[The Book of Life -- written and directed by Marco Lui -- is now available for general viewing through Audience Alliance. The following is a reprint of my original review, posted in January 2011 at the LDS Film Festival]
Tag Archive: lds cinema
Dec
19
Review: Christmas Angel (B-)
Just in time for Christmas, let’s look at Christmas Angel, a holiday-themed movie directed by Brian Brough (Turn Around, Rescued, Beauty & The Beast) and released to video in 2009. Christmas Angel stars Bruce Davison as the title character, a rich retiree who spends his remaining years doing “Secret Santa” service for those around him.
Nov
15
Review: Overcome / Turn Around (C-)
Overcome, written by “Dani Franklin” and directed by “BJ Alexander”, stars “Jaycee Lynn” and was released to video in 2008. Yes, I’m using quotes deliberately here. “BJ Alexander”, “Dani Franklin”, and “Jaycee Lynn” do not, in fact, exist.
Oct
31
Review: Johnny Lingo (1969)
The short film Johnny Lingo was produced by BYU in 1969 and has long held a celebrated place in LDS culture over the past forty years, despite no real LDS content. (While largely “adopted” into LDS culture, it is based off of a Women’s Day article from Patricia McGerr, a Catholic, and references to the article and “eight cow …
Aug
22
Review: Take (A-)
Saul sits in chains and stares blankly at the sterile prison walls around him as the film opens. He is on death row and about to be executed. Ana stares blankly at the featureless desert outside her car as she travels across the state to witness his execution. She has a personal connection with Saul’s …
Aug
13
Coming Soon: Joseph Smith Volume 1 — Plates of Gold
Director Christian Vuissa’s (One Good Man, The Errand of Angels) latest directorial effort Joseph Smith — Volume 1: Plates of Gold has started screening in select theaters around the country and will arrive in Utah theaters on September 2nd. The official site will have details as to theater location and release dates for states around …
Jun
05
Review: 17 Miracles (B+)
17 Miracles (IMDB, official site) depicts the story of the Willie & Martin Handcart Companies, two Mormon pioneer groups making the trek on foot from Iowa to Utah in 1856 and who encountered trials, tragedies, and small miracles along the way. It is directed by T.C. Christensen, director of photography for The Work & The Glory series, and …
Jun
01
Review: Bonneville (B-)
Smaller films with LDS connections don’t generally feature A-list movie stars, or even B-list for that matter. (After Anne Hathaway the next biggest name actor or actress to appear in an ‘LDS film’ is … Gary Coleman?)
May
22
Coming Soon: 17 Miracles
From writer/director T.C.Christensen (director of photography for The Work & The Glory series, and co-director of Emma Smith: My Story) comes 17 Miracles, a dramatization of stories from early LDS pioneers in the Willie and Martin handcart companies.
Apr
15
Criticism Within LDS Film: Part 1 — What is Film Criticism?
Art criticism has existed as long as art has, if only through “critics” sharing personal reactions to the art form. In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans not only developed great writers of literature, but great theories about literature as well — forming a foundation for early literary criticism.
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