociologist and ethnographer, whose first book, Conceiving Masculinity, won the 2015 Sociology of Health and Illness Book of the Year Prize. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California-San Diego and completed postdoctoral training at Cambridge University and the University of Oregon. https://www.byuradio.org/6c247191-5169-4927-be3f-23a3c29f2a82 6c2471915169-4927-be3f-23a3c29f2a82 Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 1786 full 2025 20 Justin Petrisek from Notre Dame discusses The Taste of Things (Tran Anh Hung, 2023)--the anti-Iron Chef film known for its gorgeous cinematography and the way it contemplates devotion and commitment. Starring Juliete Binoche as the masterful cuisinière who communicates through her exquisite meals, the film also asks, what does it mean to be a partner? Justin Petrisek is at Notre Dame and serves as the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture’s research & publications program manager. His current research follows the intersection of film, philosophy, religion, and culture with a focus on the papacy and the Catholic Church. https://www.byuradio.org/17f09d52-6450-40f9-bafe-8ca6402ec522 17f09d526450-40f9-bafe-8ca6402ec522 Mon, 08 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2718 full 2025 19 Richard Lindsay discusses Barabbas (1961), a Hollywood Biblical epic starring Anthony Quinn as the criminal released by Pilate in the New Testament story of Jesus' crucifixion. The film engages with the existential crisis of freedom and the cackling Jack Palance--talk about tonal shift! Richard Lindsay is the Program Director at the Blackfriars Gallery in Berkeley, California, where he curates and promotes its Religious and Biblical movie poster collection. He is the producer, co-writer and co-narrator of Hollywood Biblical Epics: The Podcast. He is the author of Hollywood Biblical Epics: Camp Spectacle and Queer Style from the Silent Era to the Modern Day. https://www.byuradio.org/acd32ef9-f49d-4ab7-b53d-8cf503183abf acd32ef9f49d-4ab7-b53d-8cf503183abf Mon, 01 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2166 full 2025 18 Morgan Atkinson discusses his latest film In the Company of Change, about the Urseline nuns in Louisville KY. The filmmaker explores the challenges that face the order in an era of declining vocations and uses the life of Sister Martha Buser as a lens through which to view changes of the past 60-plus years in the religious and cultural landscape of America. Morgan Atkinson has made films for over 35 years, including documentaries about Thomas Merton and the monks of Gethsameni. Many of these have been picked up and distributed by PBS. Check out our video version of the episode on YouTube, where you can see clips from the film. And thanks to Morgan for giving us access to the film. https://www.byuradio.org/8504991c-34a8-4780-93b4-72d20b82186f 8504991c34a8-4780-93b4-72d20b82186f Mon, 25 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 1890 full 2025 17 Meli Solomon discusses Bank of Dave (2023), based on a true story about a UK man who wants to open a local bank to help his neighbors but also to challenge the British banking system. It's the kind of film that might have been made in the 1940s, with Jimmy Stewart in the lead--or wait, maybe they did? Meli Solomon is the host of the Living Our Beliefs podcast and the researcher behind the Talking with God project. She has worked as a business manager, an art dealer and founder of Solomon Fine Art gallery, language trainer, text editor, business coach, and now public scholar. https://www.byuradio.org/aeffb723-a42b-421c-a38e-e3d1a7c1c810 aeffb723a42b-421c-a38e-e3d1a7c1c810 Mon, 18 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2147 full 2025 16 James Goldberg discusses the highly decorated Lage Raho Munna Bai, a Bombai film about living like Gandhi in the modern day. James Goldberg is an American poet, playwright, essayist, novelist, documentary filmmaker, scholar, and translator who specializes in Mormon literature. https://www.byuradio.org/ae43400e-a665-4a7b-a430-e69b05b47736 ae43400ea665-4a7b-a430-e69b05b47736 Mon, 11 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2123 full 2025 15 Kevin Blankinship discusses the evolution of The Batman and how The Dark Knight offers us blurred lines and shades of grey to better understand redemption. Kevin Blankinship is an expert in Arabic and the Middle East who has written and published widely. You can find his work, including his poetry, in the likes of Journal of Arabic Literature, New Lines Magazine, Lapham’s Quarterly, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. https://www.byuradio.org/053d2c4b-76c8-4f69-8ecf-957edf9647a4 053d2c4b76c8-4f69-8ecf-957edf9647a4 Mon, 04 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2248 full 2025 14 Heather & Ian chat with McKay Coppins and Benjamin Park about the Hulu 2023 limited-series adapation of Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven. https://www.byuradio.org/62c1e598-b49a-4248-adbb-a5fd4cc38620 62c1e598b49a-4248-adbb-a5fd4cc38620 Mon, 28 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 3168 full 2025 13 Becca Hurley Luong shares how Contact's message of peace and unity continues to teach her. Becca Hurley Luong is a linguist, writer, and comedian. She produces The Lisa Show and Council of Moms at BYUradio. https://www.byuradio.org/4fae8619-13df-45fb-b329-b2bb4039492d 4fae861913df-45fb-b329-b2bb4039492d Mon, 21 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2149 full 2025 12 Producer Matthew Janzen shares Philomena, a film that challenges our perceptions of forgiveness and truth. Matthew Janzen is the Head of Film at ACE Entertainment, which produces Gen Z & Millenial feature films and tv series. Previously he was the Senior Vice President of Production & Development at Lionsgate. https://www.byuradio.org/96850c47-c547-47a9-b5c8-9ccdb1d5aa79 96850c47c547-47a9-b5c8-9ccdb1d5aa79 Mon, 14 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2823 full 2025 11 Robert Monson shares why this 1978 musical