Tuesday's Top Trailer: The Men Who Stare At Goats

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

The Men Who Stare At Goats - Opening November 6, 2009



This trailer caught my eye a few weeks ago, though with a title like that, it hardly even needs a compelling preview to make it sound intriguing. This looks like the offbeat comedy cousin of “Syriana,” with grizzled star George Clooney and a starkly similar poster but a much more peculiar premise. The trailer is notable for not really revealing exactly what the film is about while still showing quite a few scenes from the film which seem like they would be helpful in deciphering just exactly what is going on. Two scenes in particular stand out for their sheer preposterousness. Clooney’s description of himself as a Jedi warrior seems highly redundant and referential when he’s talking to Ewan McGregor, who himself starred as a Jedi warrior in the “Star Wars” prequels. It’s a reference that seems to be repeated throughout the movie since it appears twice in the short span of the trailer, and while it could become tiresome, it seems like it’s all in good fun. The scene that defines and explains the title is equally puzzling and mesmerizing. Clooney’s character concentrates hard as he stares down a goat, and the goat just tumbles right over, felled by the power of Clooney’s thought. Those sitting around him sport shocked expressions likely similar to those of the audience. I hear that this movie is great, but even if it’s a bust, it’s sure to be one hell of an experience.