‘EVERYTHING‘ CONSIDERED, IT ROARS

Nothing is simple or sane, and nowhere does it say it has to be.

So “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a stew of incredibility and imagination, perhaps everything and anything you might not expect in a film.

It’s maniacal, but magical; it’s whimsical, yet wonderful; it’s delightful yet disastrous;  and it seemingly doesn’t end, so it offers twin endings. Like, “The End” twice.

Basically, it’s an original oddity, starring an agile and admirable Michelle Yeoh, as an operator of a laundromat who doesn’t quite know how to pay her bills so has ills with the IRS. She is the essence of a wreck-a-holic on steroids, in a grand way.

As directed by a pair of Daniels, who like to be known as the Daniels (last names, Kwan and Sheinert), this is an action film disguised as a comedy yet plays like a superheroine adventure complete with matters of the universe. It’s like a video game run amok, a family sit-com with kicks and kinks leading to a cosmic explosion of emotions and antics, a vision or version of apocalyptic end-of-the-world with more domestic ripples anchored to getting along with grandpa and a gay daughter, etc.

Whew!

Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan

It’s a longish journey (running time, 2:20, but seems endlessly longer) that dodges the finish line with extended gags, which results in lags, and it certainly is overwhelming and overpowering in the constant conflicts of relationships between leading and secondary characters.

Yeoh is remarkably athletic in stamina as Evelyn Wang, who ditched the family while she was young, who now owns a laundromat with her husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan, the once-young lad in “Indiana Jones and the  Temple of Doom,” now converted into a modern-day comedic Jackie Chan), who unite with patriarch Gong Gong  (James Hong), the aging but able great-grandfather of the Chinese elderly dude), to celebrate Chinese New Year. But life is complex; the washing machines are below the parental residence, Waymond is seeking a divorce from Evelyn, who has to face the music and madness of an IRS audit; the couple’s daughter (Stephanie Hsu), has admitted she’s gay and brings home “good friend” partner Becky (Tallie Medel) for the family shebang.

Jamie Lee Curtis

Evelyn’s nemesis here includes Deirdre (Jamie Lee Curtis), the irrepressible IRS investigator who threatens the demise of the laundromat unless its owner can settle its questionable tax debt. Curtis is recognizable in face, but is padded with body prosthetics, and turns in a wacky, wicked performance as an IRS-er you don’t want to mess with.

The themes of filial love and respect, parental patience, spousal connections, and a heavy dose of metaverse threats and invasions where nothing is as it seems, everything and everywhere is blended into a toxic brew as if thrown into a food processor. Time is bent, twisted, flashing backward and forward, blurring reality.

And there are some icky, sticky, even sickly mess of elements, like a discomforting anal moment with a trophy substituting for a sexual device. And silly, recurring instances of googly eyes; you know, the kind of stick-on fake eyes.

On the other side of the spectrum, there are frequent unexpected sci-fi gems: hotdogs posing as fingers, toes playing the piano, for starters.

Because of its original, fresh storytelling, unfolded in bursts of clever visual and aural trickery, the Daniels have created a logical Gen Z product with word-of-mouth assist in making this a buzzed-about hit.

However, “Everything” is not for everyone, since mostly everything is unconventional and stuff keeps popping up everywhere without expectation. But you will be awed and astonished at everything you understand and even astonished by everything you didn’t quite get.

However, everything considered, you’ll have a roar of a great time.

And that’s Show Biz…

ANALYZING THE BROADWAY SERIES

Planning on attending the four-show series of Broadway in Hawaii musicals, starting next Tuesday (April 19)?

I’ve heard a wave of eagerness from many who have signed up for all four shows, now through next year. A few are baffled at ticket prices

So, let’s discuss the situation.

A four-show season for us in Hawaii is new, so perhaps that’s where the wariness factor enters. Local theaters like Diamond Head Theatre and Manoa Valley Theatre commonly boast six-show seasons, and that’s the norm for touring shows on the Mainland.

We’ve never had such an agenda;  four could eventually become six, but there’s a lot to do to get to that level. One underlying factor might be the facility; our Blasidell Concert Hall is the go-to space for visiting shows; it’s showing its age and some day will require renovation crews to amp up the facility, so construction would halt bookings.

And no other facility in the state – the Hawaii Theatre in Chinatown and the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Wailuku are too small or perhaps lack backstage and fly space to accommodate sets and backdrops. The new DHT facility is strictly for community theater and will have updated technology and space when it opens next fall, but will have the same seating capacity like now, still too small for traveling shows. And no one would book a theatrical production at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell, an outdoor facility.

If you’re undecided about the ensuing Broadway attractions at Blaisdell, perhaps some  background data might be helpful.

 Ticket costs here are on par with other markets. Those online handling fee are rampant for any kind of e-ticketing, so it’s part of the norm, if you purchase New York Broadway tickets or any mainland musical or sporting event. (Note: A special $30 ticket, for balcony seating at the Tuesday April 1 opening night show, has just been announced. To order, see the bottom of this column).

