Hombres de Mentes

I'm going to say its definitely up there in the top few films I've seen at the cinema this year. It has been criticised for lacking more biting criticism of the US government, but I think people who are saying that are missing the point. It does have a fair bit to say about how stupid the US Military can be and how they like to blow money on obviously pointless ventures, but there is a whole other side to it.

I thought that the film was more about the human spirit and how that if you want to make a difference and want to do something you've got to really go for it no matter how stupid the aim. Obviously the idea of trying to be a psychic spy is unattainable and may sound ludicrous, but so may be the notion of trying to create world peace and help bring different people together over a united cause. The film was more about how these drifters and lost souls managed to find something that they found worthy of pursuing and really devoted themselves to it, and I think this message is more admirable than any side-criticism of the USA.

The film plays out mainly as a buddy movie with Geogre Clooney, who is doing his usual comic act very well, and Ewan McGregor as they head around Iraq not really knowing what they are looking for and getting into loads of hilarious antics along the way. I don't think I've laughed so much in the cinema this year, and the whole audience was laughing along as well.

I thought the structure was hardly groundbreaking, but done really well. Flashbacks involving Jeff Bridges and Clooney help add comic relief during some of the straighter scenes in the film and also at times are used to rack up the tension and reveal interesting insights. It is of course up to your interpretation if the flashbacks are 100% real, because they are told from the point of view of Ewan McGregor, recounting stories that were told to him by Clooney. This sorts out another common criticism that the film is extremely unrealistic, but there are some key scenes saying that Clooney might not be telling the whole truth that I feel have been overlooked.

It isn't going to be Oscar-fare or the greatest thing you'll ever see but with a good cast and a lot of laughs there isn't really going to be a much better way of spending a lazy Saturday afternoon with some popcorn and a buddy or two.

Smart and funny, absurd and a bit self-conscious but as soon as I had time to think, I thought. The cast is fun but reeks of pre-sales needs. The names in the cast propels you to expectation that are going to let you down no matter how you put it. George Clooney is great fun but try, just try to imagine a great actor you never heard of in that part. I couldn't separate the character from the actor not for a second. So I saw Clooney being funny and that does something to the film that keeps its real intentions at arms length because the star-actor gets in the way. I have a feeling however that time will be kind to this film. Audiences will be able to see it again in years to come with more objectivity and appreciate it much more.

I just got back from seeing "The Men Who Stare at Goats" at the Woodstock Film Festival. I walked in knowing the main plot, and I expected it to be pretty good because of the great actors it has, the premise of the story and the music used in the soundtrack. My expectations weren't only met, but they were greatly exceeded.

The story follows a broken-hearted journalist (McGregor) who goes on the job to Iraq to prove to his ex-wife he isn't weak or frail. There, he meets Lyn Cassidy (Clooney) who is a "psychic" soldier for the US government, trained by his hippie instructor Billy (Bridges) to use his mind, peace and love to overcome hairy military situations. The story is the two mens' adventure together.

The movie is essentially broken down into I'd say 3 parts. The first part is the main story of the journalist and Lyn as they travel in Iraq on a special mission Lyn is on. The second is the very humorous back-story of the history of the creation and existence of the "psychic soldiers" of the military. When I say "back-story" and "history" I mean the main background to Lyn and Billy's character, as well as the main antagonist of the story, played by Kevin Spacey. The third part is the first person narration provided by Ewen McGregor about the things that are going on. He offers insight into his mind and opinions on the things he says and of himself and Lyn as the story progresses.

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a very hilarious movie, with many quotable lines and excellent acting by the entire cast. The story is very unique and the film uses that as a great advantage to itself in setting up the humor. The characters are very real and are taken to heart right away. The film is funny, intriguing, smart, witty, fast-paced, emotional, enjoyable and inspirational. I highly recommend it to any Ewen McGregor, George Clooney, Kevin Spacey or Jeff Bridges fan, for fans of those men will not be disappointed with the acting and mannerisms of the characters those actors portrayed.

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a very fun movie to see in theaters and everyone in my audience were cracking up laughing many, many times. It is a movie for casual movie goers and film aficionados alike. Go see it.

8.5/10

This film tells a story about a special army unit without having a real plot as even the main characters don't seem to know where they're heading. It's just an accumulation of absurd dialogues and crazy moments with real good actors that don't consider themselves too good to act silly (not too silly) although they certainly were unchallenged by the script. The shown sense of humour reminded me slightly of the humour in the fashion of the Coen brothers in terms of pace and surreality, however, less sarcastic, less biting and without cynicism. The characters are rather likable, harmless individuals trying to find peace in a violent surrounding. I would classify this film as a satire about everything the army represents in general and once you've realized how stupid the army is you'll find this an amusing 93 minutes of fun.

While doing his boring job as a reporter-journalist, one man stumbles upon the existence of an old military secret: a branch of soldiers trained in harnessing their mental superpowers. Coincidentally, after heading off to Iraq for an inside scoop on the 2003 war, he meets another member of this secret group and his misadventures begin.

There's some weird obsession with "Star Wars" in this film. Besides the obvious talk of Jedi Warriors, there's a scene early on where the main character makes a reference to blonde farm boy, which is clearly meant to be Luke Skywalker. (What's interesting is that later the guy claims to have not seen the movies, so it's odd that he would make cryptic references.)

I cannot say enough about the amazing cast. Ewan MacGregor, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges and George Clooney, among others. The most disappointing thing about this film is that with such an amazing cast that you would think this would be the year's blockbuster, but actually will more than likely be no more than a blip on the cinematic radar.

I don't know what's up with Roger Ebert and his Lebowski obsession. In his review, he repeatedly says that Lebowski fans will like this one and that Jeff Bridges plays his role as Lebowski playing a military man. Well, I could see some Lebowski in there, and like that other film, they both involve Iraq. But, really, I see Lebowski when I see Jeff Bridges, so that's not really a stretch. Ebert really took it beyond the necessarily bounds.

Ultimately, the film comes up short. With this cast, as I said, I expect something more. There is humor, but it's here and there. And even the plot, which is interesting, doesn't really seem to be as strong as it should be. A good film, and one I recommend to George Clooney fans, but not a hidden treasure.