Denver Post: Entertainment

Husted: Udi's turns heads with granola ads

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:44:10 -0700

Denver-based Udi's Bakery sells its fine granola in 50 statesand partner Eric Clayman says it's hard to resist.

War film takes documentary honor at Starz Denver Film Festival

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:44:08 -0700

A film dealing with war and how it shapes soldiers and civilians alike was honored Saturday evening as the 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival announced the winners of its juried prizes. The prizes were awarded before the closing-night film "The Young Victoria" at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

Are holidays ruining theater?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:54:28 -0700

This holiday season, there is no escape (from Santa) clause. By Dec. 1, nearly three-quarters of all Colorado theater companies will be presenting holiday or religious titles — 40 in all. While some will be serious and others subversive, that still leaves only a handful of secular alternatives.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 to see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:02:33 -0700

A sense of place is one of the authentic things independent cinema provides audiences. Brothers Turner and Bill Ross find grace in the details of small town life in their prize-winning documentary about hometown Sidney, Ohio.

CSO, soprano project lyricism

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:07:01 -0700

Just a year before his passing, Richard Strauss composed "Four Last Songs" — a beautifully crafted, contemplative study on the inevitability of death.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:06:45 -0700

"IRON CHEF," 7-8:30 p.m., Food Network — "Thanksgiving Showdown," a replay from 2008, features Iron Chefs Flay and Symon battling Iron Chefs Morimoto and Cora in a holiday showdown.

Outside Guide: Places to cut your own tree

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:23:04 -0700

Holiday revelers have plenty of options when it comes to finding the perfect Christmas tree. They can buy artificial timber preloaded with lights and ornaments. Or, they can opt for the real deal, selecting a Colorado spruce or Douglas fir from one of the many precut vendors who set up shop this time of year.

Moore: Social networking, discounts move tickets for Denver Center

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:19:01 -0700

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has adopted more creative and aggressive new initiatives to entice people to see its shows — and it's working.

Ostrow: Stop Watching Bad TV!

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:21:29 -0700

OK, TV viewers, it's time to step it up a notch. Kick the bad habits. Watch better television. Don't worry, we're not talking a steady diet of eat-your-broccoli documentaries.

"Interesting Times" by George Packer

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:56:48 -0700

Introduction

The decade covered by this collection of essays is actually seven years, from the morning of September 11, 2001, to the night of November 4, 2008. The margins of a historical period don't conform to the turning of a new zero; eras are defined less precisely but more truly by events, a prevailing moral atmosphere, what it felt like to live during a certain time.

TV motherhood takes many forms for Katey Sagal

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:13:36 -0700

Katey Sagal is back in mommie-not-so-dearest mode. The actress was hardly the model mother as the wisecracking, lazy housewife Peg Bundy on Fox's "Married . . .With Children." But that character would be Mother of the Year next to Gemma Teller Morrow, the ruthless matriarch of an outlaw biker club on FX's "Sons of Anarchy."

Stopwatchingbadtv!

editor@denverpost.com () — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:08:01 -0700

OK, TV viewers, it's time to step it up a notch. Kick the bad habits. Watch better television.

Art Beat

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:45:50 -0700

Boulder's Dairy Center for the Arts, a former milk-processing plant that now hosts more than a dozen visual arts, dance and music organizations, will fill the gap in Boulder's art-house movie scene by adding an indie cinema.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 To see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:31:40 -0700

Because the fest circuit joke is: If you don't like one, there's always another. "Short but True": "575 Castro Street," by whip- smart director Jenni Olson, is one of eight short- form documentaries bundled into this package. The film trains its gaze on the San Francisco locale that was once Harvey Milk's camera shop.

Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 Questions for Susan and Richard Abernethy, long-time festival goers

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:15:05 -0700

Richard and Susan Abernethy's first date was a movie. Their second was a basketball game. That makes them perfect transplants to this town, which values the thrill of the arts, and the agony and ecstasy of sport. They moved from Charlotte, N.C., in 1992. "We feel like Denverites," says Richard Abernethy.

MCA exhibits showcase big names, big ambitions from Big Apple

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:10:59 -0700

Conceptual. Spectacular. Organic. Each of these qualities stands out in one of the three strikingly different solo exhibitions that have opened most recently at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver.

What to do with abandoned boat?

editor@denverpost.com (Randy Cohen) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:01:52 -0700

Q: Friends staying at our lakeside house found a small paddle boat washed up on our property and, thinking it was ours, tied it to our dock. It is not. We posted an announcement about it on the community bulletin board, but no one responded.

