For my debut FO’ REEL blog I wanted to break open with a review of a summer movie blockbuster, so I thought that a good candidate was Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.

Lines at the box office were predictably long, and when I got to the window I was told there were only 3 seats left for the 3:45 p.m. show, then unexpectedly, a manager signaled to the box office attendants with the gesture of moving his hand across his neck, signaling ‘cut off’ for that performance. I didn’t take this personally, as I often do when I’m cut off at the local drinking establishment by the management. I assumed the cut off was because of the possibility of overcrowding. But, I didn’t want to wait another 45 minutes for the next show. After quelling my initial anxious disappointment, I re-approached the box office attendant and bought a ticket for the next show. I then purchased my customary medium diet coke and frozen chocolate-covered banana and decided to be daring and try and get into the 3:45 p.m. show anyway.

As expected, movie ushers were checking tickets at the door for the 3:45 p.m. performance in theatre #7. My ticket was for Theatre #9 at 4:30 p.m.. I relied heavily on my acting experience and “fumbled” for my ticket as I balanced my drink and banana. The usher, sensing my “frustration” of not being able to find my ticket, as I rummaged through my pockets, and the possibility of me dropping my $5 diet coke, let me pass after a few tense moments. I was in.

My seat: 3rd row, seat 1 on the aisle. A neck bender.

For the next 2+ loooooong hours, in the commotion of the heavy-metal sound track, I puzzled why the rest of the crowd held this endless fascination of animated machines that can transform from ordinary motor vehicles to killer robots. It’s a cool idea, mind you, but once you see it a few times, OK, and at least a hundred times in this movie, it loses fascination. Don’t get me wrong. I can be entertained by mindless action and by giant, fanciful characters like Godzilla. (Who could forget the matchup of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla in the 1974 Japanese movie classic? Or the sequel within the sequel of the Godzilla movies, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 2 in 1993.) But in Transformers 2 there were robot battles going on that I didn’t get, and with that lack of emotional involvement, I didn’t feel inclined to root for one side or the other. The movie credits listed the toy company Hasbro with production credits. I’ll summarize the movie in two words: talking toys.

As much as I could understand the plot, and I’ll admit my attention span is a short one, there’s been some kind of Transformer battle that has been going on for thousands of years on our planet, recently having been covered up by the military, of course. And the destruction of our planet is at stake now in the recent uproar. And with that in the balance you’d think I’d be sitting on the edge of my seat, but I wasn’t. What I did notice as strange was many other movie attendees had left their seats in the back and sat down on the front aisles to be closer to the screen. They needed to be even closer to the gigantic, CG-generated Transformer machines that already filled up the entire length and width of the screen. I thought, because of Fire Marshall Ordinance this shouldn’t be allowed, but as mentioned earlier, usher effectiveness was questionable for this showing.

So I sat, amid the sounds and sights of crashing metal, occasionally laughing to something John Turturro’s character did or said. I waited for the end of the movie, occasionally scribbling a note that I might use in my first FO’ REEL blog. For example, I noted:

1. The smaller Transformers acted like mechanical version of those furry and mischievous Mogwai in the movie Gremlins.

2. Movie confirms it: pyramids were built by an alien race. Albeit a mechanical one.

3. Godzilla vs. Optimus Prime, who would win?

4. Optimus Prime -- a great baby name!

As the movie ended I was ready to go. Not hoping there’s a Transformers 3. Maybe I’m just too old for toys.  Best part of my afternoon at the theatre was the frozen, chocolate-covered banana.

I was in Hilo for three days this past week to attend two funerals, one on Monday and the other on Wednesday. My grandpa’s sister, Patsy, passed away in her sleep at the age of 74 and her niece (my mom’s first cousin), Betty, passed away a few days later at a care home. Going to two funerals within a couple of days of each other brought about more grief than I anticipated ever experiencing at one time, but through all of the tears, these circumstances prompted a celebration of life and reminded me of the importance of family.

My grandfather, Edwin Medeiros, was from Hilo and grew up in a large family, as he was one of 16 children. They were of Portuguese descent and lived on Hoku street which was a part of “Villa Franca”, a highly concentrated Portuguese area in Hilo town. The house on Hoku street was where my grandfather was raised and the house stayed in the family until they sold it in the 1990’s. I was fortunate to spend many summers in Hilo at the Hoku street house, enjoying all of the simplicities that this home and Hilo in general had to offer a naïve youngster. I shared so many memories there with my family. My grandfather passed away in 1997 and I still miss him immensely. He was a kind-hearted but stubborn man, having his views about life that could not be altered. I remember him being very politically savvy, a strong Republican with unwavering morals. Going back to Hilo for this trip brought me back to a time in my life that was full of joy and youthfulness and rooted in my grandfather's past.

