Kansas City Star: Entertainment

Music venue address book

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:15 CDT

Addresses, Web sites and phone numbers for music venues throughout Kansas City and Lawrence

28-Second Film Fest finalists

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:18 CST

Check out the entries in our our 28-Second Film Fest contest.

What to watch | �Amazon Headshrinkers,' �Chef Academy' �

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

TODAY Thanks to “Search for the Amazon Headshrinkers” (8 p.m., National Geographic Channel), I no longer have to wonder what a recently deceased human head looks like as it is actually … being … shrunk. If you have trouble sleeping at night, don't say you weren't warned. The program kicks off Nat Geo's annual grab bag of sensational programming, “Expedition Week,” which will include shark hunts, sunken-treasure dives, Jesus archaeology and Mars exploration at 8 each night.

Robert Altman biographer speaks here Monday

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Mitchell Zuckoff, author of the newly published “Robert Altman: The Oral Biography,” will discuss the life and career of the Kansas City-born film director in a free presentation Monday. For the book, Zuckoff interviewed more than 200 of Altman's friends, co-workers, enemies and family members.

How will the arts survive? Expert Michael Kaiser has some answers

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Michael Kaiser has simple words of advice for nonprofit arts groups facing a bad economy: Be brave. Feeling the squeeze from dropping donations and government grants? Then take your audience by surprise.

Photo gallery | Illustrator Shane Evans

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:44 CST

FIRST LOOK | "The Road" opens Nov. 25

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:25 CST

Entertainment | Clarence Clemons, Sarah Palin, Joseph Wapner, The Pillars of the Earth, Trek, 2012

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:21 CST

Photos | '2012'

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:34 CST

Entertainment | Twilight, Cyndi Lauper, Balloon Boy, Susan Sarandon, Lou Dobbs, Andy Warhol

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:25 CST

AMC's remake of �The Prisoner' is captivating

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The first time I became aware of the cryptic 1960s British drama series “The Prisoner” was in 1995. The Sci-Fi Channel was showing repeats and wanted to try an experiment with this new thing called cyberspace. So the channel invited a bunch of smarties from a bulletin board I was on called ECHO to watch all 17 episodes together and post their reactions, which scrolled along the bottom of the screen as the show aired.

Har Mar Superstar's show was purely recreational music and cheese

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

American Heartland's ‘Wonderful Life': a fresh interpretation of a Christmas classic

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Some shows that really shouldn’t work can turn out quite nicely if you have just the right combination of talent. That’s certainly the case with “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at the American Heartland Theatre. This crisply directed, well-acted show hits most of the right notes and avoids potential pitfalls.

Low-budget director Roger Corman to get an Oscar

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Roger Corman, dubbed “the Orson Welles of the Z-Movie” and “the Pope of Pop Cinema,” never thought the words “Academy Award recipient” would accompany his name. The man whose 350 movie credits include such low-budget fare as “The Masque of the Red Death” and “X: The Man With the X-Ray Eyes” is receiving an honorary Oscar for a lifetime of achievement that includes mentoring such filmmakers as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron and Ron Howard.

Marine, actor, author and hometown boy Rudy Reyes speaks at Zona Rosa today

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

By the end of his second tour of duty in Iraq, Rudy Reyes had seen just about every form of cruelty that man can inflict on others. But nothing — not his tough upbringing in Kansas City, not the years spent in the boys home with his two brothers, not seeing his fellow Reconnaissance Marines killed and maimed — nothing prepared him for the final indignity of his military service.

Calendar | Theater openings, Nov. 15-21

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

For complete listings, go to KansasCity.com.

Calendar | Theater closings, Nov. 15-21

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

THEATER

Calendar | Visual arts closings, Nov. 15-21

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

GALLERIES “PATTERN & FORM IN A GRAPHIC DESIGN CONTEXT” BY RAMZY MASRI: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 20. KCAI Crossroads Gallery, 1908 Main. www.kcai.edu (816-802-3423)

Calendar | Classical music, Nov. 15-21

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

For complete listings, go to KansasCity.com. CLASSICAL MUSIC

‘2012': With special effects it's not a total disaster | 2 stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

Now we know how the world ends — with a whimper, a very loud whimper. That’s the conundrum of “2012”: We’re so bored by the human characters we end up rooting for the apocalypse.

