Mini-reviews of movies playing throughout the Tampa Bay area.
24 Hour Party People (NR) See Film column. 
Austin Powers in Goldmember (PG-13) The least fabulous of all the Powers entries to date but still good, disposable fun. Goldmember is really just a loosely connected series of gags, routines and set pieces (not that the other two movies weren't) with much of the humor coming off as more raunchy and obsessively screwier than ever. Stars Mike Myers, Beyonce Knowles, Michael York and Seth Green. 
Australia: Land Beyond Time (PG) The film takes us Down Under to the flattest, driest continent on earth, immerses us in parched, otherworldly landscapes and introduces us to tons of incredibly odd and supremely adaptable animals — from cute koalas and feisty dingoes, to an endless variety of bizarrely shaped lizards, to the amazing and little-understood kangaroo. Animal lovers will want to pounce on this one.
Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever (R) What happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force? Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu square off as secret agents supremo. Also stars Ray Park.
(Not Reviewed)
The Banger Sisters (R) Susan Sarandon and Goldie Hawn star in this comedy/drama about two former rock groupies and best friends who reunite after 20 years. One has remained a wild woman; the other has turned conservative. Also stars Geoffrey Rush.
(Not reviewed)
Barbershop (PG-13) Ice Cube stars in this mediocre yarn about barbershop camaraderie. Cube (Calvin) is bequeathed the shop by his late father. His desperation leads to dubious means to pay past-due rent. Calvin's employees provide the bulk of amusement with their conflicting personalities. Also stars Cedric the Entertainer, Eve, Sean Patrick Thomas and Michael Ealy.
—Corey Myers 
Blue Crush (PG-13) For all its faults, this is one surf movie that takes its cue more from Bruce Brown's Endless Summer than from Baywatch. Offering a glimpse into the lives of a group of young female surfers in Oahu, Blue Crush is a fairly interesting movie when it's just following its characters around. When the film attempts to tell us a story — something about finding love, regaining your confidence and becoming the best darned surfer in the word — it's predictable, shallow and not very good. Stars Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, Matthew Davis and Sanoe Lake. 
Carnival Knowledge (NR) Aspiring filmmakers might take a lesson or two from this self-described unromantic comedy from the local writer-director team of Peter Knight and Morgan Klein. Carnival Knowledge is an admirable and, for the most part, effective little film with a number of virtues that belie its less than spectacular budget. The film's somewhat rambling tale of a free-spirited woman (Colleen Porch) balancing simultaneous relationships with two very different types of males owes more than a little to the feature debut of another indie filmmaker you may have heard of — Spike Lee — but that's only a starting point here. Strong performances and some well-written dialogue put an interesting and believable spin on this three-sided affair, and the characters generally come off as appealing even when their behavior is not. Entirely shot on location in the Bay area, the film makes good use of Tampa's natural resources, and production values are surprisingly high. The movie suffers from some of the pitfalls typical of low-budget productions (a generic soundtrack, inconsistent audio) and it has its share of ham-fisted scenes (the last act verges on soap opera), but on the whole, the film satisfies. The title refers to the protagonist's carny roots, a history that provides a steady stream of flashbacks that, while interesting in themselves, wind up feeling contrived and intrusive in the context of the story being told here. Based on the promise of Carnival Knowledge, maybe Knight and Klein might consider giving us a story next time that concentrates exclusively on the carnival subculture, something they seem to know a thing or two about. Also stars David Gail and Bradley Cooper. Opens Sept. 27 at Channelside Cinemas in Tampa.
City by the Sea (PG-13) Coincidences and emotional baggage are piled on to predictably numbing effect in City by the Sea, director Michael Caton-Jones workmanlike tale of crime, urban decay and familial dysfunction. Robert De Niro stars as a Manhattan cop who moved away from the now deteriorating community of Long Beach when his marriage went bad. Now, many years later, De Niro's character is investigating a murder in which it just so happens the primary suspect is none other than his estranged, junkie son (James Franco). Also stars Eliza Dushku. 
The Fast Runner (NR) The Fast Runner is a movie that breaks all sorts of new ground (while sifting through some of the oldest ground on earth), and it's doubtful that you've ever seen anything remotely like it. This is the world's first Inuit production, and it relates a timeless Inuit legend told and retold over the centuries. The basic story revolves around Atanarjuat (Natar Ungalaaq), who has a thing for a local beauty named Atuat (Sylvia Ivalu), even though she's already pledged to a nasty-tempered type called Oki (Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq). This is a movie about life's simple pleasures and pains (primal, if you will), and the film depicts it all with austere but enormous beauty. Playing at Channelside Cinemas. Call theater to confirm. 
feardot.com (R) A series of murder victims are linked by a Web site they've all visited. Stars Stephen Dorf, Udo Kier and Stephen Rea.