Many of you moviegoers may remember my Aunty Patsy, as she worked at Consolidated Theatres in Hilo for 37 years. My Aunty Patsy was a very religious woman. She lost her husband when her children, David and Leanne, were very young. Living life as a single mother should have made her bitter to the world. However, it was not in her nature to be resentful of her circumstances. Instead, she continued to have an undying faith in the Lord and was a “Godly woman” as was said in her eulogy. She was blessed throughout her life because of her perseverance and possessed a strong independence which could be felt behind her humble and sweet appearance. She always prayed and turned to the Lord for sustenance, no matter what the situation. This world lost a good and virtuous woman in her passing.

My cousin Betty can be remembered as a comedic person, always ready to tell a joke or sing her favorite song, which went something like this… “I don’t know why I love you like I do, I don’t know why, I just do…” Our family always knew how to have a good time, and Betty was always there to share in the laughter. She was a part of our Hilo nucleus, and now with her and Aunty Patsy gone, I know Hilo will never be the same for me.

After Betty’s service on Wednesday, we all gathered to watch a home video that was taken in 1990 by the family videographer, Uncle Elmer. It was of my grandfather’s 71st birthday and all of the family was present at the Hoku street house. We put on a talent show in his honor as he sat in his chair, looking somewhat like the Godfather, as he was very much the patriarch of the family. It was difficult to watch the video after a while because my eyes were full of tears from laughing so hard. My grandma played the ukulele, my mom danced a hula, and my brother and I showed our karate moves (I was almost a black belt at the time!). The video reminded us of all the quirky characters that we have in our family and how much fun we all had together, almost twenty years ago.

Before we headed to the airport, my Godfather, Uncle David (Aunty Patsy's son), gave me a bible with an inscription that read: "To Kanani: Please accept this Bible from me as I want to give this to you while I am alive so I can watch you "roll your eyes". lol. Anyhow, serious... When I am happy I read, when I am sad I read. Always turn to the Lord. Read his word everyday!!! From: Your Godfather". This was my final blessing on this Hilo trip as it was a reminder that I need to lead a life in faith. Even though the family is disconnected much of the time because of distance, we are still close in spirit.

Our family is the most important thing we can cherish. Taking care of each other and being there for each other through the difficult times is a necessity. Attending two funerals recently was a wake up call that life is truly precious and we need to continuously make positive memories and smile often.

Just another cliché feel-good comedy is what I was expecting out of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. I was delightfully surprised when I realized that there was much unique heavy-hearted material contained in this film instead of the same ‘ole romantic comedy content which is usually very predictable. I didn’t think the film was cliché at all, as it grappled with the underlying issues that possess a stereotypical “player”, and showed a disregard for any type of corny, sappy romance sequences. The movie was real and honest, which is always refreshing.

The Plot: Matthew McConaughey’s character, Connor Mead, is a big-time photographer who is used to the player lifestyle. He has commitment issues and can be found breaking up with women in bulk over conference calls. While attending his brother’s wedding, he is haunted by his dead Uncle Warren who taught him all of his womanizing ways while he was growing up. Uncle Warren hopes that he can teach Connor that being a ladies’ man will not benefit him in the long run and finding that special someone is more fulfilling. Three ghosts from the past, present, and future come to him on the night of the rehearsal dinner to give Connor a new perspective on love and relationships. He sees the flashbacks of his life with Jenny Perotti, the maid of honor and also his one true love, which forces a change in his attitude. Disappointment in the past with Perotti made Connor cynical about love, but while looking back on his life, he yearns to be a better man and win Jenny back.

Who is the stereotypical player anyway? In my opinion (and the film’s content will concur), a player is someone who is emotionally detached from their romantic relations with people in order to retain the single lifestyle and stray from being “tied down”. For whatever reasons the unattached demeanor is present, the fact of the matter is that being a player will eventually wear out, and one day, the player will simply be alone. The movie presents this reality in a blunt way, as the film exemplifies how the past has made the player, but future will break the player. People are respected by the lasting relationships they form, not by the amount of numbers they have in their little black book. This movie will be an eye-opener for many.

The 411 Fo’ Reel: Loved it! The movie had many incomparable life lessons.

