Cover: Grandmother Claus
When families need help for the holidays, Beach Flats matriarch Grandma Sue Wilson always plays Santa.

The Big Night: A cast of thousands--2000s, that is--takes to dozens of stages for the biggest New Year's Eve events in town.

Millennium Massive: New Year's Eve Harmogeddon looks to be Santa Cruz's biggest rave ever.

SCANing the Horizon: Bruce Bratton table hops at SCAN's annual dinner.

Notes From the Underground: Vets Hall show rocked even if crowds didn't exactly roll into the joint.

Curry Village: Santa Cruz's Royal Taj specializes in affordable exotica.

A La Carte: Mimi and Bob Snowden of Café Sparrow work comforting wonders at the Bleu Spoon in Aptos.

High Art, Low Life: Can a lousy guy be a great guitarist? Woody Allen wonders in 'Sweet and Lowdown.'

Beach Therapy: A mother and daughter roll into a new life in Gavin O'Connor's fanciful low budget 'Tumbleweeds.'

Austen Powered: Director Patricia Rozema infuses 'Mansfield Park' with playfulness.

Maternal Instinct: In Pedro Almodóvar's 'All About My Mother,' women can win respect and yet be completely undignified.

Greene Party: Viewers have to take Neil Jordan's 'The End of the Affair' on faith.

Italian Masquerade: Matt Damon gives chilling performance in 'Mr. Ripley.'

Busted Play: Stone drops the ball with 'Any Given Sunday.'

Space Cases: A motley crew of actors tour the stars.