Short Shrifts:  Men Who Stare at Goats, 2012, UP! 

As usual, with Men Who Stare at Goats, the mainstream media missed the import of George Clooney’s latest attempt to en-ter-light-ain us, which has been portrayed as a bunch of goofy guys in the 1970’s smoking weed, dancing (badly) with themselves, and coming up with “practical” psy-op programs to win the Cold War.

This isn’t inaccurate as far as it goes, but it goes nowhere near far enough.  Clooney has a much bigger agenda than just portraying a dreamy-eyed doofus, which, of course, he does dreamily.  He wants to portray a man among other men of similar ilk who actually want an alternative to war as we know it. 

Jeff Bridges is soooo good as Clooney’s hero-guru it makes you wish he could be cloned.  Kevin Spacey as the worm in the apple couldn’t be wormier but Ewan McGregor seems out of place, maybe because he’s not an American.  Still, McGregor has one of the best lines in the movie, to wit, after getting dumped by his girlfriend (as if!), he muses to himself that he will just have to do what all men with broken hearts do, “Go to war.” 

2012, the mother of all disaster movies, stars John Cusack as the future father of the soon-to-be-demolished human race.  (I don’t think I’m giving anything away here.)  Other reviews have noted the ridiculous story line (but then who really knows?) and amazing special effects but rarely mention the movie’s message.

And yes, there is one, so be forewarned if you prefer your entertainment to maintain a suitable level of brain-deadness. Should we give it away?  Nah, you’re going to see it no matter what, but just remember to take the last few minutes to heart. 

UP! is Pixar’s latest animated charmer about an elderly gent who, after losing his life-long love, goes on a last-ditch adventure that involves floating his house into the sky with the help of helium balloons.  One of the funniest screen characters in recent memory comes in the form of a dobie who is the nominal leader of the bad guy’s pack of slave-dogs.  But the real dharma lesson in UP! is really about the suffering that comes with attachment -- to people and things -- and the liberation that comes from letting go.  (Even though, in true Hollywood fantasy fashion, losing something small means you gain something big, but, hey . . . )  Great work, Pixar, keep it up.