Friday Happenings

Short Cartoons
You saw the nominees for the Live Action Short Film Academy Award last night; come back to the ICA for the contenders in the animated category. Formats include traditional 2D animation, CGI, and claymation. Check out the John Lennon interview film "I Met the Walrus." Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Avenue, South Boston, 7:00pm. $7/$9.

Recover
Heal a broken heart with laughter. Ben Karlin has assembled a collection of raucous breakup tales from wits such as Stephen Colbert. Brattle Theatre (via Harvard Book Store), 6:00 pm, $5.

Music
Steve Earle, country-rock icon and survivor, keeps on going. His latest, Washington Square Serenade finds him reinvigorated after a move to New York. He'll be at the Somerville Theatre, 7:30 pm.

--Okay, talk about swinging the pendulum. Ashlee Simpson is going to be hosting at the Gypsy Bar tonight at 9:00 pm. Check in tomorrow because Bostonist will be there and is returning with a full report.

Little Black Dress
75 Chestnut will hold an Audrey Hepburn Night featuring a Hepburn lookalike contest. Since we're used to Elvis lookalike contests, a change from rhinestones and pompadours to an LBD and a choker is refreshing indeed. 75 Chestnut, 5:00 pm.

Baroque Opera
English composer Henry Purcell was the talk of the 17th century, thanks to his baroque masques and operas. King Arthur, with its libretto written by Dryden, was his most successful work. Boston Baroque and former Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky will make you remember the Restoration like it was yesterday. New England Convervatory's Jordan Hall, 8:00pm, Introductory talk at 7:00 (also performing Saturday). Tickets and more information.

Movies
Lumen Eclipse, the team who puts together the videos showing on the screens at Harvard Square, will premiere its March program, curated by the Motion Graphics Festival Chicago, at the Middlesex Lounge tonight from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Rick Sawyer contributed to this post. Still from the Oscar-nominated "I Met the Walrus" from its official website.

The listed events were chosen by the editors of Bostonist and brought to you by the 2009 Toyota Corolla.