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Post-Mormon at the Movies

Post-Mormon at the Movies

By Nick and Dan

Nick and Dan, a screenwriter and a movie-lover, explore themes of changing faith through the language of cinema. They discuss their journeys out of the Mormon church using film narrative in order to build understanding between believers, non-believers, and everyone in between.
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004 - Mormon Cinema (Part 1)

Post-Mormon at the MoviesOct 24, 2020

00:00
53:33
044 - Booksmart

044 - Booksmart

What kind of high schooler were you? What do you wish were different about your high school/Mormon experience? Nick and Dan explore these questions with special guest Jenny McKay, who joined them for a discussion about the film Booksmart. (This conversation was recorded in July 2023.)


Check out Jenny's coaching and podcast!

-Jenny McKay Coaching (website, Instagram, TikTok)

-Podcast: Just Create, Dammit!


Mentioned in this episode:

1. Barbie

2. Olivia Wilde

3. Barbenheimer, The Dark Knight, and Mamma Mia!


Find more information on our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠. Post-Mormon at the Movies is on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠. Subscribe for regular updates. You can reach us by email at postmormonmovies@gmail.com.

Feb 11, 202448:24
043 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

043 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Nick and Dan are joined by long-time friend Jon to geek out over Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. We discuss the "canon events" of Mormonism and what it feels like to find others who accept you when you're different.


Mentioned in this episode:

1. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller


Find more information on our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠. Post-Mormon at the Movies is on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠. Subscribe for regular updates. You can reach us by email at postmormonmovies@gmail.com.

Aug 13, 202356:09
The Good Place - Season 1

The Good Place - Season 1

Jenny, Kyle, Nick, and Dan discuss season one of The Good Place and how it relates to their experiences in the LDS church. How similar is the Good Place to the celestial kingdom? Is there a "point system" in the church? Which character is the most "Mormon"? Tune in to find out! ***CONTAINS SPOILERS***


Mentioned in this episode:

1. How to be Perfect by Michael Schur

2. SNL, The Office, Parks and Recreation

3. Damon Lindelof, Lost, and The Leftovers

4. The Good Place point system

5. The Trolley Problem

6. Video of cast reacting to season finale (SPOILERS)

7. Ted Danson and Cheers


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Jul 25, 202301:21:09
042 - The Banshees of Inisherin

042 - The Banshees of Inisherin

Head to the pub and grab a pint! Nick and Dan are joined by Kyle and Jenny (the human, not the donkey) to discuss The Banshees of Inisherin. Is this movie about the Irish civil war, inescapable despair, or church relationships? Listen to find out!


Mentioned in this episode:

1. Martin McDonagh

2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and In Bruges

3. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, and Barry Keoghan


Find more information on our ⁠website⁠. Post-Mormon at the Movies is on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠TikTok⁠. Subscribe for regular updates. You can reach us by email at postmormonmovies@gmail.com.

May 05, 202358:50
041 - Hercules

041 - Hercules

Go the distance with Dan and Nick in their first podcast of 2023! They discuss Disney's Hercules and its similarities to the LDS doctrine of the Plan of Salvation.


Mentioned in this episode:

1. Edith Hamilton's Mythology

2. Disney's 100th Anniversary

3. Hadestown


Find more information on our website. Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Subscribe for regular updates. You can reach us by email at postmormonmovies@gmail.com.

Mar 23, 202341:06
PM@M Replay: The Muppet Christmas Carol

PM@M Replay: The Muppet Christmas Carol

Revisit this PM@M "classic" to learn why Nick and Dan love The Muppet Christmas Carol. They also discuss how they approach Christmas from a post-Mormon perspective.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Muppet Treasure Island
2. Michael Caine and Tim Curry
3. Thomas S. Monson's 2011 First Presidency Christmas Devotional talk "Because He Came"
4. The "missing song" ("When Love Is Gone")

Find more information on our website.

Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. You can reach us by email at postmormonmovies@gmail.com

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Dec 18, 202247:11
040 - Into the Woods

040 - Into the Woods

Nick and Dan tackle the messages and songs of Into the Woods to show how they relate to their own experiences in and out of church.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Stephen Sondheim, West Side Story, and Sweeny Todd
2. Rob Marshall
3. "Into the Woods: The Humanist Gospel of Stephen Sondheim"
4. "The Debate is Over"

Find more information on our website.

Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. You can reach us by email at postmormonmovies@gmail.com.

Subscribe for regular updates.

