The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 112

VJ I Latter-day Lehrer at Club Passim Jim Infantino is one of the funniest songwriters in folk or any other form; a Tom Lehrer for the '90s whose dead-on satires are as insightful as they are side-splitting. Increasingly, as he sharpens his eccentric, honest eye, his serious songs have torney cashing in on the publicity value of defending a young man accused of hacking Chicago's archbishop to death. Edward Norton's portrayal of the accused is the kind of performance that sends careers into orbit (R) at Copley Place, Boston; Arlington, Belmont, Braintree, Dedkam, Framingharn, Hyannis, Kingston, Milford, Newton, Norwood, Revere, Sornerville, South Dennis, Stoughton, Tyngsborough, Weymouth, Woburn, ii "Someone Else's America" Quirky charmer about a couple of immigrant buddies one from Spain, the other from Montenegro who find the American melting-pot experience a little rough in their seedy corner of Brooklyn. (R) at Kendall Square, Cam- there's a curious lack of playfulness. (PG-13) at Cheri, Boston; Fresh Pond, Cambridge; Braintree, Brockton, Brook-line, Burlington, Buzzards Bay, Danvers, Dedkam, East Bridgewater, Falmouth, Framingharn, Franklin, Hanover, Harwich, Hyannis, Kingston, Lawrence, Mashpee, Milford, Quincy, Revere, Scituate, Sharon, Sornerville, South Dennis, Taunton, Tyngsborough, Wellled, Weymouth, Woburn.

"A Modern Affair" This romanee about a woman checking out the man whose deposit at the sperm bank impregnated her could have been a nudge-and-leer disaster. Instead, it's intelligent and charmingly modest, with ingratiating performances from Lisa Eichhorn and Stanley TuccL (R) at Coo-. lidge Corner Theatre, Brookline. "The Monster" The marvelous physical comedy of Roberto Benigni saves this one-joke farce from tedium. Benigni, who wrote and directed, plays a randy con man who is mistaken for a sex-crazed serial killer.

A policewoman (Nicoletta Braschi) and a psychiatrist (Michel Blanc) add to the growing mayhem. (Unrated) (Matthew Gilbert) at West Newton Cinema, Vi "MULHOUAND FALLS" Great '50s visuals as Nick Nolte leads a squad of fedora-wearing rogue cops in an investigation of a murder resembling LA's famous "Black Dahlia" killing. But it's more a Western, about vigilante justice, than a noir, steeped in dread and moral ambivalence. Its story is too linear, not convoluted or resonant enough. (R) at Copley Place, Boston; Arlington, Taunton, Vi "NUEBA YOL" An idealistic, gullible Dominican immigrant quickly learns there is no Easy Street in Man-hattaa It's not new territory, but there are enough warm, comic touches to keep it entertaining.

(Unrated) at Dei-ham, Lawrence, Sornerville. "Oliver and Company" This new Walt Disney Pictures feature-length animation can't hold a candle to such early classics as "Snow White" and "Pinocchio." It's an updated version of Dickens' "Oliver Twist," set in New York City, with a gang of dogs led by a roguish mutt patterned after the Artful Dodger. It's not badly made, but it's not a great one. (G) at Arlington, Dedkam, South Dennis, Weymouth, "Primal Fear" Grisly thriller, but satisfyingly complex in its depiction of the messiness of power relationships in a big city. Good acting, led by Richard Gere as an arrogant defense at- become as revealing and memorable as his funny ones.

Infantino records a long-awaited live CD Wednesday and Thursday, 7 and 10 p.m., at Club Passim. Patty Larkin, another always riveting and often hilarious songwriter, brings her delightful folk cabaret to Old Vienna, 22 South St i in Westborough, Saturday, 7 and 10 p.m. Convincing, melodic topical songwriter Fred Small is there tomorrow, 8:30 p.m. Canadian folk-songwriting legend Penny Lang appears at Joyful Noise, First Baptist Church, 1580 Mass. Lexington, Saturday, 8 p.m.