(Not Reviewed)
The Four Feathers (PG-13) AEW Mason's tale of courage under fire during Britain's Sudan Campaign of the late 19th Century has been brought to the big screen eight times and counting. This latest version is far from being the worst of the Feathers, but it's not the best of the batch either (the 1939 version still holds that honor). Heartthrob thespian Heath Ledger plays a young British soldier who refuses to join the battle against Mohammedan fanatics, and then travels to the Sudan incognito to prove to his former friends that he's not a coward. As in director Shekhar Kapur's previous Hollywood outing, Elizabeth, the movie is beautifully appointed, but it all feels a bit unfocused. Also stars Wes Bentley, Kate Hudson and Djimon Hounsou.
The Good Girl (PG-13) Outside of some clever comic dialogue and a handful of amusing bit characters, this is a more or less lackluster film about lackluster lives. Lackluster existence numero uno belongs to the aptly named Justine Last (Jennifer Aniston, de-glammed and limp-haired), a frustrated young Texan leading a life of quiet desperation from behind the checkout counter of the Retail Rodeo. Just turned 30, unhappily married and childless, Justine strikes up a friendship with a 22-year-old loner (Jake Gyllenhaal). Friendship soon crosses the line into romance, or at least sex, and from there into obsession, paving the way for Justine to begin realizing there's no way she's ever going to be happy without first removing a few people permanently from her life. Also stars John C. Reilly and Tim Black Nelson.
Harvard Man (R) Writer-director James Toback (Fingers, Black and White) airs most of his favorite obsessions in a format that he apparently thought was commercial, but forgets to include a story. Harvard Man is such a jumble of not-quite-narrative threads and scattershot ideas that it almost succeeds simply as an exercise in pure chaos. Adrian Grenier stars as a sex-and-drugs-fixated Harvard philosophy student who's having big-time affairs with both his bisexual professor (Joey Lauren Adams) and a tough-as-nails cheerleader who also happens to be the daughter of a local mob boss (Sarah Michelle Gellar, basically reprising her Cruel Intentions role). Oh yeah, and Grenier's also a star basketball player who throws a big game in order to score some money for his poor parents whose Kansas home has just been destroyed in a tornado. The movie's distracted formlessness mirrors forgettable drug movies of the '60s, while its cartoonish characters and unintentionally silly story elements typify some of the worst trends in contemporary mainstream filmmaking. Toback's film was supposed to be released more than a year ago, and it's clear now that no one knew what the hell to do with this flat-footed creation. Also stars Eric Stoltz and Rebecca Gayheart. Opens Sept. 27 at Channelside Cinemas.
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (NR) The directorial debut of award-winning photographer Sam Jones, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart documents the making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the latest release by iconoclastic Americana-pop darlings Wilco. Naturally, the film also delves into the story, now legendary among fans, of how the band was dropped by their label, bought their own album for next to nothing, and eventually signed with another subsidiary of their former handler, essentially getting paid twice by the same corporation in the process. Word is that the film doesn't stray far from the rockumentary mold, including the now-standard grainy black-and-white reality-enhancing scenes. The drama surrounding Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's release, however, should make for some interesting viewing. Playing Sept. 29-Oct. 2 at Tampa Theatre.
(Not Reviewed)
The Last Waltz (NR) You could certainly have a long and lively debate about the best rock 'n' roll movie ever made, but one thing's for certain: The Last Waltz had better be part of the discussion. Released in 1978, it captures the opulent farewell concert by The Band. The fabled quintet alternates between performances of their own timeless songs (The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, The Shape I'm In, The Weight) with appearances by star guests who benefit from The Band's earthy backing. A roll-call of legends takes the stage — Dylan, Clapton, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell. The Last Waltz was the probably the first rock concert film to have a true cinematic feel, courtesy of director Martin Scorsese, who creates plenty of mood and intimacy. Backstage interview segments were a boon to guitarist Robbie Robertson, whose heavy-lidded charisma made a real impression, especially when compared to singer/keyboardist Richard Manuel, who comes off as a completely fried. Screens one time only, 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at Tampa Theatre.
