The Hampden Gallery at UMass will be featuring "Patterns of Pleasure and Models of the Mind" by Kate Teale. Teale's work, which spans a variety of mediums, will be shown through 4/26. (Gallery hours are Mon.through Thurs., 12 to 6 p.m. and Sun., 2 to 5 p.m.)

FLICKS

Academy of Music Theater

(584-8435)

From the makers of "The Full Monty" comes "Blow Dry," a comedy about a hair styling competition in a small British town. Starring Alan Rickman and Natasha Richardson.

Ed Harris directs and stars in "Pollock," a biopic of the pioneering abstract painter. Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden co-stars.

Cinemark at Hampshire Mall

(587-4233)

"Along Came a Spider," based on the James Patterson novel, features Morgan Freeman as a detective investigating the kidnapping of two young girls.

"Blow" is reviewed in this issue.

Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-Fat kick major ass as wushu warriors-in-love in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," but the central plot involving spoiled protege Zhang Ziyi lacks urgency. In Chinese with English sub-titles.

World War II snipers Ed Harris and Jude Law face off in "Enemy at the Gates." Joseph Fiennes co-stars.

"Exit Wounds," starring Steven Seagal and DMX, is very painful indeed. That is all.

"Heartbreakers" is reviewed in this issue.

In "Just Visiting," a 12th century French nobleman (Christian Clavier) and his servant are accidentally transported through time to modern-day Chicago. Also starring Christina Applegate as the nobleman's descendant.

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?"

"Pokemon 3" is evil.

The romantic comedy "Someone Like You" stars Ashley Judd as a successful career woman who is determined to keep every aspect of her life, especially relationships, in check. Greg Kinnear and Hugh Jackman co-star.

The family adventure "Spy Kids" stars Antonio Banderas and is the story of two kids who must save their spying parents from an evil kidnapper (Alan Cumming).

"Tomcats" stars Jerry O'Connell as Michael, who bets he can get his friend Kyle (Jake Busey) to marry his girlfriend within 30 days. Problems arise when Michael also falls for the girlfriend.

Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh documents the "Traffic" of drugs in America in this powerfully bleak ensemble film starring Michael Douglas and Benicio del Toro.

Pleasant Street Theater

(586-0925)

Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls" is an intoxicatingly textured biopic of Cuban homosexual dissident and poet Reinaldo Arenas (superbly played by Oscar-nominated Javier Bardem).

"Memento" is reviewed in this issue.

STAGE

The Smith College theater department presents "Communicating Doors," a time-traveling comic thriller by Alan Ayckbourn. The hero is a "Specialist Sexual Consultant," who is unwittingly caught in an evil man's plans. (Wed. through Sat., 8 p.m., Theatre 14 at Smith College. $4. Call 585-ARTS for more info.)

Arawana Hyashi and the Jo Ha Kyu Ensemble will perform "Bugaku," a traditional Japanese court dance. (Thurs., 8 p.m., Fine Arts Center Concert Hall at UMass. $6 w/ student I.D. Call 535-2511 to reserve tickets.)

DASAC (Dancing and Stepping at Amherst College) will present "So Fresh and So Clean," their spring hip-hop show. Dance groups from UMass and Smith College will also perform. (Sat. 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sun. 4 p.m., Campus Center Frontroom. Free tickets are available in Valentine Dining Hall. $7 at the door. Email jmgoode@amherst.edu for more info.)

The Amherst College theater department presents "Desdemona," written by Paula Vogel and directed by Michael Birtwistle. The play examines the lives of Shakespeare's female characters. (Thurs. through Sat., 8 p.m., Experimental Theater. Free, but reservations are recommended.)

Mount Holyoke College theater department presents Bertolt Brecht's play "The Good Person of Szechwan," a parable about a good woman impersonating an evil man. (Thurs. through Sat., 8 p.m., Rooke Theatre at Mt. Holyoke College. $3. Call 538-2222 for more info.)

TALKS

Distinguished novelist and intellectual Susan Sontag will read from both her works in progress and her novel "In America." Discussion and book signing to follow. (Thurs., 7:30 p.m., Gamble Auditorium, Art Building at Mt. Holyoke College. Free.)

TUNES

The Skybox will feature the pop-rock group Semisonic, who just produced a new album called "All about Chemistry." The group enjoyed platinum success with their first album, "Closing Time," which also produced the ubiquitous hit single. (Wed., 8:30 p.m, UMass Skybox. $15. Must show up by 7:30 p.m. to buy tickets at door. Call 577-4SKY for advance tickets.)

The Smith music department presents its annual Orchestra and Wind Ensemble Spring Concert. Pieces will include Dvorak's "Symphony No. 9" and Kabalevsky's "Cello Concerto No. 1." (Sat., 7 p.m., Sweeney Concert Hall at Smith College. Free. Call 585-ARTS for more info.)

MISCELLANEOUS

The Amherst College Program Board presents "A Big, Big, Big Night of Comedy," featuring Eddie Brill (three-time winner of the MAC award for best comedian in New York City) and others. (7 p.m., Sun., Campus Center Frontroom. Free.)

Weekly Roundup, Amherst's own television talk/variety show, will feature Miss Massachusetts (Michelle Ann Neves) and musical guest Full Service. (8 p.m., Fri., Campus Center Frontroom. Free.)