Cut Above: North Side barber Earl Baldwin offers more than just a haircut

"We all go through things. This place is here for anyone who needs it. I had one lady come in and say she saw the sign, and could I pray. And I prayed with her and she broke down and cried so hard she had black lines all down her face from mascara."

• by Jane McCafferty

Keeping Watch: Wisconsin labor issues have Pa. unions on high alert

Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Corbett hasn't proposed anything like Walker's bill. But labor leaders note that there are some union foes in the state.

• by Lauren Daley

On the Record with Mike Dawida, executive director of Scenic Pittsburgh

• by Charlie Deitch

Public Display: Are mugshot tabloids newsworthy or just sensational?

Mug-shot journalism has become increasingly popular nationwide. "These papers are all over the country, and they're pretty profitable," one media observer says. But "I don't think they're journalistic ... What they're selling is voyeurism."

• by Chris Young

Selling Wine After Its Time

When the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board decided in January to slash its inventory, there were bound to be unhappy customers. But their loss can be the enthusiast's gain, since it means a chance to pick up the condemned products at close-out prices.

• by Brian Tierney

Schwartz Market

The longtime East Carson Street grocery store gets ready to close.

• by Chris Young

Café Vita

This is a place that embraces the inherent dichotomies of brunch – breakfast or lunch, sweet or savory.

• by Angelique Bamberg and Jason Roth

Bus Fare

• by Chris Potter

Critics' Picks

School's Out ... For Now: Shows for students who aren't out on Spring Break

Three things to keep in mind for the days before break begins: First, you probably have lots of assignments due, and need to unwind. Second, you're feeling stingy -- Cancun's cheap but it's not free. Third, Weird Paul has read your mind.

• by Aaron Jentzen

A Path so Twisted: When musicians like Patti Smith win awards ... for books

When a person demonstrates mastery in one area, as Smith did in her early albums, it's natural to expect their other pursuits to be amateur hobbies -- even to wish it.

• by Aaron Jentzen

Chatham Baroque stages Bach's controversial St. John Passion

Because of a libretto gleaned from the Gospel of John, Bach has borne charges of anti-Judaic sentiment.

• by Andy Mulkerin
• Tags: Local Beat, Chatham Baroque, Bach, Classical

DJ FreQ Nasty and Monsters of Bass take the low road to Pittsburgh

See into the low-frequency future with The Monsters of Bass, a diverse showcase that unites producers MartyParty and Opiuo with DJ FreQ Nasty.

• by Aaron Jentzen
• Tags: Music Features, Monsters of Bass, FreQ Nasty, Marty Party, DJ, Opiuo

On the duo's new album, Ennui's psychedelic pop recalls Pink Floyd and Bowie

Formation of Tides finds Ennui moving toward the arena-ready prog-rock of mid-'70s Punk Floyd and Low-era David Bowie.

• by Patrick Bowman
• Tags: Music Features, Ennui, Mariage Blanc, Prog-rock

Interview: Flogging Molly's Bob Schmidt

Flogging Molly's banjo and mandolin player talks about the life in the beloved Celtic-rock group and its album Speed of Darkness, due May 24.

• by Bethie Girmai
• Tags: Music Features, Flogging Molly, Irish rock, Speed of Darkness, interview

Just Kids in the making: Interview with Patti Smith, July 2007, unpublished excerpt

"I wanted people to get a sense of where the lyrics came from, who inspired them, what we all looked like when we wrote the songs, and what we were doing, and the people that influenced me."