SCOTT ALARIK THE CAFE' at BARNES NOBLE l( iih at BOSTON UNIVERSITY I I 660 Beacon Street, Kenmore Square, Boston, 267-8484 Delight in the pleasures of espresso, cappuccino, lane, tea and coffee with a fresh scone or muffin on your way to work. Street level M-F 8 am-9 pm, Sat 9:30 am-6 p.m., Sun. Noon-6 pm FOWLE'S NEWBURYPORT edwtf COFFEEHOUSE J- 17 STATE ST NEWBURYPORT 508-463-8755 "nifsSte ouf eoffee te small-batch roasted right in the store. 1 inih Taste the differencel Espresso Cappuccino Latte Vintage 1930'a Soda Fountain. Open every night until 1 0 p.m.

kt-k "Spy Hard" They could have called it "Naked Gun 004." But never mind. Leslie Nielsen is as funny as ever as a bumbling superspy goofing on Bond. The sight gags come rolling at us briskly, and so do wicked parodies of movies ranging from "Pulp Fiction" to "Jurassic Park." (PG-13) at Copley Place, Bosotn; Fresh Pond, Cambridge; Acton, Braintree, Brockton, Burlington, Buzzards Bay, Danvers, Dedkam, East Bridgewater, Falmouth, Framingharn, Franklin, Hanover, Harwich, Hyannis, Kingston, Lawrence, Mashpee, Mendon, Neufon, Revere, Scituate, Sharon, SomervUle, South Dennis, Taunton, Tyngso-borugh, Wellfleet, Weymouth, Woburn. "The Truth About Cats and Dogs" Sweet, charming, funny "Cyrano de Bergerac" update set in contemporary Santa Monica. Ben Chaplin thinks he loves glamorous model Uma Thurman; really, he has fallen for bright, sensitive radio-talk-show veterinarian Janeane Garofalo, whose voice he thinks belongs to Thurman.

(PG-13) at Copley Place, Boston; Fresh Pond, Ckimbridge; Acton, Braintree, Brockton, Burlington, Danvers, Dedkam, East Bridgewater, Falmouth, Framingharn, Franklin, Harwich, Hyannis, Kingston, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Sharon, Sornerville, South Dennis, Taunton, Tyngsborough, Wellfleet, Westborough, Weymouth, Woburn. "Twister" From Jan De Bont, the director who gave us "Speed," a high-powered spectacle designed to blow us away, as daredevil meteorologists led by Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton tool around Oklahoma, taking on twister after twister, barely dodging terrific computer-generated flying barns, houses, farm equipment and other wind-driven unguided missiles. (PG-13) at Cheri, Boston; Fresh Pond, Cambridge; Braintree, Brockton, Burlington, (348 3676) I JIM INFANTINO of White, Sonic Joyride, CatBingo, Viscous Circle. $6 at door. At Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts Route 140, Mansfield.

423-NEXT or 423-6000. Ticket prices vary. June 4, 10:30 a.m. Great Woods Festival Orchestra. June 6, 750 p.m., Bob Seger.

June 7, 7:30 p.m, Dave Matthews Band with Ben Harper. June 8, 2:30 p.m, WBCN River Rave, two stages: featuring Presidents of the United States of America, Sonic Youth, Everclear, Lenny Kravitz and many more. June 15, 7:30 p.m., Adam Sandler. June 16, 7:30 p.m. Moody Blues with the World Festival Orchestra.

June 20, 7:30 p.m., Styx, Kansas. June 21, 7:30 pjn, Ozzy Osboume. June 23, 5 pjn, WBCS Boston Country Sunday, starring Travis Tritt, Marty Stuart Diamond Rio, Patty Loveless. June 28, 7 p.m, AUman Brothers Band. June 29, 7:30 p.m., Itzhak Perlman and Klezmer Orchestras.

