Arts & Entertainment

By ROBERT DENERSTEIN
Friday, November 17, 2006

BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN (B+) British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen brings one of his characters to life on the big screen, and the result is an extremely funny movie that's also wildly and purposefully offensive.

By TIM GOODMAN
Monday, November 06, 2006
Everything we know we learned from television:

_ So they killed Mr. Eko off of "Lost" when it might have been a better idea to, say, kill some of the writers.

By CHUCK CAMPBELL
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
"GO: THE VERY BEST OF MOBY," Moby (V2)

"Go: The Very Best of Moby" illustrates that Moby works better with others than on his own and that his best "collaborators" are dead.

That may run contradictory to expectations of the control-freak electronica pioneer who often builds his songs solo.

By RONNA RUBIN
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Don't expect to see country star Dierks Bentley make the transition to the big or small screen anytime soon.

"I have no desire to really do any acting," he says.

By CHRISTOPHER BLANK
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
B.B. King was feeling nostalgic for one of his old records.

Not just any of his hundred or so albums, but the monumental "Live at the Regal," released in 1965 _ one of those desert island discs for the blues lover.

Could he ever recapture that magic? Or was the thrill truly gone away for good?

"We started with that sound in mind," said producer Jim Dollarhide.

By SHELLEY ANDERSON
Friday, November 03, 2006
When it showed up on my desk, I thought it might be a mistake.

A package from cable station TBS was hawking a new original comedy series called, "My Boys."

Just as I was about to send it on to the proper department, a little bit of eagle-eyed reporting turned up a sports connection.

The sitcom revolves around a female sports writer named PJ who covers the Chicago Cubs for the Sun-Times.

I decided I'd watch the DVD containing two episodes because, um, well, I thought I might like to see some shots of Wrigley Field.

They were there, including a few press box and locker room scenes.

But there were a lot more bar and poker night scenes.

Like people who work in other professions, it's always interesting to see how the entertainment industry portrays reporters.

Too often, they show up in single-minded, breath-stealing packs.

By SCOTT MERVIS
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
As the Warped Tour gets up there in years, it's gotten harder to find those reckless hardcore bands with the mile-high mohawks who just get up there and thrash away like it's 1981.

Good thing for The Casualties.

The veteran New York band is doing its part to keep that street-punk spirit alive, taking its cues from the likes of The Exploited, Black Flag and GBH.

"I don't think there are a lot of bands playing the kind of hardcore punk we're playing," says guitarist Jake Casualty.

By BRUCE DANCIS
Friday, November 17, 2006
("I'm Alan Partridge: Complete Series 1." Graded: 3-1/2 stars. Cast: Steve Coogan, Felicity Montagu, Simon Greenall, Phil Cornwell, Barbara Durkin, Sally Phillips and David Schneider.

By CARLA MEYER
Friday, November 17, 2006
Several writers collaborated on "Flushed Away," emerging with ... a tuxedo-clad mouse as a lead character. The computer-animated film he's in doesn't seem especially inventive, either, though it's lively enough to engage the little ones for stretches and clever enough to keep parents alert.

Following the animation template of a far-from-home loner (voiced by Hugh Jackman) discovering his tribe, "Flushed Away" is remarkable in just one way.

Friday, November 17, 2006
A guide to movies from a family perspective:

"Flushed Away"

_ Rated: PG.

_ Suitable for: Preschoolers and older children who can sit through an 86-minute movie.

_ What you should know: This computer-animated movie is about a pampered pet mouse who ends up flushed away to the teeming world below London's streets.