Movie Reviews -#4,037

Alice In Wonderland in 3D -As I promised to do a long time ago, I am finally reviewing this movie.

We got in the theater, put on our 3D glasses and oohed and ahhed while we watched the cool special effects of this movie. All the plants, wild other-worldly Wonderland scenery and computer animated characters really come alive in all manner of colors and textures in this movie. The movie is very trippy and very soothing... in a spiritual kind of way.

The Chesire Cat, Mad Hatter, Caterpillar and Alice were my personal favorite characters.

The core story throughout, is about twenty-ish year old Alice, getting up the courage to make hard choices in life. The exampled choices presented to her are: Accepting a weak dufus' hand in marriage in front of a huge audience of people, a few really piling on the pressure to say "yes". Then there is the choice to tell her "keepers" to get off her back about being a "proper woman" with their idea of being proper actually meaning to be continuously anal retentive and do the supposed "right thing at all times". There are more, but you'll just have to see the movie, if you haven't already. What's also interesting is that other character's in this flick have their own battles within to deal with, as well.

It's easy to empathize with Johhny Depp's character, the Mad Hatter. You'll know why when you see the flick.

Thankfully, Alice musters up the courage to stand up to her battles within herself, to make hard choices in her life. This is a thinking man's/woman's Alice In Wonderland. Sure the 3D effects are great, but I also give this movie an enthusiastic thumbs up for it's philosophical atmosphere and ponderings.

The Men Who Stare At Goats

The movie stars George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and for me, Jeff Bridges, stole the show, so to speak. Jeff Bridges is the real core to this movie.

Produced by prankster, George "Bat Nipples" Clooney, this movie is certainly a wild, sometimes comedic ride. It also, like Alice in wonderland, has a philosophical feel to it, bringing questions of what's right and wrong and real to one's mind. At least, it did for me.

Jeff Bridges is Bill Django, the genius behind the Army unit that uses their psychic abilities to find hostages through using "remote viewing" (which means attempting to get a mental picture, a "snapshot", of some far off actual event and/or location) and finding ways to defend the country through peaceful means. Even if it means, turning invisible and running through walls. Unfortunately, Kevin Spacey's character spoils the project for everyone but thankfully gets a little comeuppance towards the end. I will say no more.

Ewan McGregor's part, the reporter who narrates and is a vital character in the movie is told, by Clooney's character, how an Army Officer, Django, put together the New Earth Army philosophy and the team of recruits, who are encouraged to use their special abilities . We're shown how Django traveled throughout the world during the sixties and seventies, learning all manner of incredibly enlightening, yet sometimes, slightly goofy beliefs and how to accomplish fantastic feats with only your mind.

The journey that the viewer takes in this movie is the main part of this flick. The movie has inspired me to want to go out and buy the book by Jon Ronson (the actual reporter), who investigated the original story of this actual part of U.S Army history. The book is likely more detailed and even more fascinating. Then, I'll have my own investigating to do. Heh heh.

In summary, I give the Men Who Stare At Goats a very solid (not invisible) thumbs up.