Enigmatic Emmylou

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:55:47 -0700

Call it "The Six Degrees of Nashville." Emmylou Harris' web of musical connections is so vast and intricate it shames even Kevin Bacon, whose eponymous "Six Degrees" game unites seemingly disparate Hollywood actors in six short steps.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:38:00 -0700

"COLLISION," 9-10:30 p.m., KRMA-Channel 6 Ten people are involved in a major road accident in this modern drama from Masterpiece Contemporary.

People: Pamela Anderson tries to explain infamous sex tape to sons

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / Denver Post) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:20:29 -0700

Also

Chaz Bono at peace

20 white kittens for Mariah?

Husted: Farber's transplant story to become a movie

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:12:59 -0700

Steve Farber is feeling like a star. The political powerhouse attorney had a kidney transplant in 2003 — and recorded the turmoil in his recently published book "On the List."

Interview: Brits offer window into Ayckbourn's holiday toast

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:15:04 -0700

Alan Ayckbourn 1972 class comedy marks the changing fortunes of three upwardly mobile British couples on three successive Christmas days. Oh, it's got lots of laughs. But it's also got alcoholism, mental breakdowns and, for the entire second act, one woman trying to commit suicide.

Review: Well, you're either going to love or hate being toyed with *** 1/2

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:47:51 -0700

The Denver Center Theatre Company's "Well" has brought out readers demanding either praise or perdition be brought down on this tricky little play. While its structure is pure manipulation, the play's unabashed deprecation leaves our critic on the side of the invigorated. Rating: ***1/2

Review: "Ameriville" is a remembrance for Katrina victims ***

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:45:43 -0700

Hurricane is the jumping-off point for Universes' 90-minute musical, rhythmic treatise on what happened in New Orleans and how what happened afterward speaks to greater problems in modern America. Rating: ***

Review: A food fight ... with words! ***1/2

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:44:22 -0700

"Fully Committed" is the best possible description for actor Steven Burge's energetic and exhaustive performance in Becky Mode's one-man play of the same name. Rating: ***1/2

Review: "Big Love" easy to fall in love with

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:34:17 -0700

You are cordially invited to the most charming — and ultimately chilling — affair of the fall social, er, theater season. It's "Big Love," which transforms an obscure, bloody Greek tragedy into a gloriously creative mash-up of wedding kitsch, pop rock and the ancient yet enduring ritual of objectifying women.

"Planet 51" puts a spin on Hollywood's alien tradition

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:21:36 -0700

The 1950s Hollywood tradition was that an alien spaceship landed on Earth and was surrounded fearfully by military troops. "Planet 51" is true to the tradition, but this time the ship comes from Earth, and it lands on a planet inhabited by little green men. It's still the 1950s, however.

Sunday's Elton John and Billy Joel concert postponed

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:32:53 -0700

Piano-pop titans Elton John and Billy Joel have postponed their "Face 2 Face" concert at the Pepsi Center on Sunday until Feb. 22.

Hot Tix for hot shows, 11/20/09

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:49:10 -0700

Slayer and Megadeth are two of metal's most enduring acts, so it's no surprise they're undertaking a 26-date North American tour together. Still, what took them so long? It's been nearly two decades since they paired up, and in that time metal has gone from a basement dude-rock phenomenon to a mainstream cash cow.

Best Shows this week, 11/20/09

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:48:52 -0700

Japandroids have one of the most gratingly trendy names in rock, but the Vancouver duo's fuzzy, melodic nuggets are reminiscent of the best of '90s indie pop. Sunday at the Larimer Lounge.

Leonids a cosmic time to watch "E.T."

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:28:20 -0700

Sitting under the Eastern Plains stars the other night, and the occasional Leonid meteorite, my oldest daughter and I traded science fiction movie memories. We flapped our jaws to keep warm, because it was bloody freezing out past Watkins, as the owls hooted and the coal trains rumbled by.

LoHi Steakbar is a fine place to hunker down for winter

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:26:52 -0700

It's beginning to look a lot like winter. That's good news for all the season-pass-holding skiers and riders out there. For the more casual snow bunny, it's the start of a long, agonizing journey to next summer.

Tickets for future shows, 11/20/09

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:23:09 -0700

Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller. Today, Macky Auditorium, $35-$55. Ticketmaster

"Twilight's" Pattinson dealing with stardom

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:21:49 -0700

Maybe it can be dismissed as simply his British background, but Robert Pattinson says he hasn't really been affected by the mountains of attention he's garnered since "Twilight." "I still feel I'm pretty much exactly the same, which is maybe not a good thing," Pattinson, who plays the always brooding Edward in the "Twilight" movies, says with a smile.