Calendar | Visual arts openings, Nov. 15-21

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

For complete listings, KansasCity .com.

‘Pirate Radio' makes an occasional comic splash | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

All windup and no delivery, “Pirate Radio” puts a bunch of eccentric characters in a confined space and hopes that will be enough. It isn’t, but the film has its moments.

Stargazing | Denzel is Broadway-bound; ‘Twilight' news

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Denzel heading to Broadway The list of movie stars finding work on Broadway just keeps growing.

‘The Damned United': Quite the team of actors | 3 stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

Some actors are so much fun you’ll even watch them in a film you didn’t care about. Michael Sheen is one of those performers.

‘Streetballers': Many (too many?) balls in the air | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

First features don’t get much more ambitious than the St. Louis-shot “Streetballers,” which comes to the Tivoli after racking up kudos on the festival circuit. Matt Krentz’s debut reminds a bit of Edward Burns’ “The Brothers McMullen.” In both cases a multiple-threat filmmaker (Krentz wrote, directed, produced and stars) handles material with which he is familiar and comfortable.

‘Ten9Eight': An uplifting documentary with KC connections | 2 ½ stars

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

“Ten9Eight” is basically an industrial film. A very slick, carefully crafted and sometimes emotionally engaging industrial film that was in effect paid for by the very program whose virtues it extols.

Roland Emmerich's latest big-budget doomsday extravaganza is his ‘darkest film' to date

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

CANCUN, Mexico | Roland Emmerich has an ongoing project: destroying the world. In 1996’s “Independence Day,” the German director sent aliens to wipe out the White House. In 1998, he unleashed “Godzilla” to wreak havoc on the streets of New York. In 2004’s “The Day After Tomorrow,” he froze the planet in a new ice age. But in his new film, “2012,” to be released Friday the 13th and already the eye of a vast promotion storm, things get really bad. Emmerich, who has earned the unofficial title of “Master of Disaster,” admits having searched Google for a doomsday scenario even more spectacular than his previous destructions of Earth. He came up with the Mayan calendar, which abruptly expires Dec. 21, 2012 — the end of the world, some theorists believe.

Cold War movie classics that still thrill

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Did you ever think you might actually miss the Cold War? Feel a twinge of nostalgia for a time when we knew exactly whom our enemies were? Yearn for those glory days when we didn’t question whether we were the good guys, even if we should have? I never expected to and yet as we mark the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall’s fall, I’ve been hit by a wistful wave, especially for the heroes and villains of cinema past who roamed the Eastern Bloc with wits sharp and weapons at the ready.

Taylor Swift tops Country Music Association awards

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:01 CST

NASHVILLE, Tenn. | It’s been Taylor Swift’s year, and Wednesday was her night as she became the youngest person and the first solo female act in a decade to win the Country Music Association’s entertainer of the year award. Swift won all four awards for which she was nominated, making history on a night that included Darius Rucker’s win as new artist.

Tickets on sale | Bon Jovi coming to the Sprint Center on March 15

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

On sale Friday B.B. King and Buddy Guy, Feb. 19, the Midland. $25-$132.50

Alacartoona is 'Souled' out this weekend

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

If they’re not the hardest-working band in the city, they must be the busiest. One month after the premiere of their film, “Night Is the Mirror,” the members of Alacartoona are back in the business of live theater.

New music from Norah Jones, John Mayer and others coming Tuesday, Nov. 17

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Just in time for Christmas rush, two of the more popular and successful singer/songwriters of this decade will release new albums on Tuesday: Norah Jones and John Mayer.

Jazz icon Lionel Loueke has earned the title

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

When the much-buzzed-about guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke comes to the Blue Room tonight, prepare to have your skepticism deflated.

