WITNESSES CRASHES AND BURNS!

[drumdude]

No critic has bothered to review it over at Rotten Tomatoes yet. Just faithful LDS leaving amateur reviews such as the following:

I don't get any of the rotten reviews. Did you even see the movie? Rating a film here is not supposed to be a reflection of your dislike for a particular religion. Rate the damn film on it's merits. An honest reviewer would recognize this film is well acted. Well photographed. Well directed. Well written. The story is compelling, unique and thought provoking. Is it Oscar worthy. No. Does it have artistic and intellectual merit? Yes. But only if you're willing to accept the premise of the movie. You knew what the movie was about before you walked in. If you didn't find out ahead of time, you're an idiot. With many movies we agree to suspend disbelief because we want to give the movie a fair chance. We always go into a movie rooting for it be good. To entertain or enlighten us. What kind of person actually spends money on a movie with the intention of hating it so they can give it a horrible review on Rotten Tomatoes? If you hate the religion, why spend good money to see a movie about a subject matter you dislike? Unless, of course, you didn't actually see the movie. Which is probably more likely the case for all those bad reviews, don't cha think? However, if you actually paid for a ticket and saw the movie, then with great purpose got online to pan it, it certainly says something about you and your life priorities. Yikes.

If you don't think this movie was perfectly acceptable then you're probably a horrible person.

[Lem]

...Is it Oscar worthy. No. Does it have artistic and intellectual merit? Yes. But only if you're willing to accept the premise of the movie...

This reviewer may have said more than he realized.

[Philo Sofee]

This reviewer may have said more than he realized.

I am certain of this. The fact is, I do not accept the premise of the movie, so, is it evidence to show the premise is valid? If not, then the critiques make all kinds of sense.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

From RT:

Well researched and compelling story telling. Story told in non-linear way, so may be a little confusing to those not familiar with coming forth of Book of Mormon, but overall a very good movie that I would highly recommend to an LDS audience and those interested in investigating the LDS faith. I may see it again since I learned things that my 50 years of historical research had not uncovered. Highly recommended.

So, this is interesting. Is this man a dimwit? Is the Church simply not teaching the full story? Is Mr. Peterson teaching an ‘alternate’ history? 50 years and this hayseed was schooled by this mockumentary?

Amazing.

- Doc

[Tom]

Box Office Mojo reports that the film grossed $36,000 on Monday. That seems to be an overly-round figure, and I wouldn't be surprised if the number is revised soon. In any case, here are the other stats from the site:

Theaters: 84
Average: $428
To date: $162,928

Tuesday’s numbers:

Daily gross: $36,500
Theaters: 84
Average: $434
Gross to date: $206,990

[Dr Exiled]

My understanding is that the first week is pretty important and that it goes down hill from there, as far as box office take. How long until it is offered exclusively on the interpreter site? 3 mo? Less? What does it take to get something on Netflix or Amazon? I remember the Dodo was pushing the membership to go see Meet the Mormons and that if a certain threshold was met at the box office, then the streaming services might pick it up. Does anyone know how this works?

[IHAQ]

As a reference point for comparison, here is Meet The Mormons box office receipts by date:
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/r ... sort#table

Of the $6 million it took at the box office (a four month run), $4 million of it was in the first seven days of release. $3 million in the opening 4 days - Friday to Monday.

[IHAQ]

What does it take to get something on Netflix or Amazon? I remember the Dodo was pushing the membership to go see Meet the Mormons and that if a certain threshold was met at the box office, then the streaming services might pick it up. Does anyone know how this works?

It seems that Witnesses is destined for post cinema distribution through less glamorous sources…

Our movie will eventually find its way onto DVDs and into streaming — I’ve already signed contracts to that effect with Deseret Book and Excel Entertainment

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/danpeters ... -lied.html

[IHAQ]

Here is an interesting comment to a Deseret News article about "Witnesses"

I know just about everyone--Mormon and non--absolutely loves to tell the story of Martin Harris. Here's the thing. Martin apologized for losing those pages. He truly repented and tried to mend his ways. It's my understanding that when someone does that, we are supposed to treat it as if it never happened, because in the eyes of the Lord it never did. Yet, the story made it into the D & C and poor Martin will never get free of this story. Neither will his descendants.

Some of his descendants used to live in my ward. It was the time in the four year cycle that the story of the lost 116 pages came up. The lesson catalogued each and every one of poor Martin's failures. One of the people in our class told the story of how her son was badgering her when she'd told him no on something. Finally, in exasperation, the woman said to her son, "don't be like Martin Harris!" As she told this story, I saw that Martin's descendant was in my direct line of vision. He sat with his elbows on his knees, his head bowed, his face red with repressed rage. I never saw him at church after that. It wouldn't surprise me if he's never darkened a church threshold since then. It wouldn't surprise me if he's done everything he can to get himself and his children away from that story--perhaps even moving to a part of the world where there are as few members of the church as possible.

I'm sure somebody's going to respond with Bednar's insensitive and victim blaming remarks about not taking offense. Here's the thing about offense. Quit being a jerk and people won't take offense. Martin Harris apologized, repented and changed his ways. That should have been the end of the story. If you don't want your past mistakes held over your head and for the next 250+ years to be played over and over again in church and lampooned in cartoons, I suggest we all. just. drop. it.

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2021/6/8/ ... nation-lds
I wonder how they feel about Martin's film portrayal in "Witnesses"?

[Kishkumen]

That's pretty hilarious. I have never understood people who get so worked up about the mistakes their ancestors made. What is that, five generations separating Martin and this person? I am sure my ancestors were all kinds of flawed and strange. One of my ancestors was ambushed and killed by Native Americans on his way to General Conference, and he has been blamed for getting himself and his travel companions killed ever since. For some reason, that really doesn't bother me. I find it kind of humorous, in fact.

Martin Harris is a wonderfully entertaining character. I would be thrilled to have an ancestor as colorful as he was, warts and all.