Every week, WGBH Arts Editor  Jared Bowen sums up the exhibitions, theater, movies and music you should check out in and around Boston.

Bedroom Farce, presented by the Huntington Theatre Company at the BU Theatre through December 11

Synopsis: The Huntington Theatre Company presents Bedroom Farce by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Maria Aitken. Written in 1975, Ayckbourn’s play looks at relationships between generations and illuminates the challenges relationships face during different life stages. The play focuses on four couples, in three bedrooms, in the span of one night. Trevor and Susannah, with their marriage in jeopardy, invade three bedrooms of their family and friends throughout one evening, and chaos ensues.

Jared Says: "Cozy up for some purely entertaining pillow talk."

Emerson Urban Arts Gallery - Areas for Action, the gallery’s inaugural exhibition is on view through December 3

Synopsis: Emerson Urban Arts: Media Art Gallery (EUA), opened on Friday, October 21, with the video and photography installation Area’s for Action by artist Oliver Herring. Last spring, Herring set up a week-long series of collaborating with volunteers at Emerson. Each day dealt with a different medium, including glitter, foil, and food coloring. Herring asked the volunteers to "play" with the substances, and he filmed and took photos of the interactions. These videos and photos comprise the Areas for Action exhibit, which will be on display at the Media Art Gallery until December 3.

Jared Says: "A perfect stop... a different artistic experience."

 

Rules Don't Apply, in theaters now.

20th Century Fox's Synopsis: "It’s Hollywood, 1958. Small town beauty queen, songwriter, and devout Baptist virgin Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins), under contract to the infamous Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty), arrives in Los Angeles. At the airport, she meets her driver Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich), who is engaged to be married to his 7th grade sweetheart and is a deeply religious Methodist. Their instant attraction not only puts their religious convictions to the test, but also defies Hughes’ #1 rule: no employee is allowed to have any relationship whatsoever with a contract actress. Hughes’ behavior intersects with Marla and Frank in very separate and unexpected ways, and as they are drawn deeper into his bizarre world, their values are challenged and their lives are changed."

Jared Says: "A little bit messy, a little bit discumbobulated, but it doesn't matter because Warren Beatty is mesmerizing still."

Bad Santa 2, in theaters now

BadSanta2.com's Synopsis: "Bad Santa 2 returns Academy Award-winner Billy Bob Thornton to the screen as America's favorite anti-hero, Willie Soke.Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie teams up once again with his angry sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox), to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Along for the ride is ‘the kid’ - chubby and cheery Thurman Merman (the now grown up Brett Kelly), a 250-pound ray of sunshine who brings out Willie’s sliver of humanity. Mommy issues arise when the pair are joined by Willie’s horror story of a mother, Sunny Soke (played by Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy-winner Kathy Bates). Ruder and cruder than Willie himself, Sunny raises the bar for the gang’s ambitions, while somehow lowering the standards of criminal behavior. Willie is further burdened by lusting after the curvaceous and prim Diane (played by Emmy Award-nominee Christina Hendricks), the charity director with a heart of gold and libido of steel."

Jared Says: "Except for a moving performance by Billy Bob Thornton, Bad Santa 2 isn't a very good way to spend this Christmas."

Have a favorite holiday show, gallery, concert, or film you're dying to share? » Tell Jared about it on  Facebook or  Twitter

This post has been updated.