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LDS Movie Reviews
Critical Response to Feature Films
by Latter-day Saint Directors

Table A.
The table directly below combines the RT.c scores (percentage of the reviews counted as positive by RottenTomatoes.com) with the standardized numerical average of grades/star ratings/numerical ratings from reviews. An additional table (Cream of the Crop Reviews) is calculated based only on reviews by the most popular RT.c reviewers. 

                                                    Avg.
Title                        Director              Grade   RT.c  Combined
-----                        --------              -----   ----  --------
The Secret of NIMH           Don Bluth              74.0   100.0    87.0
Bartok the Magnificent       Don Bluth              70.0   100.0    85.0
In the Company of Men        Neil LaBute            80.8    88.6    84.7
The Beaver Trilogy           Trent Harris           69.0   100.0    84.5
Rubin and Ed                 Trent Harris           84.0            84.0
Alan and Naomi               Sterling Van Wagenen   65.0   100.0    82.5
Anastasia                    Don Bluth              73.5    90.9    82.2
Cremaster 2                  Matthew Barney         90.0    71.4    80.7
Nurse Betty                  Neil LaBute            75.1    79.8    77.4
Plan 10 From Outer Space     Trent Harris           75.0            75.0
An American Tail             Don Bluth              73.3    75.0    74.2
The Land Before Time         Don Bluth              62.4    85.7    74.1
Brigham City                 Richard Dutcher        70.0    77.3    73.7
Your Friends and Neighbors   Neil LaBute            70.3    75.5    72.9
The Best Two Years           Scott S. Anderson      67.9    77.3    72.6
Spin                         James Redford          66.7    75.0    70.9
The Fox and the Hound        Richard Rich           66.4    75.0    70.7
Napoleon Dynamite            Jared Hess             65.0    71.1    68.1
The Shape of Things          Neil LaBute            68.8    65.6    67.2
Clubhouse Detectives:        Eric Hendershot        67.0            67.0
  In Search of a Lost
  Princess
Cremaster 3                  Matthew Barney         68.1    65.4    66.8
Saints and Soldiers          Ryan Little            67.9    64.0    66.0
Possession                   Neil LaBute            67.3    61.7    64.5
Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero Boyd Kirkland          57.4    71.4    64.4
Out of Step                  Ryan Little            63.7            63.7
Pride and Prejudice          Andrew Black           66.4    60.0    63.2
The R.M.                     Kurt Hale              58.0    66.7    62.4
The Land Before Time IV:
  Journey Through the Mists  Roy Allen Smith        57.7    66.7    62.2
Mysteries of Egypt           Bruce Neibaur          71.3    50.5    60.9
Permanent Midnight           David Veloz            63.7    57.1    60.4
Little Secrets               Blair Treu             60.2    60.5    60.4
The Black Cauldron           Richard Rich           60.4    60.0    60.2
The Land Before Time IV:
  Journey Through the Mists  Roy Allen Smith        53.7    66.7    60.2
God's Army                   Richard Dutcher        61.8    55.6    58.7
The Swan Princess            Richard Rich           59.4    57.1    58.3
The Work and the Glory       Russ Holt              65.0    50.0    57.5
The Singles Ward             Kurt Hale              63.8    50.0    56.9
The Land Before Time II:
  The Time of Great Giving   Roy Allen Smith        62.0    50.0    56.0
Titan A.E.                   Don Bluth              62.7    49.0    55.9
Lewis and Clark:
  The Great Journey West     Bruce Neibaur          70.4    33.3    51.9
Handcart                     Kels Goodman           51.4            51.4
Muhammad: The Last Prophet   Richard Rich           48.7    50.0    49.4
All Dogs Go to Heaven        Don Bluth              47.6    50.0    48.8
The Swan Princess III        Richard Rich           48.7            48.7
Silent Night, Deadly Night   Charles E. Sellier     55.4    40.0    47.7
Texas: The Big Picture       Scott Swofford         59.7    33.3    46.5
Black Cloud                  Rick Schroder          54.7    33.3    44.0
Wish Upon a Star             Blair Treu             61.1    25.0    43.1
The Work and the Story       Nathan Smith Jones     48.9    33.3    41.1
The Other Side of Heaven     Mitch Davis            54.3    24.3    39.3
Jack Weyland's Charly        Adam Thomas Anderegg   54.9    22.2    38.6
Baptists at Our Barbecue     Christian Vuissa       48.6    25.0    36.8
A Troll in Central Park      Don Bluth              44.2    25.0    34.6
The Legend of Johnny Lingo   Steven Ramirez         53.4    14.3    33.8
Thumbelina                   Don Bluth              47.2    20.0    33.6
Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1 Gary Rogers            47.5    16.7    32.1
A Kid Called Danger          Eric Hendershot        64.0     0.0    32.0
Rock-A-Doodle                Don Bluth              45.9    16.7    31.3
The Pebble and the Penguin   Don Bluth              42.7    16.7    29.7
The King and I               Richard Rich           38.8    13.3    26.1
The Trumpet of the Swan      Richard Rich           39.3    10.3    24.7
The Home Teachers            Kurt Hale              42.8     0.0    21.4
Day of Defense               Adam Lawson            20.0            20.0
The Swan Princess II         Richard Rich           28.9     0.0    14.5
The Master of Disguise       Perry Andelin Blake    22.8     1.4    12.1



