Chair enthusiasts won’t want to miss this new exhibit at the Busch-Reisinger, which tracks the development of the chaise lounge from 1928 to 1955. The exhibit promises to examine “in a fresh way the now well-known tenets of modern architecture, from the radical use of new materials and technology to concepts of indoor-outdoor living and issues of sickness and health.” Runs March 20 through July 11 at the Busch-Reisinger Museum. (NAS)

VISUALS | Gary Schneider: Portraits

The first major exhibition to bring together a full range of photographer Gary Schneider’s work. Schneider’s fascination with science, work with found objects, and use of biography and autobiography are all part of the new exhibit, and display his roots in the post-minimal conceptual art of the 1970s. Runs through June 13. Tickets $5, free admission for Harvard I.D. holders and visitors on Saturdays until noon. Sackler Museum, 32 Quincy St. (LFL)

Films

THE ALAMO

History, legend and myth all coincide in The Alamo, which depicts two of the most famous battles of the Mexican-American war: the Siege of the Alamo in 1836 and the succeeding Battle of San Jacinto. At the Alamo, under their leaders Col. William Barrett (Patrick Wilson), Davy Crockett (Billy Bob Thornton) and James Bowie (Jason Patric), almost 200 men from all different races and backgrounds fought bravely to the death against the Mexican army, led by General Santa Anna (Emilio Echevarria). While there were no survivors, their fight for Texas inspired General Sam Houston (Dennis Quaid) to lead 910 pioneers in the Battle of San Jacinto against General Santa Anna’s army with the famous battle cry, “Remember the Alamo.” A larger budget and more violence could have helped better convey the epic scope of these battles, but, in contrast with previous portrayals, are determined to create realistic heroes, warts and all. The best performance is Thornton’s, who, as the charismatic Davy Crockett, superably demonstrates the pressure of a good man struggling to live up to his great name. While the movie struggles to deliver a truly unforgettable account of the famous battles, the film is beautifully shot and tries to capture the true character of the leaders in the Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto. (HRM)

BON VOYAGE

Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s latest film mixes the chaos in Paris just before the Nazi occupation with a hearty dash of scandal, intrigue and romance. Although Rappeneau’s recreation of this war-torn era is undeniably excellent, his grasp of plot and characters is tenuous at best and not enough to redeem the film’s many faults. Newcomer Gregori Derangere is the perpetually bemused Frederic, an impoverished writer still in love with his childhood crush. She’s now the popular actress Viviane Denvers (Isabelle Adjani, who looks like she’s been given a severe dose of Botox). So intoxicating is Viviane’s hold on Frederic that he doesn’t mind being imprisoned for a crime she committed, later following her across France to Bordeaux’s Hotel Splendide. A crop of rabid aristocrats have also gathered at the Splendide to escape the madhouse of Paris and badger the wait-staff nonstop for rooms—God forbid they sleep in their cars, with their suitcases and hatboxes! Serendipity and coincidences abound in Bon Voyage—but then everyone’s running around so frantically that it would be impossible for them not to bump into each other at the most opportune, or most inopportune, moments. So do subplots, many of which are left maddeningly unresolved. At times the film verges on self-parody—Viviane’s hammy, melodramatic antics, for example: the way she throws herself on her bed, her eyes oozing crocodile tears. Bon Voyage is not all bad—it’s just silly, unoriginal, and pointless. (TIH)

CONNIE AND CARLA

Writer-star Nia Vardalos’ follow-up to indie smash My Big Fat Greek Wedding treats gay transvestites with the same loving care she previously slathered over the Greeks: she reduces them to the sparest possible stereotypes in order to make as many “ain’t this wacky” jokes as is possible in this wildly mediocre rehash of Some Like It Hot. Like in that classic comedy, two performers witness mob violence and go on the run. This time the heroes find refuge on the gay circuit, where they pretend to be men dressing up as women. Eventually David Duchovny shows up to provide a heterosexual love interest. (SAW)

DOGVILLE

Much has been made of the supposedly anti-American attitude behind Dogville, Danish director Lars von Trier’s (Dancer in the Dark, Breaking the Waves) latest portrait of a woman wronged by society. But even as the action unfolds in a Rocky Mountains village of von Trier’s invention, the film’s statement about the nature of humanity is clearly far more general than a shrill denunciation of the American dream or George W. Bush’s administration. Like many a great dramatic work—think Richard III or Oedipus Rex—the setting is merely a backdrop for the message. A misanthropic deconstruction of Thornton Wilder’s 1938 play Our Town, Dogville draws very much on theatrical (and literary) conventions in order to depart from more traditional cinematic renderings and privilege the message over the medium. The ensemble cast performs every bit as well as its marquee actors should imply. Nicole Kidman shows us why she should only act in art films; Chloë Sevigny, Lauren Bacall, Patricia Clarkson, and Ben Gazzara all live up to their names; and Paul Bettany, an upstart compared to his castmates, shockingly manages to upstage the veterans with a performance that should make his career. (ABM)

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

In director Michel Gondry’s latest effort, a company named Lacuna Incorporated has acquired the technology to erase the foul taste of a past partner. Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) discovers this after tracing a note to ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet), asking mutual friends not to raise his name in conversation with her. Since the ex is not supposed to see these notes, Dr. Howard Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson), the inventor of the treatment and the founder of Lacuna, agrees to perform the operation on Joel as well. The centerpiece of the movie begins as Joel slowly realizes that, though his final memories of the relationship are tough to handle, he wants to remember at least some of the more pleasant aspects. Jim Carrey is actually quiet for significant pieces of the role: he underplays, giving Joel a quiet dignity that makes the eventual disgrace in losing control over his own mind that much sadder. Exiting Sunshine is looking at the world with new eyes, possibly the highest tribute that can be paid to art. (SAW)

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR