I was pulled into "Fifty Shades of Grey" because of all the hype E.L. James‘ trilogy of books has received. The film has taken in some $500 million worldwide at the box office. It’s about a handsome 27-year-old billionaire (Jamie Dornan) who gets satisfaction by tying up or handcuffing women and hurting them, as long as they submit and give him permission. He comes across as wooden in the role.
His target in "Grey" is Dakota Johnson, a naive but not-without-smarts virgin about to graduate from college. She is excellent. It’s billed as a love story. I was disappointed, as I see it as low-grade, sadomasochistic porn.
It’s not that I’m a prude. Sex shown between Ruth Wilson and Dominic West in "The Affair" on Showtime is beautiful, but the sex in "Grey" is ugly. ("Affair" won the best dramatic TV series award at the Golden Globes, and Wilson won the best actress/drama Globe.)
I adore women and at 83 still open doors for them — if I can reach the door handle without stumbling. Men who beat up and hurt women to get satisfaction are sick. An attractive 50-ish woman friend of mine, who has read James’ trilogy and seen the movie, called the film lackluster and says it definitely does not do justice to the books.
Johnson’s divorced parents are Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. They reunited to see her host "Saturday Night Live" last Saturday. Griffith was on the Academy Awards red carpet with her daughter and said she has not seen the movie …
This year’s Oscar host, Neil Patrick Harris, loves Hawaii. In the March Vanity Fair Proust Questionnaire column, he was asked, "Where would you like to live?" He replied, "Hawaii. I can’t wait for Elon Musk to make those underground super tubes so I can travel there in 15 minutes." Musk is an entrepreneur, engineer, inventor and investor. He founded SpaceX and is a co-founder of Tesla Motors, PayPal and Zip2 …
Murphy’s St. Patrick’s Day Block Party at Nuuanu and Merchant streets will be held March 17. Things get underway outside Murphy’s at 11 a.m., inside at noon, and the party really cuts loose on the streets at 5 p.m. The event has raised over $100,000 for local charities.
Don Murphy, owner of Murphy’s Bar & Grill, expects to sell 2,500 pounds of fresh corned beef and will donate $2 for each pound sold to the Hawaii Children’s Cancer Foundation. Also, 30 cents each from the sale of 6,000 oysters will be donated to local nonprofits, including Ronald McDonald House and University of Hawaii ROTC. Music will be provided by Doolin Rakes, Elephantand Celtic Pipes and Drums Hawaii …
Jazz trumpet man Eddie Henderson performs in Halekulani’s Lewers Lounge with musician Rocky Holmes and friends March 26 and 27 in two 75-minute concerts at 7:30 and 9:15 p.m. Tickets are $100 and $75. Beverages and food can be purchased prior to the concerts. Reservations are required. Call 923-2311 or visit www.halekulani.com/ live-lewers-0 …
Grammy-winning Eumir Deodato, a Brazilian pianist, composer, record producer and arranger, headlines Thursday’s Peace on Earth Concert at 7 p.m. at the Hawaii Theatre, a benefit for the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii. Tickets start at $45. Carmen Haugen and Danny Kaleikini are co-hosts. Local acts will perform …
Condolences to the families of Bill Baird, 85, and Bob Cushnie, 82, UH Phi Delta Sigma fraternity brothers who died Jan. 31 and Feb. 20, respectively. Both were well-liked good guys who were kind, helpful and successful in their professions. Baird was a Finance Insurance Ltd. agent and Cushnie was a Kaneohe dentist. Their clients and patients were fortunate to have them …
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
