fri, nov 7

THEATER | The River

The Athena Theater Company presents The River, written and directed by Julia Fawcett,

’04. Composed of six short acts, The River tells the story of two women, Irene and her daughter Mary, who explore language and femininity as a rising river threatens to flood their home. Through Nov. 8. 8 p.m. Tickets $5; $4 students, $3 Adams residents. Adams Pool Theater. (TIH)

MUSIC | Fallen Angels

The Fallen Angels’ first concert of the year features guest appearances by the Crimson Dance Team and the Darthmouth Aires. 8 p.m. Free. Lowell Lecture Hall. (TIH)

THEATER | What The Hell Is Your Problem?

A provocative dark comedy written by Tom Noonan, this play’s title is more than indicative of its substance. You might just find yourself caught up within this bitingly sadistic play. Cruel satire on self-help seminars is just the beginning. 8 p.m. Tickets $5; $4 students, $3 Adams residents. Adams Kronauer Space. (TIH)

FILM | Gimme Shelter

This delectable chronicle of the Rolling Stones 1969 United States tour is, hyperbole aside, the greatest music documentary ever made. Others can praise Stop Making Sense, The Last Waltz and Don’t Look Back, but Gimme Shelter is the most historically relevant, the best paced and features the best set list. It’s better than Woodstock, too—it’s its shorter, evil twin, climaxing at the murder-marred Altamont Speedway concert which many have dubbed the event that ended the Sixties. Highlights include a young, comparatively normal-looking Mick Jagger wearing a pi-emblazoned jumpsuit as he struts through “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” and a dazzlingly languid “Love in Vain,” full of slo-mo and sensual red lighting. This is the rare concert movie that grips you as fully as a great fiction film. Don’t miss it. Harvard Film Archive, Friday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. (BJS)

FILM | Finding Nemo

The Harvard Undergraduate Council continues their nights of $1 film screenings with this summer’s animated underwater blockbuster hit, the latest from the indescribably talented Pixar studios. With the voices of Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo chronicles the saga of one fish combing the ocean for his lost son, Nemo. 8 p.m. Tickets $1. Science Center C. (TIH)

THEATER | Faust I

Full-frontal nudity hits the Loeb Ex stage in this creative interpretation of Goethe’s Faust, directed by Clint J. Froehlich ’05. 7:30 p.m. Free. Loeb Experimental Theater, 64 Brattle St.

THEATRE | Gheri Dosti

Sponsored by the Harvard South Asian Association, this four week run brings together five short plays originally developed in New York City and exploring issues of same-sex relationships in South Asia. 8 p.m. Tickets $20, $7 students. Leverett Old Library Theater. (MRR)

MUSIC | The Mendoza Line

The Mendoza Line, which takes its name from the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Mario Mendoza’s .215 batting average, now used as a system of baseball measurement, throws a mixer for folk and country music, who get to know each other very well courtesy of the band’s skillful hands.  Also on board is Kilowatthours.  9 p.m., $9. The Middle East. (MRR)

THEATER | Chiacgo

You saw (and should have loved) the movie, now see the sensational, Tony Award-winning Chicago, live on stage and with an exceptional cast and your money’s worth of sequins. 8 p.m. Tickets $28-$75.  The Wang Center, 270 Tremont Street, Boston. (MRR)

READINGS | David Donald

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David Herbert Donald reads from his book, We Are Lincoln Men: Abraham Lincoln and His Friends,  an examination of Lincoln’s life from the vantage point of his closest friends. 3 p.m. Free.  Harvard Book Store. (MRR)

sat, nov 8

MUSIC | Din & Tonics

This a capella concert, titled “Opp Eye For the Din Guy” features the Harvard Din & Tonics and the Harvard Opportunes. 8 p.m. Tickets $10; $7 students. Sanders Theatre. (TIH)

