WHY WE FIGHT (PG-13) The starting point here is Dwight Eisenhower's farewell address of nearly half a century ago, in which the former president warned of the dangers of allowing a then-nascent Military Industrial Complex to grow unchecked. As Why We Fight would have it, Eisenhower's warning went disastrously unheeded, resulting in the MIC — that corporate-driven feeding frenzy that keeps American in a state of perpetual war — becoming this country's single most important defining characteristic. Why We Fight would like us to consider it a thinking person's Fahrenheit 9/11, but, despite some undeniably salient points, the film is so obviously working backwards to prove its pre-conceived conclusion that it's hard to take seriously. Carefully edited sound bites culled from an impressive collection of talking heads trace a conveniently straight line from WWII to Vietnam to Iraq that strongly suggests the only real reason for war is to keep American business booming. Filmmaker Eugene Jarecki isn't particularly subtle about any of this, repeating arguments ad infinitum, leaving out crucial bits of information that would throw his thesis into question, and occasionally indulging in blatantly manipulative edits cutting between heavily armed, stony-faced G.I.s and adorable Iraqi children staring into the camera with sad puppy-dog eyes. Held over at Burns Court Cinemas in Sarasota. Call to confirm. 3 stars
THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN (PG-13) The Indian in the title of Roger Donaldson's new film isn't even human, although you'd be hard pressed to deny it possesses a personality. What we're talking about is a vintage Indian Scout motorcycle owned and operated by one Burt Munro, an eccentric old New Zealander who traveled all the way to Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats and, against all odds, set a land speed record in 1967 that still stands. The World's Fastest Indian is based on fact and seems to have gotten most of the talking points of Munro's life right — but more important, the movie itself is a lot of fun. Stars Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Lawford, Bruce Greenwood, Paul Rodriguez and Diane Ladd. Showing at Beach Theatre in St. Pete Beach. Call to confirm. 3.5 stars