A+E: All the Arts + Entertainment You Can Eat

The One-Minute Reviewer: Jon Stewart


November 19, the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.


He was hilarious, of course. The topical stuff played well to the packed house—cheers greeted every Bush gag—but, in accordance with ironclad comedy law, he got the biggest laughs with dick jokes. He swung left, too, chiding liberals for comparing Bush to Hitler ("You know who was Hitler? Hitler"). If he faded in the second half, relying on dated material (Y2K) or wan cultural shtick ("Don't say, 'It was the shiznit!' You're white"), his is still a comedy of meaning. Each time he sliced to the heart of an issue—say, the contradictions of faith ("God created man in his own image? Really? Check your scrotum")—he was the shiznit.




Scott Dickensheets









The Light Goes Out


After a months-long deathwatch, the owners of quirky independent record and book store Balcony Lights have officially announced its closing. In its five-year existence, the store was the best place to find the most obscure and offbeat releases by independent and local artists, as well as a concert venue for indie rock, hard-core and punk bands, both local and national. Owners Frank and Karoline DeFrancesco were tireless supporters of activists, artists and community groups, and were a regular presence at First Friday, although their store is on Maryland Parkway near UNLV and not Downtown. The doors will close for good sometime in December, but for now you can snatch up remaining inventory for up to 70 percent off, and even purchase some of the store's wild decorations if you'd like to own a piece of Las Vegas counterculture history.



Balcony Lights, 4800 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite K. 228-2763.




Josh Bell









LOCAL CD



Cirque du Soleil



Kà (2.5 stars)


Without question, music is a fundamental factor in every Cirque show, and MGM-Grand's hit Kà is no exception. But as beautiful as the orchestrations here are, they give you a hollow feeling when listened to without the sight of flying performers and tipping stages. Not quite on par with hearing an opera score without the show, this disc is only for die-hard fans.




Martin Stein









DVDs



The King Kong Collection (NR) (4 stars)


$39.92


In the first wave of hype surrounding the release of Peter Jackson's King Kong, are restored versions of films based on Merian Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack's classic fantasy-adventure. Warners' Collection includes a ton of extras and restored King Kong: Special Edition, The Son of Kong and Mighty Joe Young. Milestone has two documentaries—Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life and Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness—by Cooper and Schoedsack, filmed in 1920s Iran and Thailand. On tap is the politically correct King Kong from 1976, starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange; two volumes of the cartoon series; a video and computer game; and The Last Days of Pompeii, made by the team responsible for the original King Kong. Next week, look for a King Kong vs. Godzilla-King Kong Escapes package.



Ringers: Lord of the Fans (PG-13) (3 stars)


$24.96


Just as Star Trek inspired entertaining fare like Trekkies, Trekkies 2 and Free Enterprise, Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy begat this documentary about the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien on intellectuals, moviegoers, rock musicians and fans who have yet to get a life. Carlene Cordova and Cliff Broadway are kind to the geeks, focusing on Tolkien's hugely popular novel and its impact on '60s counterculture, academia, and the boost given to New Zealand's economy by the movies.



A Dog's Life: A Dogamentary (NR) (2 stars)


$24.95


There are few more nauseating sights than a person French-kissing an animal. This bizarre home movie—in which a fortysomething New Yorker seeks love for herself and her shih tzu, Chelsea—overflows with such moments. In their wanderings, Chelsea is outfitted with a dog's-eye-view camera. Reality intervened with 9/11, after which Chelsea comforts victims at hospitals. Absent these moments, A Dog's Life has no value unless you see nothing strange about bathing with pets.




Gary Dretzka


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