Nov 14, 202201:08:51
039 - Signs

039 - Signs

Do you believe in signs and deeper meaning, or luck and coincidence? Either way, we hope you enjoy this special Halloween episode about the 2002 film Signs. Jenny and Kyle join Nick and Dan to discuss the religious themes of this M. Night Shyamalan classic.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Field of Dreams
2. Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix
3. Fowler Stages of Faith
4. Life of Pi

Check out Bite Size Reviews, where Kyle reviews books, movies, and TV with an emphasis on page-to-screen adaptations.

Find more information on our website.

Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. You can reach us by email at postmormonmovies@gmail.com.

Subscribe for regular updates.

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Oct 31, 202258:01
038 - Everything Everywhere All at Once

038 - Everything Everywhere All at Once

Kyle, Jenny, Nick, and Dan share their differing opinions in a lively discussion about the film Everything Everywhere All at Once. Statistically, it's possible that there are universes out there where everyone gets to be right.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
2. Turning Red
3. Daniels
4. Multiverse
5. "As man now is, God once was"
6. Postmodernism: Stuff You Should Know and Sunstone Podcast
7. Post-postmodernism
8. Walter Chaw: perspective from an immigrant family

More coverage of Everything Everywhere All at Once:
1. Intentionally Blank (Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells)
2. The Big Picture: film discussion and interview with Daniels
3. Cinema Therapy
4. Pop Culture Detective

Check out Bite Size Reviews, where Kyle reviews books, movies, and TV with an emphasis on page-to-screen adaptations.

Find more information on our website.

Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Subscribe for regular updates.

Oct 10, 202201:17:26
037 - Spotlight
Sep 25, 202201:16:46
036 - Sons of Provo
Aug 21, 202259:28
PM@M Replay: The Truman Show
Jul 03, 202254:36
035 - Whiplash

035 - Whiplash

Who would've thought that Damian Chazelle's "Whiplash" would lead to such a deep discussion about morality, self-worth, and abusive leadership? Not us, but that's the way the cymbal crashes. Dan and Nick are joined once again by Kyle to discuss 2014's "Whiplash."

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Youtube: Whiplash (as reviewed by a jazz musician)
2. La La Land


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Jun 19, 202201:00:07
Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 7

Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 7

Our discussions of FX's Under the Banner of Heaven come to a close. Jenny and Kyle once again join Nick and Dan to share thoughts about the finale of this epic miniseries.

Find more information on our website.

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Jun 05, 202201:11:44
Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 6

Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 6

It may not be in a Jacuzzi in Oregon, but join Nick and Dan for a chat about FX's Under the Banner of Heaven. Kyle and Jenny return to break down depictions of revelation and a crisis of faith in episode six of the series.

Find more information on our website.

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May 29, 202201:02:07
Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 5

Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 5

Jenny and Kyle keep Nick and Dan around to continue their in-depth review of FX's Under the Banner of Heaven. The investigation is full steam ahead as we discuss depictions of polygamy, excommunication, and Joseph Smith's martyrdom.

Find more information on our website.

Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

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May 22, 202201:00:26
Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 4

Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 4

Nick and Dan continue their in-depth review of FX's Under the Banner of Heaven with Kyle and Jenny. We hear Kyle's quick take on Episode 3 and then explore all things Church and State, especially the friction that polygamy has caused and continues to cause in the LDS church.

Find more information on our website.

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May 15, 202201:17:12
Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 3

Under the Banner of Heaven - Episode 3

Continue the deep-dive into FX's Under the Banner of Heaven on the podcast's temporary retitle: Post-Mormon at the Mini-series.

Nick and Dan, joined again by Jenny, take a look at the show's third episode and discuss its depiction of the LDS temple, faith crises, and the accuracy of some Mormon euphemisms.

Find more information on our website.

Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

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May 08, 202201:09:42
Under the Banner of Heaven - Episodes 1 and 2

Under the Banner of Heaven - Episodes 1 and 2

Welcome to Post-Mormon at the...TV? Streaming? Mini-series?

Dan and Nick are joined by Jenny and Kyle (from our Encanto episode) in a new series covering
Under the Banner of Heaven. In discussing episodes 1 and 2, we focus on what they got right and wrong in depicting Mormon culture and history.

Find more information on our website.

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May 01, 202258:36
034 - Mormons in Pop Culture
Apr 24, 202201:05:06
033 - Inception
Apr 10, 202240:17
032 - 2022 Academy Awards Preview

032 - 2022 Academy Awards Preview

Dan and Nick talk about the upcoming 2022 Academy Awards and several of the nominated films.