still resonates today and explores its themes of spirituality, community, and empowerment. Robert Monson is a writer, musician, and scholar that looks closely at Black and womanist theologies as well as Black disability theology. He is currently a PhD student and is a host for two podcasts: Black Coffee and Theology and Three Black Men: Theology, Culture, and the World Around Us. https://www.byuradio.org/bbc95aff-42db-4cc2-a58e-64dae2c15df6 bbc95aff42db-4cc2-a58e-64dae2c15df6 Mon, 07 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2347 full 2025 10 Multi-talent Danor Gerald joins Ian and me to work through Jeymes Samuel's 2024 Book of Clarence, a sword and sandal movie with an all-Black cast. What does this movie get right and why didn't it connect with Black audiences? Danor Gerald is an actor, director, writer, and producer, as well as the President of Monark Media, PC, and Chief Creative Officer at Brand One Media, llc. He also co-hosts and produces the award winning TV series "Roots, Race and Culture" for PBS Utah. https://www.byuradio.org/af0c4064-7eff-4df2-add3-28c8dcf0bcb2 af0c40647eff-4df2-add3-28c8dcf0bcb2 Mon, 30 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 3009 full 2025 9 Cinema curator Marie-Laure Oscarson shares Bye Bye Tiberias (Lina Soualem, 2023) about the relationship of mother and daughter against the backdrop of war, displacement, exile, and autonomy. Marie-Laure Julien Oscarson is a native of France who has been living in Utah the last couple decades. She has always been a film enthusiast. She remembers learning English watching classic American films on TV.  Marie-Laure graduated from Brigham Young University with an MA and wrote her thesis on Franco-Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski’s Three Colors Trilogy. For the last ten years she has worked as the assistant director and curator for BYU’s International Cinema, a university cinematheque that programs about 90 films per year for the BYU community. Most days you can find her hiking in the mountains, and she has never lost her love of world cinema. https://www.byuradio.org/0b191077-f9fe-4843-83a8-ed3641e56605 0b191077f9fe-4843-83a8-ed3641e56605 Mon, 23 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2313 full 2025 8 Educator Evan Martin-Casler dives deep on childhood in the movies with a discussion of Ben Zeitlin's 2012 Beasts of the Southern Wild, a handmade movie that resulted in an Oscar nomination for six-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis. Stay tuned for more coming-of-age movie recs at the end! Evan Martin-Casler is teaching faculty at the University of Arizona and holds an MA from Tufts University in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership. https://www.byuradio.org/6536de5b-4c56-4ea7-90b2-c7d26103eacc 6536de5b4c56-4ea7-90b2-c7d26103eacc Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 1990 full 2025 7 Lisa Valentine Clark shares the romance A Room with A View. https://www.byuradio.org/6324d208-795c-4691-af3e-7597eef93112 6324d208795c-4691-af3e-7597eef93112 Mon, 09 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2709 full 2025 6 Justin Petrisek of Notre Dame joins Ian and Heather to work through Edward Berger's 2024 Conclave, and how the film portrays Catholics, the papacy, and spiritual life. https://www.byuradio.org/e649c22f-5cb6-4b41-b0e1-82d5efff4d7f e649c22f5cb6-4b41-b0e1-82d5efff4d7f Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 3195 full 2025 5 Heather teams up with In Good Faith host (and her boss!) Steven Kapp Perry for an examination of Denis Villeneuve's 2024 Dune 2. https://www.byuradio.org/64247195-1291-49a3-aba2-a62d0201c49e 642471951291-49a3-aba2-a62d0201c49e Mon, 26 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2394 full 2025 4 Heather zooms with film professor Sharon Swenson about Ingmar Berman's 1957 Wild Strawberries, the iconic Swedish film about reconsidering the life you've lived. Sharon also throws in a thought or two about why action films are under-valued and what makes Terminator 2 so awesome. Stay tuned for more recommends of films that consider what a life is for. Sharon Swenson spent 30 years teaching film at BYU and now teaches in the University of Utah's Continuing education program. Part of her research focused on spectatorship, and she enjoys learning about how others experience film and figuring out the ways "seeing is believing". https://www.byuradio.org/1dff7c93-b0fe-49ee-bc78-64737a1a8bc1 1dff7c93b0fe-49ee-bc78-64737a1a8bc1 Mon, 19 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2218 full 2025 3 Heather chats with sociologist Liberty Barnes about James L. Brooks' 2010 How Do You Know and how the film changed for her after she recovered from breast cancer. Listen to the end for more rom-com recommendations! Liberty Barnes, PhD, is a medical sociologist and ethnographer, whose first book, Conceiving Masculinity, won the 2015 Sociology of Health and Illness Book of the Year Prize. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California-San Diego and completed postdoctoral training at Cambridge University and the University of Oregon. https://www.byuradio.org/a4219ce5-31f0-42a2-9939-2cf8027ba0d1 a4219ce531f0-42a2-9939-2cf8027ba0d1 Mon, 19 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 1927 full 2025 2 Heather sits down with film professional Ian Puente from InTension Industries to discuss Denis Villeneuve's 2016 Arrival, and what the film has to say about spirituality and joy, as well as heptapods, language acquisition, and some familiar scriptures. Listen to the end for suggestions of other films you might like if Arrival is one of your favorites. Ian Puente as helped grow several independent film and television companies, holding various business development and strategy roles at Sony Pictures Classics, Samuel Goldwyn Films, and the pay-television network EPIX. https://www.byuradio.org/c9961ebd-afcd-4207-b0b1-8be7af2ec837 c9961ebdafcd-4207-b0b1-8be7af2ec837 Mon, 19 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT false 2116 full 2025 1