Voiceover: Movies that Move Us

Aubrey Chaves chats with Heather about how Little Women influenced her as a young woman and how the film reads today, especially the power and wisdom of Marmee. They chat about which sister they identified with (as you do) and the stacked cast that made this film great. Aubrey Chaves serves on the executive board of the Faith Matters Foundation and co-hosts its weekly podcast with her husband, Tim. She is the mother of four.

Abby Olcese talks to Heather about Night of the Hunter (Laughton, 1955): the director's motivation, the use of music, the film's massive influence, and why it's a Christmas movie. Abby Olcese is the author of Films for All Seasons: Experiencing the Church Year at the Movies. She is also the film editor for The Pitch, a website and magazine serving the greater Kansas City, Missouri, area.

Movies can become part of your family's identity in a profound way. Heather chatted with her friend Kathy about how Kathy instituted LOTR Day, first as a chance to recover from the intensity of the December holiday onslaught, and then as a way to bring her family closer together. Kathy Weinzinger is a Senior Executive Assistant at Northern Arizona University’s Center for International Education. She is originally from Maine. She and her husband Walter, an engineer and accordion enthusiast, are the parents of 3 daughters.

Oindrila Mukherjee talks to Heather about Charulata, directed by Satyajit Ray from 1964 and adapted from Rabindranath Tagore’s 1901 novel Nastanir or The Broken Nest. The main character Charu was married before puberty and now as a young woman in her 20s, she blossoms as a writer under the guidance of her husband's cousin. But the film is a tragedy as it examines what it means for a woman to awaken to herself in a culture where she has no way to live out any of her choices. Oindrila Mukherjee teaches creative writing at Grand Valley State University. She is the author of the novel The Dream Builders, published on four continents in 2023.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Here is what has caught Heather's eye, coming to a theater near you in 2026. Plus, movies turning 25 this year.

Heather wades into the debate about whether movies are better than books. Check out our YouTube channel for the full video experience.

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.

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)?

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)!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lisa Valentine Clark shares the romance A Room with A View.

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.

Heather teams up with In Good Faith host (and her boss!) Steven Kapp Perry for an examination of Denis Villeneuve's 2024 Dune 2.

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".

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.