Stephen Petegorsky's photographs explore time, change, and mortality. Guild Art Centre at 102 Main St., in Northampton; Mon. to Wed. 9:30 to 5:30, Thurs. to Sat. 9:30 to 8:30, and Sun. 12 to 5 p.m; thru 3/4. Call 586-4278 for more info.

Dolf Seilacher's "Fossil Art" bridges the divide between arts and sciences. Pratt Museum at Amherst College; weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Sat. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sun. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m; thru 4/1.

Christopher Wilmarth's sculptures and drawings are in part inspired by the poetry of Stephane Mallarme. Brenda Zlamany's paintings use repetition in combination with color and light. University Gallery at UMass; Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m; 2/3-3/16.

FLICKS

AMC Mountain Farms 4

(584-9153)

"The Emperor's New Groove" is reviewed in this issue.

"Finding Forrester" is reviewed in this issue.

Jack Nicholson plays a retired cop obsessed with an old case in Sean Penn's "The Pledge."

"State and Main" describes the chaos wreaked on a small town by a Hollywood crew led by Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"Sugar and Spice" is a lighthearted comedy about bankrobbing cheerleaders starring Mena Suvari ("American Beauty").

Cinemark at Hampshire Mall

(587-4233)

Tom Hanks gets down and dirty with a volleyball in "Cast Away."

"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is reviewed in this issue.

"The Gift" stars Cate Blanchett as a clairvoyant. Keanu Reeves, as an abusive husband, plays his second psycho of the year (see "The Watcher"-or don't; it sucks). Katie Holmes gets kidnapped.

Petty thief George Clooney flees from the law with two other inmates in the period comedy (and loose Odyssey re-telling) "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Sandra "Never Made a Decent Movie Except for 'Speed'" Bullock is "Miss Congeniality," an FBI agent going undercover at a beauty pageant. Benjamin Bratt ("Law & Order") co-stars as a fellow agent and love interest.

Ballerina Julia Stiles ("10 Things I Hate About You") asks hip-hopper Sean Patrick Thomas to "Save the Last Dance." Call it "Dirty Dancing" for Generation Y.

In "Shadow of the Vampire," a fantasy based on the making of "Nosferatu," director John Malkovich gets more than he bargained for when he hires a real bloodsucker (Willem Dafoe, in heavy makeup) for his new production.

"Snatch," Guy "Mr. Madonna" Ritchie's more-of-the-same follow-up to the guns-and-accents comedy "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels,' features Brad Pitt as a boxer.

"Thirteen Days," a dramatization of the Cuban missile crisis featuring Bruce Greenwood as JFK, is a real nail-biter, despite a probable distortion of the role played by Kennedy aide Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner).

"Traffic" is reviewed in this issue.

Puff Daddy's only remaining fan, Jennifer Lopez, is "The Wedding Planner." When she falls in love with one of her clients (Matthew McConaughey), chaos invades her orderly life.

Mel Gibson, even as an asshole, shows that he is "What Women Want" in this slick but shallow romantic comedy co-starring Helen Hunt.

Academy of Music Theatre

(584-8435)

"Chocolat" is reviewed in this issue.

Pleasant Street Theatre

(586-0935)

"You Can Count On Me" is reviewed in this issue.

STAGE

Sam Shepard's classic play "Fool for Love," presented by the UMass Theater Department, stunningly explores misguided passion in the American West. Curtain Theater at UMass; Feb. 1 to 3 at 8 PM. $4, 1-800-999-UMAS.

Amherst College Cabaret will hold drop-in auditions for its spring production,"Pippin," a musical about a young man's search for his identity. Arms Music Center; Sat., Feb. 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. and Mon., Feb. 5 from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Larry Hunt's solo performance in "Masque" skillfully manipulates both masks and puppets to create characters that inspire humorous and serious reflections on life. Curtain Theater at UMass; Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. Free, call 545-6808.

The comedy and magic duo Penn & Teller will give a performance of their award-winning theater show. The legendary pair has won two Emmies, made dozens of television appearances and was named two of the funniest people alive by "Entertainment Weekly." Fine Arts Center Concert Hall at UMass; Tues., Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Call 545-2511 for ticket information.

TALKS

Olena Bakhareva will lecture on "Discursive Strategies of Performing Femininity in American and Ukrainian Cultures." Five College Women's Studies Research Center at Mount Holyoke College; Tues. Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Call 538-2275 for more info.

TUNES

Pianist Chonghyo Shin, piano teacher at Amherst College and head of the piano department at Brattleboro Music Center, will perform pieces by Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, Prokofieff and Chopin. Buckley Recital Hall; Fri., Feb. 2 at 8 p.m.

The 17th annual Silver Chord Bowl will feature collegiate a cappella groups, including the Harvard Callbacks, Tufts' Beelzebubs and the Amherst Zumbyes. John M. Greene Hall on Elm St. in Northampton; Sun., Feb. 4th at 2 p.m. $5 for students. Call 587-1269 for more info.

Faculty members from the five colleges will perform a concert of 18th century vocal and chamber music. Bezanson Recital Hall at UMass; Tues., Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. $4 for students. Call 542-2511 for more info.