—Eric Snider 
Men in Black II (PG-13) Although it might just have well been titled Men in Black I, Slight Return, this briskly paced 80-some minute romp offers considerable fun, particularly for the undiscriminating summer viewer.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (PG) Nia Vardalos stars in this sweet-natured, sporadically amusing adaptation of her one-woman show about a plain Greek-American woman who transforms herself into a babe and hooks up with her Prince Charming — who, much to the chagrin of her loud and proud Greek family, turns out to be as WASP-y as they come. In all, Greek Wedding probably worked better on stage than on the big screen. Also stars John Corbett, Michael Constantine, Lainie Kazan and Andrea Martin.
Notorious C.H.O. (NR) If you love I'm the One That I Want, odds are you'll be up for another serving with Notorious C.H.O., which is essentially more of the same, just a bit more tediously choreographed and shot. Screens one time only, 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, at Tampa Theatre. Call to confirm..
One Hour Photo (R) A cool, crisply elegant horror story told in flashback, there's a cloud of uneasiness that hangs over this entire movie as we wait for the film's nondescript protagonist to do the unspeakably awful thing we know he'll eventually do. Robin Williams plays Sy Parish, a mousy little man whose very ordinariness is a cover for the demons lurking within. A man with no real life of his own, Sy is secretly obsessed with one of the families for whom he processes pictures at his job a Wal-Mart-type chain. Williams is understated, self-effacing and generally excellent throughout — all hard-set features and awkward, uptight body language – and his dull, middle-aged character becomes both ominous and pitiable. Also stars Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole and Dylan Smith.
The Piano Teacher (NR) Another astonishing effort from one of the most provocative filmmakers of our time, Michael Haneke. As elegant as it is perverse, The Piano Teacher is one of the most extreme depictions of aberrant sexuality ever seen on the screen. The film features a mesmerizing performance by Isabelle Hubbert as Erika Kohut, a middle-aged professor of music at the Vienna Conservatory. Haneke takes a no-nonsense but utterly devastating approach to Erika's tortured relationship with her mother and with herself, and then carefully observes her as she enters into a sadomasochistic affair with one of her students that makes the proceedings in Last Tango in Paris look like an episode from Sesame Street. It's a very, very tough film but one that demands to be seen and thought about. Also stars Annie Girardot and Benoit Magimel. Opens Sept. 27 at the Beach Theatre. Call to confirm.
Possession (PG-13) Two stuffy academics begin an affair while researching the lives of a pair of long dead poets who also had a secret relationship. By most accounts, director Neil LaButte in a softer, gentler mood. Stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart and Jeremy Northam.
(Not Reviewed)
Road to Perdition (R) Director Sam Mendes follows up American Beauty with a densely textured but occasionally magnificent gangland epic. Tom Hanks stars in an uncharacteristically ambiguous role as a paid killer who doesn't like what he does, but does it anyway. Targeted by his former boss and a couple of mad dog killers, Hanks and his young son take to the road seeking revenge and survival, and finding (this is a Hollywood movie, after all) redemption.
Serving Sara (PG-13) Ex-Lawyer turned process server Joe (Matthew Perry) is assigned to serve divorce papers to Sara (Elizabeth Hurley). Joe's early attempts are stymied by an unscrupulous and oafish co-worker played by Vincent Pastore of Sopranos' fame. Their vacuous efforts to thwart each other's strategy and serve Sara fail to deliver laughs. What transpires is a cross-country pursuit to salvage Sara's fortune. Could be slightly entertaining for a rainy day. Also stars Bruce Campbell and Cedric the Entertainer.
—Corey Myers 
Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (PG) An engaging mix of history, drama, fascinating archival footage and breathtaking, state-of-the-art photography, Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure tells the incredible true tale of an epic battle for survival in the wake of a failed expedition to cross Antarctica in 1914. Playing at IMAX Dome Theater at MOSI. Call theater to confirm.
Siegfried and Roy: The Magic Box (PG) As magnificently overblown a piece of Uber Kitsch as you could ever want to find, Siggy and Roy's 3-D movie is a big, gaudy, guilty pleasure for the whole family. Stars Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Uwe Ludwig Horn. Playing at Channelside IMAX.
Signs (PG-13) The least convoluted but, in some ways, the least compelling movie yet from M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable). Mel Gibson stars as a faith-challenged former clergyman who spends most of the movie sweating bullets and waiting, along with the rest of the world, for a devastating attack from hostile extraterrestrials. The movie is all mood — ominous, still and full of apocalyptic mystery. Nothing much happens, but it's good, uncomplicated pulp entertainment, with a vaguely spiritual underpinning that rises to the surface in the last act. Also stars Joaquin Phoenix, Cherry Jones and Rory Culkin.
