Best Bets / August 13-19, 2000

Movies

Jennifer Lopez stars in the sci-fi thriller “The Cell” as a child therapist involved in a breakthrough research program that requires her to journey inside the mind of a comatose serial killer in hopes of saving his latest victim, a missing girl. Vince Vaughn co-stars. Opens wide Friday.

Pop Music

Pop radio’s KIIS has had its Wango Tango, rock radio’s KROQ has had its Weenie Roast, Latin pop radio KSSE has had its Reventon Super Estrella, and now it’s time for rap and R&B; outlet KKBT (the Beat) to weigh in with its annual Summer Jam. Today’s show at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater includes Lil’ Kim, Eve, Joe, Lucy Pearl, Timbaland & Magoo, Mos Def, Common, above, et al.

Jazz

Pianist Dave Brubeck and his quartet perform with trumpeter-trombonist James Morrison for the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra’s Wednesday outing at the Hollywood Bowl. Brubeck has been a major musical force for half a century.

Dance

Supplemented by a screening of ballet documentaries plus educational and outreach activities, the first BalletFest divides appearances by Inland Pacific Ballet, Pasadena Dance Theatre, Diablo Ballet, Francisco Martinez Dancetheatre, State Street Ballet and Los Angeles Chamber Ballet into three programs running Thursday through Saturday in the Luckman Complex at Cal State L.A.

Theater

Ibsen’s tragic heroine Hedda Gabler mambos into 1962 New England in the world premiere of “Speed-Hedda,” a dark, comic version of the classic adapted and directed by Robert A. Prior. Performed by an all-male cast, with Mark Brey as Hedda, this “live-action movie,” a Fabulous Monsters/Evidence Room collaboration, opens at the Evidence Room in L.A.on Friday.

Music

Mexican conductor Enrique Diemecke conducts at the Hollyhwood Bowl twice this week. Tuesday, he leads the L.A. Philharmonic in a Rachmaninoff program on which Russian pianist Nicolai Lugansky will play the “Paganini” Rhapsody. Thursday, Diemecke’s soloist is guitarist Manuel Barrueco, and the program lists music by Buxtehude, Revueltas, Rodrigo, De Falla, Marquez and Ravel.

Video

Michael Caine and writer John Irving took home Oscars for “The Cider House Rules,” director Lasse Hallstrom’s well-received drama based on Irving’s book about the adventures of an orphan (Tobey Maguire). And there is already Oscar talk about Julia Roberts’ performance in the spring hit, “Erin Brockovich,” as a research assistant who helps an attorney (Albert Finney) win a huge lawsuit against a powerful utility. The factual drama was directed by Steven Soderbergh. Both films make their video and DVD debuts Tuesday.

Art

“The Queen of Angels,” an exhibition focusing on the Virgin Mary in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (1160-1530), when the cult of the virgin flourished, will open Tuesday at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Brentwood. The exhibition will explore Mary’s role as virgin mother, queen and intercessor through works by Lieven van Lathem, Simon Marmion and Jean Bourdichon, among others, as represented in 18 illuminated manuscript books and leaves.