June 30, 7:30 p.m, Chicago, Crosby, Stills and Nash. July 5, Canadian Brass, Star of Indiana Drum Corps. July 6, 650 jil, "Cant Stop Rock'n 1996" with REO Speedwa-gon, Foreigner and Peter Frampton. Jury 10, 4 pm, Furthur Festival with Ratdog, Mickey Hart's Mystery Box, Bruce Homsby, Electric Hot Tuna, Los Lobos, Flying Karamazov Brothers. July 12-13, 750 pjn.

Sting, Cowboy Junkies. July 16, 7:30 p.m, Def Lep-pard. July 16, 7 p.m, AUman Brothers Band. July 20, 7:30 pm, Dwight Yoa-kam. Jury 21, 750 p.m, Linda Ronstadt with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

July 23, 750 p.m, Celine Dion. July 24-25, 750 p.m, James Taylor. July 26, 7:30 p.m. Steely Dan. July 27, 750 pjn, Steve Miller Band.

Pat Benatar. July 28, 750 pjn Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra conducted by Keith Lock-hart July 29, 750 p.m, Natalie Merchant Aug. 2, 750 p.m, Boston, Cheap Trick. Aug. 3, 7 jb.

Scorpions, Alice Cooper. Aug. 6 pjn, "Smokin" Grooves" featuring Cypress HilL Fu-gees, Ziggy Marley, Tony Rick Project Buster Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest Aug. 8-9, 750 pjn, Hootie and the Blowfish. Aug.

1 1, 7 pjn, Lynrd Skynrd, Doobie Brothers. Aug. 14, 750 pjn, Alanis Morissette, Racbohead. Aug. 15.

4:30 pjn, H.OJUXE. Festival with Blues Traveler, Lenny Kravitz. Rusted Root King Crimson. Aug. 16, 750 pjn, Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Tri-sha Yearwood. Aug. 17, 750 p.m. Meat-loaf. Aug.

24, 750 pjn, Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra conducted by John Williams. Aug. 25 and 28, 30-31, (SOLD OUT) 8 pjn, Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band Aug. 26, 7J0ounvJdiroTuil.Au.27.(jJLl mm mm iw.m wmw. Buzzards Bay, Danvers, Dedkam, East Bridgewater, Falmouth, Frumingham, Franklin, Hanover, Harwich, Hyannis, Kingston, Lawrence, Mashpee, May-nard, Milford, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Scituate, Sharon, Sornerville, South Dennis, Taunton, Tyngsborough, Well-fleet, Westborough, Weymouth, Woburn.

"Under the Domim Tree" Worthy companion piece to "The Summer of Aviya," and a touching, involving chronicle of Holocaust orphans trying to exorcise their demons on a kibbutz Israel in 1950. The ensemble performance insures your admiration and respect for the resilience of these young survivors. (Unrated) at Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline. Vt "Up Close and Personal" Throwback to vintage Hollywood star vehicles, with Michelle Pfeiffer as a TV anchor on the rise and Robert Red-ford as her lover, mentor and husband. What brings it into the "90s is its way of giving the woman equal time and dramatic weight and realizing that what's likely to get between a man and a woman isn't a romantic rival, but career demands.

(PG-13) at Beverly. POPROCK NEIL Diamond FleetCenter, Causeway Street, Boston. 931-2000. June 20-22, 8 p-rn. $17.50, $27.50 and $35.

The CURE Worcester Centrum, 50 Foster St, Worcester. 508617-931-2000. July 2, 7:30 jil $27.50. MUSK AT Noon Northeastern University, ED Center Ballroom, Boston. 373-2671.

Free. May 30, NU Student Spotlight James TAYLOR Tanglewood, Route 183, West Street, Lenox. 266-1200, 800-274-8499. July 29, 7 pjn. $3841 7.50.

Wednesday at the wurutzer Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St, Providence. 401-421-2787. Free. Noon. June 5, soloist Bob Love.

R. KELLY FleetCenter, Causeway Street Boston. 931-2000. June 3, 7:30 pjn. $220 and $27.50, Funky Wmte Homkies White's of Westport 66 State Rd, Westport 508-674-9340 or 508-673-7061.

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