I have fallen victim to the twitter craze! Aside from my facebook account and my myspace (which I heard is now the "un-cool" thing), I just signed up for Twitter! My username is kananisouza, so if you want to follow me, you can go to: http://www.twitter.com/kananisouza to see my page.

Any advice or suggestions you can give me regarding twitter would be helpful, as I am a complete newbie to this social networking site. Thanks!

“Can I order a grande coffee, with room for cream please?”… I have this phrase at the tip of my tongue every morning as I leave my home and drive frantically to the nearest Starbucks to get my caffeine fix before I choose to crawl back into bed and pretend I never heard the annoying ring of my alarm clock on my Blackberry. I yearn for sleep amid the hours of late night studying, paper writing, and early mornings. I have become a caffeine addict. If the first step is admitting it, then I guess I am on the path to recovery…or not. The aroma of Starbuck’s Pike Place Roast brewing at 6 am is priceless and is the perfect start to my tiresome days.

While we’re on the topic of Starbucks Coffee, did you realize just how many people actually go to Starbucks in the morning? Especially around 7 am, the Ward Starbucks is packed, with a line going out the door. I guess this exemplifies that I am not the only caffeine-dependent person out there. If the morning craziness is not bad enough, check out this same Starbucks from around 7 pm until closing (usually at midnight on weekdays and 1 am on weekends). Let me tell you, this is the real hot spot. I thought the clubs were crowded; people are literally waiting around just to get a table at this coffee mecca. Also, nothing comes close to being in the presence of my peers downing caramel macchiatos and lattes while engaging in study groups hoping to get an A on their next big exam. Sure beats going to the clubs, eh? (Please don’t answer that).

Next on the agenda… The Happenings with the SOUZA FAM BAM…

My younger sister Brittany is in Washington D.C. this week with her eighth grade class at Maryknoll Grade School. Every year, Maryknoll eighth graders embark on a one-week D.C. adventure, visiting places like the U.S. Capitol, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. I am in an eternally jealous state right now as I’ve never been to D.C. and would love to go. I guess my 14-year-old sister beat me to it!

The rest of the family, which include my parents, Patrick and Julia, and my two brothers, Keoni and Brandon, are en route to Hilo for the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival this weekend. Keoni and Brandon are traditional Hawaiian musicians. Keoni will be singing “Nani Ni’ihau” on the ‘auana night for Ka La Onohi Mai O Haehae. His girlfriend dances for the same halau. This is the first time Ka La Onohi Mai O Haehae is entering the Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. Best of Luck to them this week! Also, Brandon will be playing music for Halau Hula O Kamuela’s Miss Aloha Hula contestant on Thursday evening.

The blank expression on my face after seeing Observe and Report was definitive of my half-shocked, half-disappointed reaction to the film. If I could sum up this movie in one word, it would be: CRUDE. The humor in this film was rude and blunt, period. The events that occurred in the film were also very random. Seth Rogan is a funny guy and I absolutely loved his role in Knocked Up, one of my favorite comedies. However, this film fell short of accentuating his lovable qualities. Instead, his character, Ronnie Barnhardt was an aggressive, self-gratifying (insert word here). I am hoping that someone will help me fill in the noun for who Barnhardt was intended to be… Punk? Role model? A self-gratifying jerk? Hero? His role kept changing throughout the film, which offered much confusion.

In a Nutshell: Barnhardt is the head of mall security. This simple fact made me believe the film would resemble Paul Blart: Mall Cop. As I soon had learned, this was not the case. Barnhardt spends much of the film trying to catch the mall “flasher”. Anna Faris plays Brandi, who is the object of Barnhardt’s affection. His obsession with Brandi is the inspiration for Barnhardt to reach his full potential as a mall cop. The movie has little substance, just plenty of “smoke and mirrors”.

If you saw this flick, please share your comments!

Also, there is a free advance screening on Monday, April 13th, 7 pm at Ward Consolidated Theatres for 17 Again with Zac Efron. If you want passes, let me know and I will add you to my email list.

I received an e-mail from someone who urged me to see The Cross: The Arthur Blessitt Story. After reading the brief synopsis of this documentary, which described how Arthur Blessitt, a self-proclaimed “sinner saved by the grace of God,” carried a cross over a period of 40 years around the world, my curiosity was sparked. The initial question I had was: What was this man’s purpose in fulfilling such an arduous task?

