Casting Nicole Kidman as The Golden Compass’s glacial, intractably smooth megalomaniac Mrs. Coulter is no less inspired for being obvious. Indeed, she was the first and only choice for director Chris Weitz, who adapted this first installment of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy. Despite the book’s description of the…
There are comedies of discomfort, and then there’s Margot at the Wedding, Noah Baumbach’s scalding followup to The Squid and the Whale. An immersion in sibling malice and simmering resentment, with one of the most infuriating characters in recent movies holding us under, Margot tramples the commandment that only the…
Re-reading Ian McEwan’s Atonement last weekend, my first thought was: I hope to God that Joe Wright — whose broadly grinning Pride & Prejudice made a mess of Jane Austen two years ago — doesn’t screw up this wonderful novel about lust, love, loss and what art can do to…
For a game that’s considered Microsoft’s premier 360 title this holiday season, it’s amazing how sloppy Mass Effect is. Graphical glitches distract from otherwise fascinating character designs and alien vistas, constant stops and stutters lengthen load times, and the inventory system must be the worst in history. And just as…
The Girl Next Door (Anchor Bay)If the horror of Saw was a poblano pepper, this here is the habañero. Derived from Jack Ketchum’s infamous novel, sometimes word-for-word, The Girl Next Door — based on a true story — is a sort of Hostel meets Stand By Me: A group of…
Battlestar Galactica: Razor (Universal) The Best of Crank Yankers (Paramount) Bob Hope: MGM Movie Legends Collection (MGM) Erik the Viking: The Director’s Cut (MGM) Exiled (Magnolia) The Flash Gordon Collection (Passport) Tyler Perry’s House of Payne: Volume One (Lionsgate) Ingmar Bergman: Four Masterworks (Criterion) Lady Chatterley (Kino) Law & Order:…
To turn Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice into a play, writer Jon Jory chose an approach somewhat reminiscent of reader’s theater, and the current Denver Center Theatre Company production maintains the style. The story of the vulgar Mrs. Bennet’s attempt to marry off her five daughters — and how, despite…
For many years, the Denver Center Theatre Company presented A Christmas Carol every holiday season, but this year, artistic director Kent Thompson has replaced it with a big song-and-dance-laden musical: White Christmas. Both shows are sentimental, feel-good fare; both feature protagonists who learn to renounce their own cynicism and hard-heartedness…
La Cage Aux Folles. This is a big, splashy musical with lots of big, splashy song numbers. But unlike many such musicals, La Cage Aux Folles also has heart, humor and a good story to tell. In a time of intense mean-spiritedness and prejudice, it carries a message of tolerance…
It’s hardly a new observation to say that the invention of photography revolutionized the visual arts; it’s trite, but true. Before photography, the best way to capture the appearance of exterior reality was to paint it. Once people could take photos, however, the idea of painting as a window on…
In Sporting and Recreation: Furniture, the current exhibit at Ironton Studios and Gallery (3636 Chestnut Place, www.irontonstudios.com), Chase DeForest has a lot of fun adding narrative content to things like sideboards and chairs. The items all reference some kind of leisure activity like a game. But DeForest is also interested…
American Art Invitational. Art, like politics, can be divided into liberal and conservative camps, with contemporary art representing the left and traditional art the right. But unlike politics, where the baton can pass back and forth between the two opposites, the art world has been run decisively by the liberals…
Boots are big this year, but for the vegan on your list, all those sleek miles of leather are a real bummer. Ahimsa Footwear, new this fall at 1668 Marion Street, has an answer to that fashion dilemma: Every product in the store is 100 percent vegan. Owners Lisa and…
Still seeking thoughtful, one-of-a-kind gifts for those special someones, friends and family members on your shopping list? Don’t panic. Grab your list and your wallet and get yourself to Downtown Aurora Visual Arts, 1405 Florence Street, for Wonders/Maravillas, the annual holiday show and sale of original artworks by DAVA youth…
Years and years ago, when I was a boy, when my family shared one telephone, when my grandfather snuck me tastes of beer, when my dad dressed as Santa Claus and we sat on his lap even when we knew it was him, before the Internet, before texting, before the…
Winter is hard on Marshall, my poor pooch. He still gets his daily trip to the dog park, but his favorite dog-park activity — swimming after his toy in the pond — is no longer feasible. It’s not that he’s averse to the cold water; it’s just that there’s ice…
It seems so obvious as to be laughable: Physically, women and men are very different. Female frames carry smaller shoulders and larger hips; men are more top-heavy and possess more upper-body strength. But when it comes to sports like skiing and snowboarding, we sometimes forget that what’s sauce for the…
Limber up your voice, brush up on your favorite Beatles tunes and head to the Mercury Cafe, 2199 California Street, today at 2 p.m. for the tenth annual John Lennon and Beatles Memorial Singalong. Join other Beatles fans in rousing renditions of favorite selections from the Beatles catalogue, along with…
Although he never set out to be the sentinel of the season, Brian Setzer has long had a knack for revitalizing forgotten genres: Beginning in the early ’80s, he and the Stray Cats reached the height of the rockabilly revival; in the ’90s, he and the Brian Setzer Orchestra set…
Rock and roll really can save the world. That’s the idea behind Fünde Razor, a 21-and-over charity event. Show up tonight at 6 p.m at the Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut Street, pay a $10 cover (plus donations, if you like), drink beer, buy $10 raffle tickets for kick-ass prizes and…
Explore the weirder side of the city today when the Bizarre Denver collective presents its Bizarre Bazaar, a showcase for local artists, musicians and community organizations. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Brooks Center Arts, at 1400 Williams Street, will play host to nearly two dozen artists displaying their work…
According to Mark Lundholm, star attraction of the Comedy Addiction Tour, “There’s only one story worth talking about, ever; I don’t care if it’s the Bible or Harry Potter. And that story is redemption.” Lundholm knows this tale intimately. He’s a former substance abuser who polished comedy routines about his…
