MOVIES
Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon bring edge and finesse to the tarnished fellas they play in Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed.” Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) is a state cop rookie who is plunged immediately into an identity-snuffing undercover job, working for Boston mobster Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Damon brings more than a bit of Tom Ripley to his portrayal of the talented Detective Colin Sullivan, who surreptitiously keeps surrogate dad Costello informed. With flashes of razor-sharp dialogue by William Monahan, and a pack of guys who can wield the rough langauge to brutal and amusing effect (Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin, in particular), “The Departed” doesn’t approach Scorsese’s greatest films. Still, it boasts fine performances by Damon and DiCaprio, plus Nicholson’s willfully repellent portrayal of Costello. | Lisa Kennedy
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Joshua Bell, a world-renowned violinist who has contributed to soundtracks for such films as “The Red Violin,” is set to make two stops this season in Colorado. For his first visit, he joins the Colorado Springs Philharmonic for a special concert at 8 p.m. Monday in the Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., in Colorado Springs. He will be guest soloist for Brahms’ Violin Concerto. Tickets are $35-$75. 719-520-7469 or 866-464-2626 or ticketswest.com | Kyle MacMillan
STAGE
Doug Wright’s Pulitzer-winning one-man play “I Am My Own Wife” makes for a one-man tour de force. In the Curious Theatre’s intriguing regional premiere, that one man is Erik Sandvold, who navigates 36 characters wearing just one primary costume. The play tells the story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a man who was a prominent and public East German transvestite. He miraculously survived from the rise of the Nazis through the rise of the neo-Nazis by collecting precious things at a time and place when human life was utterly devalued. The play explores Charlotte’s presumed heroism in the face of mounting evidence that she was also an informant for the German secret police. Final performances 2 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. Oct. 14 at 1080 Acoma St. $28-$32 (2-for-1 Thursday); call 303-623-0524. | John Moore
TELEVISION
Expect a new twist as contestants approach the fourth challenge on “The Amazing Race” at 7 tonight on KCNC-Channel 4. With Phil Keoghan as host. The CBS reality series remains the best of the unscripted lot. | Joanne Ostrow
VISUAL ARTS
With a couple of other museum biennials focused on the Rocky Mountain region at large, the Aspen Art Museum, 590 N. Mill St., has established a new one targeting just Colorado, filling an important void. The two installments of the 2006 Colorado Biennial, each running slightly more than two weeks, feature bodies of work by six familiar and not-so-familiar artists. Part 1 opens Thursday with a free reception from 6 to 8 p.m. and continues through Oct. 29. 970-925-8050 or aspenart museum.org | Kyle MacMillan
POPULAR MUSIC
Unless you’ve never seen him before, now might not be the best time to see Paul Simon. His new record, “Surprise,” was underwhelming, and his current tour is bringing him on Tuesday to one of the worst-sounding rooms in the region, Magness Arena. Regardless, Simon is one of the greatest American songwriters of the last 50 years, and he’s sure to play plenty of older material from his solo career and his days in Simon & Garfunkel, which always makes for a feel-good time. For more information on Tuesday’s concert, see ticketmaster.com. | Ricardo Baca
NIGHT LIFE
Lipgloss has been rockin’ the soul, ’80s pop and indie rock at La Rumba for a while, showcasing big-name guest DJs and giving fans sneak listens of the best new albums. On Friday they’ll hold a 120 Days listening party in honor of that Norwegian band’s new disc, a dark masterpiece being hailed as one of the year’s best. And because it’s Friday the 13th, DJs Broken Mirror (Michael Trundle) and Walking Under a Ladder (Tyler Jacobson) will spin superstitious beats for the spooked-out kids. $5 after 10 p.m. 99 W. Ninth Ave., 303-572-8006, Denver3.com | John Wenzel
