Happening :: Listings for the Week of Aug. 15 through Aug. 21

BRATTLE THEATER

40 BRATTLE ST., (617) 876-6837

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE. This Hong Kong love story has earned widespread critical praise as well as the hearts of moviegoers worldwide with its tasteful eroticism, pervasive romance and stylish cinematography. Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung star as husband and wife of different marriages, each cheated upon by the other’s spouse. Together they draw solace in a mutual experience of lost love and begin to develop feelings for each other. Unfortunately, 1960s Hong Kong culture is an unforgiving one of starched-collar propriety: will the two acknowledge their newfound love or stay prim and proper? Besides a superbly realized plot, In the Mood for Love also features a lyrical soundtrack of transcultural appeal, ranging from Chinese folk songs to jazzy Nat King Cole. In the Mood for Love screens 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 21. (EW)

BLADE. Set in present-day New York City, this high octane thriller chronicles the violent exploits of comic superhero Blade (Wesley Snipes). With the technical expertise of Whistler, an old vampire hunter, he wages a one-man war against the seedier half of the rave crowd: its bloodthirsty vampires. No longer are they of Dracula’s ilk, who at least treated his prey like dainty four-course meals. Deacon Frost, the latest threat to humanity, wants nothing to do with such namby-pambiness and seeks to become the all-powerful vampiric avatar, La Magra. Blade, of course, is not big on plot; the movie’s true strength lies in its new-age rendition of Stoker’s saga with Marvel Comic elements. And the visuals of Blade pumping silver into vampire gut. Blade screens 2:30, 5:00, 7:30 and 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19. (EW)

TEN. Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami’s latest film is based on ten conversations of a female driver (Mania Akbari) in Tehran with her passengers. These include her young and frustrated son Amin, a prostitute, a jilted bridge, a woman on her way to prayers and others. Having just ended a messy divorce and enduring criticism from her son, she acts as advice columnist for her problem-riddled passengers—whose drastically different lives are just glimpsed through the camera in the taxicab. Ten screens Wednesday, August 20 at 3:30, 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. (MO)

SHANGHAI TRIAD. A gangster movie without the classic Western romanticism by director Zhang Yimou. Shuiseng (Wang Xiaoxiao), a small town boy, is brought to the Shanghai of the 30s by his Uncle Liu (Xuejian Li). Uncle Liu takes him to work for a very wealthy mafia boss, Tang (Baotian Li) and his mistress Xiao Jingbao, played by the timeless Gong Li. Overwhelmed by the glitzy life of the big city and the opulence around him, Shuiseng also witnesses inter-triad betrayal, Xiao’s tumultuous love affair and vicious gang wars. The plot carries director Zhang’s trademark of conveying the dark side of Chinese politics. Shanghai Triad screens Thursday, August 21 at 5:15 and 9:45 p.m. (MO)

LOEWS HARVARD SQUARE

10 CHURCH ST., (617) 864-6580

PASSIONADA. Leading actor Jason Isaacs portrays compulsive gambler Charles Beck, who pretends to be a successful fishing business entrepreneur. He courts Celia Amonte, a Portuguese widow, after she receives some encouragement from her teenage daughter. Amonte (Sofia Milos) reluctantly falls in love with him, at least until she discovers his true occupation. The Dan Ireland film received rave reviews after its first screening as the closing picture at the Seattle International Film Festival. Passionada screens 1:15, 3:40, 7:30 and 10 p.m. (JPK)

LE DIVORCE. Two of Hollywood’s hottest actresses team up in this romantic comedy with raunchy, satirical underpinnings. Naomi Watts stars as Roxanne, a just-divorced Parisian (and pregnant no less). Isabel, played by Kate Hudson, arrives to cheer up her distraught, hormone-addled stepsister. Both drop their worries and emotional baggage, living it up and enjoying the French nightlife. Romantic implications are obvious. Watch this Hollywood-French-farce hybrid for its bedroom humor, international wisecracks, and romance. Le Divorce screens 12:45, 3:45, 7:00, and 9:45 p.m. on Friday, August 8. (MO)

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS. A little more than the standard English mystery movie, this film from director Stephen Frears (High Fidelity) enters around an illegal Nigerian night porter. With the help of a chambermaid and a prostitute he investigates a murder committed in the hotel at which he is employed. Dirty Pretty Things screens 12:20, 3:20, 6:30 and 9 p.m. (JPK)