MUSIC | Harvard Pops

The Harvard Pops Orchestra presents music from Oscars past, with movie-music selections ranging from Jurassic Park to An American In Paris. No doubt a fun evening of classical music. 8 p.m. Tickets $8; $6 students Lowell Lecture Hall. (TIH)

sun, nov 9

MUSIC | Enrique Morente

Morente, one of Spain’s leading flamenco artists, performs to the accompaniment of guitar and percussion. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $25-$37. Sanders Theatre. (ADH)

MUSIC | Lyle Lovett

Country (and a little bit of every other genre) musician Lyle Lovett is known for his intelligent lyrics and innovative style. 7:30. Tickets $39-$66.50. Orpheum Theatre, One Hamilton Pl., Boston. (ADH)

mon, nov 10

FILM | Doctor Zhivago

David Lean directed this underrated epic—a love story set against the turmoil of early 20th century Russia—as his followup to the gorgeous but lifeless Lawrence of Arabia. Doctor Zhivago retains Lawrence’s social conscience and its pitch-perfect cinematography, but, unlike Lawrence, it also possesses the compelling characters and tense, terse plotting that so distinguished Lean’s masterpieces Bridge on the River Kwai and Brief Encounter. Stars Omar Sharif and Julie Christie could not be lovelier, but supporting players Alec Guinness, Rod Steiger and especially Tom Courtenay also have ample space to prove why they are titans of their craft. Among other things, this is a movie to drink in—it’s one of the saddest, prettiest travelogues you’ll ever see, with Maurice Jarre’s famous balalaika theme wound around it like a sonic ribbon. Brattle Theater, Nov. 10-11 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. (BJS)

THEATRE | As You Like It

Sir Peter Hall of the Theatre Royal Bath directs Shakespeare’s comedy of lovers in the forest. 8 p.m. Mon-Sat, 7:30 Sun, 2:00 Wednesday and Sunday through Dec. 21. Tickets $25-$67. Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., Boston. (ADH)

READINGS | David Roberts

Roberts reads from his book Four Against the Arctic: Shipwrecked for Six Years, the true story of four Russian hunters shipwrecked in 1734 with two days’ provisions on a remote arctic island, and their unlikely survival. 7 p.m. Wordsworth Books. (ADH)

READINGS | R. F. Foster

Foster reads from The Arch-Poet, 1915-1939, the final installment of his factually rich two-volume biography, W.B. Yeats: A Life. 6 p.m. Harvard Bookstore. (ADH)

tues, nov 11

READINGS | Nick Hornby

Read High Fidelity and longing for more of that bitingly sarcastic wit? Nick Hornby, author of High Fidelity and other poignantly humorous novels like About a Boy and How to Be Good, will read from his latest publication, Songbird, a collection of short essays about musicians. Songbird explores Hornby’s thoughts on a wide range of musicians, from Ani DiFranco to The Beatles to Nelly Furtado. Though different in format from his previous novels, Hornby continues his custom of literary music-loving, offering insights for music geeks and book lovers alike. 7 p.m. Free. Wordsworth Books, 30 Brattle St. (SS)MUSIC | The Good Word

Come see the debut of The Good Word, a band comprised of diverse talent from many different quarters. The Good Word features vocalist Nephtaliem McCrary, formerly of The Royal Family, Pete Pidgeon of Pete Pidgeon and Arcoda on the guitar, Sam Kininger of Soulive on alto sax, and brothers Aaron and Luke Bellamy on bass and drums, respectively. The Good Word promises to be an exciting amalgamation of some of Boston’s most promising new musicians. Pete will also be playing the guitar with Flutopia, one of the two opening acts along with The Laura Glyde band. 9 p.m. $8. 18+. The Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave. (SS)

