Genres

Visitors Review

2013-05-16 22:12:36

It leaves you with something...

What an amazing movie.Showing issues of so many aspects: religion, life, sexuality, and love. Finding a meaning to your life to allow yourself to find who you are. Finding something you believe in, and why you believe.This movie isn't just about religion though, as many people just focus on the Mormon aspect of Sandvoss' character, it's much more than just that.A story of a Mormon missionary, Aaron, who moves in with other missonaries next to a gay man named Christian. What starts off as bet of Christian trying to convert one of the missionaries (instead of them converting him). Christian, the "perfect" guy who never gets turned down, finds that Aaron is not just another guy to sleep with. Aaron makes Christian reflect upon his life, as Christian helps Aaron find something in his life.It's a moving, gripping, emotional story portrayed so well by Steve Sandvoss (his first real movie debut) and Wes Ramsey, all directed under the creative mind of C.J. Cox (who was also a Mormon missionary when he was younger before coming out).It's not a typical romance, as it is between two men, showing the struggles of being homosexual, struggles of keeping the relationship started and alive, coming out, and finding who you are and what life means to you.It's not just a gay romance; it's so much more than that...I highly recommend this to anyone not searching for a gay romance, but something that will change your life, even just a little bit.

I_eat_my_peas 2013-05-16 12:51:55

Cute!

I have to say right from the start, I'm biased with this film. I lovegay dramas, gay comedies, gay romances, gay biopics, gay horrors....Ijust don't think there's enough of them out there. However, afterseeing so many, I find myself coming back to some that I feel strongestabout, and Latter Days is definitely one of them. It's takes a classicplot of opposites attracts, using the characters of Christian, a waiterwith a passion for partying and men, and Aaron, a young Mormonmissionary away from his family for the first time and struggling withhis sexuality. When Christian takes a bet that he can seduce Aarondespite his vow of chastity and his church's stance on gay rights, ittakes an imbecile not to work out where this is going. However, that isthe fun with this film - it doesn't pretend to be a scathing expose ofthe church, or a moralistic tale about the dangers of living your lifein clubs - it simply takes two characters who clearly have somethingmissing in their lives, and tells us their story. At times, thedialogue can be a tad sticky and forced, and not being a believer, I dotry to ignore the dollop of good-ol'-God on the side, but the charm ofthis film lies in it's heart and character. Joseph Gordon Levitt almoststeals the show with his grating yet hilarious portrayal of a MormonElder, and Steve Sandvoss' quiet and anguished Aaron sticks in theviewer's memory for quite some time. If I had to be picky, thenarrative comes a bit unstuck towards the end, but the feel good natureand the general loveliness of this film are irresistible. Don't watchthis film with a critic's eye, watch because deep down....you know itfeels good.

2013-05-15 15:35:21

Great all around the board!

I bought the movie because I heard great things about it. What I heard was right on. It is good to see a love will conquer all type of story with a gay twist. The acting is great and "real". I loved the music so much I went out and bought the soundtrack for it. If you love the movie then you should try the book because it gives you even more insight to these characters and their lives.

AlabamaStratos 2013-05-15 04:09:30

Very sweet film; Worth viewing, but could've been better.

My boyfriend laughs at me for renting low-budget gay films; they'realmost always terrible, but I like to support the industry in hopesthat good films will be coming soon. I felt "LATTER DAYS" was anexception in this genre. It's a very sweet story with many good pointsabout how the gay male community in our culture is often shallow init's values, and I respect the writer/director for putting that on thepage for us all to see. There are wrongs on both sides of the issue forthe two central characters, and it is explored with intelligence, andA lot of heart. Where the movie fails, in my opinion, is in the castingchoice for the two leads. Steve Sandvoss and Wes Ramsey are certainlyhandsome leading men and fit their characters well, but I felt thattheir physical beauty was the main selling point for having been hired;a shallow choice for a film with so much to say about "depth ofcharacter". There were many moments in the film that would've been farmore tender and poignant in the hands of more capable actors. They'renot terrible, just not as strong in the talent department as was neededto carry this story with TRUE success. Mary Kay Place dances circlesaround almost everyone in the film, as she usually does in her work. Ifound it hysterical to see Steve Sandvoss, posed like an A+F model,talking about filming a scene with her with the same intensity asthough he were a Robert Deniro. Note to Steve: Mary Kay held back onthe faceslap until the first real take BECAUSE she knew she HAD toSHOCK you with it to get a REAL reaction from you!" I'm being hard onthese two; they did good jobs and were both beautiful, but I "felt" forJoseph Gordon-Levitt (a supporting player in this film) whom thedirector originally considered for one of the leads. He should've casthim. Mr. G-L is an accomplished actor, who could've really brought agrounded center for the film; not to mention that many gay guyswould've showed up in droves to buy a film where he plays gay, has nudescenes, and falls in love with a man. C'mon, guys! How many of you outthere DIDN'T watch him on "3rd Rock", waiting for the episode in whichhe'd report to Dick what it's like to hook up with the star athlete ofhis school?? As far as gay films go, I'd give this one a solid "B".Rent it, you're not gonna be as hard on the acting as I am. (P.S.--Erik Palladino was pretty good in his role, too!)