SEABISCUIT. Based on a true story, this film chronicles the trials and tribulations of horse Seabiscuit and his former prize-fighting jockey Red Pollard, played by Tobey Maguire. With the help of a millionaire portrayed by Jeff Bridges, Pollard turns the once losing Seabiscuit into a champion—and a symbol of hope in the process. Racing in the midst of the Great Depression, Seabiscuit becomes an inspiration to his fans. Seabiscuit screens 12, 1, 3, 6:10, 7:10 and 9:20 p.m. (JPK)

WHALE RIDER. The Whangara people of New Zealand search for a new tribal leader to follow in the legacy of their ancestor Paikea, who was once saved from drowning by riding on the back of a whale. The would-be heir to the title of chief dies during birth, while his twin sister, Pai, survives. A natural leader, Pai grows up striving to overcome the odds of gender oppression in her tribe and engages in a quest for the title of chief. The performance is moving and well acted, although meanings of some tribal references are lost on Western audiences. Director Niki Caro’s shots beautifully capture the picturesque scenery of coastal New Zealand. Whale Rider screens 4:20 and 10:10 p.m. (JPK)

theater

ROMANTIQUE. Live one of the most dramatic moments in three revolutionary artists’ lives. The second piece in Hershey Felder’s “imagination in music,” Romantique transports the audience to a momentous summer evening in a country house outside of Paris where Delacroix, Chopin and George Sand have gathered. Set in 1846, the play is a brilliant fusion of Sand’s revelatory writings, Delacroix’s poignant art and Chopin’s masterful music. Runs Friday, August 1 through Sunday, August 17. Tickets $45; $35 for students, senior citizens and subscribers, available in advance through the ART box office. Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St. (MRH)

AN IDEAL HUSBAND. Enjoy one of Oscar Wilde’s most true-to-life and touching stories in a piece that explores the mistakes we make and the power of compassion to overcome them. Directed by Jeremy W. Blocker ’04, the play is replete with political intrigue, the ups and downs of courtship and Wilde’s characteristic wit and style. Runs Friday, August 1 through Saturday, August 16. Tickets $14; $10 for senior citizens and students, available through the Harvard Box Office. Loeb Experimental Theater, 64 Brattle St. (MRH)

music

DEERHOOF. This R&B influenced garage rock group uses almost randomly placed, staggered guitar lines to create a sense of chaos that is brought back into order only by the smooth, Bjork-esque vocal stylings of Satomi Matsuzaki. Assaulting eardrums since 1994, the experienced quartet promises a show that lives up to the name of its latest single, “Holy Night Fever.” Isle of Citadel and Fat Worm of Error also perform. Wednesday, August 20, 9 p.m. $9. Upstairs at The Middle East, 472 Mass Ave. (JPK)

SILVERTIDE. Meet lead singer Walt Lafty, lead guitarist Nick Perri, rhythm guitarist Mark Melchiorre, bassist Brian Weaver and drummer Kevin Frank—five shaggy-haired time travelers hell-bent on resurrecting rock’n’roll. They strip their sound down to the essentials: wailing guitar licks, raucous vocals and crashing drums redolent of rock’s heyday in the 70s. Explicit lyrics might stave off mass appeal for Silvertide, but the rambunctious quintet out of northeastern Philadelphia strike that chord of mania and excess with rock fanatics. Tuesday, August 19 at 9:50 p.m. $6. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (HLN)

THE DAY JACOB SMILED. An indie element on the move, the band molds music as distinct as its enigmatic name. Born from rock, groove, pop and jazz, the Boston trio’s mellow fare is made dissonant with noisy, upbeat guitar and drums. Catch guitarist/songwriter Gregory Kasabian, drummer Jason Bonarrigo and bass player Steve Moynihan while they still play weddings and are in the midst of moving onto bigger things. Sunday, August 17 at 10:55 p.m. $5. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (HLN)

THE KINGSBURY MANX. Grammy-winning songstress Norah Jones nabbed a slice of the spotlight from today’s pop divas by eschewing the theatrics and focusing on her unique, raspy vocals. The Kingsbury Manx already seem to have learned that a whisper can speak louder than a whoop when it comes to polishing their own low-key tunes. Taking its cue from Britpop, the North Carolina outfit casts a shadowy and intimate tone over its songs, leaving listeners rocking on their country porches and floating away on meditations about cabbages, kings and everything in between. Friday, August 15 at 10:55 p.m. $8. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (HLN)

ED O.G. The gruff emcee from Roxbury, MA recently made a comeback with his 2001 album The Truth Hurts. He knows how to package a bumping, catchy song, but don’t be fooled by the bouncy rhythms—Ed O.G. can still wrangle rhymes and create rap that’s real. His lyrics evade mainstream hip-hop’s party mentality, dealing with self-image and everyday decisions. In the DJ Premier-produced “Sayin’ Somethin’,” Ed O.G. raps: “If the opportunity presents itself / I might just have to go and reinvent myself.” It seems he already has. Friday, August 15 at 8 p.m. 18+. $14 advance, $18 door. Downstairs at The Middle East Club, 472 Mass. Ave. (HLN)