Artist Keltie Ferris exhibits at Kemper at the Crossroads

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

New York artist Keltie Ferris makes vibrant, layered paintings fired with youthful optimism and a sense of possibility. Eleven of them are on display in a new exhibit at Kemper at the Crossroads, the last show organized by curator Chris Cook before he left the museum to take a job at the Salina Art Center. Ferris is a standard bearer of a new energy in the field of abstract painting. Her big, eye-popping canvases mark a departure from the ironic, concept-driven works and dreary abstractions of found materials that have dominated galleries and museums in recent seasons.

Kansas City Art Institute professor's Obama poster collection is now a book

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

A year ago, Kansas City Art Institute professor Hal Wert showed his collection of Barack Obama street posters at the school’s H&R Block Artspace. Now the posters have been assembled into a 188-page book, “Hope: A Collection of Obama Posters and Prints.”

Charlotte Street Foundation to open Visual Artist Awards show

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Winners of the 2009 Charlotte Street Foundation Visual Artist Awards show off their recent accomplishments Friday, in an exhibit opening with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kansas City Art Institute’s Block Artspace.

Czechs celebrate 20 years since Velvet Revolution

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:35 CST

Former Czech President Vaclav Havel opened the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Velvet Revolution with a concert attended by celebrities.

Palin's memoirs triggers a boomlet of other books

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:30 CST

Sarah Palin may fashion herself as a go-it-alone maverick, but her book is producing a crowd.

Palin says she didn't know Bristol was having sex

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:30 CST

Sarah Palin says she didn't know her daughter Bristol was sexually active before she learned the teenager was pregnant.

‘A Christmas Carol': Jim Carrey is a memorable miser | 3 stars

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

There are a few moments in Disney’s computer-animated “A Christmas Carol” when director Robert Zemeckis seems bent on re-imagining the yarn as a theme park thrill ride. But despite these lapses into unnecessary and unwelcome audience pandering, this “Carol” delivers. And Jim Carrey gets most of the credit.

Michael Sheen vamps it up in ‘New Moon'

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:15 CST

It’s a crisp May morning on the set of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” and Michael Sheen strides into an elaborate reconstruction of an Italianate marble hall. He’s in costume as Aro, the head of the Volturi, a menacing group of age-old vampires that metes out justice in the realm of the supernatural. Dressed in a cloak, he’s sporting long, black locks, bright red lips and matching tinted contact lenses that give him a distinctly malevolent look.

Movie Mom | ‘2012,' ‘The Box'

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Information for parents deciding which movies are best for kids ages 2 to 18: ‘2012’

Review | 'Remember Me'

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:22 CST

Love, passion, sex, death, and resurrection are all timeless themes in the arts, and all were well represented in a memorable contemporary dance drama by Kansas City native David Parsons.

‘Wicked': The hit machine lands for a long Music Hall run

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Theater composers have a couple of reliable tricks to fall back on if the music at hand is not destined for the Show Tune Hall of Fame. One is to simply make it loud, so the actors can belt out a song for all it’s worth, which is often enough to convince ticket-buyers that they’re getting their money’s worth. The other is to make sure even relatively quiet songs wrap up with the Big Finish, suggesting that the emotion-tugging swell may actually be deserved.

For producer, KC Rep's �Christmas Story' is a dream come true

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Gerald Goehring learned long ago how to stretch a dollar. When he blew into New York City a couple of decades ago with a theater degree from Wichita State University, he quickly discovered that his calling card into the world of professional theater would not be his artistic aspirations but his carpentry skills.

'It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play' reverently reimagines beloved movie

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:15 CST

Some shows that really shouldn’t work can turn out quite nicely if you have just the right combination of talent That’s the case with “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at the American Heartland Theatre. This crisply directed, well-acted show hits most of the right notes and avoids potential pitfalls.

Unicorn Theatre takes on campaign politics in 'Farragut North'

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Beau Willimon was there the night of the Dean Scream. He synthesized many of his experiences there in his play “Farragut North,” about a fictional presidential primary campaign.

