Friday news and reviews

Here's a look at the arts stories making headlines...

Art

Venetian treasure

A rare 500-year-old map recently bought by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts offers a bird's-eye view of Renaissance Venice.

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- Mary Abbe, Star Tribune

Dance

The Dancing Camera

Lightsey Darst reports back with some critical reflections on this year's Dance Film Project offerings, part of the annual Minnesota Dance Film Festival (organized by John Koch and Vanessa Voskuil) that took place December 11 - 18.

- mnartists.org

Movies

The Coen brothers' True Grit

The boys take their tongues out of their cheeks for this one

- J. Hoberman, City Pages

Hear, hear to "The King's Speech"

Colin Firth wins our hearts in the tale of a tongue-tied king who, thrust into history's spotlight, learned how to roar.

- Colin Covert, Star Tribune

'The King's Speech' is crowning achievement

The acting honors in "The King's Speech" belong to Geoffrey Rush, who crackles with intelligence as Lionel Logue, the unorthodox vocal coach to whom the king and his wife turned for help.

- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press

It's a small world

Even the laughs are tiny in "Gulliver's Travels."

- Colin Covert, Star Tribune

'Gulliver's Travels' not worth leaving home to see

When stars make kids' movies, it's often because they want to give their own children a chance to see them at work. So, hats off to Jack Black for doing something his two children can see. But nobody else should have to.

- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press

Mother grieves best

Nicole Kidman is powerful as a mother struggling after the death of her young son.

- Colin Covert, Star Tribune

The subject is grief, but 'Rabbit Hole' is definitely not a downer

If you enjoyed the play, "Rabbit Hole," you may be surprised how different the movie version is. Either way, I'd recommend it.

- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press

Music

Here, there & Lord knows where in 2010

A tour of the best, worst and wildest highlights of the year in Twin Cities music.

- Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune

Bridging the "Horizon"

Texas-based pianist Dan Cavanagh returns home to celebrate a CD with his old St. Olaf teacher, Dave Hagedorn.

- Tom Surowicz, Star Tribune

The Musicians

In his fourth essay on jazz for mnartists.org and the Walker, Jeremy Walker gives a free-wheeling rumination on what makes a truly "great musician" - from Beethoven, Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman to the legends playing right here in the Twin Cities.

- mnartists.org

Theater

Billy Elliot the Musical at the Orpheum

Show plays it big, loses the heart

- Ed Huyck, City Pages