Review: "35 Shots of Rum"

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:20:18 -0700

For 20 years, Claire Denis has been among France's foremost filmmakers, with her acute yet subtle observations of the ebbs and flows within relationships. Her perception and understanding seem to grow only richer over the years, and her newest film, "35 Shots of Rum," is surely one of her finest — and thereby one of the best films of the year.

"Blind Side" solves the puzzle of how home is the heart's end zone

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:15:58 -0700

In "The Blind Side," Leigh Anne Tuohy sits with some girlfriends at a classy Memphis restaurant. The ladies who lunch are talking about the young man Leigh Anne (Sandra Bullock) and husband Sean (Tim McGraw) have taken into their home. Doesn't she worry, the gaggle asks, about her teen daughter?

"Precious" walks through fires of abuse into miracle of empathy

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:15:19 -0700

Here are two words we promise not to use in this review of "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire": monstrous and horrific. It isn't that those descriptions aren't appropriate. They are. Lee Daniels' astounding second feature is, after all, the pained saga of a child shaped by abuse — sexual, emotional and, yes, socioeconomic.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 To see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:01:52 -0700

Because festivals are the place to discover talented new directors. "Children of Invention": In his debut feature, writer-director Tze Chun exhibits a fine sense of the intimate with this tale of two children fending for themselves when their mother, a Chinese immigrant, is unwittingly snagged in a sting.

Limon prison is doing some time in "Lockup"

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:59:40 -0700

Avert your gaze, "Lockup" is on. By now you've learned to look away as a matter of course. "Lockup" is the creepy documentary series that bears avoiding whenever it elbows onto MSNBC.

Oft-shown artists at Gallery, DAM joined for exhibit

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:59:02 -0700

Because group shows at commercial art galleries can be easily overlooked roundups of the usual suspects, curators often try to come up with some kind of theme or other attention-grabbing tack.

Railroad Earth keeps it fresh for Boulder shows

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:58:17 -0700

New Jersey six-piece Railroad Earth is one of those groups that proudly, and deftly, straddle the line between folk outfit and jam band. The group's bluegrass roots are evident in its skillfully picked songs, its collaborative creative process and its diverse instrumentation.

Best Bets

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:55:54 -0700

Alvin Gregorio, an assistant professor of art at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has taken over the Vertigo Art Space, 960 Santa Fe Drive. He has joined four other artists in an installation billed as a cross between Pippi Longstocking's Villa Villakula and indigenous bamboo-hut villages in Gregorio's native Philippines.

Christine Brewer's celebration of Strauss' seasons took time to mature

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:43:05 -0700

For Christine Brewer, there's something deeply personal about Richard Strauss' "Four Last Songs.""My first encounter with the songs came when I was about 19 years old," said the Grammy Award-winning American soprano. She'll perform the work with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra tonight and Saturday.

Royal female finish for Starz Film Fest with "Young Victoria"

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:40:12 -0700

It is good to be queen. Or at least to portray Britain's longest-ruling monarch as a bright young thing, Emily Blunt acknowledges. "She's a wonderful character at the end of the day, and I wanted to do her justice, rather than just the fact she reigned England," she said of her role in "The Young Victoria." Rupert Friend plays Albert.

Movies Now Showing

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:27:29 -0700

Dining Out

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:23:50 -0700

A sampling of recent restaurant reviews by Denver Post critic Tucker Shaw.

Art show openings

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:22:21 -0700

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:21:12 -0700

"SMALLVILLE," 8 p.m., KWGN-Channel 2 Luckily, this is one of those shows you can dip into at any point and sort of know what's going on. Tonight, Clark makes a decision about nemesis Zod.

Clubs

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:12:49 -0700

People: Ryan O'Neal is "fine" with Farrah Fawcett's will shocker

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / Denver Post) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:37:30 -0700

Also

Nic Cage visits pirates

Lynch makes guru film

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:15:25 -0700

"FRINGE," 8 p.m., KDVR-Channel 31 We finally learn a bit more about The Observer, following the case of a strange abduction in Boston.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 To see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:13:55 -0700

Because no one said film love should be easy: "Fish Tank": Andrea Arnold is not a comfy director. Her Oscar-winning short, "Wasp," was a marvel with a lead character who infuriated. Her debut feature, "Red Road," was a smart and difficult thriller about crime, revenge and surveillence

Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 Questions for "One for the Road" actor Manuel Garcia-Rulfo

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:10:12 -0700

In Eva Lopez Sánchez's "One for the Road," the one isn't a drink but one last bottle of tequila shared by four friends (and Alan, a wealthy arrogant tagalong). They wind up having wildly divergent adventures in the wee hours in Mexico City.

Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 Questions for Victor Fabrizio

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:25:20 -0700

Talk about your smart product placement. Sunday night the pizza in the filmmakers lounge at the Tivoli was from Basil Doc's (yum). The drinks were courtesy of Argonaut Liquor (ahh), sponsor of the lounge. During the day, Noodles & Co. provided lunch.

People: Brooke Shields talks about suicidal thoughts as new mom

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / Denver Post) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:34:26 -0700

Also

Eastwood: Nation of "juveniles"

Branjelina's jewelry line

Longtime friends' chemistry helps with indie-rock nobility

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:06:57 -0700

The elements that collide to create the Dutchess and the Duke's songs are glorious individually but slightly odd when tossed together. Linear lyrics that aren't afraid of going meta. Expansive, wall-of-sound production. Simple, if addictive, vocal harmonies. Guitar solos mimicking '50s-rock simplicity.

Husted: Imagine 500 Santas on a pub crawl through LoDo

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:32:15 -0700

Christmas is in the air and that means just one thing to me. SANTA CLAUS PUB CRAWL!

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 to see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:41:49 -0700

Because Italians have a way with food — and film "Mid-August Lunch": Maria & Tommaso Maglione Italian Filmmaker Award recipient Gianni Di Gregorio has made a film about aging that is charming and unsentimental. The director, a screenwriter and the lead, Di Gregorio plays Gianni.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:39:05 -0700

"THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE," 7 p.m., KCNC-Channel 4 Tonight's episode is aptly titled "Love Means Never Having to Say You're Crazy." Christine sets up Richard with a beautiful woman who works out at her gym.

People: Farrah Fawcett reportedly bequeaths $100K to former lover

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / Denver Post) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:08:26 -0700

Also

Courtney a "Scream"

Queen for King of Leon

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 to see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:03:42 -0700

Because cultural elders keep the faith: "Still Bill": After a slew of hits, Bill Withers, singer-songwriter of "Lean on Me," "Ain't No Sunshine" and the glorious "Lovely Day," decided on a path away from fame. Documentary filmmakers Damani Baker, Alex Vlack and Jon Fine trace his journey with the help of Cornel West and Sting, among others.

Denver's 2010 Biennial of the Americas to park downtown

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:52:59 -0700

The length has shortened, the scale has shrunk and the focus has tightened, but Denver's kickoff Biennial of the Americas remains on track for tnext summer. While some elements of the biennial are taking shape, others remain unclear, such as exactly who and what will be featured during the event — a combination art fair and community colloquium.

Indie bands boost indie films

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:16:01 -0700

The Starz Denver Film Festival is also presenting the accompanying ongoing live Love Hope Strength Music Lounge, a week-long series of live concerts that runs through Thursday. While the name band of the week is Gin Blossoms, the rest of the bands are all local.

Baroque ensemble Rebel spans centuries

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:09:28 -0700

"Kingdoms and Viceroys" served as a wonderfully lofty and revealing title of an uncommon musical program in Boulder's Macky Auditorium on Sunday. In a lively journey through the 17th and 18th centuries, Rebel — a New York-based Baroque ensemble — delivered an energetic, polished and creative performance.

Low-key "Idol" winner Kris Allen remains humble

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:06:37 -0700

Kris Allen knows he's not garnering as much attention as Adam Lambert — and that's OK with him. Since foiling Lambert at the "American Idol" finale in May, the 24-year-old singer- songwriter from Conway, Ark., has not appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

Ostrow: For local stations, a sweepingly bad November

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:05:50 -0700

The first half of the November sweeps reveals lots of audience erosion for the Denver TV affiliates.

Peace superstar Rigoberta Menchú Tum set to take the stage

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:35:37 -0700

Dawn Engle is co-founder of PeaceJam, an international education program based in Arvada that brings young people into contact with Nobel Peace Prize winners to work for change. This year PeaceJam is bringing 1992 Nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchú Tum to Denver.

New On DVD

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:19:18 -0700

J.J. Abrams — a master in his own television universe with "Lost" — has beamed onto screens a prequel worthy of the wit and grit of Gene Roddenberry's 1960s television series. Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock head a fresh cast of dopplegangers — if not physically, then in spirit.

