Riot grrrl gallery and foreign crime-film tops weekly rundown

Through Feb. 16, 2014

Alien She

Miller Gallery

5000 Forbes Ave., Oakland

Tuesday through Sunday noon to 6 p.m.

Admission: Free

Designed as a retrospective on riot grrrl, the influential punk feminist movement of the early 1990s, Alien She is an examination of the way that the DIY values and collaborative organization of that movement are still impacting the battle for gender equality. By looking to the actions of punk bands such as Pussy Riot and the launch of Girls Rock camps, as well as the works of multiple artists who have been influenced by the movement, the exhibit is a pointed and important retrospective on an extremely important and unique moment in journalism.

Friday, Sept. 27

Screaming Females 

The Mr. Roboto Project

5106 Penn Ave., Garfield

8 p.m.

Admission: $8

One of the best bands to come out of the terrific New Brunswick basement scene in recent years, Screaming Females is a classic guitar-bass-drum trio with a definitive punk bent. That being said, the band’s idiosyncratic style and frontlady Marissa Paternoster’s ability to vacillate between warbling verse and fearsome screams ensures that you won’t confuse a Screaming Females show with any other punk show you’ve ever been to. Standing at about 5 feet tall, Paternoster’s ability to absolutely shred on guitar and her intense delivery is no gimmick — she’s a singular talent in music.

Through Sept. 25

“Drug War” 

Harris Theatre

809 Liberty Ave., Cultural District

7:30 p.m.

Admission: $8 general admission, $4 with 

Student ID

Although he is already a driving force in contemporary Hong Kong cinema, “Drug War” marks director Johnnie To’s mainland China debut. This no-holds-barred crime thriller isn’t just a film for latte-sipping foreign film lovers, either. To’s story of a police captain’s sting operation working its way through a gun syndicate features plenty of volatility, tension and — of course — the explosive gunplay that action junkies are all about. With some critics billing this the crime film of the year, it’s an opportunity for audiences to put on an air of sophistication as they get their adrenaline fix.

Sept. 26 to Oct. 27

“Our Town”

Pittsburgh Public Theater

621 Penn Ave., Cultural District

Showtimes vary

Admission: $15.75 with Student ID,

“Our Town” is playwright T. Thornton Wilder’s classic three-act tale of a small town in early 20th-century America. Perhaps most impressively, the metatheatrical style of the piece doesn’t detract from the depth of characterization. Instead, the two complement each other, creating a play that defied the conventions of its day without posing as a piece of high art. With local theater icon Tom Atkins taking the role of “Stage Manager” (a character in the play), Pittsburgh Public Theater’s performance promises to capture the spirit that makes this piece timeless despite its vintage setting.