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Stare at Goats a wasted satiric opportunity
by Scott Rice - SGN Contributing Writer

Men Who Stare at Goats Now Playing

Men Who Stare at Goats stars George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, and has Robert Patrick tossed in for good measure (I'm a die-hard X-files fan and I'm not embarrassed to admit it). So the flick has star power and the premise is ripe for some awesome satire, right?

Small-town reporter Bob Wilton (McGregor) loses his wife to a one-armed vet. He reacts by heading off to war himself. As he waits in a Kuwaiti hotel to cross the border into Iraq where the action is, he runs into Lyn Cassady (Clooney), a former special forces agent whose unit, the First Earth Battalion, specialized in New Age psychic warfare. The special unit is lead by Vietnam vet Bill Django (Bridges), whose goal is to change the nature of warfare. One of their experiments involves staring at goats until their hearts stop.

There is a lot to like about this movie. The stars do exactly what they are supposed to do; they shine. Clooney is perfect as the overachieving believer who gets steamrolled by Larry Hooper (Spacey), the delightfully villainous malcontent who screws up the groovy vibe of the First Earth crew. Bridges does what Bridges does best, playing the affable freewheeling wise-ass battalion leader with a heart of gold.

McGregor gets a bit lost amid the star power, but you hear his Scottish brogue bubbling up now and then. I find McGregor curious. He's a solid actor, but his looks are very everyman. I suppose this works to his advantage when taking on roles such as Christian in Moulin Rouge, in which he sings his way into your heart. We don't expect someone who looks so mundane to hold his own in the presence of Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, and John Leguizamo (in a flashy role that was made for him). Yet he does hold his own, and that makes things interesting. In Men Who Stare at Goats, McGregor's Wilton mainly follows Cassady around and plays the straight man.

There are a couple of supporting players that steal scenes from the big guys. Stephen Root (King of the Hill and No Country for Old Men) is a chameleon who always gets it right. Stephen Lang, who you might recall from Save Me, the Chad Allen vehicle that got serious play at Queer film festivals from here to the ends of the universe, is hilarious as Brigadier General Dean Hopgood.

The story, based on the book of the same title by Jon Ronson about an actual special forces unit, is a fascinating setup. The satire should be rich and creamy and omnipresent. Unfortunately, the satire falls flat much of the time.

There are some truly funny moments and smart jokes. The riff about Jedi Knights between McGregor and Clooney is terrific, and the very idea of training soldiers to prevent war using only their minds could spawn a 20-page essay all by itself. You also must keep an eye out for Clooney's ear trick; it's a gas. There are some funny moments and sharp satire.

But there are also many wasted moments. Watching soldiers tripping on LSD while playing with military equipment should be either utterly frightening (Apocalypse Now) or really, really funny. Here, it's neither.

The film also loses steam in preachy moments designed to get the message out. I don't mind a film with an agenda; in fact, I like a film with a point of view, especially if it's one I agree with. This film pokes fun at the futility of the never-ending search for the ultimate weapon and the degradation wrought on both parties when torture is employed. These are both ideas I can get behind. However, if the narrative becomes subservient to the message, you'll lose me every time.

Maybe we can chalk it up to a less than experienced director, Grant Heslov, and screenwriter, Peter Straughan. Men Who Stare at Goats is veteran actor Heslov's second feature as director and Straughan's second feature as screenwriter. Whatever the problem, massive star power can't save a lackluster story marred by wasted satirical opportunities and a preachy streak. It's good enough to rent next February, but there's no need to see it on the big screen.

Deep characters anchor Hollywood Je T'aime
by Nevin Jefferson - SGN Contributing Writer

Devastated by a love affair gone to hell, Jerome (Eric Debets) journeys from Paris to Los Angeles over Christmas, longing for a change of scenery and dreaming of a career in the movies. The opening scenes of the film in Paris are in black and white, and when Jerome hits Hollywood, the film changes to bright, candylike colors, like The Wizard of Oz.

Once in Hollywood, Jerome tries his best to enjoy the city, making endearing first-timer mistakes. He pisses off the cab driver and bartender by not tipping them. A bus ride to the beach takes all day, and he finds that the beach is cold. While suffering at the beach, Jerome hits it off with a Gay pot dealer (Chad Allen), who drives him halfway home. A taco-stand Tranny named Kaleesha (Diarra Kilpatrick) escorts him the rest of the way, introducing him to Norma Desire (Michael Airington), a "shabby chic" Silverlake drag queen who takes Jerome under her wing.

Director Jason Bushman's shrewd firsthand knowledge of the less glamorous side of the Hollywood merry-go-round gives a nice ride. Jerome also has a few romantic flirtations, including a sexually explicit encounter with a waiter he meets at a bathhouse.