Charles Ealy 2013-05-14 00:35:10

Despite the inherent clichés, Latter Days manages to rise above its formulaic plot, mainly because of the assured performance by Mr. Sandvoss.

2013-05-13 13:22:24

I like it !!

This review is from: Latter Days (Unrated Edition) (DVD) I have watched this movie and read the book several times. The acting is not great but I am a sucker for a good love story.

Doug 2013-05-13 02:04:41

Great Film

Everyone should see this film. I don't think its over the top, nor does it bash people. Mormans maybe a little, but I know what it's like to grow up in that type of household, so I think it's depiction was fairly accurate. The story wasn't something so profound you should write home about it, but still a good one. Definately see it. One of the best gay themed movies I've seen in a long time.

2013-05-12 06:13:58

Steve Sandvoss Is Excellent

It took me awhile to finally rent this DVD since I am more of a fan of period films and BBC type movies, however, I did view this film over the weekend and was blown away by the brilliant and earnest performance of Steven Sandvoss. The storyline was well concieved and played out by the entire cast. I thought Wes Ramsey did a great job as the shallow Christian who cares only about his next sexual conquest until he meets Aaron (Sandvoss). The story moves quickly and the trials and tribulations of Aaron ring true from my past experiences with those of the Mormon faith. A nice gem of a movie.

MicAmVil 2013-05-08 02:38:47

I was hoping for a great film...but it didn't deliver

OK so one of the reasons I watched this film was because I noticed alot of praise for the film and being billed as "the Best Gay Film" bymany. However this film was terrible. The quality of the film was justastoundingly bad. The acting was awful by the entire cast...even JosephGordon-Levitt's acting couldn't give this movie a shred of dignity. Atone point you could even see a crew member in a mirror holding acamera!! I will admit the plot of the movie was ambitious, however theyfailed to really nail it and give it the right treatment. Also the sexscenes were ambitious but the characters were far too uncomplicated andsimple. The story was completely predictable with an even morepredictable ending. Everyone was talking about how they cried whenseeing this movie. It didn't work for me, which is surprising cause Icry to a lot of movies ha ha. They just didn't allow enough time forproper character development.Please I recommend everyone to formulate their own opinions but if youwant a quality film that will actually resound with you, watch"Beautiful Thing", "Get Real" or "Shelter"...I cried to "BeautifulThing" ha ha

2013-05-07 18:49:49

Lots of pluses and minuses

I agree with the other reviewers who say this movie's heart is in the right place. But overall it has too many structural, writing and casting problems to be a truly outstanding film.The structural and writing problems. First, the plot of the movie is a rehash of every run-of-the-mill teenage sex comedy we've ever seen. Boy makes bet with friends about conquering love interest; boy pursues love interest; boy gets love interest; love interest learns of bet; boy loses love interest; boy learns deeper truth about himself; boy gets love interest back. Forget going back to Doris Day and Rock Hudson to find this formula. It was most recently on display in "She's All That," which was effectively lampooned by Molly Ringwald of all people in "Not Another Teenage Movie" with the pithy epitaph "Teenagers!"Where the movie deviates from the stock teenage sex comedy, it also deviates in tone, making the film emotionally uneven. Really, was depiction of an attempted suicide and electroshock anti-gay therapy really necessary, and did it fit in with the rest of the movie? I don't think so.Additionally, we have the problem of the unexplained coincidence, with Elder Davis meeting Lila Montagne (Jacqueline Bisset) outside the hospital and comforting her. Now, this coincidence perhaps doesn't rise to the level of Inspector Jarvert's numerous meetings with Jean Valjean, but still, think about it. What are the odds that Elder Davis would meet Christian's boss outside a hospital, much less that she would give him her card? This is just sloppy, schmaltz-enabling writing.The movie has other problems as well. Most importantly, I thought the supporting cast wasn't very good. They seemed to be reading their lines rather than acting. The only exception is Jacqueline Bisset. I don't know what it is about her, but she can take any movie and raise its quality at least a notch or two. Look at "Wild Orchid" and you'll see what I mean.Also, the movie is over the top in its depiction of the Mormon excommunication process. Trust me. As a former Mormon missionary myself, I can state that kissing someone -- boy or girl -- *might* get you sent home from your mission, but you certainly wouldn't get excommunicated for it.However, the movie also has several strong points. First, I thought the leads were outstanding. Steve Sandvoss has a fresh-faced earnestness that is perfectly suited to the role. Wes Ramsey is perfectly cast as the shallow hedonist (are there any other kind?). I also thought the depiction of Elder Davis' fall from Mormon grace to be compassionate and fairly accurate, and although the mother's reaction to her son's homosexual affair might be all little too strong, it certainly is not out of bounds of possibility.Overall, the film is strong in its depiction of people struggling to be who they are. The homosexual twist is interesting, as is the insight into the Mormon Church. But the movie has defects that cause it frequently to miss its mark.