AERIAL LOVE FEED. With bursts of powerful, punky guitar riffs and electronic loops, this Brooklyn quintet’s sound borders on trip-hop. Vocalist Wade Settle’s broadcast style washes over the rest of the band to create the engulfing waves that other live performers lack. The show opens with Laguardia, The Cignal and December Sound. Friday, August 15 at 9 p.m. $9. Upstairs at The Middle East Club, 472 Mass. Ave. (JPK)

THE SECRET CHANNEL. These pop-punk locals incorporate atypical rhythms to make their songs ever more upbeat. Singer Eddie Gutierrez’s grinding vocals dynamically accentuate every nuance of the guitars, which are comparable to Sonic Youth. The Information opens, with Enon headlining. Thursday, August 21 at 10:15 p.m. $8. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (JPK)

SUNTAN. Boston’s own space rockers crank up effects-laden guitars supplemented with organ swells to forge a new path for psychedelia. What the group lacks in bass they compensate with effects and the occasional violin sample. Also performing are Victory at Sea, Kingsbury Manx, and Jeffery Simmons & The Symptoms. Friday, August 15, 9 p.m. $8. T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline St. (JPK)

SUPERHONEY. Combining the sounds of 60s soul and light rock, singer Joan Pimentel delivers stylized vocals that got her the nomination for Best Female Vocalist at the Boston Music Awards three years in a row. The funky trio has performed with the likes of George Clinton, among other greats, and their acclaim as a great undiscovered band suggests they may not remain undiscovered for long. Amusia warms up the stage. Saturday, August 16 at 9 p.m. $11. The House of Blues, 96 Winthrop St. (JPK)

PAWS ACROSS AMERICA. Every hipster’s favorite laptop punks—the Tigerbeat 6 crew—leave their footprints on Cambridge with performances by Kid 606, Dwayne Sodahberk and DJ /rupture, a.k.a. Jace Clayton ’97. Expect rousing, hyperdistorted mashups of Missy and jump-up jungle from the Kid, but be sure to check out /rupture on the decks—he creates narratives that subvert expectations and shatter synapses, throwing down everyone from Edgard Varese to the Clipse. And of course, the latest in bad man riddims from Kingston. Saturday, August 16 at 8 p.m. $10 advance, $12 door. Downstairs at The Middle East Club, 472 Mass. Ave. (RJK)

visuals

EXTRA ORDINARY EVERY DAY. A collection of art works, design objects and other materials related to the Bauhaus, Germany’s renowned art and design school from between the World Wars. The “tour” of some 20 works, grouped into five thematic sections (Lamp, House, Chair, Stage and Auto), reflects the contributions of the Bauhaus and its associate artists to modernity. These works represent the school’s ambition to penetrate and reform every aspect of society. Among the list of Bauhaus artists included is Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, whose sculpture “Light Prop for an Electric State” is presented in-depth. Through December 31. Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m. $6.50, $5 students/seniors, free for Harvard ID holders. Busch-Reisinger Museum, Werner Otto Hall. (LAP)

MEDARDO ROSSO: SECOND IMPRESSIONS. This exhibit of Medardo Rosso’s sculptures is the first at a U.S. museum in 40 years. Medardo Rosso, an “impressionist sculptor,” saved and exhibited his wax casts rather than transforming them into bronzes. Focusing on five Rosso works, the exhibit attempts to determine what he was after when he sculpted 50 different variations of heads and busts. These range from the early “Aetas aurea” (The Golden Age, 1886-87), to the full-figure “Bookmaker” (1894), to his last and greatest work “Ecce puer” (Behold the Child, 1906). Through Oct. 26. Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m. $6.50, $5 students/seniors, free for Harvard ID holders. Sacker Museum, 485 Broadway. (LAP)

THE CITY OF SARDIS; APPROACHES IN GRAPHIC RECORDING. The historic architecture and landscape of Sardis—the capital of the Lydian kingdom in westsern Turkey—are presented. The drawings range from the oldest, hand-measured pencil and ink versions from the Age of Enlightenment (1750s) to the latest electronic and computerized technologies that are expanding the traditional aims of graphic recording. Through Nov. 16. Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m. $6.50, $5 students/seniors, free for Harvard ID holders. Fogg Art Museum, 32 Quincy Street. (LAP)

