TAKE 5 : TELEVISION.

Generation gap: Louis Gossett Jr. plays both a boy's father and grandfather in the made-for-Showtime children's movie, ``In His Father's Shoes.''

The movie will be shown 8 p.m. Sunday (Father's Day) on the premium cable network.

It's a time-traveling story that helps a boy named Clay (Robert Ri'chard), understand his family and his relationship with his father.

Gossett first plays Frank Crosby, who buys a pair of magic shoes from a gypsy.

After Frank's death, Clay tries on the shoes and is sent back to 1962, where he becomes his father. The shoes are his ticket to the past and he returns to the present by taking them off.

Clay finds out about his dad's tense relationship with his own father and finds a postcard that helps him understand his family.

By the end, Clay is able to free three trapped spirits - his, his father's and his grandfather's.

?13- Keith Marder

family

Bow-wowism: The ``Dog & Cat Art Exhibition'' at Storyopolis is more than just muddy paw prints on the floor and snout marks on the glass.

Original domestic critter artwork from dozens of human artists, whose work ranges from subtle to demented, is the focus of an exhibit lasting through July 5.

The opening celebration on Saturday features mammals for adoption from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., dog and cat ``tails'' told at 3:30 p.m. and Darla the Wonder Dog doing ``not-so-stupid pet tricks'' at the store, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Plaza A, Los Angeles. Call [phone].

?13- Glenn Gaslin

film

Fasten your seat belts: ``Con Air'' takes off on the strength of its stellar cast and ends up crashing under the weight of ponderous climactic stunts. For most of its flight time, though, the film is high-flying fun.

Making the most of actors who are usually too smart for headbangers like this, the movie doesn't exactly give us characters but does give us lots of playful, tough-guy encounters, played wonderfully. Nicolas Cage is the unfairly imprisoned parolee on his way home to his loving wife and daughter. John Malkovich, Ving Rhames and Steve Buscemi are among the hard-core cons who hijack the prison transport plane he's on. John Cusack is the frantic U.S. marshal trying to regain control of the situation from the ground.

A lot of money was spent on the big, stupid, action-addled climax in Las Vegas, but it's really the human qualities - for a change - that make ``Con Air'' truly entertaining.

?13- Bob Strauss

music

Sounds of salsa: Anybody who knows anything about salsa knows about Los Van Van.

The much-heralded Cuban band, formed 27 years ago, has produced 16 albums of highly danceable, sophisticated Latin jazz.

One of the few island-based groups allowed to record outside Cuba, Los Van Van first appeared on the West Coast in January.

At the time, band founder and musical director Juan Formell said he thought the U.S. blockade against Cuba had paid unexpected dividends for musicians forced to spend more time at home developing a unique sound.

Formell calls his distinctive music songo, taken from son, the main dance and song form of Cuba and the root of salsa.

Songo features jazz improvisation and a rhythmic mix of violins, bass, percussion, flute, knockout piano and a vocal trio.

Los Van Van has been granted permission for a short tour of the West Coast, including appearances Saturday at the sold-out Playboy Jazz Festival and the Hollywood Palladium later the same evening.

The band's lyrics give topical advice and touch on local issues, such as the shortage of housing in Havana. Formell's songs have been recorded by Ruben Blades and Ray Baretto, among others.

The music of Los Van Van can be found on the albums ``Songo,'' ``Sandunguera,'' ``A Carnival of Cuban Music,'' ``Sabroso!'' and ``Salt & Tabasco.''

The Hollywood Palladium is at 6215 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. Show time is 8 p.m. and tickets are $31, plus service charges. Information: [phone].

?13- Fred Shuster

dining

Best of L.A. at Universal: It's actually called the Absolut Best because Absolut vodka is one of its chief sponsors. The other is Los Angeles magazine, which publishes its own version of the Best of L.A. annually.

The food, music, fashion, art, technology and lifestyle event on the backlot at Universal Studios charges $10 admission ($5 for seniors, $2 for children under 12, infants and toddlers free), but then you pay from $1 to $6 for tastes. Numerous well-known chefs and restaurants (Chasen's, Gladstone's, Dive et al.) will be on hand. There will also be high-tech and virtual-reality exhibits, fashion models on a runway, gift booths, mainstream musical acts (rock, jazz, blues, salsa) and children's entertainment by Universal's characters. A tribute honoring moviedom's special effects wizard Stan Winston is set for tonight. There'll be free family photos on Father's Day.

Hours: 5 p.m. to midnight today, noon to midnight Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Information and updates: [phone].

?13- Larry Lipson

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

Photo: (1) Nicolas Cage, center, stars as parolee Cameron Poe, who faces tough odds when the air transport he's on is skyjacked by some of the country's most vicious criminals in ``Con Air.''

(2) The Cuban band Los Van Van appears Saturday at both the Playboy Jazz Festival and the Hollywood Palladium.

(3) The ``Dog & Cat Art Exhibition'' at Storyopolis, opening Saturday in Los Angeles, features animal artwork from dozens of artists.

(4) Louis Gossett Jr. plays dual roles in ``In His Father's Shoes'' - as a father, left, and grandfather to a young boy who is magically transported back in time by a very special pair of shoes.