READINGS | Gary Wills

Historical controversy arises once again with the advent of author and historian Gary Wills, here to talk about his new bestseller Negro President: Jefferson and the Slave Power. Wills explores an aspect of Jefferson’s presidency that is often glossed over: the idea that Jefferson actually achieved his presidency by maintaining the institution of “slave representation.” This event is part of the Harvard Book Store’s November Presidential Series, featuring talks with luminaries such as David Herbert Donald, Harry Wiencek and Gore Vidal. 6 p.m. Free. First Parish Church, Three Church St. (SS)

wed, nov 12

MUSIC | King Crimson

As part of its North American tour, King Crimson comes to Boston with opener Living Colour. King Crimson’s current line-up includes Robert Fripp on the guitar, Adrian Belew on guitar and lead vocals, Trey Gunn on the touch guitar and Pat Mastelotto on the drums. Though originally hailed as “the next Beatles,” King Crimson has spent its past four decades of existence evading any kind of simple characterizations. With their newly-released double disc-set Eyes Wide Open, this group continues their refreshingly improvisational style. This appearance will be King Crimson’s only Boston appearance for its show. 8 p.m. $30.25. Avalon, 15 Lansdowne St, Boston, Mass. (SS)

MUSIC | G3

G3 combines the musical talents of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen. This trio of guitar virtuosos has accumulated a staggering number of accolades. Satriani, on the electric guitar, has won six Grammy nominations and sold over seven million albums. Vai has earned three Grammy nominations, one of which he won in 1993 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance on the album Zappa’s Universe. Malmsteen himself is universally considered one of the most talented hard rock guitarists of the ‘80s. The union of this trio promises a show fused with hard rock and heavy metal of the highest order. 7 p.m. Tickets available through Ticketmaster. Orpheum Theatre, One Hamilton Place, Boston, Mass. (SS)

films

Alien: The Director’s Cut

Digitally remastered and in Surround Sound, this reissue of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror film represents the first chance for anyone born in the last two decades to see the film as it should be presented—on the big screen. Seeing the movie in a theater will open your eyes to what is almost indiscernible when watching the DVD—Alien’s incredible sets and lighting: the crew’s space craft “Nostromo” is magnificent on screen and its halls are full of beautiful detail. For those who have seen the film before, Scott has added new scenes which fill out the original film’s commentary about gender roles (Alien is generally credited with creating the first female action hero in the form of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley). This re-release truly is a remarkable chance for a new generation of moviegoers to see a beautiful classic film. (Ian P. Campbell)

Human Stain

In the midst of the 1998 Lewinsky sex scandal, Coleman Silk (Anthony Hopkins), a distinguished classics professor at a small Massachusetts liberal arts college, embroils himself in a microcosm of similar scandal and tragedy: one chance comment in class provokes an accusation of racism that culminates in his resignation and the death of his wife. Based on the novel by Philip Roth, The Human Stain follows Silk through four major stages of self-identification: anger, denial, acceptance and confession. A self-made man in every sense of the word, Silk’s success in life embodies a severely warped version of the American dream: an extremely light-skinned black man passing himself off as a Jewish intellectual. Newcomer Wentworth Miller is startlingly good as the tormented young Silk, torn between the pulls of family and future. Hopkins is almost convincing as the tragic hero Coleman Silk, Nicole Kidman less so as the battered Faunia—the cleaning woman who pulls Silk out of his shell.

Much like Silk himself, the film is a prisoner of its own ambitions; it falls victim to its literal devotion to Roth’s novel. In any case, The Human Stain is a story better left in print.

Kill Bill: Volume I

Quentin Tarantino’s new film centers on a woman known only as The Bride (Uma Thurman), who awakens from a coma four years after she is nearly assassinated at her wedding party by the elite fighting force to which she once belonged. Once she’s up and about again, The Bride sets out on a mission of revenge against her former compatriots. On paper, Kill Bill: Volume I sounds dangerously close to Charlie’s Angels: there are many martial arts action sequences, all of the main characters are women and one of them is played by Lucy Liu. However, whereas Angels was mindless fun, Kill Bill is a thoughtful and beautiful homage to classic themes and styles while remaining the most fun and exciting film of the year. Within the film, one can see hints of all of Tarantino’s influences and tastes—blaxploitation, spaghetti westerns, Hong Kong kung fu, Japanese samurai, anime—but all are wonderfully adapted to fit into the unique Tarantino vision. (SNJ)

