|
Reel News Tim Ryan |
‘Kisses’ wraps
Oahu filmingThe Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore movie "50 First Kisses," which wraps filming this month on Oahu, will open Feb. 13, 2004.
Script updates: The "dramedy" uses laughing penguins and a puking walrus as running gags. The walrus was filmed in Los Angeles because there are none In Hawaii.
The story begins with a montage of Hawaiian aquarium veterinarian Henry Roth's tourist conquests. Roth (Sandler) sends his vacationer flings off with ridiculous excuses: "I'm married," "I'm gay, "I'm a spy, "I don't have a phone."
He meets Lucy (Barrymore) over breakfast at Miss Pearl's diner, where she builds teepees and log cabins out of her waffles. Lucy takes a liking to Henry, in part because the fishy smell of his hands reminds her of her fishermen father and brother. But the next day, when Henry sees Lucy in the diner and offers to let her smell his fingers again, she doesn't remember him and thinks he's a freak.
Diner owner Sue explains that Lucy was in a terrible car accident and lost her short-term memory. Her father, Marlin, and brother, Doug, have carefully preserved the illusion that every day is Saturday, her father's birthday and the day of the accident. Every day, they let her make a birthday cake, watch the same taped football game, open the same present and watch the same movie.
She's the perfect girl for Henry, because every date with her, as brother Doug puts it undiplomatically, is a one-night stand. Her family definitely doesn't want Henry involved with her, but, too late, Henry falls in love with Lucy. (A romantic sunrise scene with the couple, friends and family was filmed at Waikane Pier.) ...
The fourth annual Maui Film Festival, June 11 to 15, will host several major celebs, including Anthony Hopkins, Rob Reiner, a to-be-announced Academy Award-winning actor, a major female star to accept the inaugural Stella award, and another TBA male acting award. The festival will be featured in an upcoming special issue of Variety. ...
The Oahu-based Chuck Norris series that seemed a possibility a few weeks ago (until NBC pulled out) appears dead, despite producer and brother Aaron Norris' attempts to resurrect interest. All four major TV networks have announced their fall schedules, so there's no slot for the hour-long action drama.
Reel News unspools every Wednesday.
Contact Tim Ryan at tryan@starbulletin.com.