ALOHA (Rated PG-13)

The Hawaiian greeting “aloha” has dual meaning, typically to convey both hello and goodbye.

Moreover, greater and deeper significance is attached, by native Hawaiians, to this word than merely a salutation that is one of welcome or farewell.

For Cameron Crowe, having directed the character-driven films “Jerry Maguire” and “Almost Famous,” his latest effort with “Aloha” is about his signature style of developing a relationship story.

Evidently, Crowe set about creating a highly personal film with “Aloha,” seeking to capture the unpredictability of life with a romantic story enhanced by the gorgeous setting of Hawaii’s natural beauty, which is lovingly depicted with expert cinematography.

Claiming that “Aloha” is “a movie about second chances,” Crowe might be trying to tap into the richer consequence of this widely-known Hawaiian word as he constructs a romantic comedy while honoring, apparently not to the satisfaction of purists, sacred Hawaiian traditions.

Controversy has followed this film, not just from hacked Sony emails that revealed studio executives disenchanted with test screenings, or something to that effect.

Moreover, Native Hawaiian groups have already condemned the movie for its failure to represent the American-Asian community.

To be sure, all of the major characters are Caucasian, with star Bradley Cooper in the pivotal role of Brian Gilcrest, a former military man now working as a defense contractor for billionaire industrialist Carson Welch (Bill Murray).

One of the film’s failings, and it has plenty, is that we know little of Brian’s background, other than it appears he had a tour of duty in Afghanistan and that he is not in favor with some of the military brass, namely General Dixon (Alec Baldwin), who mostly does a lot of yelling.

Arriving at the Hickam Air Force base in Hawaii on military transport, Brian spots his old flame Tracy (Rachel McAdams) on the tarmac, where she is waiting for her husband Woody (John Krasinski), coincidentally the pilot of the cargo plane that just brought Brian back to American soil.

Not only is Tracy now married, but she’s the mother of two children. Apparently, the Brian-Tracy relationship dates back to over a dozen years ago.

Tracy has moved on and made a family, and we’re not sure where Brian has been and what he has done during this extended period of time.

Where is Brian’s second chance? It may come from the Air Force Captain Allison Ng (Emma Stone), the hard-charging F-22 fighter pilot assigned to be his “handler” during his stay at the Air Force base, where his mission is not clearly defined but has something to do with his boss’ involvement in the US Space Program.

At first glance, Captain Ng, known among her fellow airmen as a “fast burner” and who has a firecracker personality, is so overly efficient and no-nonsense that her style seems destined for incompatibility with Brian’s carefree approach.

Of course, this is a romantic comedy, so the story arc for Brian and Allison to eventually fall for each other despite their superficial differences is obvious from the moment Allison belts out a traditional folk song with the locals at a native Hawaiian encampment in the mountains.

Perhaps less believable is that Arizona-born Emma Stone’s character is one-quarter Hawaiian, which appears to be a matter of convenience when she and Brian visit the actual leader of the Hawaiian Independence movement, Dennis “Bumpy” Kanahele, to seek a native blessing for a pedestrian gate on the Air Force base.

Whatever her heritage, Allison staunchly defends the Hawaiian traditions and respects the wishes of the native activists, putting herself somewhat at odds with Brian until it finally, as it must, dawn on him that Carson Welch’s ultimate intentions are less than honorable.

On the upside of “Aloha,” Cameron Crowe has assembled an appealing cast of Bradley Cooper, Rachel McAdams and Emma Stone, bringing enough combined charisma to ordinarily carry a film to certain heights.

The downside is that the talented actors are wasted in a feeble love triangle that has no more credibility than the Hawaiian heritage of a girl with bright yellow hair, fair skin and green eyes.

On its face, Cameron Crowe’s “Aloha” is a flimsy excuse for a romantic comedy, where the love story is about as fresh as wilted flowers on the traditional Hawaiian lei.

It’s better to say goodbye than hello to this cinematic misfire.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Local author Steve Bartholomew will celebrate the publication of his latest book, “Spirit Catcher,” at Watershed Books on Friday, June 5.

The event will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. at the store, 305 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

Bartholomew will share insights on his creative inspiration and publishing processes, as well as reading from his latest novel and previously published favorites.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information call 707-263-5787.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Comedy Night with Marc Yaffee and Friends is coming to the Soper Reese Theatre on Saturday, June 27, at 7 p.m.

