MUSIC
What: Eliza Gilkyson
Where: Oak Bay United Church, 1369 Mitchell St.
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $32 (plus service charges) at the Royal McPherson box office, rmts.bc.ca or 250-386-6121
Why: Americana favourite Eliza Gilkyson is to the underground what Lucinda Williams is to the mainstream — a writer of such understated power, repeated listens are necessary in order to grasp the full meaning of her ability. A similar investment of time is not required where her concerts are concerned, as the results are immediate. The opportunity to see the Grammy-nominated folkie at the picturesque Oak Bay United Church should not be missed.
— Mike Devlin
FILM
What: The Captive
Where: Cineplex Odeon
When: Opens Friday
Rating: Three and a half stars
Why: Despite some plot developments that strain credulity, Atom Egoyan’s wintry, Niagara Falls-set abduction thriller focusing chiefly on the emotional toll a young girl’s disappearance takes on the lives of her parents (played to anguished perfection by Ryan Reynolds and Mireille Enos) and law enforcers is an engrossing, visually striking variation on a genre. Artfully toggling between his signature, time-shifting style and mainstream expectations, Egoyan is less interested in whodunit conventions than capturing, with stylized eeriness, a crime’s psychic impact within a jigsaw-like, technology-propelled narrative that pays dividends for those who can overlook its credibility gaps. — Michael D. Reid
COMEDY
What: Victoria Tonight
Where: Hecklers comedy club, 123 Gorge Rd.
When: Monday, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Admission: $5
Why: Radio funnyman Ed Bain is the special guest for Victoria Tonight, the ongoing live comedy series. The show is hosted by Sam Lee and Patrick Boyle, with Shane Priestly appearing as “the man on the street.” Another surprise guest is also planned. Laughs are (almost) guaranteed for less than the cost of a beer.
— Adrian Chamberlain