Nonstop Movies: ‘3 Days to Kill’
French filmmaker Luc Besson has created a new genre of film in recent years with his production company EuroCorp. I call it the old white guy kicks ass in France genre. In the past few years we’ve seen Liam Neeson…
Author: Myong Choi
Preview: The Groove Hawaii
The Groove Hawaii, a new amusement park in Kaka`ako, opens Saturday, Feb. 22, but I had a chance to check out the Go-Karts earlier this week. I was super excited about racing the gas-powered Go-Karts that can reach speeds of…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Robocop’
I won’t be buying a ticket for this movie. Nope, not even for a dollar.The 2014 edition of the 1987 cult classic “Robocop” is dull, plodding and completely lacking the satirical bite of the original. Helmed by Brazilian director Jose…
Nonstop Movies: ‘The Attorney’
What a year 2013 was for veteran Korean actor Song Kang Ho. Already renowned as one of Korea’s finest actors, he cemented that reputation with three stellar performances last year. His first two films, “Snowpiercer” and “The Face Reader,” were…
Did this: Hawaii Pops featuring Keali’i Reichel
Hawaiian music superstar Keali’i Reichel treated local fans with a rare performance Saturday night at the Hawaii Convention Center. Performing as part of the Hawaii Pops Orchestra Series, Reichel played both classic favorites as well as his more contemporary hits…
Nonstop Movies: ‘The Suspect’
Jason Bourne x Korea = “The Suspect”Director Won Shin Yeon and star Gong Yoo collaborate on yet another Korean spy thriller (there have been so many in the past year) that easily prioritizes action over plot in this Jason Bourne…
Talking Story with Miss Universe Brook Lee
A few months ago, a few of us Nonstoppers were talking about potential interview subjects to target for future blogs. The first name I brought up was Brook Lee, a local girl who made it big on the international stage…
Nonstop Movies: ‘American Hustle’
I like director David O. Russell. I really do. I was first impressed with his artistic vision and storytelling in the Gulf War drama “Three Kings,” and “The Fighter” was one of my favorite films of 2010. And while I…
Save the date: Taste of Soju and Makoli
The Hawaii Korean Chamber of Commerce is under new leadership, and hosting its first event, Taste of Soju and Makoli, from 5-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the Japanese Cultural Center’s Manoa Grand Ballroom.Guests will be treated to tastes…
Nonstop Movies: Holiday movie preview
Thanksgiving is all about the 3 F’s – family, food and friends. But if you’re a true cinephile, you can add another F to that list – films. The holiday movie season starts this week, and as always, there are…
‘Hawaii Five-O’ Recap: ‘Akanahe’
Last week, the show’s writers literally got cute when the 5-0 men were stuck caring for an infant, “Three Men and a Baby” style. This week’s episode, “Akanahe,” also played off a successful movie formula with McG and new SWAT…
‘Hawaii Five-O’ Recap: ‘Ua Nalohia’
Wow, after some initial doubts I’m starting to think that the show’s move from Monday to Friday nights was a great decision after all. Ratings have been consistently good, but more importantly, the writing has definitely improved. Already about a…
‘Hawaii Five-O’ Recap: ‘Kupouli `Ia’
I’m normally not a fan of holiday-themed TV episodes, as their storylines are usually irrelevant to the overall arc and characters act out of character for the sake of shoehorned holiday elements. Fortunately, last night’s Halloween-themed episode of “Hawaii Five-0”…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Ender’s Game’
“Ender’s Game” took me back to a time when I used to play with action figures, imagining elaborate combat scenarios and making them come alive with “pew, pew, pew” sound effects. Growing up in the ’80s, films such as “Flight…
‘Hawaii Five-O’ Recap: ‘A Ia La Aku’
I’m so bummed I missed last week’s ‘Hawaii Five-0’ episode with Jorge Garcia. Stupid DVR. But I’m finally back on schedule with Season 4 now, albeit a few days late. When I heard that Rebecca De Mornay was guest starring…
Talking Story with the Makers of ‘100 Days’
