“Dear Wendy”

@ Ken Cinema

Playing Oct. 7 to Oct. 14

However irrelevant the Dogme 95 director’s oath to organic production might be, the inventiveness of its authors cannot be denied. Two Danish founders of the movement, Tomas Viterberg (“The Celebration”) and Lars Von Trier (“Dancer in the Dark”), have teamed up to yet again make a film commenting on America’s obsession with violence. In “Dear Wendy,” Dick (Jamie Bell) is a young pacifist from a small Southern mining town who has a passionate love affair with Wendy. The only problem is that Wendy is a pearl-handled revolver. Dick shares his zeal with some of the other town outcasts and together they form “The Dandies” – a nonviolent gang with a lust for weaponry. Obviously, Von Trier and Vitenberg are using “The Dandies” as a stand-in for the war-mongering, allegedly peace-loving American people. And in this day and age, their views have never been more relevant. (CC)

The Selecter

@ House of Blues

Oct. 6

$15

Been wanting to break out those checkerboard sneakers but too afraid to get beaten up by the jocks (or look too much like a scenester)? Skanking will be in order as the Selecter revives ska — once again. A member of second-wave ska’s famous four, which included the (English) Beat, the Specials, and Madness, the Selecter tore up dance floors and forced knees chest-high across England 25 years ago (and not in the goose-stepping way) with a blend of exported Jamaican reggae and quivery, punk rock. Their legendary debut, Too Much Pressure, spawned a single of the same name, perhaps the best track produced during the 2 Tone ska revival, an uplifting ode to the crushing complexities of a poor man in the modern world. Pull that skinny tie out of the washing machine and commemorate the second week of school with a healthy chant of “Too much pressure/ it’s got to stop, it’s got to stop!” 21+ (CBN)