This season brings a box-office battle of the George Clooney flicks. Let's compare:
Title: "The Men Who Stare at Goats"
Cast: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges
Opens: Nov. 6
Plot: This dark comedy, set in Iraq is about a reporter who meets a special forces agent who reveals the existence of a secret military unit whose goal is to end war as we know it.
Oscar odds: Fair. Director Grant Heslov (co-wrote "Good Night, and Good Luck") brings Jon Ronson's book about George W. Bush's War on Terror to life. The Academy usually leans to the left, but doesn't always go for lighter films.
Title: "Up in the Air"
Opens: Nov. 13
Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey
Plot: Ryan Bingham is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened as he meets the woman of his dreams and is just about to reach10 million frequent flyer miles.
Ocsar odds: Good. Oscar-nominee ("Juno") Jason Reitman directs, and it was well-received at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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