Entertainment : In Depth: 'Noah' follows 'Sometimes a Rainbow'

ACT I takes the stage Thursday evening with “Sometimes a Rainbow,” a lovely musical set in Washington DC about an abused elderly widow who gains great insight on life from a bag lady. Shows are 7 pm Thursday through Saturday, and 2 pm Sunday. Tickets may be reserved at www.act1.org.

Following that four-day run, the silver screen is lowered for “Noah,” starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, and Anthony Hopkins. This PG-13 fantasy spectacle plays the Palace Sunday, May 4 through Thursday, May 8 at 7 pm, and Monday, May 5 at 2 pm.

Please note “fantasy spectacle.” There has been a fair amount of controversy surrounding this film. Below is one review:

"Noah" is a bizarre movie.

It's a modern blockbuster, chock full of the visual and aural and narrative tics we expect from modern blockbusters: flash-cut nightmares and hallucinations, prophecies and old wise men, predictions of apocalypse and a savior's rise, computer-generated monsters with galumphing feet and deep voices, brawny men punching and stabbing each other, and crowd scenes and floods and circling aerial views of enormous structures being built, scored to tom-toms and men chanting and women wailing.

But wait: this is not the latest Marvel Comics epic. Nor is it a standard-issue messianic sci-fi film along the lines of "Star Wars" or "The Matrix." "Noah" is more of a surrealist nightmare disaster picture fused to a parable of human greed and compassion, all based on the bestselling book of all time, the Bible, mainly the Book of Genesis.

More specifically, "Noah" is writer-director Darren Aronofksy's interpretation of the story of Noah and the flood. He's made a few changes.

Okay, more than a few. Way more. This is the Book of Genesis after a page one rewrite.

For more of Matt Zoller Seitz’ review go to www.rogerebert.com. In the meantime, check it out for yourself! See you at the shows.