More non-cartoons coming to Cartoon Network

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:13 CST

As I reported earlier this year, Adult Swim has seen some success picking up quirky British sitcoms that didn't quite work anywhere else on cable except for brief plays on BBC America. The fact that they aren't cartoons meant little...

Droid is no iPhone ... but why does it need to be?

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:14 CST

Occasionally I put on my tech hat, usually when my personal technology is at stake. Today I reviewed the Verizon Wireless Droid, which was released this morning at stores. Here's my review and below, a video I put together after...

Are just TV heartthrobs like Willie Aames bad with money?

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:12 CST

Not surprisingly, the comments section to my story on former "Eight Is Enough" actor Willie Aames' money troubles is filling up with notes of compassion and support: > "How do you start over from scratch? Being famous probably helps quite...

Who is John Christopher Turner?

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:20 CDT

John Christopher Turner found himself in the news yesterday. The Star did some reporting on his family, still living here in the area, and his apparent role in saving lives during yesterday's brazen attack on a hotel compound where UN...

Who is John Christopher Turner?

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:20 CDT

Review: Alacartoon's 'Bought and Souled'

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:30 CST

The legend of Faust has found many a place in the world of modern music, from Robert Johnson's mythical trip to the Crossroads to Randy Newman's musical "Faust." It's a theme worth exploring, especially in these hyper-marketing days: How much would you compromise your art for a taste of wealth and fame? Friday night at the Off Center Theater in Crown Center, Alacartoona addressed that theme in the musical comedy "Bought and Souled." Though the narrative itself doesn't take its audience to a new destination -- they do the deal and pay the price for it -- the viewer has...

On the way: new music

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:32 CST

Just in time for Christmas rush, two of the more popular and successful singer/songwriters of this decade will release new albums on Tuesday: Norah Jones and John Mayer. Those are two of a slew of records released this Tuesday or due next Tuesday: Norah Jones | 'The Fall' On her fourth studio album and the first since “Not Too Late,” released in January 2007, Jones switches from piano to guitar almost all the time. She also surrounds herself with some famous friends and collaborators: Ryan Adams (who co-wrote “Light as a Feather”), Smokey Hormel, Marc Ribot and Will Shelf of...

Review: Har Mar at the Brick bar

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:46 CST

His music is part disco, part funk, part hip-hop, part pop and rock. Some of it is live; some is programmed and canned. His act is all camp, kitsch and processed cheese. It was all enough to attract about 100 fans to the Brick on Wednesday night for a short but lively performance by the singer/songwriter/actor Sean Tillman, who performs as Har Mar Superstar. He's the total package: dancer, singer, songwriter, rapper and amateur Chippendale. If this show had any shred of a theme or message, it was: Take your fun seriously, but not yourself. Or: Laugh at yourself and...

Taylor Swift: Pulling a fast one?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:08 CST

She will be coronated tonight at the CMA Awards show as the next huge thing in country and pop music. She doesn't lip-synch, exactly, but she gets some help -- the equivalent of implants -- as do others. Here are some e-mails sent to Bob Lefsetz at the Lefsetz Letter from people inside the industry who have seen and heard plenty: told you that 3-4 months ago. but I was just ignored. Wait until you hear the award show tomorrow night. Nashville should change its name to Auto Tune City name withheld so I can still work in this fake...

Steven Tyler: 'I did not'

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:18 CST

He says Aerosmith isn't dead, it's resting. He announced that while performing at a gig with the Joe Perry Project.

Bleu Tomato: Fancy food, De Soto prices

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

When a jogger tells you the restaurant you’re looking for is “right next to the Dollar General,” it’s hard to keep your culinary hopes aloft. But Bleu Tomato turns out to be a cozy oasis of solid, value-priced food and bohemian decor in De Soto, halfway between Lawrence and Kansas City in western Johnson County.