New CDs In Review

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:15:20 -0700

Norah Jones, "The Fall" (EMI Blue Note). Norah Jones ditches her old band and most of her trademark piano playing for her latest release, "The Fall." Jones sounds more confident and stretches her songwriting muscle on her fourth solo record. It's simple, restrained but still melodic.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:04:43 -0700

"THE GOOD WIFE," 9 p.m., KCNC-Channel 4 Alicia (Julianna Margulies) gets ready to defend a scientist accused of arson; her imprisoned husband, Peter (Chris Noth), begins his appeals process.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 To see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:39:42 -0700

Talk about your local fellas making good. Director Michael Sladek returns home (his family's roots in Denver run deep and wide) from New York with a docu-comedy about artist Mark Kostabi.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 To see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:39:20 -0700

Because movies can connect the dots: "Environment in Focus: A Panel": This year's fest highlights four movies with environmental themes. Directors from two of them ("Split Estate" and "So Right So Smart") will join local businesspeople for a discussion of smart and green issues.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 To see today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:38:58 -0700

An Evening with Ernie Gehr, this year's Stan Brakhage Award recipient: Gehr's work must be seen on-screen. There, the images seem to say, "Let's get lost." Light. Motion. Silence. Time. These become themes, repeated, submitted to.

Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 Questions for Natasha Hoover, film society operations director

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:37:49 -0700

It was just a few days before the 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival kicked off, and Natasha Hoover, pictured, operations director of the Denver Film Society, was pulling out a slightly limp box of Hot Pockets from her bag. They hadn't thawed. But headed into the Starz FilmCenter fridge, they seemed dodgy.

32nd Starz Denver Film Festival: 3 To See Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:29:50 -0700

Because the documentary programs at the fest just keep getting better: "The Horse Boy": Journalist Rupert Isaacson and his wife sojourn across Mongolia on horseback- visiting shamans in the hopes of healing their autistic son, Rowan, who engages with horses. The filmmaker was along for the lyrical, stirring ride.

People: Angelina Jolie and dad Jon Voigt reportedly patching things up

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:27:58 -0700

Also

Britney's Twitter hacked

Prison for Tyson?

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:25:23 -0700

"CASTLE," 9 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7 The mystery writer lands in the world of ex-cons and escorts while investigating a murder.

Review: Bad blood flows in "Anna Christie"

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:58:44 -0700

The bile flows more freely than the booze in Germinal Stage-Denver's presentation of Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie," to the point where, really, you just kind of have to chuckle at it. Rating: **1/2

Interview: A mother and daughter try to make things "Well"

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:07:41 -0700

A lot of fancy jargon has been tossed around to describe "Well," playwright Lisa Kron's unusual stage memoir: Meta-theatrical. Pirandellian. Deconstructionist. The director and star of a new staging by the Denver Center Theatre Company say: Don't forget "fun."

Moore: Openstage to go nomad for year of Lincoln Center renovations

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:36:58 -0700

The Lincoln Center in Fort Collins will close at the end of May for a $6 million renovation, which will leave one of the state's biggest and oldest theater companies homeless for a season. Also: View a trailer for this week's screening of Listen Productions' "DNC Mediamockracy."

The roles of Women + Film founder Barbara Bridges

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:32:17 -0700

The date was Jan. 2, 2002, recalls Barbara Bridges. That was the day she "decided to go out into the world." Her two boys were old enough. (They're 29 and 21 now.) Both a philanthropist and an activist, she had the resources. Mostly, though, she had a curiosity.

Husted: Stars Ford and Glover give fave causes a lift

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:28:48 -0700

Two headliners were in town Saturdaynot for the Starz Denver Film Festival, but for causes they care about: Harrison Ford for aviation and Danny Glover for learning disabilities.

Husted: Former Colo. secretary of state knows how to rock

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:04:28 -0700

How do you celebrate your 75th birthday? With a rock concert (sorta), followed by a rockin' party.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:32:38 -0700

"GOODFELLAS," 7 p.m., BRAVO — A great New York Mafia story, set in the 1950s-70s, starring Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. The 1990 film by Martin Scorsese got five Oscar nominations.

A new language for a new American theater

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:39:29 -0700

As many theater companies retrench into the economic safety of familiar seasonal fare, Curious Theatre ventures forth into the thrill of the unknown. "Ameriville," a form-bending, socially conscious new fusion of spoken-word poetry, hip-hop, jazz, comedy and politics, opens Saturday. It's written and performed by the nationally regarded Bronx-based ensemble Universes.

"A Fiery Peace in a Cold War" by Neil Sheehan

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:48:20 -0700

The men in the Schriever family were venturesome types who immigrated to America to better themselves or took to the sea. Schriever's paternal grandfather, Bernhard, after whom he was named, had jumped ship as a young German sailor in the port of Norfolk, Virginia, in 1860 and volunteered for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.

