Our Picks

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Can't Miss

1. SPEED RACER

[MOVIE] For their first foray into writing and directing since "The Matrix" trilogy, the Wachowski brothers took on the legendary Japanese TV series "Speed Racer." True to their roots, there%u2019s enough flashing lights, high-speed action and over-the-top animation here to satisfy the most discerning CGI connoisseur %u2014 even a peek at the trailer feels like an epileptic moment. Emile Hirsch stars as Speed Racer, the aggressive, fearless driver striving to fulfill the legacy of his deceased brother, Rex Racer, while Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon and John Goodman round out the cast.

Friday. .

2. EL-P AND DIZZEE RASCAL

[CONCERT] Hip-hop innovators El-P and Dizzee Rascal join forces for what is sure to be a dance-heavy show at the 9:30 Club. Brooklyn-based El-P's jams are varied in tempo and style but consistently strong, as he always manages to drop solid lyrics against unexpected, infectious beats. Dizzee Rascal hails from across the pond and has, better than any of his contemporaries, set London street slang to the American genre of street music. Truthfully, Rascal handles hip-hop with an ease rare amongst his counterparts stateside. This dynamic pair of headliners are joined by DJ Mr. Dibbs, the Mighty Quin and DJ Aaron LaCrate.

Thursday at 7:30 p.m. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. $20. 202-393-0930.

3. SON OF RAMBOW

[MOVIE] What happens when a sheltered British boy, brought up in a religious sect called the Brethren, stumbles upon a bootleg copy of the 1982 Rambo flick "First Blood?" In the case of Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner), the answer is pure, unadulterated obsession. He finds a kindred spirit in the school bully (with a Scorsese bent) and together they make their own version of the movie, where impish, spindly Will finds his niche in the role of fearless stuntman. Writer/director Garth Jennings ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") channels the glee of a summer spent with a camcorder into a portrait of the unpredictable process of growing up.

Friday. .

4. AARON DOUGLAS: AFRICAN AMERICAN MODERNIST

[EXHIBIT] More than 80 rarely seen works make up the first nationally touring retrospective of one of the most influential visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Like the jazz of its age, Douglas's work was a cool and seamless blend of styles and influences. His paintings, prints, drawings and illustrations (all of which are represented in the exhibition) combine cubist rhythms, art deco style and traditional African American imagery.

Opens Friday. Through Aug. 3. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Eighth and F streets NW. Free. 202-633-1000.

5. DAVID IN SHADOW AND LIGHT

[ON STAGE] Lest you worry that David in Shadow and Light will be just another biblical musical along the lines of The Prince of Egypt, set your mind at ease. Yes, it's a musical retelling of the life of King David, but Theater J has assembled an amazing team of actors and dancers for this stunning and strange world premiere. They tell David's story partially through dance sequences, framed by the commentary of an archangel and Adam (yes, that Adam), who watch David's life from above. So it's a postmodern Biblical musical, which is something you probably don't have enough of in your life.

Opens Wednesday. Through June 22. Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW. $20-$55. 800-494-8497.

-- Sunday Source staff

Critics' Choice

KANYE WEST

[CONCERT] Kanye West stands alone. No, really: On his blockbuster "Glow in the Dark" tour, the famously megalomaniacal rap star has the elaborately designed stage all to himself, with a pit band tucked away beneath him. All the better to give West's massive ego a wide berth? Or maybe just the best way to keep the focus squarely on his ferocious creativity? Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco open.

-- J. Freedom du Lac

Saturday, doors at 5:30 p.m. Nissan Pavilion, 7800 Cellar Door Dr., Bristow. $36-$100.75 703-754-6400 or 202-397-7328.

RETOUR À MAY 1968

[MOVIE] The cataclysmic events that roiled America in 1968 have already been celebrated by one Hollywood film, "Chicago 10." But the violence and anarchy that August had been anticipated earlier that summer in France, where student boycotts and strikes eventually led to the downfall of the de Gaulle government. The National Gallery of Art marks the 40th anniversary of that fateful season with "Retour à May 1968," a series that kicks off today at 4:30 p.m. with Louis Malle's "May Fools," about a family trying to escape the anarchy in Paris, only to face its own dysfunctional chaos. The series continues with "Tout Va Bien," "Regular Lovers" and "To Die at Thirty."

-- Ann Hornaday

Today and May 17, 18 and 24. National Gallery of Art, East Building Auditorium, Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Free. 202-842-6799.

And More ...

[Concerts]

BILAL-- Today at 8 p.m. Fans are still waiting for the release of the second album by the New York-by-way-

of-Philadelphia R&B crooner. 9:30 club, 815 V St. NW. $25. 202-393-0930 or 800-955-5566.

THE ELECTRIC PRUNES-- Monday at 8 p.m. Another week, another unlikely comeback, and train-wreck or triumph, this should be a fun show. With (The Sounds of) Kaleidoscope. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $15. 202-667-7960.

WAS (NOT WAS)-- Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The reunited eccentric pop act performs another local show featuring music from its new album, "Boo!" With Todd Snider. Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. $35. 703-549-7500 or 703-573-7328.

LIV WARFIELD-- Tuesday at 8 and 10 p.m. The smooth soul vocalist's style has earned comparisons to that of Sade. Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW (rear). $20. 202-337-4141.

THE TEENAGERS-- Wednesday at 8 p.m. The European pop act presents a musical world that draws heavily on American teen culture as presented on the silver screen. With Team Robespierre. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $13. 202-667-7960.

EL-P AND DIZZEE RASCAL-- See Can't Miss.

LANDON PIGG-- Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Pleasant-voiced indie pop from Nashville. Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria. $20. 703-549-7500 or 703-573-7328.

THE CURE-- Friday at 8 p.m. It was a big disappointment when Robert Smith and Co. begged off their September performance at the Patriot Center, but as promised, the boys in black have come through with a reschedule. George Mason University, Patriot Center, 4400 University Dr., Fairfax. $57.50. 703-993-3000 or 202-397-7328.

POLVO-- Friday at 9 p.m. Math rock is back. Or at least one of its most important progenitors is. With Sir Arthur & His Royal Knights. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. $13. 202-667-7960.

[Exhibits]

INTERIOR VIEWS-- Opens Wednesday. Through June 6. As part of the celebration of the European Union's 50th anniversary, photographers from 10 E.U countries were invited to explore the European Parliament's buildings in Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg, France. Their pictures reveal sites ordinarily hidden from public view and give insight into the world's only multinational parliament. Goethe-Institut, 812 Seventh St. NW. Free. 202-289-1200.

LED BY THREAD-- Opens Wednesday. Through June 1. An exhibition of contemporary fiber arts selected by juror Yasmin Spiro. Torpedo Factory Art Center, Target Gallery, 105 N. Union St., Alexandria. Free. 703-838-4565, Ext. 4.

AARON DOUGLAS: AFRICAN AMERICAN MODERNIST-- See Can't Miss.

BALLYHOO! POSTERS AS PORTRAITURE-- Opens Friday. Through Feb. 8. Works from the late 19th century to today demonstrate the vibrant and dynamic portraiture in posters. The 60 pieces look at how we present and perceive celebrity and include images of Gen. John J. Pershing, Buffalo Bill Cody, Joe Louis and Judy Garland. National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F streets NW. Free. 202-633-1000.

THE CINEMA EFFECT: ILLUSION, REALITY, AND THE MOVING IMAGE PART I: DREAMS-- Closes May 11. The first of a two-part exhibition features work by emerging artists who use film and technology to show the increasing impact of cinema on our perceptions. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Independence Avenue SW. Free. 202-633-1000.

DOUBLE-TAKE: THE POETICS OF ILLUSION AND LIGHT-- Closes May 11. Painting, photography, video and sculpture explore the potential of light and shadow. Includes works by Bernhard Hildebrandt, Mary Temple and Alexandra A. Grant. Contemporary Museum, 100 W. Centre St., Baltimore. $5, students $3. 410-783-5720.

CAROLE BOLSEY-- Through May 14. New paintings and terra cottas by the accomplished New England artist. Cross MacKenzie Ceramic Arts, 1054 31st St. NW. Free. 202-333-7970.

FLOATING FACES-- Through May 17. People's expressions are captured in portraits; the exhibit examines how we read these paintings through the filter of our preconceptions. Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. Free. 202-315-1305.

[Literature]

For more events, see the Literary Calendar in today's Book World.

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON-- Monday at 7 p.m. The syndicated columnist and political blogger discusses her book "Right Is Wrong." Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. 202-364-1919.

[Movies]

Films open Friday and are in general release unless otherwise noted. Opening dates subject to change. Checkhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/moviesor Friday's Weekend section for details and complete movie listings.

