Having been involved in the newspaper business for more than 65 years, for me the explosive movie “Spotlight,” which tells the Pulitzer Prize-winning story of a small group of Boston Globe staffers, who in early 2000, blew open the disgusting practice of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests and the cover-up by the church in Boston, was a must-see picture.

This is a hard-hitting movie that casts light on sexual abuse of children by priests, not only in Boston, but in many other U.S. and foreign cities as well. It’s dynamite and definitely deserves Oscar nominations for best picture and more. The cast is solid. Michael Keaton supervises a crack team of reporters made up of Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo and Brian d’Arcy James, who write stories for Spotlight, the paper’s investigative unit. Others in the cast are John Slattery as Globe projects editor and Stanley Tucci as an attorney. Then in comes the paper’s new editor played by Liev Schreiber.

The editor makes it clear to Boston Cardinal Bernard Law, played by Len Cariou, that the paper will not be teaming with the church on any stories, and leads the team of reporters to expose sexual abuse by priests. His reporters involved in the story run into many difficulties as Boston’s population is strongly Catholic and the church’s hierarchy is extremely powerful. But the reporters keep driving on and uncover the ugliness. A priest’s victim says in the film that as a child he had to do what the sexually abusive priest wanted because “how do you say no to God.” The “Spotlight” story won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2003 …

Jazz/Pop singer Jimmy Borges says his pops concert Saturday at the Hilton, honoring what would have been Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday, was one of the best concerts he’s ever done. “The reason was that the orchestra, led by Matt Catingub, was swinging harder than ever and the people were really into the music,” Jimmy said. He said Matt did an arrangement of “Here’s that Rainy Day” for him that brought tears to his eyes because of its sheer beauty. The crooner said he was very proud that Quaing Tu, principal cellist for the New York Philharmonic, was in the pops orchestra and told him that his encore performance of “New York, New York” was the best he has heard. Jimmy said he sang it emotionally like a boy from Kalihi trying to make it in the Big Apple …

Local girl Gina Haverly is one of two new Neiman Marcus store general managers featured in NM’s latest Resort Book. Gina lists her don’t-miss local destinations and activities. They include: Honolulu City Lights opening at Honolulu Hale on Saturday, afternoon tea at the Halekulani, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, lomilomi massage at Kahala Hotel, and the Honolulu Museum of Art, including its campuses at Shangri La on Doris Duke’s estate and Spalding House. Her restaurant picks are Roy’s in Hawaii Kai and, of course, Mariposa at her Ala Moana Neiman’s with its ocean view with fireworks on Friday nights. Good choices, Gina …

Dont’ forget that Honolulu Broadway Babies Kristian Lei, Joan Almedilla, Emy Coligado, Bonifacio Deoso Jr. and Amado Cacho appear in a musical Christmas show at New Life Church Theatre, 1190 Nuuanu Ave., tonight at 8 and Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. For tickets call 783-2296 or go to hbbchristmasrevue.eventbrite.com …

Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.