Brent Simon 2013-05-04 05:36:34

A winky, interminable and rather cringe-inducing manifesto... whose characters stand as crude if attractive types rather than three-dimensional people.

2013-05-03 13:41:59

LATTER DAYS Every day

This review is from: Latter Days (Unrated Edition) (DVD) I had heard so many great things about LATTER DAYS, but I thought this is just alot of hype about nothing. I couldn't find this movie in Canada, so I got it through Amazon. Thank you Amazon !!I put the DVD in my DVD player and was surprised to see that all the 5 stars were well earned. No movie has made me feel so many emotions, as LATTER DAYS.A MUST see.

2013-05-01 15:29:49

Frothy and good for you

"Latter Days" has many imperfections but its cuteness outweighs many of them. We follow Christian, the shallow pretty boy, who makes a bet to get one of the new Mormon missionaries living next door into bed. Hence we meet Aaron, a surprisingly insightful and tolerant Mormon. Through trial and error, Aaron eventually teaches Christian "sex can mean something" and is then excommunicated from his church for the "grievous" charge of homosexuality. What makes this movie different than some of the schlock out there is that Wesley Ramsey (Christian) and Steve Sandvoss (Aaron) lend a sense of credibility and thoughtfulness to their roles without dissolving into wimpy, simmering, self-hating gay stereotypes, even though their characters are set up that way (it doesn't hurt that they're SEXY in capital letters either). The sex scenes are erotic without being overly gratuitous and their connection is made to seem more than just skin deep. Jacqueline Bisset is a nice touch and provides the older, wiser perspective without seeming like she's lecturing everybody and the rest of the supporting cast do their jobs. There is some idiotic dialogue, side stories involving supporting players that don't matter, the obvious lip-synching roommate, and the guilt ridden, silhouetted figures of the Mormon church. I think there was a huge opportunity missed in regards to the issue of the Mormons and gays and we get glimpses of a deeper story with Aaron's mother and Aaron's "treatment" for his homosexuality. I found the movie appealing in its sweetness and gay-positive attitude and was eventually drawn into the idea of redemption for its two leads. It's not a deep, think about it for days movie but it's a romantic movie and worth watching.

Thomas 2013-05-01 05:50:22

Top Five Gay Movies Ever Made

I would put this movie in the top five gay films ever made for us. Probably include Trick, Beautiful Thing, Priest and Longtime Companion. I read through some of the reviews that gave this film less than a B, and they were all related to the morality of homesexuality and had nothing to do with the quality of the movie as a piece of art. The movie would probably only be good if it weren't for the strong supporting character performances. Also, the music, which I understand was also written by C J Cox, is really first rate. It isn't perfect, but it is honest, and offers an interesting and often heartwrenching look at people just trying to find love, while trying to find themselves.Go see it, tell your friends, and support these types of quality movies so that they make more of them.