Arthur Blessitt’s mission in carrying a 12-foot cross through every nation and island group in the world was to spread the word of God. He started his journey in 1969, and after his completion, he is estimated to have walked a total of 38,000 miles and has endured 16 billion pounds of weight on his feet. He was even arrested a total of 24 times. The most notable arrest was when he shook the hand of a black man in Jackson, Mississippi when America was still segregated. As the film opens, we are given a glimpse into the interactions that Blessitt has with the people he meets. He prays with them and asserts that God loves them.

Aside from the actual footage of Blessitt engaging in his mission, the majority of the film is based on Blessitt describing his experiences and sharing his stories. These experiences span beyond the confines of religion, as the politics of carrying a cross and spreading the word of God freely had an immense impact on his mission. Blessitt can even be deemed a radical. Through his stories, we see how the barriers of religion and politics are broken. It is also apparent that in the end, we all have commonalities that bring us together.

The documentary was filmed by a man who knew Blessitt for a while. The filmmaker narrates some portions of the film, which reminded me of the narration in the “Wonder Years,” the 1988-1993 series. The voice of Kevin (as an adult) in this television series is that of Daniel Stern, which sounded exactly the same as the filmmaker’s voice in The Cross. The narration was not necessary, and instead, interviews should have been conducted with others in the community who watched Blessitt take on his mission. This would have provided for a well-rounded perspective instead of mostly a first-person view and poor narration. In any case, while making this documentary, the filmmaker’s intent was to answer the following inquiries: What made this guy tick? Is Blessitt really making a difference? Why carry a giant cross?

From a technical standpoint, I thought the composition of the film did not give justice to the heavy-hearted material that the story contained on face-value. The film could have had more of an emotional impact if it was done differently. The composition of this film also made Blessitt’s story seem a little superficial with a Hollywood flare. Throughout the film, I was hoping for more of a sincerity which was lacking. We know that Blessitt’s story is remarkable in so many aspects, but the documentary fell somewhat short of its potential. However, I would recommend seeing this movie because Arthur Blessitt’s “cross” walk is worth celebrating, and his faith and love for God is potent.

The opening of I Love You Man was yesterday and wow... let me tell ya, the 9:35 pm showing at Ward was more crowded than I had anticipated. Almost every seat in one of their largest theaters was filled, which led me and my guy friend to sit in the third row from the front which proved to be a highly uncomfortable viewing situation, as I am a fan of the back row usually. I do not know how anyone can enjoy a movie sitting that close to the screen. Anyhow, I can honestly say that the stiff neck I acquired during this movie was completely worth it! I Love You Man was just plain funny! The humor was on-point and the overall comedic nature of the film is what made this movie. I do have a few reservations about the choice of plot, which without the humor, would provide for a lame movie. I guess this is the case with many other comedies as well.

Paul Rudd, the main actor who plays Peter Klaven, is one of my favorites. He always seems to engage in roles that accentuate any dorklike qualities he possesses, and his trademark in my mind is the role he played as the stepbrother to Alicia Silverstone's character, Cher, in Clueless. His roles in Knocked Up and Over Her Dead Body stood out as well.

The Plot in Summary: Peter Klaven is about to marry Zooey (Rashida Jones), but there is one problem, Peter doesn't have any close friends that could vie for the position of Best Man at the wedding. Zooey has a good-sized group of close girlfriends, and Peter's lack of male bonding makes him feel inadequate. Peter is determined to find a Best Man by setting up "man dates" so he can find "Mr. Right". He ends up hitting it off with Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), and as their relationship takes flight, Zooey feels that she and Peter are growing apart.

Prior to going on man dates, Peter catered to Zooey 24/7 and only his only close friends were girls. Zooey's girlfriends warned her that if Peter did not have close guy friends, he would be more needy and possessive of her, which would be problematic in the long run. Guy friends would allow Peter the opportunity to have designated male bonding time, which in turn, would give Zooey independence as well. In the end, finding Sydney took Peter away from Zooey in a negative way and left her feeling second best in his life. The quickly-formed friendship between Peter and Sydney was somewhat unbelievable, but maybe the instant connection between the two was truly genuine. I think that presently, once a guy and girl get into a serious relationship, they are couped up in a "bubble" which does not allow them the freedom to hang out with their friends.

Ah, yes... the "Bubble Syndrome". I need to address this issue, because lately, I have heard comments from guys like, "Yeah, we don't see him anymore because he has a girlfriend now", and girls are saying, "She's so into him... I think she forgot about her friends". Okay, so comments to that effect are consistently circulating. I guarantee that if you are reading this you are saying to yourself, "Oh yeah, that was the case with so-and-so" and you are making your list of people who have somehow been M.I.A. in your life since they decided to "settle down". Maybe the person is you. In any case, relationships tend to isolate people, but they shouldn't because if the relationship doesn't work out in the end, the people who you will need to reach out to are your buddies. So, don't forget about them! Also, if you are a good friend, you will always make some reasonable time for your friends after you do get into a relationship.