The best part of this film is in the deep portrayal of the characters; the sad-eyed Frenchman who ends up surrounded by an exquisite cast of Hollywood's colorful, flamboyant detritus, the people who cause polite society to look the other way. They are acted out with care and detail, ensuring that each is a fully formed person, not a cardboard stereotype. Drag queen Norma (Michael Airington) is absolutely fabulous, in every form of the word. She could have so easily have become a stereotype based on either her lifestyle or her age, but Airington and the script make her brassy yet fragile, obnoxious but loveable, and bitchy while desperately loyal. She also gets some of the film's funniest lines (laughs and cheers erupted from the festival audience at her screaming "Good eyes" at a homophobic youth who quite astutely observes that, yes, she and her friends are indeed Gay) and many of its most tender moments. Chad Allen as the Gay pot dealer and Diarra Kilpatrick as Kaleesha are characters who you care about.

Support the arts by becoming a member of the Three Dollar Bill Cinema and enter to win a trip to London. The post-screening reception was held at Barrio, where the food is really good!

An Englishman In New York, one of the year's best
by Nevin Jefferson - SGN Contributing Writer

The 14th Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival opened with An Englishman In New York, a very powerful and epic telling of the story of Quentin Crisp. He wasn't your ordinary fruit; he was a Gay, proud man who wasn't afraid to be himself, and did just that - even after being beaten numerous times. Crisp would eventually become a voice of authority for the Gay world.

This true-to-life story came alive on the screen thanks to an extraordinary performance by John Hurt as the witty, prolific, influential Gay pioneer who becomes a pop culture icon right before your eyes. John Hurt's performance is riveting and breathtaking. Much of the film's dialogue comes from Crisp's own writing and performances.

The movie opens as Quentin is flying high on international fame before landing low in New York. In one of the opening scenes, Quentin is walking through the streets of the city in his full splendor. He's complimented by a big and beautiful middle-aged black woman who hails him with praises of love, respect, and admiration. He is genuinely touched by this, and he takes off with more sashay in his hips - giving new meaning to swishing in the streets.

When Quentin is granted a resident alien status based on his unique qualities, the uniting of the city and the Englishman is a match made in heaven.

After performing his one-man show How to Be a Happy Person, he's approached by Connie Clausen, superbly played by Swoosie Kurtz. She tells him that she wants to make him a star and launches his career in an off-Broadway one-man show. The two begin a strong mutual friendship that flourishes as Connie gets him on every TV talk show and radio show.

Connie books him on a black radio station, where the very flaming Quentin is surrounded by hardcore ghetto brothers and a tough-as-nails militant DJ. They accept him for who and what he is and make him an "honorary brother." The listeners from the hood calling in for advice love both the man and his advice. Several scenes later, Quentin goes to a leather bar and is 86ed because he isn't dressed to their code. Our cult darling becomes the epitome of an effeminate Gay man with effeminate ways, complete with makeup and trademarks that consisted of ascots galore, his signature ring, and hat. His frankness, arrogance, and honesty wows some, and pisses off others. When he claims same-sex love is impossible, he's attacked by Gays for "playing to straights."

Quentin becomes a movie reviewer for Christopher Street magazine, run by Philip Steele (excellently played by Denis O'Hare). The two strike an agreement that touches on the richness of the U.S. film culture of the time compared with today's times. Steele allows Quentin the freedom and liberty of criticizing the movies he wants to. Steele writes the reviews, which consist of the thoughts and opinions of Quentin, during a conversation between the two at a greasy spoon. Philip, already a fan of Crisp's, becomes his best friend, and a platonic relationship slowly builds between the two. Quentin's spontaneous words of wit and wisdom earn him a high place in the Gay community, but then one of his comments gets him in trouble: His statement during one show that "AIDS is a fad, nothing more," and his refusal to recant or campaign for Gay rights. "It is my policy never to lie, never to defend," he famously said.

Of course, this causes all hell to break loose with his career. His Gay audience, who has started to really suffer from the AIDS epidemic, turns away from him. Crisp is dropped by his agent and editor after their pleading with him to retract proves fruitless.

Crisp's eyes are opened when he gets to know young artist Patrick Angus (in a fantastic performance by Jonathan Tucker), who is dying of AIDS. Crisp keeps his promise to the artist by having his work shown in a gallery.

Well into the Clinton era, Quentin wakes up to find a lady in his apartment. She assures him that he's not dead and she's no angel; his door was just unlocked. The lady is performance artist Penny Arcade, marvelously played by Cynthia Nixon. She takes Quentin back to the stage with moving material that takes him into his 10th decade, and once again he wins over the Gay community.

Steele returns to the tiny and shabby apartment to find Quentin living on the champagne and peanuts circuit. Steele devotedly looks after the now-failing Quentin, who's enjoying his final bow. He tells his friend that he has a million dollars, and they ask why he doesn't spend any of it. Quentin tells him that he contributes to the AIDS foundation amfAR so he can meet Elizabeth Taylor.

The grand finale is a virtual Sermon on the Mount in a Gay bar in Tampa, Fla. This is a brilliant film that's one of the best films of the year and decade. This is a must-have in your DVD collection and it makes a great gift for the holidays.

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