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Natl Film Title Weekend Gross %B.O. Theatrs
Rank LDS/Mormon Filmmaker/Star Total Gross Chnge $/Thtr Days
--- --------------------------- ----------- ----- ------- ----
5 Home on the Range 3,570,296 -35% 2,481 24
Roseanne Barr (actress) 42,554,404 $1,439
(1st billed star)
35 Bugs! 137,405 +8% 25 409
stars Papilio, 7,107,979 $5,496
a Great Mormon butterfly
58 The Best Two Years 30,033 +10% 22 66
Scott S. Anderson 702,464 $1,365
(writer/producer/director)
Michael Flynn (producer)
Fred C. Danneman (executive producer)
Gordon Lonsdale (cinematographer)
Wynn Hougaard (editor)
Michael McLean (songwriter, music supervisor)
Dave Sapp
(line producer/1st A.D./unit production manager)
Darin Anderson (production manager)
Michael L. McDonough (sound editor)
Rebecca Nibley (costume designer)
Actors: K.C. Clyde, Kirby Heyborne,
David Nibley, Cameron Hopkin,
Scott Christopher, Michael Flynn
66 The Book of Mormon Movie Vol. 1 20,483 +31% 14 227
Gary Rogers 1,630,315 $1,463
(writer/producer/director)
Craig Clyde (screenplay)
David Hales (co-producer, editor)
Ira Baker (editor)
Robert C. Bowden (composer)
Actors: Bryce Chamberlain,
Mark Gollaher, Jan Broberg Felt,
Cragun Foulger, Jacque Gray,
Kirby Heyborne, Michael Flynn
77 The United States of Leland 13,704 -63% 43 24
Ryan Gosling (actor) 304,019 $319
(2nd billed star)
79 Latter Days 12,007 -42% 11 87
C. Jay Cox (writer/director) 682,153 $1,092
LDS main characters
84 The Young Black Stallion 9,764 -2% 16 123
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) 6,279,770 $610
109 Galapagos 2,685 2 1641
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) 14,451,891 $1,343
118 China: The Panda Adventure 1,783 1 1004
Reed Smoot (cinematographer) 3,688,936 $97
BOOK OF MORMON MOVIE TOPS $1.6 MILLION - After its 33rd weekend in theaters, "The Book of Mormon Movie" sat at $1,630,315 for its box office gross total. In doing so, it tied God's Army for the fourth longest theatrical run among LDS Cinema films (although there were actually a few weeks in early January during which "The Book of Mormon Movie" did not play in theaters). Only "The Other Side of Heaven", "The R.M." and "The Singles Ward" have had longer theatrical runs. The longevity of this run is even more impressive when you take into account that two films released much later, "The Home Teachers" and "Pride and Prejudice" can apparently no longer be found in theaters. However, with the film's DVD scheduled to come out on May 4th, it is likely that its theatrical run is now winding down. Regardless, "The Book of Mormon Movie" put in another strong showing, grossing just over $20,000 over the weekend, actually its highest grossing weekend in a month and a half. While the $1.6 million mark is significant (the reported production budget for the film was $1.5 million), its producers are relying on strong DVD sales to actually make the film profitable (which is, truth be told, the case with most films - even those produced by Hollywood). Meanwhile, "The Best Two Years" continued its impressive theatrical showing, passing $700,000 (the sixth fastest LDS Cinema film to reach that mark). At its current rate, it will still take BTY a few more weeks to move up in the rankings for total gross among LDS Cinema films, as Charly's total of $813,685 is still just over $100,000 away.
"SAINTS AND SOLDIERS" RELEASE SET FOR AUGUST 6 - Adam Abel, producer of the controversial and critically acclaimed feature film "Saints and Soldiers," has announced that the movie will be released to commercial theaters on August 6, 2004.
Rated PG-13, the World War II movie is about a Latter-day Saint soldier (Corbin Allred, star of "Diamonds", "Christmas Mission", etc.) who had only recently served a mission to Germany, and now returns to that area as a serviceman. He and a small band of fellow U.S. soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines. The movie also stars Kirby Heyborne ("The R.M.", "The Singles Ward", "The Book of Mormon Movie, Volume 1: The Journey", "The Best Two Years") and Larry Bagby ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "God's Army", "Liken the Scriptures: I Will Go and Do").
