MOVIES
If the the EV1, General Motors’ short-lived, zero-emissions car, were a Shakespearean character, it would be Julius Caesar. There are that many bloodied hands. No wonder director Chris Paine borrowed a trick or two from “Murder on the Orient Express” to shape his entertaining if dismaying documentary “Who Killed the Electric Car?” “I wanted to do something like ‘This Is Spinal Tap,’ Paine said. While the movie has wit and comes loaded with telling interviews and cultural history, it takes a turn toward the sad. “What was going to be a docu-comedy,” he said, “became a docu-tragedy.” Et tu GM? | Lisa Kennedy
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Duels aren’t just for banjos. That seems to be the belief, at least, of the leaders of Music in the Mountains festival in Durango. They are billing two concerts this week as duels between two of the world’s top young violinists, both born in the former Soviet Union. Vadim Gluzman and Philippe Quint will appear at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Purgatory Village Tent at the Durango Mountain Resort and 7 p.m. Friday at Bootjack Ranch in Pagosa Springs. 970-385-6820 or 800-595-4849 or tix.com. | Kyle MacMillan
STAGE
After nine months, the Playwright Theatre’s unlikely hit “Party of 1” finally comes to an end Saturday. This sketch-comedy and revue based on relationship foibles is kind of a Sondheim-esque precursor to “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” It’s charming, but I still say the secret to its success is that cocktail bar located just 4 feet from the stage. Final performances 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturday at 2119 E. 17th Ave. Tickets $15-$25 (303-499-0383). | John Moore
TELEVISION
Tom Brokaw says he’s flunking retirement. That’s just as well. Tonight at 7 p.m. on Discovery, the former NBC anchor offers a two-hour report, “Global Warming: What You Need to Know With Tom Brokaw.” Consider the special a way to second the motion of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth.” What both projects stress is that the warning about global warming is not a freaky minority opinion. It’s science. | Joanne Ostrow
VISUAL ARTS
Three wonderfully disparate solo exhibitions, all set to close July 29 at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., have something for every taste. The clear standout is a breathtaking group of nine fastidiously crafted metal sculptures by Tracy Krumm, who has developed a still-fresh, immediately identifiable style. Admission is $4 for the general public and $3 for students and seniors. 303-443-2122 or bmoca.org. | Kyle MacMillan
POPULAR MUSIC
It’s been more than 20 years since LL Cool J hit the scene with “I Can’t Live Without My Radio,” a fluffy rap track that introduced the hip-hop world to his easy delivery and colloquial rhymes. And while LL has played all over the map in the last couple decades, from constantly changing his image musically to working extensively in TV and film, he’s sustained a lengthy, accomplished career in a fickle industry that makes longevity a near-impossible task. When LL plays the Ogden Theatre Monday – on a pricey $37 ticket – he’ll surely play the new “Control Myself,” a track that features Jennifer Lopez. More information: nipp.com. | Ricardo Baca
NIGHT LIFE
The cynic in me wants to discount Scion Metro’s DJ nights at Rock Island as shameless branding events that market clunky automobiles at dance music-loving hipsters. But the quality of talent they bring negates that. On Wednesday, legends Rob Swift and Evil Dee will stop by to scratch some madness and likely leave the crowd breathless. As part of the X-Ecutioners and Da Beatminerz, respectively, these gents are responsible for some of the most adventurous hip-hop of the past couple of decades. The event is free if you RSVP to scion.com/metro. 9 p.m.-2 a.m., 1614 15th St. | John Wenzel
