Hawaii
THEY can mail the Oscar to the Square One people now for "Final Fantasy." But it will be limited to "best special effects," and possibly "best song," a category that should be dropped since songs are often included just to win an Oscar. The special effects at Monday's pre-premiere showing at the Waikiki Theatres -- which began a record 45 minutes late, long even by Hawaiian time, due to traffic and logistics -- wowed everyone. You'll have nightmares about the phantoms, the non-humanistic bad guys lurking about everywhere. The flick drew some familiar names to do the voicing for the digitized actors, who were drawn to look somewhat like the people doing the voices, such as James Woods, Alec Baldwin, Donald Sutherland, Ving Rhames, Peri Gilpin and Ming-Na. As Woods so nicely put it in a "Today" show interview with Katie Couric, actors could become superfluous if such digitizing were to become the norm. Cancel, also, Oscars for makeup, costuming, set design etc., since there isn't any. "Final Fantasy" may become a hit thanks to sci-fi or video game fans, but for those who like old-fashioned emotions between characters, it's somehow lacking ... ‘Final Fantasy’ special
effects rate an OscarHAWAII Congressman Neil Abercrombie often dishes out boxes of macadamia nut candies in Washington, a reminder he represents Hawaii and to promote one of our state's biggest exports. He even gave President George W. Bush a two-pound box for his birthday. Let's see, if "sweets for the sweet" is still in effect, what is Abercrombie trying to say with his gift of nuts? ... Ever since we pointed out that the Fourth of July is a different kind of Independence Day for divorce attorneys Greg Coates and Greg Frey, their cards have taken up that cudgel and read "Happy Independence Day." This year they're also celebrating that Frey has been elected next year's Chairperson for the Family Law Section of the Hawaii State Bar. Coates' book, "Divorce with Decency," will never go out of fashion or print ...
For Whom the Bell Tolls
IT was Captain David "Kawika" Lyman who rang the ship's bell at Hank's Cafe Honolulu the other night. Lyman, who's a harbor pilot, thereby signaled he was buying the house a round. How come? "Let it be known," the bass-playing pilot stated, "that I accompanied Amy Hanai'alii and Barry Flanagan this evening." Both stars stopped in alone -- Amy used to perform with Willy K and Flanagan was one-half of Hapa -- and sat in with the Tuesday regular group, "Two British Blokes & One Mini Chicano." The ship's bell, incidentally, was a first anniversary gift from Lyman to Hank's Cafe, followed a year later with the lanyard or bell rope, personally woven by the captain. Incidentally, starting July 16, Hank's will start "Classic Hawaiian Jam" at 6 p.m. featuring Kalei Cleveland of the group Ou Makau No, which got its start at Hank's, and Fabe Kalili, classmates when they attended Farrington a few years ago ...
High-flying bird
WHEN entertainer Kip Attaway was on the Perry & Price radio show, he promoted his new CD and sang a song, "I Always Get Religion When I Fly." And what's so unusual about that? His girlfriend is a 747 pilot. Yeah, that would do it ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com