http://beehivestandardweekly.com en-us http://beehivestandardweekly.com N/A rgraham@lawyerswest.net Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:49:51 -0700 20 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/206/1/Wall-e-is-Cute%2C-but-Hardly-a-Blockbuster Wall-e is Cute, but Not CompellingI remember being surprised after seeing The Incredibles in the movie theater. It was a complex comedy with great graphics and non-stop action. I was only amused coming out of the theater after seeing Wall-e.  It was probably worth the outing with the kids, but it won't be a film I will watch over again when it comes out on DVD. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Charlie Montrose) Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/202/1/Get-Smart-is-True-to-the-Get-Smart-Series Before seeing Get Smart, the movie, I had a chance to review the "reviews" of the media on Yahoo's movie section. I was disappointed to see the average coming in at a mighty "C+." That usually spells trouble for a comedy -- meaning it falls far short of expectations.As my job is to see as many bad films as possible in a year's time, I got off my couch and drove to the local theater with my kids and wife in tow. I invited my mother-in-law, but she said she was feeling a little below the weather. I feared that my health was also about to suffer as a result of seeing a bad movie, but my expectations of disappointment were -- well disappointed.  Get smart was exactly what one would expect Get Smart to be. It was classic Get Smart. If you love the series, you will love the movie. If you hated the movie, you probably are a professional movie critic. I liked the movie, so I guess that means -- hey, wait a minute . . . rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Charlie Montrose) Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/200/1/Kung-Fu-Panda%3A-Come-as-You-Are Beehive Standard Weekly: 4 Out of 5 StarsWatching the commercials for the new animated feature Kung Fu Panda, the first thing that comes to mind is that a Panda doing Kung Fu seems a little awkward. After only a few minutes of the film from Dreamworks, you get the feeling that this was the intent of the writers. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Charlie Montrose) Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/176/1/National-Treasure%3A-No-Secret-This-Film-Serves-Up-Family-Fun Having seen the first installment of the series, some may question whether Nicolas Cage and his entourage of conspiracy-theory treasure hunters could strike a cord a second time. The answer is somewhat mixed, but in the end, it is hard to argue that this latest episode was still very entertaining and deserving of a Saturday afternoon with the kids.The storyline picks up after the first film and we now see our hero treasure hunter, Ben Hunter (Nicolas Cage), and his ex-girlfriend (Diane Kruger) on the outs. At the same time, a strange southerner (Ed Harris) asserts that a famous ancestor of our hero was actually involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, a charge Gates takes personally. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Emerson Chase) Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/157/1/High-School-Musical-II%3A-Clean-and-Fun-Family-Entertainment-- My family and I found ourselves at the store the other day  buying goodies in preparation for the Disney premiere of High School Musical 2.  Of course we also wanted to buy the new soundtrack, so we could enjoy the new music, and while back in the rear of the store, we also saw both the original and new board games for the first and second films, which my wife decided we just had to have! jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Sat, 18 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/150/1/Noah----Where-Art-Thou%3F-Evan-Almighty-Judged-Perfect-for-Families You remember it, don't you? Bill Cosby updates the Noah story. God calls upon a skeptical Noah who responds in modern terms and questions God's wisdom until it starts raining. In response, the modern fashioned Noah suddenly finds religion and faith. "Just you and me God, just you and me."It is a classic skit and it deserved a film version. Morgan Freeman, who reprises his role as God from "Bruce Almighty" and Steve Carrell, who makes a second appearance as the Everyman character, make this reincarnation true to form.  It is funny. It is reverent and you need to see it with your kids. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Emerson Chase) Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/144/1/Faith-precedes-the-film-that-claims-to-show-Christ%26%2339%3Bs-tomb I'm having a difficult time understanding the controversy surrounding the recent Discovery Channel documentary that suggests that Christ's tomb has been found.For those not of the Christian faith, I can't see how it matters. For those who are of the Christian faith: What's the big deal?The purported evidence only suggests the possibility that Christ's tomb (including his remains and those of his family) has been found. But really, how strong is this evidence?Regardless of the circumstantial, archaeological evidence, there's no way that this tomb or its contents can be proven to belong to Christ and his family.But what if such Dan-Brown-esque "concrete proof" were a reality? What would that mean for Christians?It shouldn't mean anything.For Christians, a belief in Christ, his resurrection, and his divine nature has never been based on scientific evidence or proof, but rather, has always been a matter of faith.There's no reason for Christians to get all worked up over this.After all, if a single documentary can shake a person's faith, then that person's faith probably wasn't that strong to begin with. Jonathan H. Westover jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/125/1/Rocky-Balboa-Review In response to Rick Gregory's letter, ""Film's rating is misleading" (Readers' forum, Jan 2, 2007), about the new movie, "Rocky Balboa," I will readily acknowledge that there is some "violence, profanity, vulgarity, brief gore, racial epithets, [and] brief drugs"--it is, after all, a boxing movie.  