WITNESSES CRASHES AND BURNS!

[Gadianton]

Nice review Stem. I liked the anticipation you created at the beginning while in the empty theater, waiting for it to start. Pretty surreal.

I have to admit I felt your letdown through your walkthrough. I think my anticipation was, what on earth are they going to put in this thing? I think you answered that question and it doesn't leave us with much.

I have no vested interest in the movie being bad, I was hoping that it would be "pretty good". I hope your review was biased, but honestly, I get the feeling you told it pretty much like it was. A walkthrough of incidents that happened using worn tropes, and with no real point.

One of the trailers gave me an idea, an analysis that I'd like to do but it would require coherence and reasonable plot development. Felt like I was losing the signal in your review. I think a movie could technically be propaganda and still on one level, be an engaging movie. In order to show the problem of the Mopologetic idea behind the movie requires the movie to be good enough such that it "holds the signal" such to be criticized. If it's just a meandering series of didactic scenes, then I'm going to lose out on an opportunity.

All that is to say, I hope you're wrong, Stem.

[Lem]

Did we expect stem’s review to be anything but negative? I certainly didn’t....

That's just your stereotyping. Grow up.

A couple of additional nuggets....

When Oliver confronted Joseph about fanny, he responds to Oliver with a claim that they were sealed by the power of God. Of course were aware that conflicts with the timing. The sealing power came later.

For a movie advertised as the absolute "truth", that seems like a pretty a big liberty to take with a controversial matter.

[Sledge]

We are holding steady at an 85% audience score!

[Lem]

We are holding steady at an 85% audience score!

"We"? Who is "we," Sledge? Are you revealing something here?

[Sledge]

We are holding steady at an 85% audience score!

"We"? Who is "we," Sledge? Are you revealing something here?

Yes. I wrote all 50+ audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Will you stop following me now?

[Lem]

We are holding steady at an 85% audience score!

"We"? Who is "we," Sledge? Are you revealing something here?

Yes. I wrote all 50+ audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Will you stop following me now?

That's an odd thing to say. I am reading threads just like everyone else here, you thinking I am "following" you is pretty paranoid.

But going past that, since you clearly didn't write the 20 or so 5 star reviews, why would you say "We are holding steady at 85%"?

What is your connection with the movie?

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Did we expect stem’s review to be anything but negative? I certainly didn’t. Unfortunately the closest cinema to me is 75+ miles away so I’ll have to wait for it to be available on the BYUTV app.

Well, you could always hope in that school bus of yours and get thee hence to a cineplex.

- Doc

[Gadianton]

2 hours ago "Witnesses" tells a powerful story with humor, honesty, and emotion. It frankly acknowledges difficult issues such as the advent of plural marriage and the failure of the Kirtland Bank, as well as bruised egos in the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Against a background that mingles friendship, family, and remarkable spiritual manifestations with violent persecution, enormous internal and external stress, interpersonal strife, and even alienation, the continued insistence by Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris, and David Whitmer that they, with Joseph Smith, had seen an angel and the golden plates and had literally heard the voice of God is deeply impressive. So is the fact that a movie as good and as visually beautiful as this one was created on what was, by Hollywood standards, an extremely modest budget. That's a tribute to Mark Goodman, James Jordan, Russell Richins, and to the wonderful people who worked with them.

exactly why Stem is unfortunately, probably right. They started the project with the review in mind they wanted to achieve, and that became the blueprint for the movie. This is unreal; read Stem's report, and then read this review. it's as if they literally tossed something in front of the camera to get these takeaway points made by a hypothetical impressed viewer. "we've got to cover our bases on x, y and z" -- "check, check, and check"

Maybe this is my fault for not giving them more to work with at the outset of the film. I guess this is the predictable outcome and I admit I didn't see it coming.

For an example of a film just shy of a masterpiece about a person and their faith, and made by a person of faith, watch Robert Duvall's 1997 film, The Apostle. Roger Ebert gave it 4/4 stars. I wasn't expecting much when I sat back to watch it years ago when it came on HBO or something, and it totally blew me away.

[Tom]

And please verify whether the scene depicting Joseph Smith hitting a ruffian upside the head with the golden plates was included in the final version or whether it's part of the comedic outtakes at the end of the film.

Its not in there. Had to fix that. It shows he's gripping the plates and swings at the guy, but then he gets up and finds the plates a few feet away. Kind of awkward like they had him hitting the guy with the plates them tries to fix that afterword.

Interesting. I wonder why the filmmakers took that part out. Maybe it was cut to get a PG rating.

[Philo Sofee]

We are holding steady at an 85% audience score!

Oh glory! Oh joy! Oh truth!