Kick off 2026 with a fun critique of the Top 2025 Films with the Hawaii Film Critics Society! Founder Barry Wurst will be joined by local film critics Jaren Agbannaoag and Aron Medeiros! Watch the trailers from Chief of War, Frankenstein, Avatar, Snow White and more! Listen to their critiques and join in with your own! Then look ahead to the 2026 filmmaking year!
📸 Featured Speakers:
- BARRY WURST – Moderator & Founder of Hawaii Film Critics Society
- JAREN AGBANNAOAG – @JarensMovieReviews, Film Critic
- ARON MEDEIROS – Reviews on Letterboxd & @AronsFilmEmporium, Film Critic
Barry Wurst II is the founder of the Hawaii Film Critics Society (now in its 10th year) and is a film critic for The Maui News, Maui Pulse, Hollywood in Toto and ScreenGeeks.com. Barry co-hosts a podcast called SO I MARRIED A FILM CRITIC with his wife, Julia, teaches film classes at UHMC and started publishing movie reviews on a pamphlet, titled Barry’s Picks, while working at Videoland & TV in Pukalani.
Jaren Agbannaoag began writing short movie reviews in his early Facebook days and took on journalism- reviewing film for Baldwin High School’s Courier in 2009. Over the years, Jaren has shifted from writing to video formats on Instagram and YouTube, officially joining the Hawaii Film Critics Society in 2021 with a more vocal and charismatic love for film.
Aron Medeiros has been a passionate cinephile for most of his life and published hundreds of film reviews for MauiWatch. Aron catalogs his massive library of reviews on Letterboxd. His favorite movie is “Back to the Future,” which he has seen more times than any living human being. Aron writes and publishes film reviews quicker than any other HFCS critic and is a staunch defender of “Speed 2: Cruise Control.”
📍 Date: January 15, 2026
🕠 Doors Open: 5:30 PM
🎤 Event: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Akakū Upstairs, Kahului
🎟 Seating is limited – Register now!
Seating is limited! Doors open at 5:45pm and the salon starts promptly at 6pm.
Offered on the third Thursday of each month at Akakū’s Media Lab, Akakū Upstairs is a community outreach program designed to bring Maui Nui together in person to share, learn, and be inspired by local stories, elevating community and conversation. Watch the Akakū Upstairs Playlist on demand on our free MauiStream app to catch up on past salons.
You can make sure the Akakū Upstairs salon series continues to thrive, and provide great exposure for you or your business, by making a tax-deductible donation to Akakū or by becoming an underwriter. Just reach out to development@akaku.org for details.
Use the QR Code below to register:
