MOVIES
Billed as a love story, “The Constant Gardener” surpasses its mission. In Fernando Meirelles’ powerful version of John le Carré’s novel about the murder of an aid worker in Kenya, love is a grander, bolder, deeper thing. Rachel Weisz is Tessa Quayle and Ralph Fiennes plays her husband, Justin, a British diplomat. In reconstructing the tale of Tessa and Justin’s relationship, “The Constant Gardener” also paints one of the least exoticized portraits of post-colonial Africa to hit the screen. The film pulls off a bold balancing act of the personal and the political worthy of le Carré’s gift for complexity.
– LISA KENNEDY
TELEVISION
A&E runs a marathon showing of the fourth season of “24,” with nine episodes starting at noon today and 15 tomorrow. This is the way to appreciate the serialized, “real time,” hour-by-hour drama starring Keifer Sutherland as a counter-terrorism agent. The next season doesn’t start until January (“Day 5” gets a four-hour, two-night premiere on Sunday, Jan. 8 and Monday, Jan. 9.)
– JOANNE OSTROW
COUNTRY MUSIC
Singer Mark Wills knows how to play honky-tonks. Witness his release from earlier this year, “Live at Billy Bob’s CD!” Located in Fort Worth, Texas, Billy Bob’s is probably the world’s most famous honky-tonk. But Denver’s own Grizzly Rose is not far behind its Texas cousin, so no wonder Wills shows up in concert Friday at the Rose, 5450 N. Valley Highway. Local favorite Walker Williams opens at 8 p.m.; Wills takes the stage at 10 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the Rose or through Ticketmaster at 303-830-8497 or ticketmaster.com.
– ED WILL
STAGE
Boulder’s Dinner Theatre’s long-running hit “The Wizard of Oz,” in collaboration with Frequent Flyers Productions, has been extended through Oct. 1. This triumph of staging is a straightforward but sophisticated retelling of the classic tale and is filled with wonderful individual performances. Showtimes 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays-Sundays; 7 p.m. Wednesdays; also 1:45 p.m. Sundays (dinner served 90 minutes before) at 5501 Arapahoe Ave. The schedule shift means “Forever Plaid” will run Oct. 4-16, then Mondays through November while “The King and I” takes over the rest of the week. Tickets $27-$53; call 303-449-6000.
– JOHN MOORE
POPULAR MUSIC
The Dudley Corporation’s symphonic indie rock addresses the plight of the guy at the bar begging for just one more drink despite the fact that last call has come and gone. The lyrics to the band’s new track “A.M.” come from a place of experience and practice – “It’s one for the road, and another one for me/One for my friends and one for my family” – but the music seems to come quite naturally to this Dublin trio. The band has opened for Low and Rocket From the Crypt in the U.K. and plays the Hi-Dive on Tuesday with the American Princes opening. Tickets: $6.
– RICARDO BACA
FESTIVAL
The Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival annually draws around 70,000 people who partake of food, drink, pipe-band music and folk dancing, plus Highland games and jousting competitions that draw competitors from around the world. It also features more than 100 Celtic importers and crafters. The festival opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Estes Park Fairgrounds; festival grounds will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Daily gate admission is $20 for adults and $5 for ages 6-15 years. Three-day adult passes are $45. Advance tickets may be purchased until 5 p.m. Tuesday at 800-903-7837 or at scotfest.com. The complete schedule and special-events ticket information are also available at that number and website.
– ED WILL
