WOW! When it comes to action, both high-tech and ordinary knock ’em down, drag ’em out battles, "The Avengers" takes the cake. Several of the Marvel Comics superheroes are gathered by Samuel L. Jackson, who plays Nick Fury, to protect Earth from the evil Loki, portrayed by Tom Hiddleston. Both Hiddleston and Jackson stand out. But it’s humorous, wisecracking Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man who is best of the bunch. A surprise as an action heroine is beautiful Scarlett Johansson, playing super spy Black Widow. She packs quite a punch. However, it is the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) who handles the heavy duty, bone-crushing blows with gusto. No foe ever wants see the Hulk coming. With all "The Avengers" has to offer, it’s easy to see why the picture took in slightly more than $200 million last weekend to break weekend box office records …
JUDD APATOW is one of my favorite filmmakers and his "The Five-Year Engagement" is another winner. The love story, somewhat long but never mushy enough for a turnoff, is full of laughs. Jason Segel, Emily Blunt and Chris Pratt turn in sterling performances …
DANCING ON: Lisa Noelani Robbins, a Kamehameha graduate, is doing her best to bring Hawaiian culture to Virginia. Her parents are Harold and Arlene DeSilva Tam-Hoy. She learned to hula when she was 3 from her mom, who danced professionally. Noelani owns and operates three businesses: Ohana Arts Studio, Kinderhula and Polynesian Dance Studio in Hampton Roads, Va. Noelani’s Polynesian Revue is performing at military bases this month in celebration of Asian/Pacific Islander Month. The revue is booked at libraries in Newport News in July and at the Annual Polynesian Cultural Festival in Virginia Beach in August. Noelani is also skilled in the art of Hawaiian quilting. She has given quilting patterns and a small pillow quilt from her grandmother, Rose Lokelani Lum Tam-Hoy, and great-grandmother, Agnes Kelupaina Lum Kahoe, to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Noelani and her husband, Lance Robbins, have five children. She can be reached at lisarobbins@ohanaartsstudio.com …
BRIGHT DAY: Leinaala Bright, 55, and her daughter, Cassandra Poggi, 22, are graduating Saturday from UH-Manoa. Leinaala’s degree is in Hawaiian studies and Cassandra’s is in business. Leinaala is the granddaughter of the late composer-singer-musician Sol Bright, most famous for writing and performing "Hawaiian Cowboy." Another of Sol’s big songs is "Sophisticated Hula" …
SINGER Anita Hall sends word that she is returning to Hawaii to open for Jimmy Borges in his pops concert with conductor Matt Catingub and the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra May 31 at Blaisdell Concert Hall …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