"THE WORK AND THE GLORY" FILMING RIGHT NOW - A few articles about "The Work and the Glory", which is being filmed now in Tennessee. This LDS Cinema movie, based on the same-titled historical novel series by general authority Gerald N. Lund, published by Deseret Book, is expected to be rated "E", for Establishment. Our main piece of advice would be for Bro. Swofford to hire Alastair Campbell as a consultant.
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=1803201
http://www.metropulse.com/dir_zine/dir_2004/1417/t_ear.html
http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/democrat/living/people/family/8415360.htm
CHRISTIAN VUISSA'S LDS CINEMA MOVIE CHANGES NAME BACK TO BARBECUE BOOK TITLE - As everybody knows, the popular comedic novel by LDS writer Robert Farrell Smith "Baptists at Our Barbecue" has been adapted to a feature film by acclaimed Austrian Latter-day Saint film director Christian Vuissa ("Roots & Wings", "Unfolding"). The movie was long titled "Eat, Drink and Get Married." But as mentioned in a previous box office report, the title has now been changed back to "Baptists at Our Barbecue." The movie stars Heather Beers, best known for her star turn in the title role in "Jack Weyland's Charly." (She played "Charly," not "Jack Weyland.")
Vuissa has been dubbed by the press as one of the "Four Horsemen" of the LDS Cinema Un-Apocalypse, because he was grouped with three other young filmmakers whose feature films were expected to be cinematically on a whole new level of quality relative to other LDS Cinema films. Andrew Black ("Pride and Prejudice"), Scott S. Anderson ("The Best Two Years") and Ryan Little ("Saints and Soldiers") have already shocked and surprised film critics and audiences alike with the creativity and the sheer quality of their LDS-themed feature films. Based on Vuissa's track record (his previous short films have won awards and critical acclaim nationwide), his feature debut is widely conjectured to belong to this pack.
Check out the official website for "Baptists at Our Barbecue."
DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS: COMPARE POTENTIAL LDS AUDIENCE SIZE TO OTHER MARKETS - Demographic statistics: compare potential LDS audience size to other markets
Group Number Percent of
U.S. pop.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 5,503,192 1.93%
GLBT (gay, lesbian or bisexual) 4,300,000 1.51%
Judaism 3,702,400 1.30%
Of course not all Latter-day Saints are interested in going to see LDS Cinema movies. But it is worthwhile to consider the potential size of the LDS audience to other markets. Most of the demographics listed here do not necessarily comprise a potential film market. But many do.
Perhaps most worth considering are the size of the GLBT and Jewish communities. Although the number of Jews in the U.S. is larger than the number of Latter-day Saints, the number of people for whom Judaism is their stated religious preference is significantly smaller than the number of Latter-day Saints. Yet there are far more Jewish films than LDS films and, even more divergent, there are far more Jewish film festivals than LDS film festivals.
Likewise, the LDS population is roughly the same size as the slightly smaller GLBT population. Yet there are far more GLBT films released and shown commercially every year -- many in art film houses or specialty theaters. And there are probably over 100 GLBT film festivals every year, including those which receive sponsorship from universities, municipalities, etc. As Latter-day Saints outnumber Jewish and GLBT Americans, and as LDS films exhibit increasing quality, it will be important for LDS film to strive for parity in terms of festivals, college courses, etc.
This table lists some major demographic groupings in the United States. Race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and other factors are factors in personal and group identity. This table is unusual in that it presents a merged list of these factors. This more accurately reflects actual American society, in which most people belong to more than one group. All individuals can be classified into multiple groupings below.
Composite U.S. Demographics
Introduction
Group Number Percent of
U.S. pop.
