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November 20
Carol opens in theaters
You'll definitely want to catch director Todd Haynes's beautiful exploration of forbidden lesbian love in midcentury America—it's all but guaranteed to lock up plenty of Oscar nods. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara light up the screen with their performances as the two leading ladies who struggle to express their feelings.
The Night Before opens in theaters
If your taste in cinema runs more toward the comedic than the dramatic, then this delightfully over-the-top holiday laugh-fest—starring Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie and Joseph Gordon-Levitt—will probably be right up your alley. Spoiler alert: There will be drug humor.
Nerd Nite Littlefield, Brooklyn; 7:30pm; $10–$14
Braininess meets booziness at this monthly lecture series, where intelligent people talk about ridiculous-yet-educational subjects. This installment features talks on bedbugs, the history of James Bond gadgets, and why people like big boobs.
The Wonderful World of Boning Union Hall, Brooklyn; 7:30pm; $8
Relive those halcyon days of your life when sex was a weird, alien thing at this comedy show, where Lux Alptraum, Tiara Francis and Rojo Perez show off old-school sex videos that will take you back to the humor in humping.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker United Palace Theater; November 20 at 8pm, November 21 at 2pm; $10–$100
If the Tchaikovsky ballet always seemed a little outdated to you, this modernized hip-hop update might be just what you've been looking for. It's only in town for two performances, so catch it quick.
Awkward Sex… and the City The Pleasure Chest; 8pm; $15, at the door $20
A motley crew of New York City comedians and writers come together to share the most unpleasant and embarrassing stories from their sexual history. Don't feel guilty for enjoying it—that's just sexual schadenfreude kicking in.
Tinder Live! with Lane Moore The Bell House, Brooklyn; 8:30pm; $15
If you've ever begged your friends to let you Tinder for them (are we the only ones?), this show is right up your alley. Comedian Lane Moore swipes left and right from the stage, them messages her matches—and sometimes even phones them from the show—before her funny friends join her to critique strangers' profiles.
$5 Midnights: The Holy Mountain Videology, Brooklyn; midnight; $5
Williamsburg's cinematic institution dives deep into their collection of movies (some good, some very, very bad) for this regular series of late-night showings. This week's midnight movie: Alejandro Jodorowsky's John-and-Yoko-financed 1973 surreal fantasy film The Holy Mountain.
Scream 3 IFC Center; November 20–21, midnight; $9–$14
IFC's retrospective of the terrifying thrills of Wes Craven continues with Scream 3 (y'know, the one where they're all in Hollywood). If you haven't seen this installment of the Scream franchise, be prepared: the meta is strong with this one.
November 21
“The Discovery of King Tut” Premier Exhibitions NYC; November 21–May 16, 10am; $29
When archaeologist Howard Carter stepped into Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, it kicked off a new era of Egyptology (and archeology in general). At this exhibition, opening today, visitors can walk through a life-size replica of King Tut's tomb, complete with carefully made duplicates of nearly everything Carter found inside.
Fall Crawl Various Locations in Brooklyn; 12pm; $20
Autumn is the perfect time of year for a bar crawl—cool enough that you don't mind walking, but not so hot as to make you sweat. This crawl scores you a beer at each at three of City Farm Corp's bars—specifically, Fawkner, Floyd and Union Hall—along with a tasty treat at Fawkner and a chance to win tickets to future shows at Union Hall and the Bell House.
Super Sábado El Museo del Barrio, Harlem; 12pm; free
This regular celebration of Latino culture offers up plentiful servings of live music, art-making, theatre and other fun activities for kids and adults alike. This month's installment, "Lines, Shapes, Patterns!," is inspired by El Museo's current exhibition on Rodriguez Calero.
Drunk Ted Talks: Quit Playing Games With Our Art: N’THYNKing Through the Legacy of Boy Bands Littlefield, Brooklyn; 6pm; $5
It's a deep, intelligent, slightly intoxicated dive into the world of boy bands, complete with, among other talks, a panel discussion dubbed "The NeXt Factor: Debating the Future of One Direction." Odds are good you're either squealing with glee or rolling your eyes right now.