Season purchases offer some discount vs. individual shows, and generally speaking, subscribers have options to exchange tickets if conflicts occur.

Key considerations:

  • This is the first time ever, that a multi-show-season with legit touring Broadway shows, is happening. We’ve had isolated productions, or a mere two, staged months apart.
  • Three of the productions are Hawaii premieres: “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” playing April 19-24 2022;  “Jersey Boys,” running Sept. 13-25 2022; “Hamilton,”getting in its shot for three weeks, Dec. 7, 2022 through Jan. 29, 2023; and “Cats,” launching June 13-18, 2023.
  • In Mainland communities boasting six-show templates for years, Hawaii needs to catch up; our four shows are a good starting point for season-buyers. The issue is clear: Honolulans need to show commitment for the package of four, and then build on the six as a goal. Producers will deliver only if you do your part.

  • More thoughts on the show appeal, if you’re only selecting one or two titles:  The No. 1 show is “Hamilton,” even if you’re seen that splendid Disney+ theatrical gem on TV. Even if Lin Manuel Miranda has exited the cast; this is his legacy to the stage; a hip-hop/rap musical based on the Founding Fathers of this country. Your second choice logically would be either “Beautiful” or “Jersey Boys,” though you might have seen the latter but not the former. Both bio musicals – one on the life and ascent of Carole King, the other the triumphs and tragedies rarely known about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The soundtrack of your lives will resonate with the chartbusting tunes by King and her collaborators and the street smart charms of Valli and his harmonic partners.
  • “Cats” is the obvious filler in the package; if you loved it, see it again. If your kids have not seen it, introduce and educate them to his curiosity, an Andrew Lloyd Webber creation based on a poem, where population are cats, not people.
  • Some advice: order tickets from an authorized source; Broadway in Hawaii utilizes Ticketmaster as its official site, or purchases can be made at the Blaisdell Center box office. Prices depend on date, seat site; the website can provide the range and seating chart.  My season tickets, ordered earlier, have been mailed to me by choice; however, “Hamilton” tickets will be sent approximately 60 days prior to your scheduled performance date. Avoid third party ticketers, who sell tickets with inflated prices; some sits may be fraudulent.

Tickets: online at https://www.broadwayinhawaii.com/bih/seasontickets.html or phone (808) 776-7469. …

$30 special deal

Bruce Granath, Salt Lake City-based executive of Magic Space Entertainment (which is Hawaii’s link to the Broadway series), says that a very special $30 ticket (plus fees) will be available for balcony seating only for the opening night (Tuesday April 19) show. The intent is to get a full house for the launch.

Here’s how to score these seats:

Visit this link: :  https://www.ticketmaster.com/beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-touring/event/0A005C53C9F51A0F?refArtist=K8vZ917KhfV

Click on ”Unlock,” then enter the promo code FRIENDS. This should get you to the $30 one-night-deal.

It’s OK to share with friends and family, says Granath…

And that’s Show Biz. …

WILL POWER OF 12 NOMS AID ‘DOG’?

Will the power of 12 nominations, in major voting categories, be the key to predicting the winners of the 2022 Oscars, to be handed out Sunday (March 27)?

Yes. Or no.  “The Power of the Dog,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and directed by Jane Campion, logically should be the front-runner in the 94th annual Academy Awards. ABC will televise the show at 2 p.m. Hawaii time on Sunday.

But this year’s Oscarcast could yield several upsets, making it a challenge to guesstimate the outcome. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences loves upsets.

For what it’s worth, here is my list of winner choices in the key categories, followed by parenthetical comments, where appropriate. :

  • Best Picture – “The Power of the Dog.”  It had the bark and the bite of a true best-in-show. But its early-lead power might have diminished, with mounting buzz that “CODA,” with its feel-good aura amid our tense global climate, could rewrite the code of predictions.
  • Best ActorWill Smith, “King Richard.” He earned this year’s Screen Actors Guild’s Best Actor nod, as dad of tennis aces Serena and Venus Williams, which gives him an edge over Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”). Frankly, I’d like to see Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick… Boom”) win, for his portrayal of Jonathan Larson, and he still could, if Smith and Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”) duke it out and cancel out each other’s votes.
  • Best ActressJessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”  Since Lady Gaga” (“Gucci”) was denied a nom, all eyes have been on Chastain.
  • Best Supporting ActorTroy Kutsor, “CODA.” Signing his role, instead of speaking it, made him hands-up this year’s rarity. Thus, the handicap should land him the statuette.
  • Best Supporting ActressAriana DeBose, “West Side Story.” As Anita, she delivered “I Feel Pretty” with aplomb, showing off her sizzling acting and dancing skills. Would’ve been a sentimental result, in a perfect world, if Rita Moreno, the original Anita on film, was also nominated for her tweaked role as Doc, in “WST,” and they both tied in this category.
  • Best DirectorJane Campion. If she wins, it will be her first Oscar for direction, though she previously copped one for original screenplay. If Steven Spielberg  (“West Side Story”) can pull an upset, I’d be delighted; his vision matched the spirit  of the earlier “WST.”
  • Best International Feature, aka Foreign Film –“Drive My Car” (Japan). Nearly a three-hour journey, but worth the ride; also nominated for Best Picture but a shoo-in for this category.
  • Best Song — “Dos Oruguitas,” from “Encanto.” To explain:  “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from the same Disney animated film “Encanto,” was snubbed in the nomination process (early admission deadline, well before the song and the film put the world in a Latino mood).  I strongly feel the academy members will vote for the designated title on the ballot, but in actuality will be supporting “Bruno,” in spirit if nothing else … like a write-in balloting. “No Time to Die” (from the James Bond film by the same name), music and lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, is the victim here. If “Dos Oruguitas” wins, it will confirm composer Lin-Manuel Miranda’s EGOT status.
  • Best Animated Film: — “Encanto.” For reasons stated above, and below.

