MOVIES
Somewhere in our daily internal monologue, we all imagine ourselves as heroes – at least part of the time. And for those heroic parts, real or embellished, there’s no director you would rather have tell your story than Werner Herzog, whose sense of melancholy about the human condition is leavened by his optimism about the human spirit. “Rescue Dawn” continues that theme, with Christian Bale portraying the real-life story of downed American pilot Dieter Dengler. Dengler’s escape from a brutal jungle prison was one of the few uplifting tales to emerge from Vietnam and Laos, and Herzog (“Grizzly Man,” “Fitzcarraldo”) is the visionary who can do it right. |Michael Booth
VISUAL ARTS
Like the human body, the natural world has been a constant source of inspiration for artists. In a show titled, “Ten Views,” the William Havu Gallery, 1040 Cherokee St., will present recent works by 10 landscape artists from Colorado and elsewhere, offering their perceptions of the land and sky and humanity’s interventions into them. Included will be three artists not seen before at the gallery – Armin Muhsam, Timothy Murphy and Debra Salopek. The show runs Friday through Sept. 8. A free opening reception is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. 303-893-2360 or. |Kyle MacMillan
DVDS
Last week’s release of the DVD collector’s edition of “Red Dawn” (not at all to be confused with “Rescue Dawn,” above) for the cost of a mere $14.99 got us to thinking about a favorite category: Bad Movies We Love. Since “Road House” was just in cable rotation again, that Patrick Swayze B-vehicle may top the list. But “Red Dawn” and its commie-fighting Colorado high-schoolers comes pretty darn close. In fact, the Bad Movie list could have a whole Patrick Swayze sub-genre, what with “Ghost,” “Point Break” and “City of Joy” waiting in the wings.|Michael Booth
STAGE
If you gotta do “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” and believe me, no one is saying you do – might as well make it the best little “Whorehouse” you can. The Arvada Center does that. Though this is a tacky retro story with a skewed moral center, Rod Lansberry’s playful new staging proves it’s possible to dislike a musical while liking most everything in it. It’s a skilled staging marked by triumphant choreography, the wonderful Beth Flynn as Mona the madam, and lots of beautiful bodies. Final performances 2 p.m. today, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1 p.m. Wednesday, 2 p.m. Saturday and July 29 at 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.$38-$48 (720-898-7200 or.). |John Moore
NIGHTLIFE
The Global Dance Festival, which went down Saturday at Red Rocks, may have ended but the Global Recovery Party is just beginning. Running from 5:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. today, the event offers weary (or wide awake) dance heads a place to chill and reconvene. The indoor-outdoor venue offers over 20 DJs playing house, techno, drum & bass and breaks with comfy couches and eye-catching visuals. BBQ and booze available for the hearty of stomach. Whitehouse Lounge, 2936 Fox St. $5. 303-298-7391 or.|John Wenzel
TELEVISION
“The Kill Point,” a miniseries starring John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg on opposite sides of the law, debuts tonight at 7 on Spike TV. This is what last year’s “The Nine” should have been: a story about a bank robbery-turned-hostage crisis that actually has a scripted ending. The twist here is that the band of robbers are American veterans of the Iraq war.|Joanne Ostrow
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Anne Akiko Meyers, an artful, appealing violinist who makes regular appearances in Colorado, is a headliner at this year’s edition of Durango’s Music in the Mountains. She will make four appearances at the festival, starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday with a chamber concert at BootJack Ranch in Pagosa Springs. She joins pianist Aviram Reichart and other performers for a program including Beethoven’s Piano Quarter in E flat. Tickets are $40. 970-385-6820 or. |Kyle MacMillan
POPULAR MUSIC
We love Fergie because she makes us dance. We love her because she’s sexy and alluring – and ridiculous too. We love the Black Eyed Pea-gone solo because she ruled in the film “Grindhouse” and she lived to confess to Playboy that director Quentin Tarantino bit her during the filming. Fergie dropped her “London Bridge,” and while we never understood exactly what she was getting at with her silly mixed metaphors, the beats were hot and the video was deliciously over the top. I could go the rest of my life without hearing another Black Eyed Peas song, but Fergie’s fun and fluffy solo work is as essential as Justin Timberlake and Snoop Dogg – and that’s why I’ll be at the Fillmore Auditorium tonight for Fergie’s big coming-out show. information:. or 303-830-8497.| Ricardo Baca
