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talshiarr
Reviews
Day of Defense (2003)
Insulting to the intelligence and, worse, tediously boring
This should stand as a warning to all LDS filmmakers about the perils of crafting films that can logically serve no other purpose than to bolster the belief of those who already believe. I can't imagine a single non-Mormon viewer of this film not coming away as having felt like missionaries had just been in their home. The gaps of logic in this film are so great as to make me question just how faithfully the script writers who adapted the book practice the religion. No missionary would knowingly be sent by the church blindly into this ridiculously perfect little Christian town as some kind of "challenge" if it knew of the strictures on proselytizing, and if the church did know of such a rule, it would never rely on mere missionaries to fight the battle for equal preaching rights. Since the whole point revolves around the missionaries being put on trial to prove they are "Christian" enough to proselytize in the town, it makes me wonder what kind of place has never heard of the First Amendment's freedom of religion and freedom of speech clauses? Indeed, where did the two Mormons go to school that they didn't know it.
And all that is to say nothing of the illogic of the actual trial and methods of "defense" itself. But do yourself a favor, don't go there.
Last Ride (2001)
A fantastic movie that deserves wider release.
I'm not at all into the skiing/snowboarding scene, nor am I in the age demographic that this movie would appeal to. The main guys aren't portrayed as stereotypical overacted punks, they seem very real and natural to watch. The snowboarding footage is nothing special and that in itself adds to the appeal. This is just an honest portayal of friends doing their last big thing before they are forced apart. It's cool film despite the astronomical amounts of profanity and sex prattle. Again, it just seemed natural and not gratuitous or forced.