Outside the Law

Rachid Bouchareb's film puts viewers deep within this mid-century struggle, as three Algerian immigrant brothers get swept up in the cause for independence. Bouchareb, who also wrote the screenplay, uses the fanily as a prism to view these tumultuous times, which include: the escalation to armed rebellion; competing independence organizations; and the creation of a secret anti-terrorism unit within the French police. Given the intensity of the milieu, some of Outside is a bit plodding. This intersection of criminality, political rebellion and the immigrant experience may simply be too much for one film, even at two-and-a-half hours. Despite real tragedies, the film frequently feels more expository than emotional. The three lead actors are good -- each has moments that let us see what the turn of history is costing them -- but then Bouchareb moves on to another dispassionate assassination. Both the protagonists and their French adversaries operate "outside the law," and with casual violence. If the work is firmly pro-Algerian, it does aim, perhaps imperfectly, to be a portrait of that struggle's personal cost, even to a family that had every reason to fight. In French and Arabic, with subtitles. Starts Fri., March 4. Regent Square (Al Hoff)

• by Al Hoff

The Adjustment Bureau

David Norris (Matt Damon) is a former New York politician who meets a free-spirited dancer named Elise (Emily Blunt). But their budding romance is dramatically interrupted by some time-and-space-shifting "adjusters," who explain to Norris that there's a grand plan and this romance is not part of it. Norris balks, and thus ensues a battle of fates -- the destiny he wants versus what's been pre-approved by a higher power.

George Nolfi's The Adjustment Bureau is adapted from a Philip K. Dick story, and has intriguing ideas embedded: Where is the balance between control for the greater good, and the free-will actions we swear by? And if such machinations are best done invisibly, how can individuals accept life's compromises after seeing behind the curtain? Is there a God, and if so, why is He such a control freak?

I'd have preferred the film to more brainy than romantic, but for those who enjoy a love story with a splash of futuristic meddling, Bureau is a pleasant, solid outing. But given the adjusters' penchant for fedoras and slim-fitting suits, the presence of John "Roger Sterling" Slattery and location shooting in midtown Manhattan's old buildings, I was occasionally distracted imagining this as a mash-up of sci-fi and Mad Men. Starts Fri., March 4.

• by Al Hoff

Film Kitchen

A new comedy from Edward Bursch highlights this local-film series

• by Bill O'Driscoll

Drive Angry Shot in 3-D

When Nic Cage stars in an actioner with a title like this, one expects him to bring the crazy. Actually, as hell-escapee John Milton (oh, haha), Cage is set mostly on deadpan unhinged, though writer-director Patrick Lussier supplies plenty of manic, if not a lot of coherent plotting. As if it matters: Milton is trying to prevent a satanic cult from killing his granddaughter, while also being pursued by one of hell's "accountants" (William Fichtner). Of course, Milton hooks up with a hot road buddy (Amber Heard), who's an ass-kicker extraordinaire in Daisy Dukes. Many people are spectacularly killed; a couple vintage muscle cars are wiped out; and there's a very rigorous sexual encounter-slash-shoot-out that Tarantino probably wishes he'd thought of first. (Pittsburgher Tom "The Chief" Atkins also has a small role.) Drive Angry is unabashedly junky, and thus wholly entertaining for those who like their films loud, dumb and packed with titties and high-speed wrecks. It's also looks pretty good in 3-D, so if you want the flaming car door to fly right in your face, get the glasses. (Al Hoff)

• by Al Hoff

Hall Pass

Once upon a time, the Farrelly brothers made predictable rom-coms more outrageous by adding lots of shock humor: sex talk, nudity (including stuff you never wanted to see) and gross-out bodily fluids, plus the occasional foray into the politically incorrect. But now, after a decade of R-rated sex comedies, these outings are just as tired and predictable as the genre they once reinvigorated. Exhibit A is the Farrelly's latest, a tepid comedy about two married couples who take a no-strings-attached break from the perceived tedium of their hitched lives. The wives (Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate) are weary and bossy because they have to be -- they're married to good-hearted but helpless, scared little boys (Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis). Most of the gags focus on the two guys trying to get lucky during their week off -- essentially a string of humiliating episodes exposing them for the nutless (but good-hearted) wonders they are. (These films are aimed at men, who instead of laughing uproariously at their on-screen counterparts, should demand better vicarious adventures.) And despite the bare asses, horny cougars, bowel problems and free-lovin' Australian hotties, Hall Pass is really all about staying faithfully married. Not exactly genre-busting or transgressive. (Al Hoff)