JELLYFISH-- Through May 15. The lives of three Tel Aviv women intersect at a wedding: a catering waitress who takes in a mysterious child, a bride with a broken leg and a domestic worker who has left her son in her native Philippines. As they wander through Israel's most cosmopolitan city, each finds comfort in its tranquil waters. In Hebrew with English subtitles. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. $7-$9.75. 202-452-7672.

MISTER LONELY-- Writer-director Harmony Korine ("Kids") brings together Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, Charlie Chaplin and a group of flying nuns in this quirky, melancholy tale of fanaticism and the redemption people seek in one another. The film follows a lonely Jacko impersonator (Diego Luna) who travels to a Scottish commune full of other impersonators. Samantha Morton and Werner Herzog also star. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. $7-$9.75. 202-452-7672.

REDBELT-- Set in the Los Angeles fight world, David Mamet's drama follows a jujitsu teacher (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and his wife (Alice Braga) as they're drawn into the realm of competitive fighting after an incident between an off-duty police officer and a distraught lawyer. Joe Mantegna and Tim Allen also star.

ROMAN DE GARE-- Named after the pulp fiction novels sold in French train stations, this thriller from Oscar winner Claude Lelouch follows the intersecting lives of three strangers: an abandoned woman, a man waiting for his chance and a best-selling author who concocts the thriller of the year. Dominique Pinon ("Amélie") and Fanny Ardant star. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. $7-$9.75. 202-452-7672.

SON OF RAMBOW-- See Can't Miss.

SPEED RACER-- See Can't Miss.

THEN SHE FOUND ME-- In her directorial debut, Helen Hunt plays a teacher who separates from her husband (Matthew Broderick) and suffers the loss of her adoptive mother. But things start looking up: Her birth mother (Bette Midler) comes calling, and she falls for the perfect man (Colin Firth). And then she learns she has finally conceived a baby . . . with her former husband.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS-- Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz portray two strangers who wake up to find they've gotten married after a wild night in Sin City. The kicker? One of them hit the jackpot playing the other's quarter, which means plenty of scheming, backstabbing and money-grabbing follow -- as well as some falling in love.

[On Stage]

THE DINNER PARTY: AN EVENING OF EXPERIMENTAL DANCE, MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE ART-- Tuesday at 8 p.m. This new series of monthly open showings that will take place Tuesday nights in the Warehouse Theater is an effort to expand Washington's venues for in-progress and experimental works. Performances by Nancy Havlick & Dancers and Janel Leppin will be followed by a short audience discussion. Warehouse Theater, 1021 Seventh St. NW. $5. 202-783-3933.

CRUMBLE-- Opens Wednesday. Through June 7. Shirley Serotsky directs Sheila Callaghan's play about a mother and daughter who dream of celebrities (Harrison Ford and Justin Timberlake, respectively) while their once-cherished home remembers better times. Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St. SE. $10. 202-547-6839.

DAVID IN SHADOW AND LIGHT-- See Can't Miss.

THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL-- Previews Monday-Saturday. Opens May 11. Through June 15. Richard Brinsley Sheridan's comedy of manners, which remains a crowd pleaser, was originally performed in London in 1777. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. $25-$55. 202-544-7077.

CINDERELLA-- Opens Wednesday. Through May 11. The Washington Ballet presents Septime Webre's take on the classic fairy tale. Warner Theatre, 13th and E streets NW. $20-$80. 202-362-3606, Ext. 241.

DAKSHINA/DANIEL PHOENIX SINGH & COMPANY-- Saturday at 8 p.m., May 11 at 7 p.m. The local dance troupe premieres two works in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. NE. $22; seniors, students, artists and teachers $17; ages 2-17 $8. 202-269-1600.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN-- Through May 18. The classic 1949 drama about Willy Loman and his chase of the American Dream is part of Arena Stage's Arthur Miller Festival. Arena Stage, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington. $51-$61. 202-488-3300.

[Sports]

NATIONALS-- Today at 1:35 p.m. against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Friday-Saturday at 7:35 p.m. against the Florida Marlins. Nationals Park, 1500 South Capitol St. SE. $5-$130. 202-397-7328.

D.C. UNITED-- Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against the Chicago Fire. RFK Stadium, 2400 East Capitol St. SE. $18-$45. 202-397-7328.