Best Bets

November 18-24, 2001

Movies

Master agent Robert Redford, above left, has 24 hours to navigate a maze of international espionage and prevent the scheduled execution of rogue protege Brad Pitt, right, in “Spy Game,” directed by Tony Scott (“Top Gun”). Opens Wednesday.

Also: Indie actor Todd Field (“Ruby in Paradise,” “Walking and Talking”) makes his feature directing debut with the drama “In the Bedroom.” Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson, who play a couple touched by tragedy, were awarded a Special Jury Prize for acting at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Opens Friday.

Theater

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Christmas shows are never far behind. Opening today is “Marisol’s Christmas.” It’s the story of a little girl and her father, recent arrivals from Mexico, as they camp beneath a freeway underpass on Christmas Eve. Jose Cruz Gonzalez’s fantasy will be staged at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank by Mark Valdez, associate artistic director of Cornerstone Theater Company.

Also: “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” opens today at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. In its fourth annual appearance, the Timothy Mason/Mel Marvin musical is staged by Globe artistic director Jack O’Brien, with Guy Paul as the Who-hating Grinch.

Video

Speaking of the Grinch, Jim Carrey struts, preens and cracks wise as the big green meanie in director Ron Howard’s holiday movie blockbuster “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The yuletide tale, featuring Christine Baranski and Jeffrey Tambor, arrives Tuesday on VHS and DVD.

Art

“Manuel Alvarez Bravo: Optical Parables,” at the J. Paul Getty Museum, celebrates the Mexican artist’s 100th birthday with an exhibition of rare photos from the 1920s through the 1970s. Known for striking black-and-white composi-tions that merge social consciousness with aesthetic brilliance, Bravo has produced a body of work that portrays his country and native people with poetic sensitivity. Above: “Tehuana Penando a Isabel” (1935).

Music

Guest conductor Emmanuel Krivine leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Debussy’s “Iberia,” Ravel’s “Bolero” and George Gershwin works (the “Cuban” Overture and Concerto in F, with red-socked pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet). Performances run Friday through next Sunday

Pop Music

Do your tastes run a little more, um, mature than Britney Spears (sold out Tuesday at Arrowhead Pond and Wednesday at Staples Center, and live from Las Vegas tonight on HBO)? On Friday, catch Luther Vandross, left, at the Universal Amphitheatre or Weezer at the Long Beach Arena.