Getting back to the film specifically, "man dates" were an interesting concept. Do men really spend one-on-one time with other men when they are in the beginning stages of friendship? Please advise!

Also, anyone saw Duplicity?

Brrrrr...

My first day in Alaska was downright amazing. From the scenery to the outdoor adventures, Alaska is a unique travel destination.

My trip started off at HNL, where our flight was delayed for two hours due to a mechanical failure on our Alaska Air 737-800. The pressurization switch was not working, which would obviously make it difficult to pressurize the cabin. This was not looking good, but they fixed the problem soon enough and we were on our way.

I arrived in Anchorage at about 7:30am and was off to breakfast at Gwennie’s Old Alaskan Restaurant with my Aunty Sherry and cousin Cilla. The portion sizes were gigantic and the food was yummy. My Aunty ordered reindeer sausage and eggs. I initially thought “reindeer” sausage was a novelty name for their breakfast sausage. I did not suspect that the sausage was actually from a reindeer. In trying to get the full Alaskan experience, I tried a piece, and surprisingly it tasted exactly like our local Portuguese sausage. I ordered a diced ham and egg omelet, which seemed to be the safe choice! It came with toast and home fries, which was superb. I only had an hour to spend with my family in Anchorage, which consisted of the latest gossip over breakfast (gotta love the fam!) and then it was back to the airport to hop on my flight to Fairbanks. On the way to the airport, I was given the quick 10-minute tour of Anchorage, which involved passing Lake Hood and checking out all of the small Cessna airplanes that were sittin’ atop the frozen lake.

At 10:35am I arrived in Fairbanks and my two cousins, Koma and Kaipo came to the airport to pick me up. We immediately went to Koma’s house to meet up with his wife Danielle, and his four children, Kamaya, Natasha, Ryan, and Alicia. My cousin Kaipo and I were eager to go snowmobiling, which was ideal for paths behind Koma’s house. It was the most energizing experience, as I was flying at 40 mph with the cold wind blowing in my face, while I tried my hardest not to crash or ditch.

Next up was going down to the Iron Dog race, where Governor Sarah Palin was making an appearance because her husband Todd was a part of the race. The Iron Dog race is basically a two day competition with a two man team snowmobiling a great distance. I saw Palin from a distance and was eager to meet her, but to my dismay, she quickly left the area before we were able to get a picture with her. My cousin Koma was disappointed that I didn’t get to meet her, which led him to start a “Palin hunt” around town to see if we could spot her. We didn’t quite find her, but the adventure was worth the try!

Next up was visiting with Koma’s mom and going to a gun show. The gun show was very interesting, as I had never seen so many guns in one place in my entire life. From rifles to old pistols, they had it all. My cousins told me that this gun show was actually small compared to the other larger shows that they hold in town. The second amendment is no joke in Alaska, and I saw first-hand how valuable guns are to the Alaskans.

My goal when I came up to Alaska was to go to a shooting range. I had never shot a gun prior to heading up here, and since I know how important it is to know how to use a weapon here in Alaska, I decided that this would be the perfect place to learn how to shoot. Koma, Kaipo, and I headed down to the Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range. My goal was to gain a pro-marksman certification before the night was over. In order to do this, I had to use a .22 caliber pistol to shoot 5 holes in the center of a paper plate. I had to repeat this drill 10 times. Koma declared me a natural, as I learned how to load the gun, fire it, and complete this activity in just over an hour. This was the most exhilarating thing I have done in a long time and all in a day’s work!

We topped off our evening with a drink at the pub on the campus of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, which is where I am staying for the duration of my trip in Kaipo’s huge on-campus apartment. He lives at UAF with two roommates. This experience has allowed me to reminisce about my college days and is giving me the chance to spend some quality time with Kaipo, who will be graduating this May.

Tonight will consist of more snowmobiling and just chillin’ with the cousins. It is a nice day out, just 14 degrees Fahreinheit. The people here consider this to be a warm day. For me on the other hand, I am bundled up in my layers upon layers of clothing hoping that I don’t turn into an icicle! To be continued…

It is already midnight in Fairbanks, and I am just settling in for the night and reflecting on the amazing day that I had. There is much for me to share about my Day 1 adventures after I get some rest, but for now, I will leave you all with a few pics.