• by Al Hoff

Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune

Kenneth Bowser's film is definitely a worthwhile pick for serious or casual Ochs fans, as well as those interested in folk music and the radical '60s. It reveals the singer-songwriter's appetite for fame, which competed with his quest for social justice, and explores his descent from being a young musician often compared with Bob Dylan to being deeply affected by manic depression. The film draws on footage from Ochs' life and talking-head interviews (many seemingly archival) with friends and colleagues, including Joan Baez, Van Dyke Parks and the late Jerry Rubin. Starts Fri., March 4. Harris (Andy Mulkerin) CP Approved

• by Andy Mulkerin

Rango

A domestic lizard with a flair for drama falls off a moving truck and finds himself in a hardscrabble, waterless Old West town called Dirt. He passes himself off as Rango, a gunslinger, and thus is forced to solve the town's real problem: corruption. The digital animation in Gore Verbinski's off-beat family adventure-comedy is gorgeous; I loved the exquisite desert scenery as well as twisted perspectives (such as viewing the landscape through a rolling pop bottle). And there's plenty of A-list voice talent: Johnny Depp (Rango), Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy and Ned Beatty. The kids at my screening enjoyed it, I'd wager for the parade of kooky animal characters dressed up as Western hombres, action scenes and slapstick. (The PG film might be too scary for little kids, especially those with giant-snake issues.) But I'd guess that the adults had more fun, reveling in this film's homage to Chinatown, various classic Westerns, Star Wars and what seemed like dozens of other nods to adult-only material, like Hunter S. Thompson. I have become somewhat dispirited lately by inspirational talking-animal movies, but this one -- even if it was about 15 minutes too long -- pleasantly surprised me. But then, I'm not 7 and know way too much about Western water politics. Starts Fri., March 4. (Al Hoff) CP Approved

• by Al Hoff

Illuminating Shadows: Wood Street Galleries show projects seismic awe and oceanic dread

• by Justin Hopper

Seth Clark's Ruination finds compelling art in postindustrial fragments.

Each fragment transcends its individuality to become, collectively, archetypes of urban blight and architectural collapse.

• by Christopher L. McGinnis

Running out of Options: Just how desperate are things getting for the Penguins?

Deep within a fireproof cabinet somewhere in Ray Shero's office rests a folder marked with the following inscription: "Doomsday Scenario." That folder surely includes a detailed strategy on what the Pittsburgh Penguins should do if Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were lost for the season.

• by Jim Shearer

One-Way Traffic

• by Chris Potter

Pitt graduate fiction students honor a professor with a collection of stories.

At least a couple stories provide more than you expected.

• by Bill O'Driscoll

In the Voodoo Parlour of Marie Laveau

Gagliano, Bates and El bewitch the audience with a mesmerizing display of corrupted prose and twisted imagery.

• by Ted Hoover

Choreographer Nora Chipaumire and African music legend Thomas Mapfumo team up on a new work.

"I have to then say, 'No, I actually grew up in the city!'"

• by Bill O'Driscoll

Mahalia Jackson: Standing on Holy Ground 

Gospel fans will love Mahalia Jackson -- it is a rare chance to hear the art form in a secular setting.

• by Robert Isenberg

After a long absence from Pittsburgh stages, Ballet Hispanico returns with a new artistic director.

"Mad'Moiselle" abstractly references various symbols of Maria in Latin culture, from the Virgin Mary to Maria from West Side Story.

• by Steve Sucato

Rising-star playwright Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation, at the Public, is largely about its silences.

"How I say 'um,' for instance, can completely change an individual and can transform the smallest thing into our whole life."

• by Bill O'Driscoll

Short List: Week of March 3 - 10