However, this movie was not just rated PG because there was "no sex."  I saw this movie on New Year's Day, and was very impressed. This film was not like the comic book-esk "Rocky IV," with graphic boxing violence, little story-line, and even less dialog, chronicling Rocky's unlikely defeat of his giant Russian opponent. This movie did not glorify the fighting like other later installments in the Rocky saga.  jon.westover@gmail.com (Jonathan H. Westover) Mon, 08 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/105/1/LDS-Cinema-is-not-Dead SALT LAKE CITY - "The Work and the Glory III: A House Divided" opened Thanksgiving to huge crowds, grossing in three days what recent LDS films have grossed in their entirety. "Regardless of what the naysayer's have claimed, LDS cinema is not dead; it is very much alive and well," said Randy Davis, Vice President of Excel Entertainment Group. "A lot of people would rather believe that the whole niche is falling apart, than believe that they made a film that nobody wants. Everybody wants 'The Work and the Glory'." Over 65,000 people saw the inspiring final chapter in the "Glory" series over the Thanksgiving holiday, ranking "The Work and the Glory III" in the top three in nearly every theater. "It is so great to compete against big Hollywood pictures and win," said Brandon Purdie, theatrical booker for Excel. "We've been getting calls from studios wondering 'Who are these guys?" With the results in, the film has taken in over $364,000 which sends it well on its way to the $2 million that Excel hopes to do inside of Utah and the $4 million they want to reach overall. "We just want all the storytellers of our generation to know that there is money to be made in LDS cinema," said Davis. "There are hundreds of thousands of people who will pay to see these films." rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/101/1/Disney-Sequal-to-High-School-Musical-Might-Be-Headed-to-St.-George ST. GEORGE, UTAH -- Is it possible that the production for the sequal to High School Musical (Disney) may be headed to St. George, Utah?  Sources for the Beehive Standard Weekly tell us that St. George, Utah has shot up the list for locations for the adolescent hit.  Previously, the producers were considering other warm-weather locations, such as Palm Springs, however, the State of Utah is now dangling a hefty $500,000 incentive package and the producers have taken a closer look at the beautiful country presented in Southern Utah.  According to our sources, who asked not to be identified given the sensitivity of the negotiations, other considerations making St. George, Utah a strong contender is its proximity to California, local talent and assistance available, and suitable film locations. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Sat, 18 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/92/1/The-Final-Installment-of-%26quot%3BThe-Work-and-The-Glory%26quot%3B-Trilogy-Comes-to-Screens WORK AND THE GLORY RETURNS TO THEATERS SALT LAKE CITY - This Thanksgiving, Work and the Glory fans are in for a dramatic fall treat. "The Work and The Glory III: A House Divided" marks the third installment of the film's trilogy. The story follows the travails of Mormon pioneers as they are confronted by the angry anti-Mormon mobs of Missouri backed by the insidious Governor Boggs.  "The fans can't wait for this film.," said Randy Davis, head of film distribution for Excel Entertainment. "We get emails from them all the time. We are excited because the film really delivers. It has all of the spirituality of the first, and all of the passion of the second." Larry Miller, who owns the Utah Jazz NBA franchise and was a major funding source for the series agrees.  "'A House Divided' is the best of the three," he said. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Thu, 02 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0800 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/79/1/Flicka-is-a-Must-See-for-Families Adapted from the novel "My Friend Flicka" by Mary O'Hara, this film is a throwback to the days when the only stars were a man and his horse. In this case, however, it is a teenage girl looking to find her place in the world and a renegade horse that needs to be tamed. Though sometimes obvious, the film's director stays true to the sentiment of the book and allows the story to unfold to the benefit of the viewing audience.Similar to the classic The Black Stallion, Flicka recounts a story about the maturing of a teenage girl, Katy (Alison Lohman). Through her experiences with a spirited horse, she learns about her own rebellious nature as she tries to tame the wild mustang. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Sun, 22 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/72/1/Monster-House-is-Scary-Kiddie-Fun I'm a wimp at heart. I saw an edited version of Aliens and had to sleep with lights on for about two weeks!  At the time I was twenty-nine. So it was with severe reservations that I took my kids to see Monster House. If the name of the movie didn't clue you in, Monster House is about a Monster that is a House. If you expect to be seeing Teletubbies or Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, you should probably stay home. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Charlie Montrose) Sat, 22 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/65/1/Event-Review%3A-The-Stadium-of-Fire-Shoots-Blanks The Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah, is usually one hot event for the July 4th holiday.  This year, however, it was not only cloudy above the stadium, but a lot of the haze seemed to settle within the stadium.  In short, this year's event was unfocused, lacking in crowd appeal and lackluster in "fire" power. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Emerson Chase) Sun, 02 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/61/1/Movie-Review%3A-Nacho-Libre-is-Black-at-His-Best Jared Hess, writer and director of Napoleon Dynamite brings us Nacho Libre, an equally crazy movie about equally weird people. Jack Black stars as a Mexican friar called Ignacio-Nacho is his nickname-who is not content with his life as a cook in an orphanage. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Jacob Russell) Tue, 27 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/62/1/Move-Review%3A-Cars-is-Fast-and-Furious-Fun Director John Lasseter (Toy Story, A Bug's Life) brings the world of Cars to life in a fun and imaginative way. Everybody and everything is some kind of vehicle. Flies and mosquitoes are tiny Volkswagen Bugs with wings and tractors are cows. At one point in the film Mater takes Lightning out for some "tractor tippin'." Gas stations are restaurants, garages are motels, paint shops are clothing stores, and tire shops are shoe stores. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Jacob Russell) Fri, 23 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/68/1/Movie-Review%3A-The-Devil-Wears-Prada-Was-Better-as-101-Dalmations The movie has its entertaining moments, but it was a tired old story that couldn't decide where it wanted go and it didn't want to take any risks. It was simple and predictable all the way through. The book by Lauren Weisberger (which I will probably read now) was a bestseller for six months, and I'm curious to find out what the filmmakers did to it. If the book sold millions, I have to believe that it was changed dramatically. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Jacob Russell) Tue, 06 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/51/1/Movie-Review%3A-X-Men-Will-Blow-You-Away This story is full of unexpected surprises. Because Halle Berry complained about having small supporting roles in the first two movies, this time her character, Storm, now plays a larger role, as she and Wolverine must lead the team. If you've seen the first two, prepare to be shocked; that's all I'm saying. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Jacob Russell) Wed, 31 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/43/1/Movie-Review%3A-Goal%3A-The-Dream-Begins With all the talk of undocumented workers trying to capture a piece of the American Dream, it is nice to take a step back and see a story about how one young man achieves it.  Goal is reminiscent of a hundred other sports hero movies, but it is not without good sentiment and a nice storyline. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Emerson Chase) Mon, 15 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/29/1/DVD-Review%3A-Thompson-Delivers-Instant-Classic-in-Nanny-McPhee When I first set glance upon the film trailers for Nanny McPhee, I thought for just a moment that I was watching a low-budget independent horror film.  As a Hollywood main character, Nanny McPhee is truly repulsive.  Despite her initial appearance, the Nanny grows on you and you see that there is a great deal of common sense about her approach. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Mon, 15 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/28/1/Ice-Age-is-as-Slow-As-Melting-Ice---Movie-Review Ice Age II: the Meltdown is a typical sequel to a great first run.  It has its moments, but it is mostly Hollywood trying to make a buck on a well-established name. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Wed, 03 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/27/1/This-is-One-Good-Bee---Movie-Review Akeelah and the Bee is quite a strange little movie. It has all the elements of a summer flop. First of all, it's a movie about a spelling bee, of all things. You remember spelling bees, don't you? This is that joyous event when your teacher makes you get up in front of the class and spell words like "sociopolitical" or "mnemonic." And when you use the wrong vowel or forget a silent letter and send everyone in the class into nonstop fits of laughter. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Jacob Russell) Wed, 03 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/26/1/R.V.-is-One-Long-Boring-Ride---Movie-Review R.V. is one of those movies-and there are at least one or two every year-that starts off the unofficial spring/summer movie season by opening at number one in box office sales because they've saturated every network on television with commercials that feature the same three or four goofy scenes without telling us anything about the movie, in order to lure huge throngs of families to see it, until three or four weeks later when the families realize that they've wasted their money, but by then they don't care because the next big "box office smash" is out, and it starts the whole process over again. Yeah, it's one of those movies. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Jacob Russell) Wed, 03 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 http://beehivestandardweekly.com/articles/15/1/Church-Ball%3A-Quirky-Culture-Begets-Quirky-Sports-Movie Everyone who plays basketball in the southwest knows about the huge basketball courts in the middle of LDS church buildings. To the Mormons, this arena is called the "Cultural Hall," but anyone who has seen one of these full court stadiums would use that word loosely. Arguably speaking, at the end of many of the older courts, there is a stage for "cultural" events, but odds are you will find your best performances from a basketball player flopping from a charge, not from anyone quoting Shakespeare on the elevated platform. rgraham@lawyerswest.net (Beehive Standard Weekly ) Sat, 15 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0700