Total 284,800,000 100.00%
English-at-home speakers 245,497,600 86.20%
Christian 217,872,000 76.50%
White 211,460,626 75.10%
Protestant 150,944,000 53 %
Female 145,532,800 51.10%
Male 139,267,200 48.90%
Republican 90,950,000 33 %
Democrat 85,440,000 31 %
Catholic 69,776,000 24.50%
Non-English speakers 38,087,127 13.80%
Nonreligious 37,593,600 13.20%
Hispanic/Latino 35,305,818 12.50%
Black 34,658,190 12.30%
Baptist 34,176,000 12 %
Evangelical (theologically) 22,049,360 8.00%
Methodist 19,366,400 6.80%
Spanish speakers 20,744,986 7.50%
Southern Baptist 15,800,000 5.60%
Lutheran 13,100,800 4.60%
vegetarian 12,000,000 4.20%
Asian 10,242,998 3.60%
United Methodist Church 8,251,042 2.90%
Presbyterian 7,689,600 2.70%
Multiracial 6,826,228 2.40%
Pentecostal 5,980,800 2.10%
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 5,503,192 1.93%
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 5,038,066 1.80%
Episcopalian 4,841,600 1.70%
GLBT (gay, lesbian or bisexual) 4,300,000 1.51%
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 3,595,259 1.30%
Judaism 3,702,400 1.30%
Eastern Orthodox 2,756,170 1 %
Assemblies of God 2,575,000 0.93%
Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod 2,512,714 0.90%
Native American 2,475,956 0.90%
Buddhist 2,400,000 0.87%
Episcopal Church 2,333,628 0.82%
French speakers 2,308,795 0.80%
gay men 2,000,000 0.70%
Non-denominational 2,000,000 0.70%
prison population 2,000,000 0.70%
German speakers 1,851,418 0.70%
Megachurch attendance 1,800,000 0.64%
Jehovah's Witnesses 1,708,800 0.60%
Chinese speakers 1,578,099 0.60%
Italian speakers 1,565,165 0.60%
Mennonite Church USA 1,525,000 0.55%
Churches of Christ 1,500,000 0.53%
American Baptist Church in the U.S.A. 1,484,291 0.52%
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church 1,430,795 0.50%
Muslim 1,424,000 0.50%
agnostic 1,424,000 0.50%
bisexual 1,400,000 0.49%
United Church of Christ 1,330,985 0.47%
Baptist Bible Fellowship International 1,200,000 0.42%
atheists 1,139,200 0.40%
Tagolog speakers 1,008,542 0.40%
Independent Christian Church, Churches of Christ 1,071,616 0.39%
Hindu 1,000,000 0.36%
Church of God (Cleveland, TN) 944,857 0.33%
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 910,000 0.33%
lesbians 900,000 0.32%
Polish speakers 865,298 0.30%
Unitarian Universalist 854,400 0.30%
Seventh-day Adventists 809,000 0.29%
Neo-pagan (incl. Wiccans) 768,400 0.28%
Korean speakers 749,278 0.30%
Church of the Nazarene 608,000 0.11%
Vietnamese speakers 606,463 0.20%
Portuguese speakers 515,017 0.20%
Japanese speakers 511,485 0.20%
Pacific Islander 398,835 0.10%
Reformed Church in America (RCA) 304,000 0.11%
Libertarian party members 200,000 0.07%
Baha'i 142,000 0.05%
Native American Religionist 103,000 0.04%
For detailed source information, see: http://www.adherents.com/adh_dem.html
LDS DIRECTOR PICKED TO DIRECT DISNEY MOVIE STARRING BEN AFFLECK - See: http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/sports/todaysstories/20040423-109314.shtml
WILL GARTNER PIC SET RECORD? - Any movie starring Ben Affleck and made by Disney has the potential for being pretty big at the box office. (Okay, any movie starring Ben Affleck ALSO has the potential to be a bottom-dwelling bomb, but that's another story.)
Interestingly enough, Ben Affleck recently starred in "Paycheck," in which he played an employee of LDS actor Aaron Eckhart. Now he'll be answering to an LDS boss for real, on the set of James Gartner's Texas football movie. Not only does this combine Disney, Ben Affleck and Texas football, it's also a Jerry Bruckheimer pic, so the Disney folks have got to be planning on a fairly significant box office return.