Table B.
RottenTomatoes.com Score: Percentage Positive Reviews
Numbers in the table below are based on the reviews collected and counted by the RottenTomatoes.com website. The first numerical column, "Positive," indicates the number of reviews RottenTomatoes.com classified as positive for a movie, and the column labeled "Neg" represents the other reviews, which were considered, on balance, to not be positive. That website uses the terms "Fresh" and "Rotten" instead of "negative" and "positive." 

Film Title                   Director               Pos Neg  % Positive
----------                   --------               --- ---  -----
The Secret of NIMH           Don Bluth                7   0  100.0
Bartok the Magnificent       Don Bluth                2   0  100.0
The Beaver Trilogy           Trent Harris             2   0  100.0
Alan and Naomi               Sterling Van Wagenen     1   0  100.0
Anastasia                    Don Bluth               20   2   90.9
In the Company of Men        Neil LaBute             31   4   88.6
The Land Before Time         Don Bluth                6   1   85.7
Nurse Betty                  Neil LaBute             83  21   79.8
Brigham City                 Richard Dutcher         17   5   77.3
The Best Two Years           Scott S. Anderson       17   5   77.3
Your Friends and Neighbors   Neil LaBute             40  13   75.5
An American Tail             Don Bluth                6   2   75.0
The Fox and the Hound        Richard Rich             6   2   75.0
Spin                         James Redford            3   1   75.0
Cremaster 2                  Matthew Barney           5   2   71.4
Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero Boyd Kirkland            5   2   71.4
Napoleon Dynamite            Jared Hess              96  39   71.1
The R.M.                     Kurt Hale                6   3   66.7
The Land Before Time IV:
  Journey Through the Mists  Roy Allen Smith          2   1   66.7
The Land Before Time II:
  The Great Valley Adventure Roy Allen Smith          2   1   66.7
The Shape of Things          Neil LaBute             63  33   65.6
Cremaster 3                  Matthew Barney          17   9   65.4
Saints and Soldiers          Ryan Little             16   9   64.0
Possession                   Neil LaBute             79  49   61.7
Little Secrets               Blair Treu              26  17   60.5
Pride and Prejudice          Andrew Black             3   2   60.0
The Black Cauldron           Richard Rich             3   2   60.0
Permanent Midnight           David Veloz             20  15   57.1
The Swan Princess            Richard Rich             4   3   57.1
God's Army                   Richard Dutcher          5   4   55.6
All Dogs Go To Heaven        Don Bluth                3   3   50.0
Muhammad: The Last Prophet   Richard Rich             2   2   50.0
Mysteries of Egypt           Bruce Neibaur            2   2   50.0
The Singles Ward             Kurt Hale                4   4   50.0
The Work and the Glory       Russ Holt                1   1   50.0
The Land Before Time II:
  The Time of Great Giving   Roy Allen Smith          1   1   50.0
Titan A.E.                   Don Bluth               47  49   49.0
Silent Night, Deadly Night   Charles E. Sellier       2   3   40.0
Lewis and Clark:
  The Great Journey West     Bruce Neibaur            1   2   33.3
Texas: The Big Picture       Scott Swofford           1   2   33.3
Black Cloud                  Rick Schroder            1   2   33.3
The Work and the Story       Nathan Smith Jones       1   2   33.3
A Troll in Central Park      Don Bluth                1   3   25.0
Baptists at Our Barbecue     Christian Vuissa         1   3   25.0
Wish Upon a Star             Blair Treu               1   3   25.0
The Other Side of Heaven     Mitch Davis              9  28   24.3
Jack Weyland's Charly        Adam Thomas Anderegg     2   7   22.2
Thumbelina                   Don Bluth                1   4   20.0
The Pebble and the Penguin   Don Bluth                1   5   16.7
Rock-A-Doodle                Don Bluth                1   5   16.7
Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1 Gary Rogers              1   5   16.7
The Legend of Johnny Lingo   Steven Ramirez           2  12   14.3
The King and I               Richard Rich             2  13   13.3
The Trumpet of the Swan      Richard Rich             4  35   10.3
Master of Disguise           Perry Andelin Blake      1  72    1.4
The Home Teachers            Kurt Hale                0   5      0
The Swan Princess II         Richard Rich             0   1      0
A Kid Called Danger          Eric Hendershot          0   1      0