Space Station (PG) New IMAX featurette documenting a pair of voyages to the international space station floating high above planet Earth. The multinational crews include a mix of American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts. At IMAX Dome Theater.
(Not Reviewed)
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (PG) Like its predecessor, Spy Kids 2 is an unapologetically silly little romp that's so full of energy and sincerity it's almost impossible to dislike. It's not a great movie, but it's a pretty darned good kids' movie because it does what it does very well and, most important of all, it almost never condescends to its audience. Stars Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Steve Buscemi, Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara.
Stealing Harvard (PG-13) Combine love and cross-dressing with a couple of armed robberies. Another action-packed blockbuster? Not exactly. Despite humor that's way too obvious and a quite a bit of overkill, Stealing Harvard is still funny enough to keep you watching. Good guy John (Jason Lee) and his lifelong best friend Duff (Tom Green) are on a mission for cash. John and his fiancee Elaine (Leslie Mann) have set aside $30,000 for a house; meanwhile, his niece needs $29,000 to pay for her first year at Harvard. The answer: theft. Duff becomes John's partner in crime, and more than a few problems get in their way. Also stars Dennis Farina and Megan Mullally.
—Jenese Harris
Stuart Little 2 (G) Teeny tiny tykes will eat up this barely 75-minute sequel to Stuart Little, but most grown-ups will either be bored out of their skulls or find their teeth tingling from all the sugar-coated sap. Despite the expensive-looking production values and state-of-the-art CGI effects, Stuart Little has the bland, throwaway feel of a direct-to-video sequel.
Sweet Home Alabama A lazy romantic comedy that apparently looked no further back than 1991's Doc Hollywood for its inspiration, Sweet Home Alabamafinds Reese Witherspoon basically treading Legally Blonde terrain in a picture that relies on the usual narrative props found in seemingly every other comedy these days. Witherspoon plays Melanie Carmichael, a rising New York fashion designer who's just accepted a marriage proposal from the son (smarmy Patrick Dempsey) of the city's mayor (Candice Bergen). First, though, she has to go back to her Alabama hometown and get her first husband (Josh Lucas) to sign the divorce papers, something he's been reluctant to do.
—Matt Brunson
Swimfan (PG-13) Jesse Bradford and Erika Christensen star in this thriller about a high school swimming star who has a one-night stand leading to tangled and dangerous consequences.
(Not Reviewed)
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (NR) It's one of the best American films of the year and certainly the most interesting movie to play at Tampa Theatre in ages. If Thirteen Conversations About One Thing has any real faults, it's that it simply tries to say too much. Snippets from the lives of several stressed-out characters are presented as a mosaic that crisscrosses effortlessly and elegantly through time and space, bringing the characters together in a way that confirms their deepest fears and our wildest hopes. The film occasionally veers into self-conscious staginess and pretense, but at other times it seems very close to a mystical experience, wordlessly wise in a way that few films manage these days. Stars Matthew McConaughey, John Turturro, Clea DuVall, Amy Irving and Alan Arkin. Now playing at the Beach Theatre. Call to confirm.
Trapped (R) Kevin Bacon and Courtney Love are professional low-lifes who extort money from wealthy parents by kidnapping their children. The subject matter's just sensitive and timely enough that the movie will probably become a minor fluke hit for a few weeks and then disappear completely from theaters. Also stars Charlize Theron and Stuart Townsend.
Undisputed (R) Wesley Snipes stars as a professional heavyweight boxer who's falsely accused of a crime and winds up in jail, where he goes up against the prison boxing champ. Also stars Ving Rhames.
(Not Reviewed)
XXX (R) A movie so relentlessly forward propelled that we hardly even have a chance to catch our breath and realize how utterly idiotic it all is. Vin Diesel plays Xander Cage, X for short, a bald, tattooed slab of flesh given to looking straight into the camera and screaming lines like, I live for this shit! Enter Samuel L. Jackson in a wig and with latex scar tissue over half his face, as an NSA agent looking for fresh blood to combat a group of international bad guys. X is recruited, infiltrates the bad guys' group, and spends the rest of movie striding around in a ratty sheepskin coat, pulling off outrageous stunts and shouting glib catch phrases while clobbering baddies and saving the world. Also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Asia Argento and Michael Roof.
—Reviewed entries by Lance Goldenberg unless otherwise noted
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 1, 2002.