TOP PICK
Need for Speed Shift
(EA)
The veteran videogame series remakes itself as a terrific racing
game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Unlike past outings —
where you maneuvered your pimped-out ride through crowded streets like
a Fast and the Furious douchebag — Shift is all
about skills behind the wheel. Still, if knocking around opponents is
your thing, the excellent multiplayer delivers.
BOOK
I, Doll: Life and Death With the New York
Dolls
(Chicago Review)
Arthur “Killer” Kane — the late Dolls’ bassist whose sad tale
was told in the 2005 movie New York Doll — messes up a lot
of facts in this memoir. But it’s still a wild read, as Kane recounts
the first couple of years of the proto-punk band’s career. He’s got
some great stories to tell — almost all of them fueled by drugs
and decadence.
TV
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s
Cut)
(IFC)
This amusing six-part documentary — which runs for six
consecutive nights, starting at 9 p.m. Sunday — celebrates the
legendary comedy troupe’s 40th anniversary. There are plenty of clips
from their TV show and movies, as well as interviews with the group and
fans like Dan Aykroyd and Seth Green. Best of all, IFC is also
screening some of their classic films.
BOOK
Madness: One Step Beyond
(Continuum)
The latest album to get dissected in the super-cool 33 1/3 series
rode in on punk’s new wave in 1979. But these ska jokesters cut deeper
than many of their contemporaries (they recently released a pretty good
album, their first in a decade). Terry Edwards’ look at the Brit-tastic
record provides plenty of insight on an oft-dismissed genre and one of
its most durable groups.
DVD
Star Wars: The Clone Wars:
Clone Commandos
(Warner)
Prepping for next month’s box featuring the entire first season of
Cartoon Network’s hit animated show, this four-episode sample includes
one of the series’ best story arcs. Most of the action takes place on a
rocky planet, setting up some cool battles — which make up 95
percent of The Clone Wars’ greatest scenes.
This article appears in Oct 14-20, 2009.