We know your shame. You long to walk amongst others who enjoy dressing up as Klingons as much as you do, to discuss “Heroes” and Harry Potter lore in a safe setting, to chat with comic book artists, authors, actors and filmmakers who share your interests. Well, cheer up—SCI-FI SUMMER CON is here for you. Enjoy gaming, film screenings, discussion panels and even live music, tonight through Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Marietta. For information on tickets and other information, visit www.sfscon.net.


PARTY FOR A CAUSE: Eat, drink and be the cause of merriment at the LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY BENEFIT at Five Seasons Brewing in Sandy Springs tonight at 7:30 p.m. A $20 wristband scores you unlimited rounds of local brews, in addition to tasty bites from the kitchen. The event includes a silent auction and a raffle to win a deluxe Braves ticket package. 404-255-5911. www.5seasonsbrewing.com.

COMEDY CAMPAIGN: Fans of radio and television talk-show host GLENN BECK, and especially subscribers to his magazine Fusion, are familiar with the commentator’s comedic side. The rest of us might be surprised to learn that Beck crisscrosses the country on a comedy tour each summer. His current tour focuses on (what else?) politics, promising nonpartisan insight. It comes tonight at 7:30 p.m. to the John A. Williams Theatre at the Cobb Energy Centre. Tickets range from $35-$90. 404-249-6400. www.cobbenergycentre.com.

A FAR CRY FROM HOTEL RWANDA: The High Museum kicks off its CLOSE UP—DON CHEADLE film festival tonight at 8 p.m. with a screening of “Talk to Me” at The Woodruff Arts Center’s Rich Theatre. This film finds the Golden Globe Award-winning actor in the role of ’60s Washington, D.C. radio DJ “Petey” Greene, alongside Cedric the Entertainer and Vondie Curtis Hall. Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for students. 404-733-5000. www.high.org.

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Enjoy a COMPLIMENTARY COSMO BIANCO COCKTAIL when you present a ticket stub for “Sex and the City,” May 30-June 6 at STEEL RESTAURANT & LOUNGE. 950 W. Peachtree St., Suite 255, Atlanta, 30309. 404-477-6111. www.steelatlanta.com. (Full article and comments)

Come on in, the water’s fine—as long as you don’t mind a few sharp teeth. Catch Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster JAWS at Screen on the Green tonight at Centennial Olympic Park. The series, which continues on Thursdays through June 26, was moved from Piedmont Park due to the drought. The event begins at 6 p.m., with the movie to start around sunset. Admission is free. No alcoholic beverages may be taken into the park. www.peachtreetv.com/community.

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That’s a map for treasure, not adult entertainment, buddy. Sheesh, get your mind out of the gutter and into the booby-trapped caves of THE GOONIES. Before tonight’s screening of the ’80s classic, attend the reception for a group art show featuring pirate art—make that arrrrgght. The opening starts at 8 p.m., with the film at 9:30 p.m. at the Plaza Theatre. Tickets, which include admission to both, are $7. 404-873-1939.www.plazaatlanta.com.

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For more than three decades, the ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL has been a haven for serious cinemaphiles yearning for more offerings than the mainstream megaplexes and rental services can offer. This year’s 32nd annual event continues that proud tradition, starting with the IMAGE Film Awards Gala on April 8 at the Fox Theatre, honoring Tyler Perry Studios, Virginia Hepner, Matthew H. Bernstein, and directors Peter Gilbert and Steve James.

 

Then April 10-12, it’s more than 150 shorts, narratives and documentaries, including “The Lena Baker Story,” the true story of the first and only woman sentenced to die in the electric chair in Georgia. That opening night world premiere takes place at Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 16; the rest of the weekend unspools at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. For more information, check out www.atlantafilmfestival.com.

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Although it feels a bit ham-handed by modern standards, the classic road movie EASY RIDER still retains a powerful charge. Before its 9:30 p.m. screening tonight at Midtown’s Plaza Theatre, check out an exhibit of Americana photographs, including carnivals, abandoned roadside attractions and dirty motels, by JD the Drifter. Admission is $7. 404-822-8538. www.plazaatlanta.com.

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There’s nothing quite like a fight to the death between two formidable opponents—like GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER, who’ll be duking it out at the Plaza Theatre in Midtown. The Silver Scream Spookshow, a variety show mixing comedy, magic and dance, precedes the 1966 film. There’s a matinee at 1 p.m. (kids under 12 get in for free); tickets are $6. A late show starts at 10 p.m. with tickets for $10. 404-873-1939. www.plazaatlanta.com.

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It’s not every day you get to watch a rock concert and a B-movie at the same time. But that’s the charm of Midtown’s Plaza Theatre, which at 9:15 p.m. tonight screens Roger Corman’s X—THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES, while the seminal art-punk underground ensemble PERE UBU, one of the most influential bands of the punk era, performs its soundtrack for the film live in the theater. Tickets are $15. 404-873-1939. www.plazaatlanta.com.

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As you leaf through the cover story in this weekend's Sunday Paper, you may find yourself asking one very obvious question: "Why is 'Iron Man' not listed among the top 30 movies, concerts, etc. to see this spring?"

The answer is simple.

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The show must go on—and now that the writer’s strike has been resolved, the stage is all set for the 2008 ACADEMY AWARDS. Find out how many Oscars will “There Will Be Blood,” “No Country for Old Men” and “Juno” run away with tonight starting at 8 p.m. on ABC. And be sure to tune in early for red carpet coverage. After all, what the stars are wearing is just as important—if not more so—than their work. Right? www.oscar.com.

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