"The Tyranny of E-Mail" by John Freeman

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:41:57 -0700

Chapter OneThe Pitched Battle 1 Words in Motion I watched a letter that I had written start off on its journey in a howling snowstorm, high in the mountains of Finnish Lapland.

"Trotsky: Downfall of a Revolutionary" by Bertrand M. Patenaude

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:33:17 -0700

"Precious" buzz adds to Denver film fest excitement

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:06:29 -0700

The red carpet rolled up to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on Thursday night to kick-start the 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival. Make that a blue carpet — the signature color of child abuse prevention — to honor the Kempe Foundation, sponsor of the opening-night event.

"Collision" deftly avoids being a "Crash" rip-off

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:04:20 -0700

Who hasn't slowed down to take at least a glance over the highway divider at someone else's very bad day? Chances are, though, that we'll never learn very much about the people trapped in twisted metal or standing, dazed, at the side of a vehicle that won't be going anywhere any time soon.

Four possible directions for Denver's public art

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:02:43 -0700

Denver boasts a fast-growing, multifaceted public art collection that stands up well to that in most other metropolitan areas its size. But even with 300 or so pieces in a vast range of styles and approaches, there are still gaps in the collection — influential artists not included, artistic areas underrepresented.

Jazz: Lesser-known Denver-bound performers can make for compelling listening

editor@denverpost.com (Bret Saunders) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:58:23 -0700

There seems to be a lull in the big, nationally recognized names appearing in Denver this month. But that's all right; sometimes the under-the-radar stuff is deeper, more compelling, and even more rewarding if you're willing to seek it out. Check out these examples.

Taking it to the next level at Denver's Pavilions shopping center

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:56:21 -0700

If there's one lesson downtown developers can learn from the attractive rehab of the Denver Pavilions shopping center it is this: A little bit of paint can go a long way. Of the many recent improvements to the much-maligned shopping mall on 16th Street, the ones that stand out most are the upgraded hues of the walls, railings, lighting and more.

Ostrow: New "Prisoner" can't escape its own overstuffed plot

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:43:39 -0700

The 1960s BBC series "The Prisoner," a mystifying and surreal adventure in paranoia and alienation, ran for only 17 episodes but remains a beloved cult favorite. The new "Prisoner," premiering tonight, Monday and Tuesday at 6 and 8 on AMC, begins well as a disorienting exercise in distingushing reality from virtual reality.

Public Art: Panels give Denver residents a say

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:32:06 -0700

Jutting into the Colorado sky from the corner of Broadway and Blake Street, Joseph Riche's "Trade Deficit" is an improbable but fitting addition to the Ballpark neighborhood. Like the ever-morphing area around it, the sculpture — one of a trio that includes two smaller pieces in the neighborhood — invokes Denver's industrial past.

A wife so gorgeous the gifts won't stop

editor@denverpost.com (Randy Cohen) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:23:56 -0700

Q: I have a very attractive wife. When she is out with our two cute baby girls, she often receives free groceries, free fast food — the guy at Dunkin' Donuts loves her — and free clothes. Frequently she does not realize she has the gifts (or stolen goods) until she is in the car, driving away.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:22:19 -0700

"COLLISION," 9 p.m., KRMA-Channel 6 Ten people are involved in a serious traffic accident. The drama is the latest from "Masterpiece Contemporary."

Seen First: A 'Precious' opening

editor@denverpost.com (Joanne Davidson / Denver Post Columnist) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:21:55 -0700

Anything can - and often does - happen on an opening night, and the 2,000 film buffs who were at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House Thursday witnessed a touching first: An award-winning director shedding tears of true joy as he thanked the Denver couple whose faith in him resulted in "Precious," the much talked about film that opened the 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival.

People: "Office Space" star and "Rachel Getting Married" actress wed

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / Denver Post) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:07:01 -0700

Also

Rihanna's concert menu

Liz Hurley's svelte secret

Quartet plus trio equals 7th heaven

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:05:14 -0700

A handful of masterpieces — including Mendelssohn's transcendent Octet — have been written for larger instrumental combinations than quartets or trios, but major examples of these augmented chamber works remain unusual.

Play a role in the film festival frenzy at camera-ready local watering holes

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:44:54 -0700

With the Starz Denver Film Festival lighting up this weekend, Denver is going movie-mad. Maybe it won't hit the heights of Broncomania, but the film freakout will be intense in the downtown area.

