Here’s everything you need to know about the Academy Awards this Sunday (March 12):
“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the box office hit with multi-maximum-mashups of comedy, crime drama, karate, flashbacks and familial immigration conflicts, is anticipated to take home a large share of the Oscar statuettes. Its original multiverse should make “Everything” this year’s “Parasite” (the previous surprise Oscar winner from Korea) the big, deserved winner.
The 95th annual Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will air on live from 2 p.m. Hawaii time on Sunday (March 12) on ABC. It will also stream on ABC.com, Hulu Live TV, and YouTubeTV.
My predictions, in seven key categories:
- Best Picture: “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” With 11 nominations and already a clutch of industry awards, it likely will make a sweep. It’s joyous mayhem – a looney and loopy concoction, not easily explainable – but a hilarity to watch. Imagine the @ icon fused with the # pound sign, connected with the & ampersand, finally with the ! exclamation point. Yep, @#&! defines the lunacy.
- Best Director: The Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert),“Everything Everywhere All at Once.” The two Danny Boys also have already snared a bunch of awards…. but Oscar would be the tantamount prize and universal applause and acceptance.
- Best Actor: Austin Butler, “Elvis.” He was not an impersonator in this biopic, but he fused the moves and manners and music to create the magic that was the King.
- Best Actress: Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Yeoh’s the word, and she represents the new wave of conquests for the Asian community.
- Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” The kid from “Indiana Jones” is a 51-year-old man now, and also riding the positive crest of new Asian (he’s Vietnamese) accomplishment and acceptance.
- Best Supporting Actress: Jamie Lee Curtis, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Scream she must, for what will be her first Oscar win, a validation of her lifelong (she’s 64) screen career.
- Best Original Song: “Naatu Naatu,” from“RRR.” This oddity, from the Indian blockbuster, is a vigorous and contagious song-and-dance number that has been the rage throughout Europe, from an equally vivid action film that is also in contention for Best Film; it should have earned a slot for Best International Feature (previously, Best Foreign Film), where it could be a victor.
When Rihanna performed her Oscar-nominated song, “Light Me Up” (from “Wakanda Forever”), in the recent Super Bowl, she looked like a shoo-in as Best Song victor. But if she can grab the prize now, it will be considered an upset over “Naatu Naaatu.”
“Top Gun: Maverick,” the Jerry Bruckheimer box office hit, brought people back into the theaters (after three years of streaming films at home). It also jump-started the career of Tom Cruise. Alas, he didn’t even earn a nomination for Best Actor, and the movie – commerce at its best – will be relegated to a technical category like Best Sound.
The early favorites, like James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” fizzled by the time academy voters started the balloting, but could pick up a Visual Effects Oscar, And industry giants, like Steven Spielberg (“The Fabelmans”) also were aced out of contention…
Whee, the people
Vicki Borges has gone political again; she is the new executive assistant to the District Chief/District Scheduler at the Office of Congresswoman Jill Tokuda. She’s the widow Jimmy Borges and formerly held a scheduler position with former Gov. Neil Abercrombie. …
Fans of the Honolulu Jazz Quartet might want to join these jazz giants when they guest-perform in the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra’s Hapa Symphony, at 7:30 p.m. April 15 at the Hawaii Theatre. The HJQ features leader-bassist John Kolivas, saxophonist Tim Tsukiyama, pianist Dan Del Negro and drummer Noel Okimoto.
Kolivas was reminiscing the other day, back in the 1980s, when he says he was “Haradafied,” alluding to his first-time bold-face name appearing in this column. Back in the day, he was already collaborating with Keola Beamer, who coincidentally will appear with his wife, Moanalani Beamer, in a Hawaiian segment of the other-wise jazz-centric evening. The agenda also will embrace hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s, tapping tunes by The Beatles and Seals & Crofts, with vocalists Zanuck Lindsey, Riya Davis and Kainalu Kolivas, John’s son …
Broadway grosses, week ending March 5
“Phantom of the Opera” still tops the Broadway scene, as its closing date nears.
The top seven shows:
1 — “Phantom,” $2.588 million.
2 — “Hamilton,” $1.944 million,
3 — “The Lion King,” $1.931 million.
4 — “Wicked,” $1.781 million.
5 — “MJ,” $1.715 million.
6 –“Harry Potter & the Cursed Child,” $1.475 million.
7 — “Moulin Rouge,” $1.455 million.
The compilation is courtesy The Broadway League. …
And that’s Show Biz. …
LIKE YOUR PICKS FOR THE OSCARS! DOLORES