Table C.
Numerical average of graded scores from reviews: 
                                                 # OF
                                              REVIEWS   AVG.
FILM TITLE                   DIRECTOR        AVERAGED  GRADE
----------                   --------        --------  -----
Cremaster 2                  Matthew Barney         3   90.0
Rubin and Ed                 Trent Harris           5   84.0
In the Company of Men        Neil LaBute           66   80.8
Nurse Betty                  Neil LaBute           96   75.1
Plan 10 From Outer Space     Trent Harris           3   75.0
The Secret of NIMH           Don Bluth             13   74.0
Anastasia                    Don Bluth             74   73.5
An American Tail             Don Bluth             10   73.3
Mysteries of Egypt           Bruce Neibaur          7   71.3
Your Friends and Neighbors   Neil LaBute           71   70.3
Lewis and Clark:
  The Great Journey West     Bruce Neibaur         10   70.4
Brigham City                 Richard Dutcher       43   70.0
Bartok the Magnificent       Don Bluth              6   70.0
The Beaver Trilogy           Trent Harris           4   69.0
The Shape of Things          Neil LaBute           90   68.8
Cremaster 3                  Matthew Barney        25   68.1
The Best Two Years           Scott S. Anderson     22   67.9
Saints and Soldiers          Ryan Little           21   67.9
Possession                   Neil LaBute          101   67.3
Clubhouse Detectives:        Eric Hendershot        1   67.0
  In Search of a Lost
  Princess
Spin                         James Redford          9   66.7
The Fox and the Hound        Richard Rich          11   66.4
Pride and Prejudice          Andrew Black           9   66.4
Napoleon Dynamite            Jared Hess           158   65.0
The Work and the Glory       Russ Holt              6   65.0
Alan and Naomi               Sterling Van Wagenen   6   65.0
A Kid Called Danger          Eric Hendershot        1   64.0
The Singles Ward             Kurt Hale             20   63.8
Permanent Midnight           David Veloz           48   63.7
Out of Step                  Ryan Little            6   63.7
Titan A.E.                   Don Bluth            135   62.7
The Land Before Time         Don Bluth             13   62.4
The Land Before Time II:
  The Time of Great Giving   Roy Allen Smith        2   62.0
God's Army                   Richard Dutcher       27   61.8
Wish Upon a Star             Blair Treu             8   61.1
The Black Cauldron           Richard Rich          14   60.4
Little Secrets               Blair Treu            56   60.2
Texas: The Big Picture       Scott Swofford         3   59.7
The Swan Princess            Richard Rich          11   59.4
The R.M.                     Kurt Hale             20   58.0
The Land Before Time IV:
  The Great Valley Adventure Roy Allen Smith        3   57.7
Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero Boyd Kirkland         11   57.4
Silent Night, Deadly Night   Charles E. Sellier     7   55.4
Jack Weyland's Charly        Adam Thomas Anderegg  18   54.9
Black Cloud                  Rick Schroder          3   54.7
The Other Side of Heaven     Mitch Davis           73   54.3
Windwalker                   Kieth Merrill          2   54.0
The Land Before Time IV:
  Journey Through the Mists  Roy Allen Smith        3   53.7
The Legend of Johnny Lingo   Steven Ramirez        20   53.4
Handcart                     Kels Goodman           7   51.4
All Dogs Go to Heaven        Don Bluth              5   50.8
The Work and the Story       Nathan Smith Jones     8   48.9
Muhammad: The Last Prophet   Richard Rich           3   48.7
The Swan Princess III        Richard Rich           3   48.7
Baptists at Our Barbecue     Christian Vuissa       6   48.6
Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1 Gary Rogers           11   47.5
Thumbelina                   Don Bluth             16   47.2
Rock-A-Doodle                Don Bluth              7   45.9
A Troll in Central Park      Don Bluth              6   44.2
The Home Teachers            Kurt Hale              9   42.8
The Pebble and the Penguin   Don Bluth              9   42.7
The Trumpet of the Swan      Richard Rich          40   39.3
The King and I               Richard Rich          44   38.8
The Swan Princess II         Richard Rich           7   28.9
The Master of Disguise       Perry Andelin Blake   70   22.8
Day of Defense               Adam Lawson            5   20.0