The “funny, not filthy” show is hosted by Pat McCoy with special guest Chancellor Andrade, a Lake County student who’s put together his own intriguing mix of magic and humor.

Once a Lake County local boy himself, Yaffee is now a national comedy phenomenon who serves audiences his original comedy recipe, specially prepared for nonstop laughs.

Tasty topics, spicy premises and savory punchlines, are all dished out with a dash of sarcasm and a grain of salt.

Yaffee is an award-winning comedian who was featured on the Showtime special, “Goin’ Native: The American Indian Comedy Slam.”

He also has appeared on the PBS special “Crossing The Line,” Si TV’s Latino Laugh Festival and Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen.

Yaffee has also been heard on SiriusXM Radio, Bob & Tom and NPR.  He has performed five times overseas for the troops in the Middle East, Europe and Asia; was a writer for George Carlin’s www.laugh.com ; and won the Ventura Comedy Festival’s Funniest Person Contest in 2012.

All seats are reserved. Tickets are $18 and $15, and are on sale at www.soperreesetheatre.com ; at the theater box office on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main St., Lakeport, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The theater is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.

For more information call 707-263-0577.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – As the first barn was nearing completion at the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum, it became clear that the museum would be much more than simply a place for the public to enjoy its wonderful displays and historical artifacts.

Lake County has a bounty of talented musicians and dreams were being fulfilled that would celebrate these local musicians and the American music heritage from the Ely Stage Stop Victorian Era.

Don Coffin contacted Greg Dills, Ely Stage Stop director, in 2013 looking for a place for the California Old Time Fiddlers’ Association’s District 10 to play. District 10 serves Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties.

Coffin attended a docent meeting and when asked if his group would be interested in meeting at the stage stop to jam sometime, he gave an enthusiastic positive response.

A decision was made on the spot and the dialogue moved to firming up a plan. The porch and/or barn were offered, the first Sunday of the month was chosen and, as we like to say at the museum, the rest is history.

The mission of District 10 of the California Old time Fiddlers’ Association, cited on the Web site http://carneyscorner.com/csotfa.html , is “to promote an interest in the old time American fiddle styles and to create more opportunities for interested parties to learn about the lineage of fiddle music in America, to promote activities related to old time fiddling (jams and concerts, and contests), to foster a sense of community in this shared musical treasure, and to preserve a truly American art form.”

The Ely Stage Stop has proven to be the perfect venue to foster the Association’s mission and to get our local community involved.

The Fiddlers’ Jam runs at the museum on the first Sunday of each month from noon through 2 p.m. The next jam is this Sunday, June 7. Musicians of all ages with all sorts of instruments will descend upon the barn for the round robin style jam session.

Donations made during the jam benefit both the Ely Stage Stop, helping to fund the construction of the blacksmith complex, and the Old Time Fiddlers Association District 10, who uses it to partially fund their scholarship programs.

Come early to picnic and check out the latest museum acquisitions and displays. This free, family friendly event can be enjoyed by all, young and old alike.

Enjoy the music with beverages and tasty treats. Bring your own wine and sip it in Ely Stage Stop wine glasses that are available for purchase. Come ready to clap your hands, tap your toes or get up and dance.

There will be the regular monthly raffle near the end of the jam and more chances to purchase raffle tickets for the “Barns, Birds and Quilts” raffle that will celebrate a winner later in the year. Those items will be on display during the jam. Remaining tickets to Ely’s June 13 Picnic on the Porch fundraiser can also be purchased during the day.

Home to the Lake County Historical Society, the stage stop is located at 9921 State Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road) in Kelseyville, near Clear Lake Riviera, just north of Highway 29-Kit's Corner. Current hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.

Fiddlers’ jams occur the first Sunday of every month from noon until 2 p.m. Living history events featuring local historians are held on the fourth Saturday of every month, again, from noon to 2 p.m.

Visit www.elystagestop.org or www.lakecountyhistory.org , check out the stage stop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/elystagestop or call the museum at 707-533-9990.

Many of the poems that have survived the longest are very short.

Some of them are a couple of thousand years old. They have somehow managed to perfectly catch life in just a few words and we can still feel those long-ago lives within them.

Glenna Luschei, who lives in California, tells us a great deal about comfort in this exemplary poem. Her latest book of poetry is Leaving It All Behind, (Presa Press, 2011).

Home

Dog at my pillow.
Dog at my feet.
My own toothbrush.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright 2014 by Glenna Luschei, “Home.” Poem reprinted by permission of Glenna Luschei. Introduction copyright 2015 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

History, more often than not, is far more interesting than fiction.

