August Wilson’s play tells the story of the African-American experience through the eyes of 285 year-old Aunt Ester. Set in 1904, A Gem of the Ocean is not so far removed from the time of slavery, and Aunt Ester surely remembers. Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m., 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 7:30 pm. Through Oct. 30. Tickets $14-$67, $5 student discount. The Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave. Boston. (617)266-0800. (JSG)

VISUALS | X

Architect Alejandro Aravena presents “X,” his largest United States exhibition featuring 10 projects. The exhibition also presents the entries for the ELEMENTAL competition for the design of public housing projects in Chile. Gund Hall Gallery. (JSG)

VISUALS | Dependable Objects

The Busch-Reisinger Museum presents an exhibition of sculpture by artists who were ambivalent toward the media. “Dependable Objects” presents the works of German artists beginning in the 1960’s including works by Franz Erhard Walther, Hans Haacke, Charlotte Posenenske and Gerhard Richter. Through January 2. The Busch-Reisinger Museum. (JSG)

VISUALS | To Students of Art and Lovers of Beauty

The Winthrop collection has traveled around the world and is back at the Fogg in the exhibit “To Students of Art and Lovers of Beauty: Highlights from the Collection of Grenville L. Winthrop.” The exhibition features painting and sculpture by such artists as Blake, Degas, Gericault, Ingret, Monet, Pissaro and Renoir. Fogg Museum. (JSG)

Movies

Around the Bend

The redemption of a long-estranged parent is hardly a novel plot in contemporary cinema; it has congealed to the point where every hug, tear and clumsy montage seem carefully choreographed. Refreshingly, Around the Bend, reveals an organic push and pull that approaches the mostly shapeless narrative of real relationships that is only reinforced by the remarkably subtle performances of screen legends Christopher Walken and Sir Michael Caine. (WBP)

First Daughter

Some teen movies are so bad they are great. First Daughter is not one of these. It’s just bad. Katie Holmes stars as Samantha Mackenzie, the daughter of the President (Michael Keaton), who yearns for a normal life. She leaves for college, where she realizes quickly her dream will be hard to achieve, but luckily meets and falls for her hunky resident advisor, James (Mark Blucas). There are some phenomenal moments in the spirit of the great teen movies of yore, but sadly not enough to carry the audience through. Ultimately, First Daughter takes itself too seriously and is not compelling enough to be serious. (EMK)