2013-04-29 23:14:27

The Best Of All

Hi! My eyes are still wet writing this comment. I've just finished the film and it's touched me to the core of me. I remember the last time I watch movie and cry was when I watched Titanic. Latter days gave me all kinds of emotions u name it! The guys in the film are gorgeous too and the way they act even though Aaron acts a bit awkward sometimes but I'm sure the director wants that ti happen as he is the mormon missionary who knows quite few about the outside world. The end of the story I cry unstoppable. I hope this is kind of the comment that is useful, writing how u feel about the movie instead of writing how the story goes as that should be u people who will experience when u see it yourself. Thx, oh! when I see this movie, it brings me bad image to the some catholic church but I know I'm not judging catholic as a whole. If u want to talk to me e-mail me, I have to write my e-mail down coz I want to e-mail s/one commenting this page and when I click their names, I couldn't see their e-mails or seem to be able to send them messages. reddog500020002000@yahoo.co.uk

2013-04-29 15:25:51

You MUST see this movie

I don't review movies often, so let me give you a little background: Lord of the Rings, Godfather, Gladiator, Beatutiful Thing, Gettysburg, Office Space, and Reserviour Dogs are my favorites. But Latter Days blew me away in so many unexpected ways. It is full of laughter and crying, success and failure, love and hate. With the exception of the Lord of the Rings series, this is the only movie I can watch, let it end, and then watch it again. I have even had the nerve to invite straight friends over to watch it and except for a couple scenes (G) they, too enjoyed it. THIS is the movie that should have made the break into mainstream video that BrokeBack Mountain did. The screenplay was right on, the acting and casting were brilliant. Jacqueline Bisset adds a touch of class that is unrivaled, her scenes are all critical to the plot and she plays them with brilliance. There are so many little jokes and inuendos and you CAN'T possibly only watch this movie once.This movie, more than anything else, struck me as a movie of hope. Hope that one day we will begin to see each other from the inside out and not vice versa. Or as Aaron puts it, instead of seeing the world as if starring too closely at the funny pages so that the world is just a series of dots; but when we back away and see the big picture it all makes sense.Words fail me in heaping praise on this movie...all I can do is suggest that EVERYONE of whatever inclination or background will grow in how they relate to other humans some way by seeing this movie.

2013-04-25 13:23:24

A Must See

Wow! This movie is like nothing I've ever seen before. It was a really great movie. I have nothing but good things to say about this tasteful and heartwarming film. I think that the effort of the film's director/writer is courageous as well as inspirational. I loved this film not only for the fantastic story (which needed to be told), but also for the way the actors delivered the story. This is not another shallow "gay movie" that depicts stereotypical characters in humorous situations. This was a memorable and flawless effort to show people that love truly knows no bounds, and love is still as beautiful and wonderful as it always was. Another thing that touched my heart was how well I could relate to the emotion portrayed in this film surrounding the coming out of one of the main characters. We all have to go through similar situations living in the society that we live in and feeling that feeling of detachment from everything that is "right" and "normal".

2013-04-25 07:37:40

Amazing movie!

This is an amazing movie that seems to pull you in. I rarely see a movie more than twice and even that is rare. I have already seen this movie 3.5 times in 2 days, and I came to the amazon site to purchase the movie because I can't bear to return the movie to Netflicks. It doesn't matter you who are, the movie's characters and emotions pass all barriers and appeal to the humaness of all people. It's also funny and I find myself thinking about lines from the movie and laughing to myslef. The directions and acting are truly wonderful. Rebekah Jordan perfoms 3 full length songs from the movie and these are a gem. I also enjoyed the commentary from the director as it is loosely based on his own experiences. I would give 'Latter Days' more stars if I could. I am touched by this film.

2013-04-20 20:55:36

Amazing movie and a must buy.

I somehow heared about this movie and decided to give it a shot. I did a bad thing I know and downloaded the movie. Within a week I watched it 7 times and knew I had to buy it. It made me laugh and cry. Latter Days is a heart felt movie with great acting and a story that is beautifully presented.I rairly buy DVD's and had never orded anything on-line but this movie made me do both. Other reviews do a good job of describing what truly makes this movie a must see so all I have to say is I urge anyone ,gay or straight, to watch Latter Days.You won't be disappointed.

mstone56 2013-04-20 12:53:10

best offering from TLA yet

I recently watched Latter Days and while I like it i had issues withsome of the performances. In particular I found the crying scenes a bitunrealistic. However for all it's flaws this movie captivated me on thestrength of Mr. Sandvoss's performance. He is true acting talent, and Iam sure we will only see more of him in the future. Mr. Sandvoss takesa cliché, overworked script idea and makes his character Aaron shinewith absolute believability, and an earnest, honesty that is hard tomanufacture. (There were times I thought he was channeling a confusedMormon boy!). Mr. Sandvoss's acting ability transforms this movie froma Lifetime Television quality romance to a movie that gay men will findthemselves watching over and over. As i said this is easily the bestthing from TLA Releasing to date and I hope they continue to improve.