Saturday news and reviews

Movies

Movie review: 'Sucker Punch' has everything from Nazis to pervs, but no story

One minute, the young women of "Sucker Punch" appear to be fighting WW1 1/2, the next minute they're tap-dancing for pervs. That's the sort of movie it is.

- Chris Hewitt, Pioneer Press

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"Sucker Punch": When Catholic schoolgirls aren't enough

Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch is the latest in a seemingly neverending parade of action movies that masquerade their own soft-core porn tendencies with a cloak of unearned girl-power pretense.

- Marcus Michalik, TC Daily Planet

"Jane Eyre" is a hottie--in that wind-swept, tortured way

This movie isn't about the people: it's about the indirect lighting.

- Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet

Music

FYI - Eddie Vedder is coming to the Orpheum on July 2

Chesney in high gear from start

The country superstar seemed to be making up for lost time when he hit the stage in the Twin Cities for the first time in four years.

- JON BREAM, Star Tribune

As hitmaker grows up, that's Mr. Chesney to you

Kenny Chesney is growing up. And it's not just the relentless forward march of the time we're talking about, either, even though he turns 43 today.

- Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press

Amos Lee at the State Theatre, 3/24/11

The show wasn't sold-out, but you couldn't tell from the audience; the crowd energetic, loud, and absolutely thrilled to be sitting before Amos Lee.

- Cindal Lee Heart, City Pages

Middle Brother, Dawes, and Deer Tick perform a heart-bursting show at First Avenue

Middle Brother's debut EP dropped on March 1 without ceremony, and together, they have embarked on this brief tour not really to publicize their album but, rather, it would seem, to have a good time playin' music for people.

- Natalie Gallagher, TC Daily Planet

Galactic Cowboy Orchestra round 'em up at the Dakota

Sometimes you felt as if you stepped into a southern roadhouse bar, and other times perhaps the Blue Note.

- Betsy Gabler, TC Daily Planet

St. Paul's BT label offers a small but impressive roster of artists

Don't look for Red House Records to get nervous about the competition, but there's another sheriff in St. Paul, similarly devoted to acoustic music culled from the rural roots of America's Midwest.

- Dwight Hobbes, TC Daily Planet

Stage

South African puppet masters

William Kentridge's "Woyzeck on the Highveld" proves a durable work of political art.

- Rohan Preston, Star Tribune

Minneapolis Musical Theater brings "Bare" to Illusion Theater

The musical has a strong book, by Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo, but at times feels weighed down by the more than 30 songs packed into it (also written by Hartmere and Intrabartolo).

- Becca Mitchell, TC Daily Planet