Cinemark at Hampshire Mall

(587-4233)

"Monsters, Inc." is reviewed in this issue.

In "Domestic Disturbance," a child's life hangs in the balance between good father John Travolta and evil stepfather Vince Vaughn.

General-turned-convict Robert Redford and cowardly warden James Gandolfini vie for control of "The Last Castle" in this prison drama.

"Riding in Cars With Boys" fails to capture the charm of Beverly Donofrio's memoir, on which it is based. Drew Barrymore brings unfocused energy to the lead role as a promising student whose life is derailed by a pregnancy. Steve Zahn co-stars.

"Serendipity" tries for romance a la "When Harry Met Sally ..." but is undermined by script cliches and lackluster performances by leads John Cusack and Kate Beckinsdale.

"Highlander" and "The Terminator" are just two of the many films ripped off by Jet Li's sci-fi adventure, "The One." The story, involving a good Jet and an evil Jet who battle across multiple universes, actually makes a surprising amount of sense-the problem is that audiences come to Jet Li movies for his martial arts wizardry which, in this case, is obscured, not enhanced, by sub-Matrix special effects.

"13 Ghosts" updates the '60s horror classic with state-of-the-art digital effects. F. Murray Abraham and Shannon Elizabeth star.

Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke play good cop/bad cop in Antoine Fuqua's electrifying "Training Day." The two leads have never been better, and L.A. has never looked tougher.

Ben Stiller shines as writer-director-star of the silly yet undeniably hilarious "Zoolander," based on his vapid male model persona from the 1996 VH1 fashion awards. Christine Taylor (Mrs. Ben Stiller) co-stars.

Pleasant Street Theater

(586-0925)

Jacques Martineau's comedy, "The Adventures of Felix (Drole de Felix)," stars Sami Bouajila as a gay man in search of his biological father. In French with English subtitles.

In the Swedish '70s drama ,"Together," a mother of two leaves her abusive husband and moves into her brother's commune, where she must make choices about her husband and family while developing new attitudes towards sex, politics and her role as a woman.

STAGE

The Mount Holyoke department of dance will present The 2001 Faculty Dance Performance, a collaboration of professional and student performers. (Thurs., Fri., 8 p.m., Kendall Hall Studio Theater at Mount Holyoke College.)

In Adrienne Kennedy's drama, "The Ohio State Murders," an African-American writer reflects on her heavily controversial relationship with a white professor, which she has hidden for decades, and the terrible fate of their twin daughters. (Thurs., Fri. and Tues., 8 p.m.; Sat. 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; UMass' The Curtain Theater. $7 and $4. For tickets, call 545-3490.)

Amherst Works will present "The Next Step," a two-part discussion examining the role of theater and dance in Amherst students' lives. "Part 1: Theater and Dance After Amherst" and "Part 2: Theater and Dance At Amherst" will feature interactive panels of visiting speakers who plan to discuss their own experiences and give advice to current Amherst students. (Part 1: Sat., 3 p.m.; Part 2: Sun., 3 p.m. Both are in Studio 3 in Webster Hall. Free.)

TALKS

Professor Brian Horowitz of the University of Nebraska will lecture on "Zionism and Symbolism: Messianic Collaboration at the Dawn of the Soviet Era." (Mon., 4:30 p.m., Center for Russian Culture in Webster Hall. Free.)

Professor of Fine Arts DeWitt Godfrey will give a talk on his installation "Amherst Drawings." (Thurs., 4:30 p.m., Mead Art Museum Teaching Gallery, Room 223.)

Science reporter Kenneth Chang will discuss his New York Times article "From Visual Memory to Schroedinger Squids: Learning Science in a Rush and Then Trying To Explain It in The New York Times." (Thurs., 4:45 p.m., 204 Merrill. Free.)

University of Michigan professor Mamadou Diouf will lecture on "Engaging Postcolonial Cultures: African Youth and Public Space." (Fri., 4 p.m., Cole Assembly Room in Converse Hall.)

TUNES

The Amherst College New Music Ensemble will perform works by Schoenberg, Shen and others. (Sat., 8 p.m., Buckley Recital Hall. Free.)

The Amherst College Jazz Ensemble, directed by Bruce Diehl, will present its Big Band Concert. (Sun., 3 p.m., Buckley Recital Hall. Free.)

Motown recording artist India Arie will perform at Mount Holyoke's Chapin Auditorium. (Sun., 8 p.m. $15 with student I.D. Tickets available at For the Record in Amherst.)

"Not the Beatles," a Boston-based Beatles cover band, will party like it's 1969 in the Campus Center Frontroom. (Thurs., 8 p.m. Free.)

The second concert in the 2001-02 Music at Amherst Series will feature pianist Ignat Solzhenitsyn, who will perform six pieces. Solzhenitsyn has toured with numerous major orchestras in Europe and the United States. (Fri., 8 p.m., Buckley Recital Hall. $5 with student I.D.)

Fountains of Wayne singer Chris Collinwood will give a benefit concert for the families of rescue workers in New York City. Helicopter Helicopter will open. (Fri., 8 p.m., The Flywheel in Easthampton. Check www.flywheel-arts.org for more info.)

MISCELLANEOUS

FLICS presents "A Clockwork Orange," Stanley Kubrick's graphic 1971 parable of gang violence and state tyranny. (Thurs., 9 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 7:30 p.m., 10 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Campus Center Theater.)