Reality show films reunion on Maui

In case you didn't get enough of your own post-high school encounters, TV Land has a new reality show called "High School Reunion," which follows the class of 1987 from J.J. Pearce High School in Dallas. More than 20 years later, they gather again on Maui.

"Of course the Hawaii vacation is more than just scenic beaches and Hawaiian shirts," according to promotional materials. "In keeping with reality television, it will be full of awkward encounters and typical high school drama."

The first episode at 8 p.m. on Wednesday featured Kat, who "came out as a lesbian," as well as Matt, the class jock who falls for the girl next door. Wow, lots of fresh material here -- minus MTV's nubile hotties.

On a more serious note, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii will screen "Only the Brave" at 7 p.m. March 18 at Hawaii Theatre. Directed by Hawaii-born Lane Nishikawa, the film depicts the Japanese-American 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team of World War II, the most decorated unit in American military history. Hawaii factors prominently in the story of nisei heroes who volunteered to defend this country while more than 100,000 people of Japanese descent were taken to internment camps.

The award-winning 2006 feature stars Jason Scott Lee, Mark Dacascos, Tamlyn Tomita, Yuji Okumoto, Jeff Fahey, Guy Ecker and Pat Noriyuki Morita. Attendees can meet the director and some of the actors. For tickets, call the Hawaii Theatre box office at 528-0506 or visit www.hawaiitheatre.com. DVDs will be sold, and all proceeds from the screening will go to the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii.

During a brief chat at Nordstrom's opening Wednesday, Dr. Andy Baldwin confirmed the old news that he and Tessa had ended their relationship. He also said that ABC will provide an update on some of the most popular bachelors (I'm guessing that includes him). "Where Are They Now?" airs at 7 p.m. Monday on KITV/ABC.

"Holo Holo Paniolo," a colorful documentary about Hawaiian cowboys, will screen in several locations next week: next Friday at Palace Theater in Hilo, March 15 at Aloha Theater in Kona and on March 17 at Hotel Molokai. The 90-minute feature, written and directed by Susan Jensen and Paul Singer, covers the evolution of ranching in Hawaii and daily life on the (somewhat) open range.

According to the film, ranching began in 1833, when King Kamehameha recruited three vaqueros from California to train Hawaiians to ride, rope and catch wild cattle. Rather than explain the history chronologically, however, the movie meanders through various topics, such as beef production, the wild-horse population in Waipio Valley, breaking feral horses, the music of the cowboys and the unique art of saddle-making -- different because the paniolo often had to ride into the ocean to guide cattle to small boats for transport to freighters. Perhaps most fascinating are the details the cowboys learned from the sailors during these interactions -- such as using a brass ring on their ropes. Visit www.tapadero.com.

"Screen Time" is an occasional feature in the Today section. E-mail knichols@starbulletin.com.