I think it's going to be a good movie.
There's some really good acting, and it looks like the costumes are incredible. I'm so excited for it to come out.
I agree - I was fortunate enough to be there while final sound editing was done, so I have seen the movie, and I would definitely say that this is a great movie. Chris did a very good job with it, and I think that all will be surprised with the quality of the outcome of it all. Be sure to watch for it in theaters next month!
sharePlease! It looks so much like the majority of LDS-themed movies that have come out since The Singles Ward--very, very cheesy.
Will very many people see it? No. Will it go to DVD quickly? Yes. Will the DVD sell? Very little. Will the DVD end up (along with the book) at your nearest D.I.? I know this to be true beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Books sell like hotcakes within the LDS community. Most of the books, especially the "historical fiction," are corny and poorly written.
Such is the case here. The premise is silly. Is truth so boring that we need Nephites and Lamanites fighting in modern-day Utah? Heaven help us!
Taking a poorly written book (that honestly has sold very little), translating it to the movie screen on a spaghetti string budget, directed by the writer who has no experience is a sure-fire recipe for disaster.
I for one will continue to reserve my entertaimment budget for movies with solid production values (think The Best Two Years, Saints and Soldiers, Singles Ward).
I agree.I am active in the Theater comunity in St George where alot of this was filmed and know quite a few people in it. I know for a fact that alot of those people are terrible actors. They got alot of their roles because they knew someone involved in the production. I dont think this movie will do well at all. Mormon movies should have a bigger target audiance then utah mormons. Does The Other Side Of Heaven mean anything? Did anyone see that they are making a second singles ward? They have already ran out of matirial and no sequals! AHHHHHHH!!!
shareThat's interesting about your inside knowledge of the actors. Did you know that the lead actor in "Passage" is currently playing one of the lead roles in "Wicked" in Chicago? Or that another of the lead actors is currently filming with Val Kimmer and Faye Dunaway and was on the season finale of "Lost"? Or that another lead actor has been on "Desperate Housewives"? And none of these people are from the St. George area. As a matter of fact, I only know of one of the primary characters in "Passage" that resides in Southern Utah, and she just finished a multi-year run on the tv series "Everwood" and has done dozens of other tv shows and movies.
So, as for the actors that you seem to be aware of, I would assume that you are talking about "extras".
I can tell that you haven't seen the movie yet, so maybe you should go get some first hand knowledge.
Among the vast sea of nay-sayers, I am glad to see your reply, druff-7.
I have read most of Chris' published work and I think it's great that LDS people have a place to turn for clean entertainment. What's wrong with LDS fiction? There's definitely less to be offended by ... unlike other fiction out there from Hollywood. Who wants to see things on the big screen that we'd blush about in real life? Not me!
Anyway, I'm excited to see the movie and I'm hoping that it will do really well!
Obviously none of you people saying anything good have seen this movie, and if you did, you know nothing about what qualifies a movie as "good". This was the most awful movie I have ever seen.
As far as Mormon movies go, this one is offensive. It portrays Mormons as stupid and moronic, which most are not - just those involved in the making of this film.
Then there is the actual "film", if you can call it more than a self-made movie. The acting (especially by the "actors" (not the extras)) is awful. And the directing (and anything else touched by that self-named director/writer/actor/song writer) is more than bad, it's pathetic. Did he not see any of the video for this film before making a final copy? Could he not see that the boom-mic fell into the scene in over 10 scenes? How can you miss it? It's green for heaven's sake! There was even a 2nd 2nd Assistant Producer - you'd think an editor, 2nd 2nd assistant producer, or someone would have seen it. I did. Me and the one other person in the theatre (came with me).
Oh, and the "LA gang"? Give me a break! The "leader" doesn't even look latino, and he certainly doesn't talk like one. It is clear that the writer(s) of this film grew up in Utah and never left Happy Valley. I don't even think they've seen good television, because they steered far clear of anything good. The character's are dressed in clothes even the worst dressers wouldn't wear. The main character is from California, but she can't pick a good outfit?
But with a plot as bad as the director's book, what more can you expect? I mean, they don't even try to explain how the Nephites/Lamanites are speaking English. I personally hope that Chris H. loses enough money in this film so that he never tries to make anything else so terrible.
This film is a disgrace.
What's up with you chasej-4? What a BIG chip you have on your shoulder, what happened? Who has upset you or who did you fall out with or are you just a disagreable person in general? Words are cheap and your words are the cheapest of them all. Anyone can slag off anyone else but I bet you couldn't write a book or make a film could you? So why be so nasty? About time you grew up or got back to kindergarden.
My mates enjoyed it alot.
I didn't want to see this movie but I was at my in-laws when they put it on and I actually liked it.
I don't think it portrays Mormons as "stupid and moronic" (which are two words that mean the exact same thing, by the way) I did kinda roll my eyes at the fact that the two older sisters were so cheery at first but I still liked it.
As for the boom mike in the shot, I used to be a projectionist at a movie theater and the boom thing is from someone making the reel of film not spacing it properly, it's not the filmmakers mistake.
I do agree with the bad clothes comment though, at least on Kira's part, they were bad.
But you last comment about the Nephites/Lamanites speaking English is the main reason why I replied. They didn't explain how it happened but they explained that they were speaking different languages than each other because Kiddoni said he could read Grandpa's Bible and the Gadiantons were so freaked out the Brock could understand them, even in the secret language of Nehor. Did you even watch the movie? It came up several times.
I liked this movie, yes, everyone is entitled to their opinion but you don't have to be so judgemental, rude and mistaken.
"Will the DVD Sell? Very little..."
This movie looks TERRIBLE to me and it most likely is but this statement is just false. DVD sales save Mormon movies every time. I expect this to sell EXTREMELY well on DVD ( I work at a local LDS book seller and know the inner workings of the market."
Also, I will agree that books sell like hot cakes in the community but your statement about historical fiction is only partially true. I would reccomend the Banner is Unfurled Series, which unlike the stupid Work and the Glory series, is based on real people.
LDS cinema is having struggles. It really needs help.
Why is it that people are so quick to "judge a book by it's cover"? Go see the movie before you claim "This movie looks TERRIBLE to me and it most likely is".
I went to the movie this weekend (the 5th week out) and the theater was almost full. Half of the attendees stayed through the credits. I followed one guy out who stated to his wife, "This is the first LDS movie that I have liked".
The movie is a lot of fun and it doesn't get its jollies by using worn-out stereotypes. It is a first for the LDS communty in that it has the feel of a "real movie".
I do agree with you that it should do well on DVD.