Click here to submit your responses to our Oscars Predictions Contest!

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Mar 25, 202239:35
031 - Belfast

031 - Belfast

Dan and Nick are joined by returning guest, Shawn Hall, to talk about Kenneth Branagh's Belfast.

You can find Shawn on Twitter, Substack, and at his personal blog where he shares his thoughts on classic film.

Click here to submit your responses to our Oscars Predictions Contest!

Find more information on our website.

Post-Mormon at the Movies is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Subscribe for regular updates.

Mar 13, 202241:44
030 - Encanto
Feb 25, 202201:19:23
029 - Dan in Real Life

029 - Dan in Real Life

In honor of Valentine's Day, PM@M covers the romantic comedy Dan in Real Life. Nick and Dan try really hard to not spend the whole episode quoting the movie at each other.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Dan's Letterboxd profile
2. Steve Carell and The Office
3. Cyrano de Bergerac: the play, the stage musical, the movie
4. Peter Dinklage
5. Peter Hedges
6. About a Boy, Pieces of April, The Odd Life of Timothy Green

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Feb 11, 202229:58
028 - "Same-Sex Attracted"
Jan 30, 202250:09
027 - It's a Wonderful Life

027 - It's a Wonderful Life

Nick and Dan discuss the film It's a Wonderful Life, the history behind it, and whether George Bailey is a good person.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Frank Capra
2. Jimmy Stewart
3. Mr. Krueger's Christmas
4. PM@M Episode 009: The Muppet Christmas Carol
5. SNL's It's a Wonderful Life: The Lost Ending

Extras:
1. Christmas After a Mormon Faith Crisis (Mormon Stories episode)

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Dec 19, 202138:44
026 - Stardust

026 - Stardust

Nick and Dan are joined by Kyle, a believing member of the LDS faith. They discuss the film Stardust and how it relates to being in a mixed-faith marriage.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Neil Gaiman
2. The Princess Bride
3. Daredevil
4. Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, and Henry Cavill
5. The Hero's Journey

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Dec 03, 202145:45
025 - Dune
Nov 19, 202146:29
024 - V for Vendetta

024 - V for Vendetta

In honor of Guy Fawkes Day, this episode covers V for Vendetta. Nick and Dan discuss the film in conjunction with the LDS Church's controversial exclusion policy (announced 11/5/2015) and its subsequent reversal.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. 2015 exclusion policy: changes for homosexual couples and their children
(NOTE: the LDS Church has since updated their definition of apostasy and grounds for excommunication)
2. First Presidency letter to church leaders about the 2015 policy change
3. D. Todd Christofferson discusses changes with director of Church Public Affairs
4. Mormon Stories episode about 2015 policy comparison to polygamy
5. Articles about Utah youth suicides: Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune, Vox
6. Russell Nelson announces 2015 policy change was revelation
7. Mormonism Live episode about Russell Nelson and the 2015 policy change
8. Mass resignations following 2015 policy change
9. LDS Church announces reversal of policy

Extras:
1. More relevant Mormon Stories episodes: 583, 584, 586-587, 721-722, 1091-1094
2. Homosexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Wikipedia)

Nov 05, 202146:16
023 - 10 Cloverfield Lane

023 - 10 Cloverfield Lane

Join Nick and Dan for their Halloween Special covering 10 Cloverfield Lane. The film is a great watch for the holiday, but also surprisingly fitting for the COVID era.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Cloverfield, The Cloverfield Paradox, and Overlord
2. J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves
3. John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and John Gallagher Jr.
4. COVID vaccine controversy in the LDS church
5. Gaslighting
6. The Village (PM@M episode)

Extras:
1. Sunstone Podcast episode about LDS church leadership and response of members to COVID vaccine

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Oct 22, 202134:50
022 - Coco
Oct 08, 202138:23
021 - Star Wars
Sep 24, 202101:01:59
020 - Silence
Jul 05, 202148:35
019 - The Bridge on the River Kwai

019 - The Bridge on the River Kwai

Nick and Dan are joined by Shawn, a PM@M listener and winner of this year's Oscars Prediction contest. Shawn selected The Bridge on the River Kwai for this episode. The discussion centers on how obedience, loyalty, and morality are portrayed in this classic war movie and how they relate to the post-Mormon experience.