All of which means, Bro. Gartner may have a shot at a record among Latter-day Saint directors. The highest-grossing LDS-helmed film we have record of is Kieth Merrill's "Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets," an early IMAX which has grossed more than $280,000,000 domestically. So, okay, we throw that out. Not exactly a traditional feature film nor a traditional movie release. The highest-grossing NON-documentary (or highest-grossing dramatic film) directed by a Latter-day Saint is Don Bluth's "Anastasia," with $58,406,347. (Quite a good movie, by the way, with an Academy Award nomination to boot). It would not be impossible for Gartner's pic to top that. Last year's Disney-made live action movie "Holes" grossed $67,383,924 domestically. An even more reachable benchmark would be for Bro. Gartner's football movie to become the highest-grossing non-animated non-documentary film. To do that it would have to pass Perry Andelin Blake's "The Master of Disguise," which grossed $40,363,530 domestically.
In case you thought, Neil Labute held that position with "Nurse Betty"... Well, not quite. "Nurse Betty" is a non-animated non-documentary film, and LaBute's top-grossing picture, but it grossed $25,167,270 -- about $15 million less than "The Master of Disguise." (It did get much better reviews, however.) Also, the late Hal Ashby's "Shampoo" grossed $49,407,734 way back in 1974, and Ashby's "Being There" grossed $30,177,511 in 1979. But Ashby was not active in the Church as an adult.
LDS FILMMAKER NEIL LABUTE TO WRITE/DIRECT 6-HOUR MINISERIES FOR SHOWTIME - Friday, January 9, 2004 - 5:18 PM
Development Update: January 9
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)
Summary: The Futon Critic reports Showtime has committed to six half-hour episodes of a new drama series from famed playwright/director Neil LaBute ("In the Company of Men," "Possession").
infoline
the scoop of this project
status: pilot in production (2004-2005 season)
what's it about?
half-hour drama which tracks a young male college professor who finds himself disgraced and unemployed after having an affair with a co-ed with things getting even darker when the woman he slept with turns up missing
who's in it?
no casting information is available
who's making it?
neil labute ("in the company of men," "possession")
gail mutrux
BRO. NEIL LABUTE'S NEW PLAY "THE DISTANCE FROM HERE" - LaBute's button-pushing, however, has rebounded on him. A practicing Mormon, he was "disfellowshipped" by church elders in 1999 after the staging of "Bash," which probed crimes by three Mormon characters.
"The representatives of the church were pretty clear," he says. "They didn't really want me to write anything further about the church -- good or bad. I wasn't [spoiling] for a fight. I hadn't had any run-ins before and I had written things which the church wouldn't necessarily embrace. So I couldn't foresee that this was going to be as big a problem as it was."
Excerpt from: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/story/186974p-161938c.html
LDS AUTHOR'S $80 MILLION MOVIE BEGINS FILMING THIS SUMMER - David Wolverton, a.k.a. Dave Farland, is a devout Latter-day Saint who lives in Orem, Utah. Wolverton, a convert to the Church, is a best-selling science fiction and fantasy author. The "Runelords" movie is set to be the 1st of 3 films, already being hailed as the next epic fantasy movies, the heir apparent to the Lord of the Rings throne. I have actually already read many of Wolverton's stories and books. He is a phenomenal writer, a joy to read. He is not as well known as Orson Scott Card, but Card has frequently referred to Wolverton as one of his favorite science fiction writers.
See http://www.runelordsthemovie.com/news/20040302-PressRelease.html
MORE ON BRO. WOLVERTON - If you really want the inside scoop on David Wolverton/Dave Farland, I suggest you read the interview he did for Irreantum (the Mormon literary journal) a couple years ago. The issue can be ordered from LDS Video Store, or directly from AML if you have a PayPal account.
