2002, PG-13, 94 minutes

I went in expecting this third movie in the Austin Powers series to be an absolute piece of crap, just like The Spy Who Shagged Me (and I'm saying this as a big fan of the original). However, thanks to a brilliant opening sequence which I won't dare give away, followed by a somewhat funny film that at least acknowledges how truly stupid it is by going way over the top, I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. My big problem with the second film was how it ripped off all of the same jokes as the first Austin Powers as if we had never seen them before, and while Goldmember does plenty of this as well, it actually makes fun of itself for doing so.

As someone who has grown sick and tired of bathroom humor and strongly believes that many otherwise good comedies have been ruined by it, I was shocked to find myself laughing at some of the film's key moments. Many of the same techniques are used, but in this case they are taken to whole other level, which makes the film succeed where the last one failed. Maybe I was in a good mood or maybe it was my low expectations, but despite some very obvious flaws, Goldmember is worth watching if you're open to it.