‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’
Rated R
A disclaimer at the top of “The Men Who Stare at Goats” claims “more of this is true than you would believe,” and even if that’s there for comic purposes (it might be, it might not be), that disclaimer has a point. Maybe it has nothing to do with the story of the New Earth Army, a fantastically wild wing of the United States Military that specializes in mental harmony, psychic warfare and dancing. And maybe it has nothing to do with how the near-dilapidated remains of the NEA, the origins of which “Goats” explores in thoroughly amusing detail through a series of flashbacks, inspired two defeated men (George Clooney as former NEA soldier and current underground “Warrior Monk” Lyn Cassady, Ewan McGregor as newly-single small-time journalist Bob Wilton) to try and make it matter again. But “Goats” most certainly is rooted in truth, because the only thing more potent than all the psychic powers and fancy technology on display is the extreme need for these and other poor souls (Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Stephen Lang, Robert Patrick) to be somebody special and do something amazing before their time is up.
“Goats” never lets its characters’ personal angst undermine its cheerfully funny script, but it’s the film’s ability to so thoroughly and pointedly wear its heart on its sleeve that makes it something far more treasurable than its funny exterior might initially suggest.
Extras: Director commentary, book author commentary, deleted scenes, a feature on the real men of the First Earth Battalion, one behind-the-scenes feature.
‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’
Rated PG
2009 was an uncommonly special year for uncommonly thoughtful treatments of children’s books — first “Where the Wild Things Are,” and now this — that in greedier hands would have no business whatsoever being feature-length movies. Like “Things,” “Fox” looks superficially like a movie for children, and thus may as well be one: The stop-motion animation style is so classic and refined as to feel fresh all over again, and the characters (human and animal alike) are charming in their disposition as well as their animation. Visually and aurally, there’s plenty here for even preschoolers to enjoy, and “Fox’s” overlying story isn’t so complex as to completely stymie anyone. With that said, though, parents and older siblings can expect to enter a different world entirely — one full of themes about commitment, getting older and the meaning of life, and one as stitched together by its whip-smart script and sharply funny voice acting as it is its visual style. These completely divergent levels of entertainment for wholly disparate audiences work simultaneously and in tandem, making “Fox” that rare jewel of a family film — and, outside of Pixar’s reach, even rarer animated movie — that really is for everybody watching. George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray and Michael Gambon, among others, lend their voices.
Extras: Two behind-the-scenes features and a filmstrip-style introduction to the sport of Whack-Bat.
‘talhotblond’
Not rated
What “talhotblond” has to say — that there’s potential danger lurking behind chance Internet encounters that ensnare real-world emotions and drive people to do shocking things — isn’t novel anymore. But a documentary about human behavior, when done well, doesn’t lose its ability to drop a jaw just because we all know the capacity for that behavior exists. Faux-narrated by Brian Barrett — a 22-year-old whose life ended because of the events that transpired within — “talhotblond”
initially is a pretty predictable realization of what might happen when an unhappy, middle-aged man randomly exchanges pleasantries with a pretty 18-year-old girl online. 48-year-old Tom Montgomery turns into an 18-year-old Marine, 18-year-old Jessi takes notice, Tom charms Jessi, Jessi sends pictures, and a relationship unfolds. But what happens next, which the film explores in unsettling detail through chat logs and interviews with Montgomery and others, is entirely too tangled to fall prone to simple predictability. (Let’s not forget that in this story of a middle-aged man and a teenage girl, it’s Barrett who died.) “tallhotblond” weaves through the mess with a master storyteller’s touch, and the uncomfortable truth is that, for anyone savvy enough to seek this out, this operates more as morbid entertainment than cautionary cold water for the naive. So enjoy the darkness and pass it on to someone who needs it — the nearest high school classroom, preferably — to cleanse your conscience.
No extras. In fact, no menu: The movie just starts playing.
‘Brothers’
Rated R
There might come a day when entertainment has run every theme ragged and viewers become so keenly trained to see it all before they even see it.
Should that happen, it’ll be a shame for a film like “Brothers,” which does what it does supremely well but struggles mightily not to continually tip its narrative hand. As the name implies, “Brothers” (a remake of the 2004 Swedish film “Brxdre”) is the story of two brothers — Sam (Tobey Maguire), a decorated Marine set to leave his wife (Natalie
Portman) and two young daughters (Bailee Madison, Taylor Geare) for another tour in Afghanistan, and Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal), who faces another tour of directionless freedom after completing a stint in prison. What happens next is best left unspoiled as a common reviewer courtesy, but it also remains best unspoiled because once the first big storyline milestone happens, “Brothers” almost has no choice but to allude to what’s happening next well before it happens. A number of powerful moments and story turns define “Brothers” going forward, and some outstanding performances — from the two girls as well as the three dependable leads — work in tandem with some truly great moment-to-moment instances to leave an impact. But “Brothers” cannot control its tendency to telegraph what happens before it happens, lest it resort to deception or insulting contrivance. A little predictability beats dishonesty any day, but it’s a slightly losing proposition either way.
Extras: Director commentary, two behind-the-scenes features.
‘Mad Men: Season Three’
Not rated
If you’re reading this and wondering if “Mad Men: Season Three” is something you should check out, then it isn’t. Rather, “Mad Men: Season One” is for you. And if you’ve already seen the first two seasons, there’s no way you’re reading this, because you already know how good this show is and would find these words an empty waste of your time. Either way, enjoy. Contents: 13 episodes (commentary on all of them), plus a documentary about Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers, an illustrated history of cigarette advertising, a multimedia retrospective on the March on Washington and one behind-the-scenes feature.
— By Billy O’Keefe, McClatchy Newspapers
‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’
Rated PG-13
When Bella and her family leave Forks, the heartbroken teen puts herself in jeopardy to see Edward. With Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner.
— The Philadelphia Inquirer