Mead Art Museum will exhibit "The World Opened Wide: 20th-Century Russian Women Artists from the Collection of Thomas P. Whitney '37" in its new gallery space. (Through May 13. Call 542-8417 for more information.)
Artist James Gehrt will speak at the opening of his exhibition The Jesus Show, a collection of photographed representations of Jesus in a variety of settings. Reception will follow. (Sun., 2 p.m. Exhibition runs through March 25. Central Gallery in Wheeler House, UMass. )
FLICKS
Academy of Music Theater
(584-8435)
Gillian Anderson of "X-Files" fame plays a young society lady who falls in love with the seductive Eric Stoltz in "The House of Mirth," based on the classic Edith Wharton novel.
AMC Mountain Farms 4
(584-9153)
Director Gus Van Sant lamely re-makes his own "Good Will Hunting" in "Finding Forrester."
Brendan Fraser and Bridget Fonda star in "Monkeybone," a comedy about a cartoonist who slips into a coma, and the ensuing adventures in his own fantasy world.
When Jason Biggs ("American Pie") falls prey to psycho girlfriend Amanda Peet ("Whipped"), his loyal pals Jack Black ("High Fidelity") and Steve Zahn ("Happy, Texas") become bent on "Saving Silverman."
David Arquette stars as a mailman whose adventures babysitting his neighbor's dog make for slapstick comedy in "See Spot Run."
Eccentric Charlize Theron treats businessman Keanu Reeves to a "Sweet November." Theron is charming, but the rest of this inspid romantic drama induces nausea.
The remarkable Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo star as sister and brother in Ken Lonergan's funny and wrenching drama "You Can Count On Me."
Cinemark at Hampshire Mall
(587-4233)
Tom Hanks gets down and dirty with a volleyball in "Cast Away."
"Chocolat" is a by-the-numbers pseudo-art film from Miramax, but what the heck-the chocolates look delicious, as does luminous leading lady Juliette Binoche.
Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-Fat kick ass as warriors-in-love in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," but the central plot involving protege Zhang Ziyi lacks urgency. In Chinese with English subtitles.
Chris Rock plays a comedian who is hit by a bus and dies before his time in "Down to Earth." The humor that ensues when Rock returns to earth as an old, white business tycoon, however, does not compare with Rock's standup routines.
Anthony Hopkins returns as "Hannibal" in this gory, but distressingly unscary, sequel to "The Silence of the Lambs." Julianne Moore co-stars.
"The Mexican" is reviewed in this issue.
Petty thief George Clooney flees from the law with two other inmates in the period comedy (and loose Odyssey re-telling) "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
During summer break, a band of grade-schoolers save the world from their ex-principal, a laser-toting madman, in Disney's animated "Recess: School's Out."
"Snatch," Guy "Mr. Madonna" Ritchie's follow-up to the guns-and-accents comedy "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," features flashy camera work and a hilarious Brad Pitt as a gypsy.
Elvis impersonators Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner attempt a Vegas casino heist in "3000 Miles to Graceland."
Director Steven Soderbergh masterfully documents the "Traffic" of drugs in America in this powerfully bleak ensemble film starring Michael Douglas and Benicio Del Toro.
Jennifer Lopez is "The Wedding Planner" in this brainlessly outrgeous-and painfully unfunny-romantic comedy co-starring Matthew McConaughey.
TALKS
The UMass MFA creative writing program will sponsor a "Writers of Color" reading, featuring several poetry and fiction writers, including UMass Professor of English John Wideman. (Wed., 7 p.m. Food for Thought Books.)
Professor of Biology Paul Ewald will read from and sign his new book, "Plague Time: How Stealth Infections Cause Cancer, Heart Disease, and Other Deadly Ailments." (Thurs., 7 p.m. Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley.)
Phil Gambone, who has been published in The Harvard Gay and Lesbian Review, will speak on the subject of his forthcoming book, gays and gay rights in the Peoples' Republic of China. Reception to follow. (Sat., 4:30 p.m., Cole Assembly Room in Converse Hall.)
The New England Seminar in Early Modern Philosophy Conference will feature speakers from colleges and universities across the country. (Sat., 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Porter Lounge in Converse Hall. Free. Call 559-5390 for more info.)
TUNES
Dana Gooley, Valentine Professor of Music, and Meesun Hong, a violin performance student at the Juilliard School, will present a piano and violin recital. (Thurs., 8 p.m. Buckley Recital Hall. Free.)
The department of music will present a recital by music performance students. (Sun., 3 p.m., Buckley Recital Hall. Free. Call 542-2195 for more info.)
Renowned pianist Robert Levin will play Schubert and Franck, among others. (Tues., 8 p.m., Buckley Recital Hall. $5. Call 542-2195 for reservations.)
Mollie Stone '01, as the culmination of her thesis in choral conducting, will conduct a choir of Amherst College students and faculty singing medieval, Renaissance, international folk, American spiritual and 20th-century music.
MISCELLANEOUS
The Eighth Annual Multicultural Film Festival, presented by the UMass Interdepartmental Program in Film Studies, will screen "On and Off the Res' w/ Charlie Hill," a documentary portrait of the Native American stand-up comedian whose humor addresses reservation life and racism. (Thurs., 7:30 p.m., Herter Auditorium, UMass. Free.)
"Celeste," a German film directed by Percy Aldon, recounts the true story of the woman who served as Marcel Proust's housemaid while the writer was working on his renowned Recherche. (Thurs., 4 and 7:30 p.m., Stirn Auditorium.)
Mount Holyoke College's annual flower show, "The Magic of Spring," features hundreds of bulbs and plants. (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Runs through March 18. Talcott Greenhouse at Mount Holyoke College. Free.)