More info about Wolverton, from "Famous Science Fiction Authors" at http://www.adherents.com/adh_sf.html
Wolverton, Dave
Latter-day Saint
Director of the Writers of the Future Contest. Wolverton holds the world record for the largest single author book signing, in the Guinness Book of Records. The record book signing took place late 1999 with his signing of 1,845 copies of the New York Times best-selling novel, A Very Strange Trip.] Courtship of Princess Leia (New York Times Best Seller); Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force; The Golden Queen; A Very Strange Trip; Lords of the Seventh Swarm; Beyond the Gate; On My Way to Paradise (won a Philip K. Dick Memorial Special Award as one of the best SF novels of 1989); Path of the Hero; Serpent Catch; The Mummy Chronicles; "After a Lean Winter" (1996 Nebula nominee for best novelette); L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Contest Grand Prize; Runelords series (written as "Dave Farland": The Runelords, The Brotherhood of the
Wolf)
DAVE "$80 MILLION PRODUCTION BUDGET" WOLVERTON HOSTS WRITING WORKSHOP IN ST. GEORGE - Marny Parkin passed this along from Dave Wolverton.
Dear Folks:
It has been ages since I've taught a writing workshop, and so I've decided to do one down here in Saint George. I've had queries from a lot of people in the SF community up there, so if you know someone who might be interested, please pass the information along.
The title of the workshop is "Storytelling as a Fine Art." I'll be covering information such as "Why People Enjoy Stories," "What makes a story?" "The storyteller's tools," and "How to make a living as storyteller." I'm expanding my old workshop to incorporate both some new information, but also to make this less about writing novels alone, but to deal with writing screenplays, designing videogames, and so on.
The workshop will be held Friday, April 30 from 6 pm till 10 pm, and Saturday May 1 from 9 am until 6 pm. It will be held in my home at 335 Rocket Bar Road, Saint George, Utah.
The cost is $195.
To register, contact Dave Wolverton at 435-986-3858. Seating is limited, so registration will be handled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Hope all is well with folks up north.
Best,
Dave
LATTER-DAY SAINTS IN MAINSTREAM SCIENCE FICTION PAGE UPDATED - The Latter-day Saints in Mainstream Science Fiction page has been updated.
See http://www.adherents.com/lit/sf_lds.html
Complete bibliographical information as well as excerpts are included.
Names of non-LDS science fiction authors who have had books and stories adapted to film AND have written about Latter-day Saints in their fiction include Douglas Adams ("Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), Isaac Asimov ("I, Robot", "Bicentennial Man"), Ray Bradbury ("Something Wicked This Way Comes", "Fahrenheit 451"), Edgar Rice Burroughs ("Tarzan"), Chris Carter ("X-Files"), David Duchovny ("X-Files"), Stephen King, George Lucas, Jack London, Leonard Nimoy, Jules Verne.
AS NC-17 MOVIES GAIN CREDIBILITY, ONLY LDS-OWNED NEWSPAPER REFUSES AD - He had no problem booking The Dreamers [a NC-17 movie with considerable porn content], he said, and only a Mormon-owned newspaper in Salt Lake City refused to take the ad. Playing in 116 theaters at the peak, it has made $2.5 million - a "satisfactory release," he notes, for a specialized film with a targeted audience.
Excerpt from: http://www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_RelishArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031775125652&path=!entertainment!movies&s=1037645508976
MERIDIAN MAGAZINE: WHY NBC'S FCC PETITION TO USE WORSE LANGUAGE MARKS THEM AS MORONS - See http://www.meridianmagazine.com/cultureclips/040427.html
INTERVIEW WITH "NAPOLEON DYNAMITE" DIRECTOR JARED HESS - Q: Will this be your first time at Sundance?
A: This is the first time I have had a film at Sundance. Last year my short, "Peluca," played in competition at Slamdance.
Q: When you were 14 years old, if someone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, what would your answer have been?
A: A film director.
Q: How did you get started in filmmaking?
A: At age 14, I interned on my first feature as a camera assistant. Since then I have worked crew on many other projects.
Q: How have things changed for you since your film was accepted into the festival?
A: Other than the load of phonecalls, not much yet. Life has changed more for my mother, who recently bought a red leather coat from QVC.
