At the Movies: capsule reviews of `Precious' and other films this week

Capsule reviews of films opening this week:

"The Men Who Stare at Goats" — A fun tone is undermined by disjointed storytelling in George Clooney and producing partner Grant Heslov's romp based on Jon Ronson's amusing nonfiction book about the U.S. military's research into psychic warfare and espionage. First-time director Heslov crafts a hit-and-miss fictional narrative ornamented with some of the brighter anecdotes Ronson uncovered about efforts to create warrior monks who try to walk through walls or glare animals to death. Clooney plays a prodigy of this New Age militarism, with Jeff Bridges as his Dude-like mentor, Kevin Spacey as a psychic rival and Ewan McGregor as a reporter uncovering the story amid the war in Iraq. The movie opens with the promise of a Catch-22 or Strangelove-style satire, but while it maintains much of the book's drolly incredulous spirit, the dots of absurdity just don't connect that well. With "Star Wars" vet McGregor on hand, the repeated Jedi knight references are jarring. R for language, some drug content and brief nudity. 93 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

_ David Germain, AP Movie Writer

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"Precious: Based on the Novel `Push' by Sapphire" — Director Lee Daniels assembles some of the unlikeliest ingredients — Mariah Carey, Mo'Nique, and a lead actress plucked from an anonymous casting call — to create a wondrous work of art. The film isn't easy to watch and will test your tolerance for despicable behavior as a long history of physical abuse and incest unfolds involving an illiterate, obese Harlem schoolgirl. Yet "Precious" — both the film and its grandly resilient title character — will steal your heart. Daniels crafts a story that rises from the depths of despair to a place of genuine hope. Gabourey Sidibe offers a phenomenal screen debut as Precious, who makes an utterly believable and electrifying rise from an urban abyss of ignorance and neglect. The normally lowbrow Mo'Nique delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as Precious' viper of a mother, while great support is provided by Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz and Carey in a small but honest role. This is great American cinema. R for child abuse including sexual assault, and pervasive language. 109 minutes. Four stars out of four.

_ David Germain, AP Movie Writer