HATCHING THE PAST: DINOSAUR EGGS, NESTS AND YOUNG. This new fall exhibit, exploring the social aspects of dinosaurs, features a wide variety of dinosaur nests and eggs from around the world. Visitors can see and touch real dinosaur bones and a dinosaur nest nearly eight feet in diameter. The exhibit presents new theories about dinosaur reproduction and general behavior. Other attractions include the longest eggs ever discovered born of an oviraptor from China, a 75 million-year-old titanosaur egg the size of a bowling ball and a DVD presentation on baby dinosaurs and embryos. Runs through Sept. 1. $7.50 adults, $6 seniors/students. Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St. (CCS)

THESE SHOES WERE MADE FOR ... WALKING? This extensive collection of shoes from around the world concentrate on the rise from sensiblity to the height of fashion. 60 pairs of shoes, sandals and boots are exhibited from different cultures and different times. The ethnographic collection from the Peabody Library should appeal to shoe and fashion aficianados alike. Through Feb. 2004. Tozzer Library, 21 Divinity Ave. Free with Harvard ID. (CCS)

IN HER OWN HAND: OPERAS COMPOSED BY WOMEN, 1625-1939. This exhibit focuses on the contributions of women through the development of opera. It follows the origins of Italian opera in the courts of Versailles in the 17th century to public opera in post-revolutionary Paris and beyond. For music lovers and history buffs alike. Through Dec. 1, 2003. Loeb Music Library, Music Building. (CCS)

WHERE TRADITIONS MEET: PAINTING IN INDIA FROM THE 14TH THROUGH THE 17TH CENTURY. This exhibit explores the evolution of Indian painting, from early illustrations of Jain and Buddhist manuscripts to refined paintings done in the Rajput courts and under the Mughal emperors. Being in an area of germination and intersection of artistic traditions, India attracted numerous artists, many of whom illustrated religious and allegorical subjects using vibrant indigenous styles. Through December 7. Hours: Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. $6.50 adults, $5 students/seniors, free with Harvard ID. Arthur M. Sacker Museum, 485 Broadway. (LAP)

BUDDHIST ART: THE LATER TRADITION. This exhibit explores Chinese, Korea and Japanese works of art from the 8th to the 18th century, including paintings, sculptures, sutras (Buddhist sacred texts), ritual objects and textiles. Buddhist art evolved immensely during these ten decades. Early Buddhist art emphasized the religion’s major deities; Buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats and human and animal guardians, whereas later Buddhist art, which evolved largely in East Asia and changed due to the Buddhist church’s becoming increasingly sectarian, accentuated on the a wider variety of subject matter and style. This ranges from the furious deities of the Esoteric tradition to moralistic paradise and hell scenes of the Pureland school to the simple ink play of Zen. Through January 4, 2004. Hours: Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. $6.50 adults, $5 students/seniors, free with Harvard ID. Arthur M. Sacker Museum, 485 Broadway. (LAP)

‘LE COQ D’OR’: NATALIA GONCHAROVA’S DESIGNS FOR THE BALLETS RUSSES. Inciter of the Moscow pre-World War I art scene, Natalie Goncharova designed stage sets and costumes for the Ballet Russes production of Le coq d’or, an opera-ballet premiered in Paris and London in 1914. This exhibit brings together Goncharova’s stage and costume designs, curtain studies, and preparatory drawings from the Harvard Theater Collection; the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Through August 24. Hours: Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, 1-5p.m. $6.50, $5 students/seniors, free for Harvard ID holders. Busch-Reisinger Museum, Werner Otto Hall. (LAP)

readings

KATY LEDERER. Lederer, an American poet well known for her collection Winter Sex, attempts prose in her memoir Poker Face: A Girlhood Among Gamblers. The book brings the world of professional gambling to life, offering a perceptive account of growing up as well as gambling. Lederer’s childhood includes an English professor father, a mother hooked on crossword puzzles, solitaire, and scotch and two older siblings who rob their mother’s purse. All gamblers and all fiercely competitive, the family becomes split after the kids go to college and the parents divorce. It is in the central hub of American gambling—Las Vegas—that the family comes back together for their love of betting and winning. Lederer’s thoughtful prose describes in vivid, poignant detail all the hardships of finding one’s place in the world. The book will be presented on August 18 at 7:00 p.m. Free. Wordsworth Books, 30 Brattle St. (MCH)

Happening was edited by Ryan J. Kuo ’04 with John P. Kehoe and compiled by Megan C. Harney, Mallory R. Hellman, Heloisa L. Nogueira, Lara A. Pedrini, Caitlin C. Southwick and Eric Wang.