Q: When you were shooting the film, did you have Sundance in mind?
A: Of course. Every filmmaker dreams of getting into Sundance but never expects it.
Q: How did you get your film started? How did you go from script to finished product?
A: Because of my short film I was able to get producers and financing for a feature. We spent a year writing the script and the film was shot in 22 days in July 2003.
Q: What's the one glaring lesson you learned while making this film?
A: Don't compromise your vision.
Q: When you were in pre-production, did you find yourself watching other great movies in preparation?
A: Absolutely.
Q: Two parter - which actor would you cut off an arm to work with, and which relatively unknown actor on your own film do you want the world to start recognizing sooner rather than later?
A: There is no one I would be willing to cut off an arm for at this time. I am thrilled to work with the no names. Jon Gries is a talent to be reckoned with.
Q: The festival circuit: what could be improved, and what couldn't be?
A: Improvements: More tickets for your own show. Things that can't be improved: the great Sundance publicity.
Q: Have you 'made it' yet? If not, at what point will you be able to say 'yes'?
A: No way, I've still got a lot of junk to do. I'll say yes when I own my own tiger.
Q: A film is made by many people, as well as the director, but often films will open with a credit that says 'a film by'... - Did you use that credit in your film? If so, defend yourself! If not, what do you think of those who do?
A: No, I did not use that credit in my film. God bless those that do.
Q: If a studio said "we love this, we love you, you can remake anything in our back catalogue for $40m" - what film, if any, would you remake?
A: "Rad." I'm dead serious.
See also http://boards.ign.com/Vanguard_Cinema/b7284/51892095/?2.
FILIPINO SUPER-MODEL, TV STAR NOW A RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENT - Here are a few recent articles about Sister Melanie Marquez. If you go looking for more information... note that there is ANOTHER person who has the same name who is a model for "adult" magazines and websites. This other Melanie Marqez is not Filipino, not LDS, and not the same person.
Before we wrapped up that night, we asked Melanie if she has always been this cheerful and down-to-earth. She said, "I got this peace of mind from my religion of five years now. I'm with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was not like this before. Now, I am so at peace with myself. I don't care what people say about me. I am happy, I have a husband who loves me, children who are all beautiful and I am content with my life," she ends.
Excerpt from: http://www.mb.com.ph/ENTR200404288304.html
http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/45396
http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200404231701.htm
http://www.inq7.net/ent/2003/jun/29/text/ent_1-1-p.htm
ALEX BOYE: BLACK BRITISH LDS POPSTAR BALANCES LIFE BETWEEN FAME AND FAITH - http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/50054
JOHNNY LINGO: MORMON MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 - See http://www.pifmagazine.com/SID/426/
JANE SEYMOUR IN UTAH BETTING PREVIEW CREATES FAMILY-FRIENDLY BUZZ FOR NEW FILM - Here's an article about non-LDS actress Jane Seymour promoting a family movie in Utah. Seymour is well known for her portrayal of "Elise McKenna" (based on real-life Mormon actress Maude Adams) in the movie "Somewhere in Time." Seymour's co-star was Christopher Reeves. Seymour is also know for her long-running series "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." Brother Karl Wesson, a Latter-day Saint hair stylist and makeup artist, and a BYU graduate, won 2 Emmys for his work on "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman."
See http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Apr/04272004/utah/161053.asp
DESERET NEWS ABOUT LDS AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST: DESPITE LOOKS, JPL'S NO 'IDOL' - See http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,595057291,00.html
NEW REVIEW OF LDS CINEMA "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE" - See http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/04.28.04/pride-0418.html
LAS VEGAS MERCURY REVIEW OF "THE BEST TWO YEARS" - Here is a harsh review of "The Best Two Years." It is interesting to note that virtually every other review published - in non-LDS and non-Utah newspapers, as well as reviews by LDS writers -- as been extremely positive. Jeannette Catsoulis has written what is probably not so much a review of the movie as a demonstration of anti-Mormon bias. She isn't too subtle about it -- even using the "C" word to refer to Latter-day Saints.
