By Jonathan Decker Southern Utah is known for its particularly first-rate theatre scene, with Tuacahn Amphitheatre near St. George and the Utah Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City leading the way. The window is closing on this year’s shows, so here’s the inside scoop on what to see and what’s worth the trip. These wonderful shows close in mid-October, so get a move on! TUACAHN The current season of ...[Read More]
What to See at Tuacahn and the Utah Shakespeare Festival, 2019
Family Review: OUT OF LIBERTY is a Gritty, Inspiring True-Story Western
By Jonathan Decker WHAT’S OUT OF LIBERTY ABOUT? Weary jailer Samuel Tillery is tasked with protecting Joseph Smith and other Latter-day Saint prisoners in Liberty Jail until they can get a fair trial, a job made difficult by angry mobs who want the men dead. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: A) Between Out of Liberty, The Fighting Preacher, The Other Side of Heaven 2, and last year’s Jane and Emma, Latter-d ...[Read More]
Family Review: HOBBS AND SHAW is Dumb, Funny, and Exciting
By Trina Boice Reposted with permission of The Movie Review Mom WHATS HOBBS AND SHAW ABOUT? Spies. Tough guys. Weapons. The end of the world. This adrenaline-packed action comedy is a spin-off and number eight in the Fast & the Furious franchise. You don’t need to have seen any of the Fast & the Furious movies before to enjoy this movie; it works as a stand-alone film. If you’re a Dwayne Johnson o ...[Read More]
Interview: Director Mitch Davis on the Interfaith Appeal of THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN 2
By Jonathan Decker With The Other Side of Heaven 2, director Mitch Davis has crafted a powerful interfaith epic meant to unite Catholics, Evangelicals, and Latter-day Saints. Telling the true story of Elder John Groberg's return to Tonga with his wife and children over a decade after first serving there as a missionary on his own, there is so much to be inspired by here. Recently Mitch was kind en ...[Read More]
Family Review: THE LION KING is Gorgeous but Kind of Flat
By Trina Boice Republished with permission from The Movie Review Mom. WHAT IS THE LION KING ABOUT? It’s been 5 minutes, so that means it’s time for another Disney remake! If you’re like me, you’ve probably seen the 1994 original movie The Lion King at least a dozen times, right? My kids grew up watching it over and over. The story, in a nutshell, is that a lion prince is deceived by his evil uncl ...[Read More]
Family Review: THE FIGHTING PREACHER Promotes Kindness in the Face of Intolerance
By Jonathan Decker WHAT'S THE FIGHTING PREACHER ABOUT? A Latter-day Saint boxer and his wife are called to take care of the farm of church prophet Joseph Smith, 80 years after the faith left Palmyra, New York. Met with aggressive persecution and bigotry by the locals, he tries to change things with his fists, but his wife sees that the hand of friendship and kindness is what is needed. IS IT ANY G ...[Read More]
Family Review- SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME Is a Marvelously Unique Adventure
By Trina Boice Reprinted with permission from Movie Review Mom. WHAT'S SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME ABOUT? F.O.S (Friends of Spider-Man) Unite! Welcome to the post-Avengers Endgame world. After the last two very dramatic Avengers movies, Spider-Man saves the day by giving us an easy, breezy, light, and fun summer popcorn movie. Spider-Man: Far From Home is the final movie in the third phase of the M ...[Read More]
Family Review: YESTERDAY Will Make You Fall For The Beatles All Over Again
By Dallin Curtis WHAT'S YESTERDAY ABOUT? Struggling singer-songwriter Jack Malik gets into an accident during a worldwide blackout. He wakes up the next morning, finding the world exactly the same, with one exception: The Beatles never existed. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: B) It’s a testament to the strength of original storytelling when one filmmaker is able to come up with a premise so good, that peo ...[Read More]
Family Review: THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN 2 Largely Surpasses The Original
By Trina Boice Reprinted with permission from Movie Review Mom. WHAT'S THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN 2 ABOUT? Brought to you by BYU TV and Kolipoki Pictures, this Two Roads film is based on a true story and the missionary efforts of Elder John H. Groberg. If you saw the first movie, The Other Side of Heaven, you will remember the sweet spirit of the storytelling and the heart of the beautiful Tongan p ...[Read More]
Family Review: TOY STORY 4 is Worthy of What Came Before
By Trina Boice Reprinted with permission from Movie Review Mom. WHAT'S TOY STORY 4 ABOUT? Our favorite toys are back together again in Toy Story 4, 24 years after the original Toy Story hit theaters to instant, raving fans. How does this franchise consistently pump out one fantastic film after another? Disney and Pixar’s magical formula has done it again. Former Chief Creator Director of Disney J ...[Read More]