4. Geek Out on First Friday The St. Louis Science Center's (5050 Oakland Avenue; 314-289-4400 or www.slsc.org) First Friday theme this month is "These ARE the Droids You're Looking For," and as you may have guessed, it's all about robots. The evening kicks off with producer Jini Durr introducing her new IMAX film Robots, which confirms that the forefathers of C-3PO and R2-D2 already walk among us. Narrated by Star Trek's Simon Pegg, the film shows audiences state-of-the-art robot handymen, mechanical butlers, search-and-rescue bots and uncanny, human-looking androids. Other activities include a robot dance presentation, a "People's History of Star Wars" discussion, a demonstration on how to create your own Star Wars scene using stop-motion animation and a screening of Mel Brooks' sci-fi comedy Spaceballs in the Omnimax theater. First Fridays start at 6 p.m.; admission is free, but individual activities may require a small fee. — Mark Fischer
5. See a Film About Fathers and Sons The gap between fathers and their adult sons is a frequent film plot, but directors Guy Nattiv and Erez Tadmor have a few surprises up their sleeves in Magic Men. Avraham (Makram Khoury) is a Greek atheist who now lives in Israel. His son Yehuda (Zohar Shtrauss) is a Hasidic rapper, which means the two don't have a whole lot to talk about. But when Avraham decides he wants to find the magician who saved his life in World War II, the pair team up to navigate the old country. Everything you encounter in a father-son road-trip film is here, including the lack of understanding, uneasy reconciliations and emotional bonding that brings them closer together. Magic Men screens at 5:30 p.m. tonight at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema (1701 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Frontenac; 314-994-3733 or www.stljewishfilmfestival.org) as part of the St. Louis Jewish Film Festival. Tickets are $8 to $11. — Paul Friswold
6. Head to Metro East for Some Hot Rods Local gearheads shift into overdrive as the Hot Rod Power Tour, the hottest show on asphalt, rolls into Gateway Motorsports Park (700 Raceway Boulevard, Madison, Illinois; 618-215-8888 or www.gatewaymsp.com) from noon to 7 p.m. Presented by Chevrolet Performance, the show features more than 1,000 street rods, muscle cars, custom truck and vintage automobiles on display. Programming includes a full-speed day of revved-up engines, motorsport celebrity autographs, manufacturer booths, appearances by Hot Rod magazine editors and photographers and Drag Strip Fun Runs. Admission is free. — Rob Levy
