JACK BLACK deserves an Academy Award best actor nomination for his remarkable work in "Bernie," the true story of the murder of a really mean, wealthy, East Texas widow. Murder is never hilarious, but the way this story is laid out makes the picture so funny. Black’s Bernie Tiede character is the sweetest, kindest, most-loved man in small-town Carthage. He is an assistant funeral director who sings at services and also performs with teenagers in musicals. He is as helpful to everyone as anyone can be. His kindness to the widow before he dispatches her with four shots from a small rifle is overwhelming. The evil, arrogant, much-hated widow is portrayed by Shirley MacLaine. Matthew McConaughey is the district attorney. Both are splendid. The comments of townspeople, some who are actually town folk, telling the story and picturing Bernie as an angel straight from heaven, are hilarious. Besides Black, they are essential to making this picture so delicious. As of this writing, "Bernie" is playing only at the Consolidated Kahala …
SINGING ON: Jimmy Borges is pumped up about his pops concert Thursday, his 77th birthday eve, at Blaisdell Concert Hall. "I’m excited to be singing some of Frank Sinatra‘s greatest arrangements and equally great charts by Matt Catingub, one of the most exciting musicians in the world today," Borges said. "You’ll be hearing tunes from The Great American Songbook, and then some. I’ve lived and loved these songs all of my career, and now, on my 77th birthday, I get to share them with all of you and with our superb new Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra." Jimmy said he’s happy that Anita Hall, whom he mentored early in her career, is opening for him. The concert is being sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Hospital, which is dear to Jimmy’s heart — and liver. He had liver cancer surgery at Kaiser in July 2011 and is doing great. Tickets start at $20, student tickets are $10; call 593-9468 …
BILLIE GABRIEL has been invited to lay one of the wreaths at the The Wall, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, during Memorial Day ceremonies Monday. She will be laying the wreath with retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey. Billie’s brother, James Kimo Gabriel Jr., was the first Green Beret and first Native Hawaiian killed in Vietnam …
RAINBOW WAHINE softball pitcher Stephanie Ricketts is pictured on Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd page in its May 21 issue. The magazine notes that the senior right-hander recorded her 800th career strikeout in a 10-3 win over Utah State in the Western Athletic Conference season finale to give her team its fourth regular-season title. She was named WAC pitcher of the year for the third straight season …
COASTAL LIVING ranks Maui’s Lahaina 10th on its list of Happiest Seaside Towns in America in the June issue, marking the magazine’s 15th anniversary. The Time Inc. publication gives the top spot to Kiawah Island, S.C.; followed by Naples, Fla.; Sausalito, Calif.; Lake Bluff, Ill.; and Tiburon, Calif. …
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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