Showgirls BAM Rose Cinemas, Brooklyn; 6:30 and 9:30pm; $14
The second day of BAM's "Turkeys for Thanksgiving" series is concentrated on that little Joe Eszterhas/Paul Verhoeven movie that wound up being the only NC-17 movie ever to receive wide release. Brace yourself for boobies.
Country Music Night Freddy’s Bar, Brooklyn; 8pm; free
The South Slope's legendary neighborhood bar plays host to an evening of honky-tonk, blues, folk and just good ol' country. If Rashad Brown, Andi Rae & the Back River Bullies and Alex Battles & the Whiskey Rebellion are your kind of music, head on over and hear 'em live.
Crazy Since da ’90s Union Hall, Brooklyn; 10pm; free before 11pm, $5 after 11pm
Jump! Jump! Jump! back to the Clinton years for a night of can't-believe-these-are-old-school-now 1990s tunes...along with $7 gin-and-juice specials, for that period-appropriate buzz.
“Oscillate Wildly” The Celebrated Smiths/Morrissey Fan Party Le Poisson Rouge; 10pm; $5
If The Smiths consistently top your personal list of "greatest bands of all time," get your tail to this shindig, where DJ Ceremony will be blasting Britpop and postpunk jams well into the night. Plus, show up with a Smiths or Morrissey shirt or tattoo, and you get in for free.
The Saint at Large: Night People The Wick, Brooklyn; 11pm; $30, at the door $40
In honor of three and a half decades of NYC's gay club scene, the producers behind The Black Party are throwing an epic Brooklyn bash. Expect a warehouse filled with lasers, dance-worthy beats, and clubgoers of all different ages, shapes and sizes.
November 22
St. Patrick's Old Cathedral Catacombs Open Tours St. Patrick's Old Cathedral; 10am; free
You've probably walked past this Nolita institution numerous times; now, in honor of the church's 200th anniversary, you can walk straight on in, too. Tours of the freshly restored interior, the new chapel, and the catacombs and crypts below the ground happen every hour; Indiana Jones fedoras optional, but recommended.
The Wizard of Oz BAM Rose Cinemas, Brooklyn; 11:30am, 2pm; $10
Believe it or not, The Wizard of Oz was a financial flop when it landed in 1939—it barely broke even. Obviously, it went on to do considerably better over the years—but its poor initial performance makes it eligible for BAM's "Turkeys for Thanksgiving" showcase.
Freaks and Geeks trivia Videology, Brooklyn; 7pm; free
Few TV shows in recent memory can claim to have launched as many famous careers as this one: Judd Apatow, Paul Feig, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, and Lizzy Caplan are just the tip of the cast-and-crew iceberg. It's got a devoted cult-following, too, so you can fully expect this to be an intense game of TV show trivia.
The Hunting Ground film screening and discussion 92nd St Y; 7:30pm; $32
Take in Kirby Dick's bracing documentary about rape culture and sexual assault on college campuses, then stick around to hear from some of the film's producers, who'll be there in person to discuss the film and its themes.
The Muppet Vault Union Hall, Brooklyn; 7:30pm; $8
For the first time in decades, The Muppets are back on the tube! So celebrate that fact with some die-hard Henson fans at this night of clips, trivia and themed drinks, emceed by the hardcore Muppet lovers from the website Tough Pigs.
Carol Lipnik: Almost Back to Normal Pangea; 7:30pm; $20 plus $20 minimum
Swing on down to the East Village's new cabaret space starting tonight for a performance from this folk-art singer with a startling vocal range. Lipnik teams up with pianist Matt Kanelos to perform a selection of self-aware songs from their new album.
Frankie Cosmos The Marlin Room at Webster Hall; 8pm; $12
If you haven't had a chance to check out Webster Hall's intimate new space, head over to check out online antifolk sensation Frankie Cosmos. Also known as Greta Kline, she's released more than 40 albums of home-recorded music on Bandcamp...so odds are good you won't hear her repeat any songs.