Voiceover: Movies that Move Us
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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.
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.
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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.
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