Fashion steps up at Starz film fest

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:43:58 -0700

From stilettos to sneakers, fashion was all over the map Thursday night at the opening of the Starz Denver Film Festival.

Review: The apocalypse is absurdly entertaining in over-the-top "2012"

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:04:10 -0700

Few filmmakers destroy the planet with as much unabashed glee as Roland Emmerich. In his previous films, he has eradicated the White House ("Independence Day"), the Statue of Liberty ("The Day After Tomorrow") and Matthew Broderick's career ("Godzilla"). Now comes "2012."

Snipes' quirky ceramics shown at Plinth Gallery

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:56:28 -0700

A bright spot among the commercial spaces that have emerged on the Denver art scene in recent years is the Plinth Gallery, which opened in June 2007 in a smartly renovated storefront at 3250 Brighton Blvd.

Denver Art Museum's addition turning a corner with "Embrace!"

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:39:13 -0700

When the Denver Art Museum unveiled its $110 million addition, it pledged that the sleek, unconventional structure would take the city's signature art institution in a more ambitious, and global, direction.

Best Bets

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:33:54 -0700

Fall is full swing for Front Range dance companies, and this weekend offers a host of options. Two of our favorites: Decorated local company Kim Robards Dance kicks off its 23rd season with a preview of a new work tonight-Saturday at its "3-D: Dance, Drinks, Desserts" event.

Early music's Rebel revels in name's connotations

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:17:26 -0700

Rebel is hardly a typical name for an early-music ensemble. And that's the point. The New York-based group is named for the innovative French baroque composer Jean-Fery Rebel, but its members also like the tradition- busting dual connotation of the name.

Broken Lizard takes its comedy live in Boulder

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:13:15 -0700

The road is a way of life for most working comedians, so playing clubs and theaters is no big deal, right? Wrong. One of the most terrifying things performers can do is hit the road, especially if they're better known for their movies than their stage shows.

Best Shows this week, 11/13/09

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:11:15 -0700

Air Dubai, a Denver hip-hop/rock act with an emphasis on live instrumentation, will headline the Marquis Theater tonight with Pirate Signal, Effektor and From Blonde to Black.

Art show openings

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:55:46 -0700

Hot Tix for hot shows, 11/13/09

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:53:47 -0700

Jay-Z ought to help fill the big-name hip-hop void left by Kanye West's brief tour tease last month, a tour canceled only two days after it was trumpeted. Of course, fans of Jay-Z might argue that Hov is a far better emcee than West, and they would not be wrong.

Tickets for future shows, 11/13/09

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:49:44 -0700

Family Films: One man's lonely struggle for truth in the North

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:47:55 -0700

Is it a contradiction to recommend a DVD for the idea that it may help combat media saturation? On the theory that you and your kids will be watching something on a screen anyway, here's hoping you'll make room for 1983's "Never Cry Wolf," a quietly beautiful meditation on going it alone in the wilderness, rather than spending the day texting and tweeting.

Now Showing

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:47:22 -0700

Movies opening this week:

Review: Unpredictable "Maid" psychologically astute

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:25:08 -0700

Every once in awhile a film appears out of nowhere that doesn't go where you expect it to go or do what you expect it to do. "The Maid" has that particular gift of leaving you off balance in the best possible way.

Review: Soccer coach joins hated rival, falls from grace

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:15:12 -0700

Imagine if Al Lopez, not long after leading the White Sox to their 1959 pennant, had resigned to take Casey Stengel's job at the Yankees, insulted the players and fans and plummeted the team into a losing streak. That would parallel the career of Brian Clough, who led the underdog of Derby County to British football glory, and then took the manager's job at its hated archrival, Leeds United, and informed the players they were hooligans.

Review: "Pirate Radio" goes overboard, but that's just part of its charm

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:11:28 -0700

Richard Curtis makes romantic, sentimental and overlong comedies filled to the rafters with friends as cast members. He's a British Judd Apatow — indulgent, substituting sweetness for edge, charm for shock value.

Review: Quirks for quirks' sake don't add up to satire in "Gentlemen Broncos"

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:08:32 -0700

Watching "Gentlemen Broncos" sparks the pressing question: "Is it worse to be clueless or self-deluded?" That's because every character in this ill-conceived curio from the quirky minds of co-writers Jared and Jerusha Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite," "Nacho Libre") is either one or the other — or both.

Review: Sequel is for "Boondock Saints" fans only

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:03:54 -0700

It was 10 years ago that Troy Duffy got his break when Miramax bankrolled his little Boston-set gangster movie. Then a documentary called "Overnight" revealed Duffy to be an abusive on-set monster. Then Miramax dumped him. Then he regrouped and made the movie on half the original budget.