Lost in Translation

Fulfilling the boundless promise exhibited in her debut effort, The Virgin Suicides, director Sofia Coppola crafts a sublime love letter to both Tokyo and transitory friendship with her newest film, Lost in Translation. Hollywood star Bob Harris (Bill Murray) has been shipped off to Japan to hawk Suntory whiskey to the natives. There he encounters Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), the beautiful wife of a photographer who spends much of her day staring out her window in hopes of somehow finding herself within the city’s skyline. The pair are soon discovering Tokyo culture and a profundity in their friendship that is lacking in their respective marriages. Johansson perfects the prolonged sulk, while Murray delivers his best performance yet, donning the hats of weary voyager, droll companion and cynical mentor with equal comfort. There are plenty of belly laughs to be had along the way, but what remains with the viewer is the significance of the fleeting connection that these two people share. Coppola dreamily lingers on every scene, adorning each of them with the sensation of the aftermath of a first kiss. (BYC)

Pieces of April

This low-budget family dramedy, imagines whatever happened to that high school loner who was always up to no good in chemistry class. 21-year-old April Burns (played with unassuming grace by Katie Holmes), armed with the emotional support of her affectionate boyfriend (Derek Luke), embarks on a mishap-filled day of cooking and decoration to prepare her humble New York apartment for a Thanksgiving dinner with her estranged family (headed by Oliver Platt and Patricia Clarkson). Pieces of April showcases homegrown storytelling at its best and marks a strong directorial debut by Peter Hedges (the screenwriter behind About a Boy). (VA)

School of Rock

Jack Black is not a particularly funny man. He can pull off a one-liner, and he brightly sustains the Chris Farley torch of manic physical clowning, but it’s clear that his comedic range is inversely related to his girth. Fortunately, the producers of School of Rock have forged an ideal vehicle for Black’s brand of mischief, and with a sturdy cast and script behind him, he manages to whip up some of the biggest laughs of the year. Black plays Dewey Finn, a guitarist thrown out of his band, rendering him even less capable of paying the rent that he owes his substitute teacher roommate. Posing as his roommate, he assumes the responsibility of educating a classroom of unusually well-behaved fifth graders, who he discovers to be, rather conveniently, excellent musicians. School of Rock echoes with comic and emotional resonance without getting mired in sentimentality, allowing Black to revel in a role in which he manages to hit all of his notes perfectly. (SAW)

Under the Tuscan Sun

A bit of late-summer escapism unfolds on the other side of the pond, as a recent divorcee (Diane Lane) flees to Italy, purchases a villa and finds a mysterious foreign love interest. Adapted for the screen by Audrey Well—who also produced and directed—from author Frances Mayes’ bestselling memoir, with a number of departures from the book. In the past, Wells has been responsible for such mixed fare as George of the Jungle, The Truth About Cats and Dogs and The Kid; here she strives to transcend the cliches of the typical romantic romp. An array of complications and subplots flesh out the simple story of one woman falling in love with a countryside estate, a beautiful landscape and a new life. (SWVL)

Veronica Guerin

Director Joel Schumacher’s latest movie is based upon on the life of the Sunday Independent reporter of the same name. The film is the story of her self-imposed mission to clear the streets of drugs and drug pushers, culminating in her brutal death at the hands of gang leaders attempting to protect themselves from the momentum of her crusade. Most important, it is the story of Guerin herself: her character, her motivations, her fears and doubts. Cate Blanchett’s resplendent performance as Guerin seethes with passion and intensity in every scene. It is her skillful work—as well as that of her supporting cast—that compensates for the film’s directorial inadequacies. (GPH)