You can find Shawn on Twitter, Substack, and at his personal blog where he shares his thoughts on classic film.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Alec Guinness
2. "What-e'er thou art, act well thy part" and David O. McKay
3. Source for Joseph Smith quote
4. The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
5. States of Grace
6. A Knight's Tale

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Jun 04, 202155:31
018 - Tangled

018 - Tangled

Happy Mother's Day! Join Nick, Dan, and special guest Stephanie from My Great and Spacious World as they discuss Disney's Tangled and its connections to life in and out of the LDS Church. After the episode, we invite all mothers to remain seated as the young men and women hand out a small gift from the bishopric.

You can find Stephanie and My Great and Spacious World on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow the links and give her a follow/subscribe!

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Friday Night Lights
2. M. Russell Ballard's 2014 general conference talk "Stay in the Boat and Hold On!"
3. M. Russell Ballard's 2016 general conference talk "To Whom Shall We Go?"
4. "No One Is Alone" from Into the Woods

Extra Resources:
1. Women at Church: Magnifying LDS Women's Local Impact by Neylan McBaine
2. "Dear Mormon Man, tell me what you would do." by Amy McPhie Allebest (and her interview on Mormon Stories)
3. "30 Questions Nobody Asks My Husband at Church" by Dr. Julie Hanks (and her interview on Mormon Stories)

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May 09, 202151:11
017 - 2021 Academy Awards Preview
Apr 23, 202153:44
016 - Knives Out
Apr 09, 202142:50
015 - The Prince of Egypt
Mar 27, 202131:53
014 - Doctor Strange
Mar 13, 202144:19
013 - Get Out

013 - Get Out

In honor of Black History Month, this episode's discussion is focused on Get Out. Nick and Dan are joined by special guest host Robert Martin, who shares some of his experience as a Black member of the LDS Church.

Robert is on Instagram and Twitter.

DISCLAIMER: Our goal is to make this podcast appeal to current and former members of the LDS Church, regardless of belief. As such, we try to talk about things in a way that will feel approachable to everyone. In this episode, we got into some discussions that might be uncomfortable for believing members to hear. We hope you'll listen, because we think these conversations are important to create understanding and unity.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Jordan Peele, Key & Peele, and MADtv
2. Bradley Whitford and The West Wing
3. LDS Gospel Topics essay on Race and the Priesthood
4. Jordan Peele's tweet on 'The Sunken Place'
5. Spike Lee
6. 2018 satirical/fake LDS Church apology for racism

Additional resources:
1. Discussion of Get Out and parallels with the LDS Church (Thinker of Thoughts)
2. Jordan Peele on Get Out fan theories
3. Response to fake LDS Church apology for racism (Sistas in Zion)
4. Black people and Mormonism (Wikipedia)
5. Black people and Mormon priesthood (Wikipedia)
6. Vox article on Get Out and benevolent racism
7. Robert and his wife Melissa's interview on the podcast Making Love Today

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Feb 27, 202101:28:48
012 - Fiddler on the Roof
Feb 12, 202155:21
011 - The Matrix

011 - The Matrix

Nick and Dan have a simulating—I mean, stimulating—conversation about The Matrix and why it's such a popular movie among post-Mormons.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Morpheus meme
2. Inception
3. Avatar
4. Red pill vs. blue pill
5. The Truman Show and the PM@M episode

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Jan 29, 202140:39
010 - Soul

010 - Soul

Join Nick and Dan as they review Pixar's newest film Soul and discuss how it relates to Mormon beliefs.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Coco, Inside Out, and The Incredibles
2. Pete Docter
3. Popcorn Theology

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Jan 15, 202141:47
009 - The Muppet Christmas Carol

009 - The Muppet Christmas Carol

Merry Christmas! For PM@M's holiday special, Nick and Dan talk about why they love The Muppet Christmas Carol. They also discuss how they approach Christmas from a post-Mormon perspective.

Mentioned in this episode:
1. Muppet Treasure Island
2. Michael Caine and Tim Curry
3. Thomas S. Monson's 2011 First Presidency Christmas Devotional talk "Because He Came"
4. The "missing song" ("When Love Is Gone")

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Sound effects from Zapsplat.

Dec 18, 202044:42
008 - Sin-ema: The R-Rated Episode

008 - Sin-ema: The R-Rated Episode

Dec 04, 202001:35:04
007 - Mormon Cinema (Part 2)
Nov 20, 202052:01
006 - Frozen II
Nov 13, 202050:35
005 - The Village
Oct 30, 202001:01:12
004 - Mormon Cinema (Part 1)
Oct 24, 202053:33