Some other notions:

  • Bruno’ stars — A huge ensemble production of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” will be a surprise musical element on the Oscarcast, because one of the five nominees can’t participate in show, and how can you not talk about “Bruno,” which has popped out of the animated film all the way up the hit charts, even surprising creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, its composer. He also composed the nominated “Dos Oruguitas” tune, which will get stage time, too.
  • We three queens — A trio of women – Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes – will host the broadcast, originating from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. It’ll be the first emcees in three years, and the first-ever trio of ladies as hostesses. …

And that’s Show Biz. …

ISLE TWOSOME IN FAMOUS DUO GIG

Ben Vegas and Johnny Valentine, singers and guitarists alike, don’t normally work together.

However, they’re assembling a Songs From Famous Duos evening, at 7:30 p.m. March 19, at Medici’s at Manoa Marketplace.

No indication of which duo’s songbag they’ll explore, but I betcha among the teammates they could easily salute include Loggins and Messina, Simon and Garfunkel, Hall and Oates, The Carpenters, Sonny and Cher,  Jan and Dean, Air Supply, The Righteous Brothers and The Everly Brothers,  if you’re considering only performers.

Ben Vegas

But if they’re dipping into famous pairs of composers, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Elton John and /or Bernie Taupin and Tim Rice, and even Henry Kapono and Cecilio Rodrigues  could fill the bill.

John Valentine

Vegas and Valentine are longtime performers in Hawaii; Vegas is an ex-member of The Krush and had been, in recent years, part of a duo with Maila Gibson. Valentine has been frontman for a band on the Waikiki circuit for decades, and he’s a much-in-demand musician in both concert and studio work.

Tickets: $59, includes dinner; doors open at 6 p.m. Information: (808) 351-0901. …

Cazimero, dancers in symphony show

Robert Cazimero

Robert Cazimero will join the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra ai 7:30 p.m. April 22 at the Hawaii Theatre. It will be his biggest stage endeavor since the pandemic, and he provided a preview of what to expect.

Yes, he’s involving a few gents from his Halau Na Kamalei O Likolehua; yes, wahine from his Royal Dance Company will offer hula during his vocals; yes, all dancers will join him together, too.

His repertoire will include many songs from “Mine,” his newest CD; there will be moments when Cazimero will be at the piano, too; and for one song, it’ll be a true solo (only his voice and his keyboard artistry), so the gig is a wide representation of his astonishing artistry.

Tickets: $18 to $99. Visit www.myhso.org/concerts  or call (808) 380-7720. Part of the Hapa Symphony series. …

Who else and where

More musical notes:

  • Raiatea Helm also sashays into the aforementioned HSO series, with a  Hapa Symphony show at 7:30 p.m. May 13 at the Hawaii Theatre. Tickets: same as above. …
  • Jake Shimabukuro returns to the Blue Note Hawaii at 7 p.m. March 23. Tickets: $59. Visit: www.bluenotehawaii.com or call (808) 729-4718.
  • Streetlight Cadence also revisit the Blue Note at  6:30 and 9 p.m. March 20. Tickets: $45 to $59. Visit www.bluenotehawaii.com or call (808) 729-4718.

Opportunities for playwrights

Did you know that Kumu Kahua and Bamboo Ridge Press sponsor a monthly PlayWrite competition, enabling theatrical scriptwriters to get noticed?

Writers can enter the competition to test the waters of their competency and imagination. A 10-page maximum, devised from a monthly theme, might be your ticket to bigger and greater things. Mostly, you’ll get noticed!

Wynn Oshiro’s “Grandma Says” – about a police officer catching a grandparent teaching their grandkids to burn and pop illegal fireworks – won the January contest. The deadline for the February contest is past – the theme was a scene about first meeting of two characters, a local and a visitor,  that develops into a relationship.

Information: www.kumukahua.org or 898-536-4441. …

And that’s Show Biz. …