Exposure to historical incidents in the form of a fact-based movie or expansive TV event can whet one’s appetite for a more comprehensive understanding of famous occasions that are common knowledge.

Hopefully, the significance of the Battle of the Alamo is a familiar story to most. “Remember the Alamo” became a rallying cry for the Texas Revolution. Later, it became a popular song immortalized by artists like Tex Ritter and Johnny Cash, among others.

The brutal siege of the Alamo by Mexican General Santa Anna became a pivotal event, stirring the flames of the Texas Revolution that lead to the eventual defeat of the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto.

The History Channel’s ambitious 10-hour miniseries “Texas Rising” tells the story of the hardy Texian Army and the rise of the legendary Texas Rangers, along with Texas settlers and adventurers from the United States, who came together, fueled by the desire for revenge, to fight valiantly against Santa Anna and his forces.

Unfolding in five episodes, “Texas Rising” starts with the vicious attack on the Alamo, where every last defender was killed, and even the captives were executed under the orders of General Santa Anna (Oliver Martine), who claimed the rules of war did not apply, so there would be no prisoners taken.

Once victorious at the Alamo on March 6, 1836, Santa Anna, bolstered by a Mexican Army superior in numbers and weapons, plans to quash the Texian bid for independence by destroying the Texan Army under the command of General Sam Houston (Bill Paxton).

Badly outnumbered by Santa Anna’s military, General Houston is either unwilling or unable to render help at the Alamo, most likely knowing it would be suicidal. But inaction causes rumblings among the troops, with many seeking to petition his removal as commander.

In any case, with “Texas Rising” getting its start in the aftermath of the Alamo battle, and even though the series has plenty of colorful characters, we miss out on the opportunity to have the spotlight on such legendary heroes as Davy Crockett and James Bowie, both of whom were among the early casualties of war.

Fittingly, Texas native Bill Paxton creates a larger-than-life Sam Houston, who eventually becomes the hero of the revolution in the victorious Battle of San Jacinto that results in the founding of the Republic of Texas.

Another historical figure on the scene is Emily West (Cynthia Addai-Robinson), a free black woman, who is rescued from the Alamo, and here at least, is given a past relationship with Sam Houston in New Orleans.

Emily West may be better known in legend as well as popular lyrics as “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” Her place in history is cemented when she’s ensconced in the Mexican camp, using all her powers of seduction to gain vital intelligence in the fight against Santa Anna.

In the early goings, mutiny is almost at hand against the perceived lackluster leadership of General Houston.

Texians under Colonel Fannin (Rob Morrow) end up surrounded by the Mexican Army and forced to surrender. But when Santa Anna orders their execution, this barbarous act enrages the Texians, uniting them to fight harder.

Though he may have been a brilliant general, Santa Anna comes across as not only a vile human being, but a battlefield dilettante, holding court with Emily West at a candlelight dinner in his well-appointed tent and savoring a fine meal and expensive wine.

Helpfully, the series provides subtitles to announce dates and the location of various events, offering context to the unfolding history.

On the other hand, a large cast of characters are tossed into a patchwork of scenes, resulting in some ongoing confusion.

One of the most interesting persons is Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Deaf Smith, a legendary Texas Ranger who adores his Tejana wife and returns as often as possible to his family ranch. Despite some serious health problems, Smith carries on with single-minded devotion.

Ray Liotta’s crazed Lorca, a survivor of Santa Anna’s cruelty, lurks in the shadows, exacting his own measure of vengeance on the Mexican Army.

Meanwhile, Brendan Fraser’s Billy Anderson has American Indian heritage that proves helpful when the Comanches suddenly appear.

“Texas Rising” has an epic scope which is undermined, to some extent, by action that is too often more plodding than truly exciting.

Kris Kristofferson is thrown briefly into the mix, for no apparent reason, as President Andrew Jackson.

This sweeping adventure features cast members like Jeff Fahey, Thomas Jane, Christopher McDonald and Jeremy Davies filling roles not always memorable. Yet, Davies stand outs only because he’s a sniveling deserter who provides comic relief.

The History Channel provided only the first two episodes of “Texas Rising” for preview, so it is entirely possible and fervently wished that the coming decisive Battle of San Jacinto will be worth the wait.

The series also can be watched online at http://www.history.com/shows/texas-rising .

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.