Table D.
Cream of the Crop RT.c Scores
The RottenTomatoes.com scores are already somewhat selective: Reviewers must meet certain minimum standards in order to be included on the site in the first place, and among those reviews which are included, not all reviews are given a positive/negative (+/-, or "fresh/rotten") score by the website. For example, the site lists about 135 reviews for "Titan A.E.", for example, but only counts 96 of them in its percentage ranking. Even among those reviews which are scored positive or negative, not all are counted in the site's final percentage.

A further level of selection available from the site is its "Cream of the Crop" score, which, according to the site's FAQ, "is an area on the review pages where we place the most popular critics. This area has its own Tomatometer. Critics in this area are also accounted for in the overall Tomatometer." Critics included in the "Cream of the Crop" score write for publications such as Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert); Variety; New York Post; New York Times; Chicago Tribune; Los Angeles Times; Village Voice; Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle. Note that for many films, the site was unable to calculate a "Cream of Crop" score because there were few or not reviews by the "Cream of Crop" reviewers. 

                                                 Cream of
Film Title                   Director              Crop %
----------                   --------              ------
In the Company of Men        Neil LaBute           100%
Anastasia                    Don Bluth             100%
The Black Cauldron           Richard Rich          100%
The Land Before Time         Don Bluth             100%
The Legend of Johnny Lingo   Steven Ramirez        100%
Brigham City                 Richard Dutcher        80%
Nurse Betty                  Neil LaBute            68%
Permanent Midnight           David Veloz            67%
Little Secrets               Blair Treu             64%
Napoleon Dynamite            Jared Hess             63%
Your Friends and Neighbors   Neil LaBute            63%
Cremaster 2                  Matthew Barney         60%
Saints and Soldiers          Ryan Little            55%
Possession                   Neil LaBute            53%
The Shape of Things          Don Bluth              53%
Titan A.E.                   Don Bluth              53%
Cremaster 3                  Matthew Barney         50%
Thumbelina                   Don Bluth              50%
The Best Two Years           Scott S. Anderson      25%
The King and I               Richard Rich            0%
The Other Side of Heaven     Mitch Davis             0%
God's Army                   Richard Dutcher         0%
Book of Mormon Movie, Vol. 1 Gary Rogers             0%
The Trumpet of the Swan      Richard Rich            0%
Master of Disguise           Perry Andelin Blake     0%



Table E.
In the table below, a single average score has been calculated based on all of the director's movies for which a score is available. The scores that are averaged are scores from Table A, which are the combined scores based on the RottenTomatoes.com percentage and the numerical average.

Note that in this "Average for All Movies" table, the average scores for direct-to-video films are not included if the director ALSO has scores for theatrical releases. 

                     Avg. All
Director               Movies
--------             --------
Sterling Van Wagenen     82.5
Trent Harris             81.2
Matthew Barney           73.8
Neil LaBute              73.3
Scott S. Anderson        72.6
James Redford            70.9
Jared Hess               68.1
Richard Dutcher          66.2
Ryan Little              64.8
Boyd Kirkland            64.5
Andrew Black             63.2
David Veloz              60.4
Blair Treu               60.4
Roy Allen Smith          59.5
Don Bluth                57.9
Russ Holt                57.5
Bruce Neibaur            56.4
Kels Goodman             51.4
Eric Hendershot          49.5
Charles E. Sellier       47.7
Kurt Hale                46.9
Scott Swofford           46.5
Rick Schroder            44.0
Richard Rich             43.4
Nathan Smith Jones       41.1
Mitch Davis              39.3
Adam Thomas Anderegg     38.6
Christian Vuissa         36.8
Steven Ramirez           33.8
Gary Rogers              32.1
Adam Lawson              20.0
Perry Andelin Blake      12.1

More detail: Review Roundup tables

Web page created 30 August 2002. Last modified 10 December 2004.