Clooney stars in ‘Men Who Stare at Goats’

Movie: "The Men Who Stare at Goats"

When: Opening Friday at local theaters

Cast: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey

Director: Grant Heslov

The story: A reporter in Iraq, trying to rebound from a failed marriage, uncovers what could be a killer story: a special forces agent who reveals the existence of the Army's First Earth Battalion, a secret unit employing paranormal powers.

The buzz: That animal George Clooney does double duty this month, with the live-action version staring at goats starting Friday and the animated Clooney lending his voice to "Fantastic Mr. Fox," due Nov. 25. But There's also a Vegas "Goats" connection: It's adapted from a book by British writer Jon Ronson, who reportedly based Clooney's character (very loosely) on longtime Las Vegan John Alexander, a retired Army colonel who, as an intelligence officer, helped investigate possible military uses for psychokinesis, remote viewing and other psychic powers.