Tonight: Starz rolls out red carpet for "Precious"

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:55:31 -0700

Before Oprah Winfrey lent her name to Lee Daniels' "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," there were producers Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness.

"This Too Shall Pass" artist shows staying power

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:47:53 -0700

Jenny Morgan grabbed the eye of the Denver art world even before she graduated from the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design in 2003 — the valedictorian of her class.

Top TV

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:45:47 -0700

Here are Nielsen ratings for the top 20 prime-time shows nationally, network newscasts and late Denver newscasts for last week.

Starz Denver honoree Ed Harris made time for directors' debut

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:38:09 -0700

It's the kind of a tale, full of gumption and luck, that bucks up newbie filmmakers everywhere. And, ironically, the story of how Ed Harris came to be in Noah and Logan Miller's intimate debut, "Touching Home," began at a film festival.

Clubs

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:28:46 -0700

Pixies are headed to town, and magic might be afoot

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:38:31 -0700

In alternative-rock circles, the Pixies are one of the most lauded, name- checked bands of the past three decades. Many of the other influential musicians from that era — Kurt Cobain and Billy Corgan included — have admitted their debt to the seminal Boston band and its quintessential record, "Doolittle."

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:31:07 -0700

"FRINGE," 8 p.m., KDVR-Channel 31 A kidnapping rapidly escalates into a hostage situation, and, as usual on this show, there are unknown forces and mind-blowing consequences.

Mariza followed her heart to fado music

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:29:53 -0700

With her mahogany-rich voice, impassioned performances and striking looks, the Portuguese fado singer Mariza has, in a few short years, become a reigning diva on the world music scene.

People: Celine Dion and spouse "determined" to get pregnant again

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / Denver Post) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:57:25 -0700

Also

Spitzer ethics lecture

No Aerosmith break-up

People: Ex-Miss California says she made erotic video for boyfriend

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith / Denver Post) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:39:10 -0700

Also

Lindsay was dating Ledger?

Meet the parents for Madonna

Starz rolls out sexy movie clip fest

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:23:45 -0700

Expect a spicy clip assemblage when Starz recounts the sexiest, most sex-obsessed, sexually boundary-breaking and sexually shocking movies of all time. From "Lolita" to "Caligula" to "American Beauty," the most memorable moments are all here.

People: Demi Moore says I'm not the first "older woman"

editor@denverpost.com (Compiled by Lori Smith) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:37:00 -0700

Also

Britney fans walk out

Goldie's in India, too

Shadow Theatre's board unanimously resigns

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:18:54 -0700

Shadow Theatre Company's board of directors has unanimously voted to resign, although three of the eight current members are part of a transition team that plans to form a new board.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:01:28 -0700

"43rd ANNUAL CMA AWARDS," 7 p.m., KMGH- Channel 7 It's country music's night. Performers include Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood co-host.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:58:45 -0700

"V," 7 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7 In the first episode after the pilot, Erica and Father Jack discover they are being tracked by a Seeker from the Vs. Chad tries to be a tougher journalist.

All eyes on Taylor Swift at CMA Awards

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:57:43 -0700

Kenny Chesney has made the very hard work of dominating country music look easy. And Taylor Swift is paying close attention. The 19-year-old sensation has the record sales. She beat out every living artist — no matter the genre — this year with more than 3 million copies of her "Fearless" CD sold and counting (only Michael Jackson has sold more).

Review: "Hoffmann" captures alluring fusion of fantasy and reality

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:55:36 -0700

"The Tales of Hoffmann" stands out as one of the most unusual and intriguing works in all of opera. For his final masterpiece, which remained unfinished at his death in October 1880, composer Jacques Offenbach left behind his popular operetta style and tackled an ambitious work with a strikingly modern structure and sensibility.

New On DVD

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:52:41 -0700

A codger and a kid take us up, up and away in a house carried aloft by balloons in this buoyant tale about aging and adventure, youth and sweet wisdom. Ed Asner and newcomer Jordan Nagai soar as retired balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen and Wilderness Explorer Russell.

TV Today

editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:46:35 -0700

"HOUSE," 7 p.m., KDVR-Channel 31 A teenage girl is brought to the hospital with severely swollen appendages after a wild night out. Meanwhile the doctor attends a medical conference.

"Fourth Kind" a more distant encounter

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:14:45 -0700

Someone or something has been terrorizing the people of Nome, Alaska.