Being a filial child to your parents is such a strong part of Asian culture, but the Taiwanese film “100 Days” carries that commitment to an extreme. In the film, the main character learns of his mother’s passing and returns…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Captain Phillips’
Every once in a while you come across a performance that convinces you there’s no other actor who could have played that particular role. Such is the case for Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Richard Phillips, the real ship captain who…
HIFF Review Roundup
Nonstop movie buffs Myong Choi and Ed Morita will be screening all kinds of films at this year’s Hawaii International Film Festival. Here are some of the flicks they saw, with a brief review of whether it’s a must-watch or…
Save the date: Kung Fu in Kaka‘ako
Kaka‘ako. Kung Fu. Kool.The Hawaii International Film Festival and Our Kaka‘ako will be presenting the martial arts classic, “The Avenging Eagle,” from renowned Shaw Brothers studio, makers of classic kung fu films. And how appropriate that this screening will take…
Nonstop Movies: HIFF Preview
Anyone looking for me between October 10-20 likely will find me quiet in a dark room with my silence only being intermittently interrupted by bursts of laughter, tears or even a bit of freaking out. No, I’m not crazy; I’ll…
‘Hawaii Five-O’ Recap: ‘A`ale Ma`a Wau’
After the terrific Season 4 premiere, I was really looking forward to see if the next show could maintain its newfound momentum. Verdict? So far, so good. Once again, the show was able to balance all the major characters, while…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Gravity’
As a claustrophobe, I thought being trapped in an enclosed space would be the most frightening feeling I could experience. Who knew the exact opposite would be even more terrifying?“Gravity” is largely a conceptual film, but director Alfonso Cuaron makes…
Nonstop Movies: ‘On the Job’
A real life scandal where high ranking Philippine politicians were found guilty of hiring prison inmates to temporarily leave jail to assassinate their targets sounds so implausible, yet intriguing, that it should have been a perfect story for a movie.…
‘Hawaii Five-0’ premiere and episode recap
“Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.” – Michael Corleone in “The Godfather: Part III”Readers of my “Hawaii Five-0” episode recaps know I’ve become disenchanted with the show. The writing had gone downhill, characters were…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2’
The makers of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” must have had a great time coming up with catchy puns for all the mutant creatures that are half animal, half food such as watermelephants, flamangoes, mosquitoasts, tacodiles and shrimpanzees.…
Talking Story about ‘Wedding Palace’ with Christine Yoo
With the ease that award-winning filmmaker Christine Yoo talks about her love of Kalapana’s music and minute chicken with cake noodles at Aina Haina Chop Suey, you’d think she’s a local girl. Actually, this Korean-American writer and director speaks with…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Prisoners’
Thought Hugh Jackman was a badass in “The Wolverine?” Wait until you see him in “Prisoners.”“Prisoners” asks the question of how far is too far when it comes to your children. Lying? Sure, no problem. How about assault? Kidnapping? Torture?…
What’s coming: Fall TV
I honestly didn’t realize how much TV I watched until I wrote this post. I thought it’d be fun to preview the upcoming fall TV season, and as I listed the shows I normally watch on a weekly basis, I…
Nonstop Movies: ‘The Family’
When you’re hungry, even hamburger can taste like filet mignon.“The Family” is by no means a great film, but with the recent dearth of gangster movies, it provides a very refreshing satisfaction to gangster film fans like myself. I’ve sorely…
Fab Five Films: Football Movies
After what seemed like an eternity, football season is finally here. College football has taken over Saturdays and the NFL has rendered Sundays virtually unproductive for most Americans as of last week. What better time to present my Fab Five…
So this is 40?
