Why is the church pumping money into a glitzy movie knowing that it will probably only be seen by members who have an obligation to see it? is it just a larger part of the whole indoctrination thing? how much does it cost to do this?

I think it's just the brethren's failure to grasp reality. Inserting their "I'm a Mormon" commercials into shows people are already watching is one thing, but expecting nevermos to spend the time and money to go to a sales pitch pretending to be a movie, or to allow themselves to be dragged there by Mormons whose motives are laughably transparent, is something totally different -- and delusional.

Either that, or it's just an overblown pep talk to the troops.

They probably had a lot of left over footage from filming the "I'm a Mormon" commercials. Someone asked "what should we do with it? Someone else had the idea "let's turn it into a movie."

No additional costs for filming.

A little editing cost (free as it was probably someone's church calling) to put it together.

Theaters in the Morridor run it = $$$$$ for the church.

Coming soon to DVD just in time for Christmas gifts = $$$$$$$$$.

The LDS Church like most of them, have a PR dept of some sort and do advertising. It provides the members with something to use that is welcomed by the believers. People often want to share what they are happy with.

Desperate people do desperate things. I really think Stray Mutt is right about it being a pep talk for the troops so that they feel good about themselves and are not embarrassed to believe the unbelievable.

It also smacks of being the reverse of that old saying,"Me thinks thou doth protest too much." Theirs is more like "Me thinks thou dost proclaim to be normal/special too much." If you really are lovely, praiseworthy, and of good report, people will notice. Tooting your own horn is just pathetic.

I'm really angered at LD$ inc for the many ways they pick the pockets of their members. This is just one more way.

It seems more like a Dilbert move. It was made by one group, and another group can't figure out what to do with it.

It is what a cult does.