DVD: The Men Who Stare At Goats (15)

Jon Ronson's droll and troubling exposé of the US military's bizarre practices – which included forming an experimental unit that employed paranormal techniques (such as killing goats by just staring at them) to train a legion of "Jedi warriors" – has been adapted into this weak satire.

The plot centres on Ewan McGregor's glum reporter who stumbles across the military unit when he encounters Lyn (George Clooney), a damaged warrior. Clooney wheels out his tired bug-eyed comedy shtick (he's no Cary Grant); while McGregor, once again, delivers another worryingly flat turn. Kevin Spacey is also thoroughly wasted as a sinister spook. However, there are a couple of decent visual gags and Jeff Bridges is amusing as a goofy intelligence officer.