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Show CIMES October 4, 2007 n the detai worker remembers fallen troops through art on his lunch hour Marvel Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) runs into the Silver Surfer in "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer." Fantastic Four rush to defend the earth once more BY BETH YOUNG Standard-Examiner staff byoung@standard.net BY STEVE SALLES Standard-Examiner movie critic O n his first break of his workday, Kevin Taylor eats a big breakfast so that he can spend his lunch break drawing. With just a few charcoal pencils and a pad of paper, the 574th Squadron composite repair specialist creates memorials for fallen soldiers' families. "I just saw a lot of negative public outcry against soldiers going into Iraq and Afghanistan," Taylor said. "The soldiers don't have a choice when they sign up. I wanted to do something to support them." Taylor has been selling his work — mainly portraits — for the last 15 years. About two years ago he started doing portraits of military members who died in service, free of charge to their families. In the past year, Taylor has done portraits of 26 service members, from all branches of the military. "About a third have been from Utah, and the rest are from across the country," Taylor said. One of Taylor's portraits was for someone very close to home. Tim Dolan, who also works at Hill AFB, received a portrait of his son. Daniel Dolan died in Iraq just before his 20th birthday. "He was in the Army, and he was killed last Aug. 27," said Dolan. Because the family did not have many photos of Daniel in his military uniform, Taylor took two photos and combined them. "We have so few pictures of him," Dolan said. 'The one my wife took of him in his uniform, he has such a serious look. The face on the drawing is from his high school picture. It was superb." Although the pain of losing a child will stay with the parents forever, Dolan said the portrait Taylor did helps. "I was just in awe when I saw it," Dolan said. "It kind of reminds us of all the happy times with my son before he left — the easy-going, fun-loving kid." Dolan liked the portrait that Taylor did so much that he hired him to do another. I Above and left, Kevin Taylor works on a portrait of Army Staff Sgt. Joshua Hager, who died Feb. 23 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. A skill for portraiture led this Team Hill employee to sell portraits to the families of fallen soldiers for remembrances. BETH YOUNG Standard-Examiner "I hired Kevin to do another drawing so I could have it put on my son's (head)stone," Dolan said. Taylor said that he has often seen people cry when they receive the portrait of a military member. Not only seeing, but creating portraits of those who have died serving their country, can be hard. "I feel a little sad sometimes, but I try not to get too emotional about it because then I wouldn't be able to do it," Taylor said. "I know it's a real sad thing, but what I am doing is something nice for someone. So I don't think about the bad stuff. That's what I live off of, that I can make someone feel good about something so See ART I page 10 Below, a portrait of Daniel Dolan provided to his father, Tim, who works at Hill AFB. f you're talking about Marvel comic-book movies, "Spider-Man" and "Batman" could be compared to "The Beatles," whereas "Fantastic Four" feels more like "The Monkees." It's still entertaining, just not to be taken all that seriously. In this installment, "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," they get right down to business. Something wicked this way comes, in the form of the massive planet-eating cloud, Galactus, making its way into our solar system, with its sights set on Earth. As a precursor to its arrival, a menacing, shiny sort of flower girl, the Silver Surfer, tells Earth's inhabitants they have eight days before Galactus crashes their global wedding party. As luck would have it, Dr. Reed Richards (loan Gruffudd) and Sue Storm (Jessica Alba) have decided to tie the knot with a celebrity rooftop wedding. In the midst of their plans, Gen. Hager (Andre Braugher) wants Reed to focus-on this strange cosmic phenomenon affecting the world's climate. Sue Storm pouts that Reed isn't focusing on the wedding and whines about wanting a normal life with kids. Meanwhile, Johnny Storm (Chris Evans) seems to be the only one really enjoying his new role as a superhero — hot women hanging on him, endorsement deals. He's his usual egocentric self, Ben Grimm (Michael Chiklis) also seems content with his new girlfriend Alicia (Kerry Washington), although he and Johnny continue to go at each other at every opportunity. Ah, and of course, you can't keep a bad man down. Von Doom (Julian McMahon) will be awakened by this new cosmic vibe and he'll want to disrupt events. It's simple, escapist entertainment — and rated PG, to boot. It's also better than the first film and more to the point. How can you lose? 'Shrek the Third' gives ogre a royal challenge BY STEVE SALLES Standard-Examiner movie critic Air Combat commander receives H.H. Arnold Award Air Combat Command Public Affairs WASHINGTON, D.C. — The commander of Air Combat Command received the Air Force Association's most prestigious annual award during the National Aerospace Awards and Air Force Anniversary Dinner here, recently. Gen. Ronald E. Keys earned the H.H. Arnold Award as the military member who has made the most significant contribution to national defense. "I am deeply Gen. Keys honored to accept this award," Keys said, "humbled to be included in the same conversation as previous Arnold award recipients." Previous honorees have included Maj. Gea William H. Tunner, Airmen of the Berlin Airlift, Gen. Curtis LeMay, Apollo ll's Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrin, President Ronald • Reagan and Gen. Colin Powell. The award information noted General Keys' contributions over the span of his 40 years of service to the nation, including his vigorous advocacy of Air Force air and space power, his strong support of materiel support for the Air Force's fighter, bomber, cyber and other combat forces — and the airmen who make it possible. "We talk much about the Greatest Generation — people like 'Hap1 Arnold and Jimmy DooHttle, the pioneers of our service," the general said. "But there is another generation growing into that legacy today. I could not be more proud of our young men and women — they truly embrace and embody the warrior ethos we O have cultivated throughout our storied past." like the World War II era "greatest generation," Keys noted that today's airmen are, too, fighting a world war — the global war on terrorism. "Tbday's airmen have been called on to fight and win this long war while we simultaneously lean our force and recapitalize our fleet," said Keys. "Only through their continued efforts and innovation can we continue to transform our Air Force into the light, lean, lethal force of the future. As commander of Air Combat Command, it has been my pleasure to lead these fine men and women... these airmen ... as they've engaged in the greatest fight of their generation." Keys, the Air Force's current longest serving commissioned officer, will conclude four decades of military service Nov. 1. G M y assessment of "Shrek the Third": "Entertaining, just not fulfilling" Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) have settled into castle life and are forced to put their best royal faces forward because the frog King Harold (John Cleese) has taken ill. Unfortunately, every time Shrek presides over matters of state, they have a way of turning disastrous. He wants nothing more than to return to the friendly confines of his beloved swamp, but being married to the princess means duty calls. At the death bed of King Harold (oddly the funniest scene in the film), Shrek is stunned to learn that he and Fiona are the next in line for the throne — at which point I had to think of Queen Lillian (Julie Andrews), who should be saying, "Hello-o-o, I'm still here." The King does mention a distant nephew, Artie (Justin Timberlake), who attends high school in the equally distant Worcestershire (yeah, the sauce). And so Shrek heads off with Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to retrieve the lad. |