Japanese steakhouse Sumo by Nambara scores well with diners looking for an evening of food and fun

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:15 CDT

Japanese steakhouses in Kansas City were few and far between when I was growing up. They weren’t just restaurants — they were destinations, usually reserved for birthdays, proms and other celebrations.

The Drop Bar and Bistro

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:15 CDT

I'd been hoping to check out the Drop: Bar and Bistro for a while now. A friend recently told me, “I never expected such fancy food on Martini Corner. It's a lot more than bar food.” So four of us gathered to put that high praise to the test.

Oak 63

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:15 CDT

Corner cafes at every turn, haricot verts atop my salad and a shared bottle of Côtes du Rhône: little aspects of everyday life in France that bring big smiles. This summer I was lucky enough to spend a week in Paris (where I could live on pastries, bread and cheese alone).

Gourmet or greasy, there's a burger joint perfect for you

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:15 CDT

I'm not sure a hamburger needs to go gourmet. A carelessly tended yard burger, charred and flavored with grill gunk, can come as close to culinary heaven in my book as seared foie gras in Calvados.

Owner, chef bring sophistication to beer and burgers at the Westside Local

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:15 CDT

The Westside Local is one of those places that feels special and comfortably neighborhood at the same time. With its exposed brick, salvaged-wood tabletops and a beer garden out back, it has a friendly, workmanlike demeanor.

With 801 Chop House's Sunday night deal, you can afford the beef and the amazing appetizer, too

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:15 CDT

I'm a huge fan of high-end steak houses. My paycheck is not. My visits to expensive restaurants are rare, usually on someone else's dime, and it has been a long time.

REVIEW | Farragut North

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:37 CST

A famous line from “The Godfather” came to mind Friday night at the Unicorn Theatre as I watched a tasty little play about cutthroat politics: “It's not personal; it's business.”

Flawlessly produced 'Wicked' hits the jackpot

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:48 CST

The road company that set up "Wicked" at the Music Hall this week executes the material flawlessly, magnifying the show's best qualities and gamely forging ahead when the music fails them.

Megan Fox thinks you're stupid, Middle America

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:43 CST

Another day, another nugget of awesomeness from Megan Fox. She tells The New York Times that her movie "Jennifer's Body" tanked because "The movie is about a man-eating, cannibalistic lesbian cheerleader, and that pretty much eliminates middle America."

KC kids rockin' the boat (Video)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:32 CST

Ten local rock 'n' roll students set sail on Saturday on the trip of a lifetime: A cruise where they'll get to perform alongside heavy metal giants Skid Row, Tessla, Queensryche and Ratt.

Levi's Playgirl Shoot 'Fantastic'

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:01 CST

Forget Lady Gaga's "Disco Stick." Levi Johnston wielded a hockey stick in his much-anticipated Playgirl photo shoot Thursday, his manager confirms to Usmagazine.com.

Brothel owner fears employee killed in fire

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:16 CST

The owner of a Nevada brothel featured on the HBO reality show "Cathouse" said Thursday he fears one of his employees is among the four people whose bodies were found in a burning house in Oklahoma City.

Movie poll | What 'Twilight' team are you on?

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:53 CST

In "New Moon," Bella is torn between Edward the vampire and Jacob the werewolf. Which would you pick?

Concerto has its world premiere with a guest pianist and the Kansas City Symphony

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

Two years ago, in Memphis, Tenn., rising-star pianist Alon Goldstein played a brawny, contemporary sonata he'd been making his own. It was a calculated move, because Michael Stern was in hearing range, and Goldstein wanted him to tune into the work of the young composer, Avner Dorman, who, like Goldstein, is a native of Israel now living and making music in the U.S.

A meal at The Iron Horse is a ticket to a feast

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:15 CST

The Iron Horse bills itself as “an American bistro,” and the concept fits. In France, a bistro is usually a small, informal neighborhood joint specializing in a limited menu of home-style classics.

Holiday movie guide | Here's something for everyone

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:15 CST

For young to old, funny to serious, our holiday movie guide is stuffed with gifts for all sorts.