In Korean culture, the number “4” is considered unlucky because its pronunciation is the same as the word for “death.”Well, that’s a great omen for someone who’s just turned the big 4-0.I’ve been dreading this day for an entire decade.…
Discontinuities Preview
Fans of science fiction films will have the opportunity to watch and discuss five classics of the genre at Discontinuities, a film series to be held this week at R/D in Kaka`ako. Presented by Benjamin Trevino and Michael McDermott, Discontinuities…
Did this: Sullivan and Son Comedy Tour
The stars of the hit TBS sitcom “Sullivan and Son” headlined a comedy show at The Republik last night in front of a packed house. Stand-up veteran Ahmed Ahmed opened the show, then was followed by Roy Wood Jr., Owen…
Talking Story with Jeni Suk
YouTube singing sensation Jeni Suk — who has more than 240,00 subscribers on her channel and was a finalist of “KPop Star,” Korea’s version of “American Idol — will be bringing her talents to Honolulu,headlining a Saturday night concert at…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Drug War’
One of Hong Kong’s most prolific directors, Johnnie To, has built a career on his stylish portrayals of the Hong Kong crime scene. While his HK contemporaries John Woo, Tsui Hark and Ringo Lam utilized their success to cross the…
San Francisco Eats: Mason Pacific
I recently spent five days in San Francisco, mostly for work, some play. Since SF offers some of the country’s best dining options, I made sure to check out a wide variety of eateries. My dining adventures included dinner at…
Kollaboration Honolulu 2013
Kollaboration Honolulu 2013 unfolded at Mamiya Theatre Saturday night, with family singing group Da Araz winning the $1,000 grand prize and opportunity to represent Honolulu in the national Kollaboration contest. Dance group Blank Canvas won the Audience Choice Award. Special…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Elysium’
I wasn’t sure if “Elysium” was a real word, so I looked it up and found the following definition – “a place or state of perfect happiness.” How fitting, because I’m always very happy when I’m asleep.This film is a…
Nonstop Movies: ‘We’re the Millers’
If there’s one thing the summer movie season of 2013 has taught us, it’s that the “f-word” is funny. “The Hangover Part III,” “This is the End” and “The Heat” all earned their R ratings through language instead of nudity, and…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Fruitvale Station’
“Fruitvale Station” is based on the true story of 22-year-old Oscar Grant III, who was shot to death by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) police on New Year’s Day 2009. The film introduces Oscar on New Year’s Eve, in bed…
Our Top 5: Roast pork
Roast pork may seem like a random dish to single out for Nonstop’s Our Top 5 series, especially following more traditional choices of poke, burgers and cocktails. But actually, there’s a reason I picked it. We’ve all gone to plate…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Grown Ups 2’
Is “Grown Ups 2” really an Adam Sandler movie? Let’s go through the Sandler movie checklist. Pee jokes – check. Poo jokes – check. Fart jokes – check. Jokes about other various bodily functions – check. Boob jokes – check.…
Fab Five Films – Black Belt Theater
My love for martial arts films started in kindergarten when I was living in Downtown Honolulu across the street from Chinese movie theaters such as Empress Theater, Golden Harvest Theatres and even the way ghetto Liberty Theater. My father and…
Nonstop Movies: ‘White House Down’
So exactly how much destruction is director Roland Emmerich capable of? The director of “Independence Day,” “2012,” “Godzilla” and “The Day After Tomorrow” certainly is no stranger to laying waste to complete cities, even the world. This time, with “White…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Monsters University’
zzzZZZZ………zzzZZZZ……..snore…..skdjfklejlk…what? The movie is over? Oh good, let me out of this theater.Okay, well maybe “Monsters University” wasn’t THAT bad, and I didn’t actually fall asleep, but there’s no doubt I was agonizingly bored throughout the film. As a prequel…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Now You See Me’
I’ve always been fascinated by magic, so much so that I even practiced card tricks and other close-up tricks after watching street magicians like David Blaine on TV. Attempting these tricks really made me appreciate the time and discipline it…
‘Hawaii Five-O’ Recap: ‘Aloha. Malama Pono’
Now why couldn’t all of Season 3 have been like this? After a lackluster, unfocused third season, “Hawaii Five-0” ended with an intense thriller of an episode with the departure of one main character along with the return of a…
Nonstop Movies: ‘Star Trek into Darkness’
Ding ding ding! Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner! “Star Trek into Darkness” has just become my favorite movie of 2013 so far, and it’s not even close. The latest installment in the “Star Trek” franchise combines nonstop pulse…
Consolidated Theatres introduces Dolby Atmos
The Consolidated Ward 16 Theatres already boasted the largest movie screen in the state of Hawaii with their Titan XC theater. Well now they not only provide the best visual cinematic experience, but the best audio experience with the addition…
‘Hawaii Five-O’ Recap: ‘He Welo `Oihana’
Well, at least this week’s episode, “He Welo `Oihana,” was half decent. The story of Kono confronting her ex-Yakuza boyfriend about the recent discovery of a Yakuza body disposal site was thrilling, suspenseful and interesting. The other story of the…
