‘Men Who Stare’ worth a look (3.5/5)

The Men Who Stare At Goats

Starring: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Goat
Directed by: Grant Heslov
Rating: R for language, some drug content and brief nudity.
Running time: 1 hour, 34 minutes.

I’m a little behind on this one, but I swear, I’ve wanted to see “The Men Who Stare at Goats” since its November release.

I didn’t really know what to expect — something offbeat and quirky, certainly (I mean, just look at that title).

But perhaps the most shocking part for me is that it’s based in fact.

Obviously, I can’t vouch for the accuracy. But just the simple idea that any of this film is based in reality walks a fine line between hilarious and just plain scary.

Ewan McGregor stars as reporter Bob Wilton who is searching for the story that will make his career, and therefore his life, worthwhile.

But when Bob comes across Lyn Cassady (a prime George Clooney), he trips into something unexpected and unbelievable.

Lyn is part of a covert U.S. Army Special Forces operation (the “New Earth Army”) that trains psychic spies in an effort to fight wars with alternative combat tactics — or with the least amount of violence possible.

Among the force’s talents are “cloud bursting,” “remote viewing,” invisibility and the old stand-by, walking through walls (which is hilariously depicted at the very beginning and ending of the film).

Lyn also demonstrates the hilarious “star gazing” to Bob, a move that would make me severely uncomfortable to be riding in any kind of vehicle with Lyn behind the wheel.

During Lyn’s training, the New Earth Army is headed by Vietnam veteran Bill Django (a wonderful Jeff Bridges), a stereotypical “peace, love and long braids” hippie. Django hopes to be the “first superpower to create superpowers.”

Lyn’s aptitude causes a rivalry with fellow recruit Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey), who attacks Lyn with a “death touch” (the scare behind the death touch is that it can take you out at any time — even 18 years later!)

Despite Larry Hooper, the New Earth Army is mostly a force of good, even calling themselves the Jedi (highly appropriate since Ewan McGregor played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the most recent three “Star Wars” films).

So when Lyn is taken to the Goat Lab, he finds himself at a fork.

The goats are the Army’s test subjects — atomic bombs, field dressings, wounds, etc. So when the Army wants to see what the New Earth Army can bring to the table, Lyn, being the top of the class, is taken to the lab.

His mission? To cause the goat’s heart to stop simply by staring at it.

“What had that goat ever done to me? It’s completely against the way of the Jedi,” Lyn says. “But some dark part of me wanted to see if I could do it.”

“The Men Who Stare At Goats” is one of those films that gives you faith in humanity. It sees the weirdness going on in the world and is a lens for laughter. A film like “Goats” could quickly turn conspiratorial or melodramatic, but instead leads you down the path of self-discovery, hope and enlightenment.

“Goats” encourages fresh possibilities and thinking outside the box. It examines the scope of human potential and the reach of the mind. As Lyn says to Bob Wilton, “Find out what your destiny is, and the river will carry you.”

Rather than being a criticism of the Army and of war, “Goats” is surprisingly upbeat and inspirational. It follows the stories of lost, confused men as they try to make a difference in their worlds and shows that unconventional methods can lead to lofty results.

“Goats” isn’t the best movie you’ll see, but it’ll make you laugh and may just leave you feeling a little light-hearted (and who couldn’t use that these days?).

If you rent the DVD, be sure to check out the special featurette “Psychic Spies” to get the “true” account of the New Earth Army.

3.5 of 5 stars

Marvel’s ‘Iron Man’ nothing to be wary about (4/5)

Iron Man

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges.
Directed by: Jon Favreau.
Rating: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content.
Running time: 2 hours, 6 minutes.

In keeping with my superhero flick kick (and also because it was next on my boyfriend’s Netflix list), I finally had the opportunity to watch the much-acclaimed “Iron Man.”

And, thankfully, it didn’t disappoint.

Last week’s “Wolverine” threw me for a bit of a loop, and I simply didn’t know what to expect from comic adaptations anymore. But there’s no point in comparing the two, really. “Iron Man” blows “Wolverine” out of the water in any imaginable instance. Thank goodness.

First, Robert Downey Jr. was the perfect actor for the intelligent, womanizing, self-serving, pompous jerk-turned-unlikely-hero Tony Stark (a.k.a. Iron Man).

The humor that Downey brings to the role complements the film excellently and is a constant undercurrent through the movie. The script in itself had decent pacing, and though the beginning seems to drag a bit after an awesome start, you’ll quickly find yourself re-immersed.

The basic plot follows weapons inventor Tony Stark through his realization of what his work truly does to the world and his attempt to right his wrongs — and how else to accomplish this goal but to don an astonishingly technologically advanced supersuit.

It’s a fun movie that introduces some sobering topics but never takes itself too seriously. Instead, it’s a great foray into adventure, action and comedy.

Perhaps what makes this movie stand out from the others is that the hero doesn’t start out as someone “good.” He makes his living off of, essentially, killing others. Most comic book heroes start off good. It’s the villains who do the changing — sometimes from normal, well-adjusted people to crazed madmen. But Tony Stark is different, and it’s refreshing. His self-realization is the driving force behind the Iron Man character.

Although the comics in themselves are about four decades old, the movie studio wisely moved the timeline of “Iron Man” from the Vietnamese war to the trials in Afghanistan and the Middle East, helping the film to feel contemporary and to better pull in the audience. Besides, if Robert Downey Jr. were traipsing about the jungle again, I’d wonder where he’d left his blackface makeup from “Tropic Thunder.”

Behind the camera, director Jon Favreau (“Elf,” “Zathura”) shows his immense capabilities, and I hope we see much more of him in the future.

Rest assured, fellow wary comic-adaptationists, “Iron Man” is “Marvel”-ous.

4 of 5 stars