Rating: 
Summary: THE BEST MOVIE!
Review: This movie is SO sweet! I can't believe how incredibly sweet the relationships acquired in this movie are. The sweet and innocent love between Elder Groberg and his girl at home is encouraging (my boyfriend is currently serving his mission in the Italy Milan mission). This movie is truly an inspiration.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Movie!
Review: Although this is about the experiences of an LDS missionary, it could be about anyone dedicated to serving his Church and his fellow men. The story is interesting and the scenery is beautiful. It is a story of faith and courage and dedication to high moral principles -- something that is badly needed in today's world. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking good, clean entertainment. -- This review is based on the motion picture. I am looking forward to getting the DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: Other Side is fantastic, but...
Review: ...I'm not sure it's for everyone. LDS audiences will adore it, but outsiders might not understand the commitment and love expressed. Everyone who sees it must first understand - it's a true story. These things really happened! That is what makes it such an amazing story (authorized by the man who lived it).All of the LDS population should see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Mormon Missionary Fun!
Review: The Other Side of Heaven is a great view of L.D.S. Missionary culture and what we do on missions! I loved the movie, it's funny, spiritual, and romantic. It's a great family movie, and I'd recommend it to the pope anytime. Of course, I'd recommend it to the Prophet first.
Rating:
Summary: The Other Side of Heaven
Review: This was a wonderful movie taking place in Tonga in the 1950's. I enjoyed the wholesome values of the charactors, and learning about another culture and way of life. Very interesting story based factual events of the life of John Groberg. I highly recommend this movie. (It was nice to be able to bring my family to a movie without vulgarity, and explicit sex!)
Rating:
Summary: Good movie, but not great
Review: Let me start out by mentioning that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). However I don't think this fact caused me to watch this film through rose-colored glasses. I usually can't stand LDS themed novels. They are usually nothing more than a 300 page gospel centered conversation between the characters. However I did read Elder Groberg's book and found it thoroughly enjoyable. I went to see the film after having read the book. The movie was not exactly true to the book and I was disappointed in this, but I realize that you can't always include everything because of time constraints. Most of the areas in which the two differed had to do with events taking place in a different location and/or time frame from which they occurred in the book. There were several events which occurred in the book which were omitted in the movie. Also, the movie greatly overemphasized the part of the girl back home, played by Anne Hathaway. She really added next to nothing to the movie and doesn't play that big of a roll in the book. I couldn't help but feel she was a token character added purely for name recognition on the marquis (she previously starred in the fun movie "The Princess Diaries"). I read a negative on-line film review that chided the film for not giving the actor who played the Tongan missionary companion to Elder Groberg co-star billing. I agree with this. He did a great job playing a much larger and more important part than Hathaway but was ignored in the billing because his name wouldn't help draw crowds. I found the intermittant New Zealand vocal accents a little disconcerting. But maybe this is common in Tonga. I personally know quite a few native Tongans who greatly enjoyed this film - yes they are LDS. However some of them, after seeing the film, commented that the Elder Groberg character spoke better Tongan than the actors playing native islanders. This should not have been the case. More careful casting would have avoided this problem. Overall, I enjoyed the movie. It was clean, interesting, exciting, sad and funny. It was nice to be able to take my children to a movie that I didn't have to worry about. I've read complaints of the movie being preachy. Well, duh!! It is about a missionary sharing his faith after all. I thought that the movie did a good job of avoiding preaching to make it more enjoyable for those not of our faith. The book contained much more "preaching". Yes I can see how some people might be offended at the idea of the "great white conquerer" saving the "poor backward heathens". But isn't that why Jesus Christ came to this earth in the first place - to save all of us poor backward heathens? To us, our faith is a gift of such great worth that we want to share it. I would hazard a guess that those most offended by this theme of the movie have little faith of their own. I greatly admire those of other religions who lovingly try to share their faith with me. It shows great courage and conviction on their part. As I said, this is a good, but not great, movie. I am looking forward to the video or DVD release so that we can add it our collection of family friendly movies.
Rating:
Summary: Heaven sent!
Review: What a great movie, I came home from this movie feeling really uplifted, it lasted me the rest of the day. whenever I think of it, a smile is brought to my face, I CANT WAIT for it to come out on VHS/DVD so I cant buy it. I cant think of a better movie ever made.
Rating:
Summary: The Other Side of Heaven
Review: This was a wonderful move. I am so happy I had the opportunity to see it and I can't wait for the video to come out so I can enjoy it again and again. It was visually stunning, theologically correct and well acted and presented. I think that Mormons will appreciate it a little more than non-members, but that shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying this film. It appeals to the nobility of spirit in each of us. Elder Groberg is a marvelous example of that spirit, and I loved his book too. God bless him for living his gospel and practicing what he preaches.
LaNae Taylor,
Vernal, Utah
Rating:
Summary: Can't say enough good!
Review: Isn't it a shame when the 'dirtiest' movies get the best ratings? What is wrong with having a good wholesome movie that the entire family can watch? "The Other Side of Heaven" is a movie that the parents, todlers, and the teenagers can watch together. There aren't any scenes that you have to fast-forward through because it is too 'grafic' for you 10 yr old to see, and you don't have to turn on the tv gaurdian on so the lauguage is half-way decent. There were many camplaints that the movie was not at all realistic. Before you judge the movie on those coments, ask yourself this, is "Space Jam," "Men in Black," or "Armegedon" all realistic. People seemed to like those movies. The fact that it's a "Mormon" movie, that others seemed to think that that needed to be pointed out, does not make it any different than other movies produced or based upon other religions. When it comes to a great movie the race or religion any movie is based upon or produced by does not make a difference in the quality of movies. Whether you choose to believe that every point in this movie is "fact" no one can deny that this is a WONDERFUL movie! Being a teenager it is hard going to school and every other word is foul, and then going to the theater and the so called "clean" movies have swearing and sex scenes. What is our world coming to that we have to judge a movie because Elder Grober (the protagonist) doesn't have sex with the "fine island girl"? I guess I am just trying to point out that there isn't anything that is justifiable to criticize this movie about. It was a wonderful movie full of adventure, heatache, love, humor, and uniqueness. I picked out the 5 star rating for this, but I would give it 10. How many movies can you say that about? I guarentee that this will be the movie that your family will want to watch over and over until you have the lines memorized. I cried, I laughed, and I held my breath. This movie has something to offer to every living person. It speaks to the heart the mind, and to your soul. You will be comepletely uplifted even after you turn the tv off. I don't know Elder Groberg personally (he was the person whose mission this movie was based upon it is a true story) but I can relate with him because I know what it is like to find out who you truly are. He found himself on a small island. That is what this movie was trying to get across, being able to change your world for the better, and finding who you are.
Rating:
Summary: Back to the Earth & Love
Review: Great story. It shows you don't need it all to be happy just the love of God, the people you touch and yourself. I'm not sure all missionaries are treated in quite the same loving manner. Great movie to own and watch again.
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