George Frederic Handel’s “Messiah” received one of its better Richmond readings under the direction of Richmond Symphony conductor Mark Russell Smith at Second Baptist Church on Friday night.

How tough is The Punisher? He’s so tough that when his nose is broken, he jams a pencil in it as far as it will go and yanks it hard to the side to straighten the nose out. That’s how tough he is. The audience, of course, keels over in helpless laughter. And he does it with such a straight face, which only makes us giggle all the harder.

The script to “Familiar Strangers” probably looked great at a workshop. Quirky characters. Dysfunctional family. Budding romance. Comedy, drama and donkey basketball (a quirky sport played by quirky characters in a dysfunctional family). Why, it even has one of those father-son reconciliations that are so popular these days and are featured in every single film of the past 10 years.

Oh, Ina Garten! She lives a fabulous life in a fabulous house in East Hampton, N.Y., and is best buddies with florists, event planners and wine merchants. They’re always dropping by with dishes and props to make each of Garten’s gatherings a sensation, and it’s all chronicled on her Food Network show, “Barefoot Contessa.“ Garten got her start as the owner of a specialty food store, so she may get some of the “not a real chef” backlash sometimes directed at flashy Food Network hosts.

We were having a relaxed Saturday lunch at the Super King Buffet when it struck me: This is about my favorite restaurant in all of Richmond. I don’t know why I hadn’t figured that out before. Don’t get me wrong. This is no gourmet restaurant. Few things on the buffet are truly outstanding, and there’s a lot to avoid. But if you’re willing to take the time to sample a lot of things, and take along a friend or two, I can’t think of a better place to have a long lunch.

Presumably, Baz Luhrmann could not decide whether to make an old-fashioned Western or a war film.  Hey, he must have said, let’s do both! And let’s throw in a little “Wizard of Oz,“ too!  The unhappy result, “Australia,“ feels exactly like an old-fashioned Western with a war film tacked on at the end.

In the preview for the new animated family comedy “Bolt,“ it’s all hamster, all the time. That was a smart move by the marketing people. The hamster, whose name is Rhino, is by far the best thing in the movie. He isn’t funny, exactly, but he is funnyish, which will have to do. The problem is, he doesn’t show up until the film is halfway over.

The idea behind “Twilight” is irresistible—it is easy to see why the books on which it is based are so popular. The potential is there for a standout movie, which is why the one in theaters now is such an opportunity missed. If only it were made better—better directed. Better written. Better acted. Better filmed.

There’s something to be said for buying food directly from the people who grew it. It’s reassuring to see the worn hands of the man or woman who toiled in the soil for those beets or that potato. It can take longer to find such food at a farmers market or roadside stand than at your nearest grocery store, but if you have yet to make the trip, it’s worth the time.