Journalists and writers are specifically instructed that this is a slur, and that the word should not be used in in this way, if at all. When Catsoulis uses calls Latter-day Saints the "C" word it is absolutely no different than if she had reviewed a black movie and called people the "N" word, or if she had reviewed a Jewish film and called its characters "kikes." Whether or not Jeannette Catsoulis has valid observations and points to make about "The Best Two Years" is lost when she telegraphs such obviously hate-based bigotry.
If you want to read something really weird, check out Jeannette Catsoulis's diatribe "Lord and Master: Men and their fantasies at the 76th Annual Academy Awards" (Feb 26, 2004, Las Vegas Mercury), in which Jeannette Catsoulis rails against last year's Academy Award nominated films "The Lord of the Rings", "Master and Commander", "Mystic River", "Lost in Translation" and other for being overly male-centric and lacking sufficient quantities of sex. The message of these movies, she says: "When men go to war... women need to shut up and keep the lovin' out of the way." She says that the movie that SHOULD have been "Lost in Translation" (even though it is "more concerned with Bill Murray's midlife crisis than Scarlett Johansson's emotional limbo"), because "it's the only contender that gives a damn about a female audience." If Jeannette Catsoulis hates "The Lord of the Rings", and if she hates all men generally, then at least "The Best Two Years" is in good company.
See http://www.lasvegasmercury.com/2004/MERC-Apr-22-Thu-2004/23703816.html
NEW REVIEW OF MATTHEW BARNEY'S CREMASTER - Matthew Barney is a Mormon filmmaker and artist, but he is not a practicing Latter-day Saint. His critically acclaimed "Cremaster Cycle" includes "Cremaster 2," which focuses on many different Mormon characters and motifs.
See http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040423/CREMASTER23/TPEntertainment/Film
SALT LAKE CITY REVIEW OF "LATTER DAYS": 2 STARS OUT OF 4 - See http://www.slweekly.com/editorial/2004/clip_2004-04-08.cfm
RICHARD DUTCHER'S ADDRESS AT BYU-I: INCL. DETAILED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS - See http://www.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/MajorForums/2002_11_21_Dutcher.htm
UVSC FILM STUDENT TAKES FILM TO NEXT LEVEL - See http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/49949
U. OF U. FILM COMMUNITY STRETCHES ITS LIMITED TALENT AND RESOURCES TO PUNCTUATE DANCE RECITAL - See http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Apr/04232004/friday/159840.asp
LDS-RUN COMPANY'S DVD PLAYER EDITS OFFENSIVE, UNETHICAL CONTENT FROM DVD VIEWING - See http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/8488251.htm?1c
ORSON SCOTT CARD ON "ELLA ENCHANTED" AND EBERT - NOT really about LDS film, but in this column, LDS writer Orson Scott Card discusses the new movie "Ella Enchanted." It is NOT an LDS movie, although it stars Anne Hathaway, the non-LDS actress who starred in the LDS Cinema movie "The Other Side of Heaven." It's a bit of a stretch, but all right... The truth be told, one of LDSfilm.com's co-webmasters (Thomas) secretly has a soft spot for any good essentially "clean" family film... EVEN IF it wasn't made by Latter-day Saints. Occasionally he has to be reminded that this is LDSFilm.com, not isn't "FamilyMovies.com", after which we make sure to talk about movies with Mormon train robbers or Mormon casino robbers or something. It's the age-old question... Would you rather see a movie about a bad Mormon (e.g., "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"), or a movie about a good non-Mormon (e.g., "Barney and Friends")?
Oh, and Bro. Orson Scott Card ALSO tells what he thought about "Home on the Range," a movie in which a lapsed Mormon plays a cow.
See http://www.hatrack.com/osc/reviews/everything/2004-04-11.shtml
MORMON SCIENCE THEATER 3000 - See http://www.geocities.com/mst3kfanvids/thenews.html
MASSACHUSETTS BISHOP SAYS HIS WARD MEMBERS WON'T SEE "THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST" - See http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2004/04/11/city/city1.txt