By Jonathan Decker WHAT'S THE FIGHTING PREACHER ABOUT? A Latter-day Saint boxer and his wife are called to take care of the farm of church prophet Joseph Smith, 80 years after the faith left Palmyra, New York. Met with aggressive persecution and bigotry by the locals, he tries to change things with his fists, but his wife sees that the hand of friendship and kindness is what is needed. IS IT ANY G ...[Read More]
Family Review: THE FIGHTING PREACHER Promotes Kindness in the Face of Intolerance
TREK Family Movie Review
By Henry Ferreyra Trek (rent or buy it here) is another in a long line of LDS movies that have now been released to the masses. The movie features the tag line “a Mormon thing” which made me want to prepare myself for cheesy moments. Although the movie started out weak and a bit contrived, it had a strong finish that surprised me. LDS cinema started off with some great movies like God’s Army and T ...[Read More]
LOVE, KENNEDY Family Movie Review
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) WHAT’S LOVE, KENNEDY ABOUT? A terminally-ill teen inspires a community with her love and faith in this new film by T.C. Christensen (17 Miracles, Ephraim’s Rescue, The Cokeville Miracle). Based on a true story. Available on Bluray and DVD. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: A-) To see a T.C. Christensen film in a crowded theater is to experience surround-sou ...[Read More]
10 Latter-day Saint Movies That Anyone Could Love
By Jonathan Decker You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy Fiddler on the Roof, Catholic to love Rudy, Hindu to appreciate Ghandi, or an evangelical Christian to be a fan of The Blind Side. Similarly, there are films about Latter-day Saints that are simply good movies. They entertain and tell compelling stories without trying to convert the audience. Here are ten films that have won over mainstream c ...[Read More]
Director Mitch Davis Talks THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) This week marks 15 years since the theatrical release of The Other Side of Heaven, the lush and engaging Latter-day Saint missionary biopic which launched the careers of megastar Anne Hathaway and TV favorite Christopher Gorham. The film tells the love story of Elder John H. Groberg and his future wife Jean, exchanging letters as he serves the peo ...[Read More]
SATURDAY’S WARRIOR Family Movie Review
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) WHAT'S SATURDAY'S WARRIOR ABOUT? Several siblings leave heaven for Earth, experiencing together the struggles of mortal life in this musical interpretation of Latter-day Saint doctrine. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: B) Mainstream audiences are likely unfamiliar with Saturday's Warrior, but for lifelong Mormons the musical is a staple of their culture. P ...[Read More]
SINGING WITH ANGELS Family Movie Review
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) WHAT’S SINGING WITH ANGELS ABOUT? A woman finds renewed faith and strength singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir while facing several personal and family struggles. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: B) With gorgeous music and beautiful cinematography, Singing With Angels is in many ways a delight for both the eyes and ears. When the choir sings, the movi ...[Read More]
ONCE I WAS A BEEHIVE Family Movie Review
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) WHAT'S ONCE I WAS A BEEHIVE ABOUT? Still mourning her father's death, a teenager from a Protestant family gets roped into attending a Mormon summer camp. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: B+) Faith-based comedies often fall terribly flat. Wholesome doesn't always equal funny, and good intentions don't necessarily lead to polished screenplays (or performanc ...[Read More]
Christian Vuissa Talks JOSEPH SMITH, ERRAND OF ANGELS, ONE GOOD MAN
By Jonathan Decker In the past decade there’ve been quite a few solid films chronicling the life of Joseph Smith, such as the new first vision video, The Work and the Glory films, Joseph Smith- The Prophet of the Restoration, and, indirectly, Emma Smith: My Story. What sets your film apart, or in other words, why should audiences give this a look if they’ve seen all the others? What led you to tel ...[Read More]
17 MIRACLES Family Movie Review
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) WHAT'S 17 MIRACLES ABOUT? Trailblazer Levi Savage leads a group of Mormon pioneers on a life-and-death trek across the United States, with tragedies and miracles along the way. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: A-) 17 Miracles not only stands among the best of the genre, it may be the best film yet from Mormon cinema. It is a moving, faith-inspiring ...[Read More]