Essential George Clooney

4 weeks ago 21st Oct 10:54

George Clooney has been here there and everywhere this week to promote the bevy of movies that he has in the pipeline.

But it's Fantastic Mr Fox, that just so happened to open the London Film Festival last week, that is released here in the UK this week.

And with The Men Who Stare At Goats and Up In The Air all on the horizon for Mr Clooney he's going to be a very busy chap.

Directed by Wes Anderson Mr and Mrs Fox live an idyllic home life with their son Ash and visiting young nephew Kristopherson. But after 12 years, the bucolic existence proves too much for Mr Fox's wild animal instincts.

Soon he slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief and in doing so, endangers not only his beloved family, but the whole animal community.

Trapped underground and with not enough food to go around, the animals band together to fight against the evil Farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, who are determined to capture the audacious, fantastic Mr Fox at any cost.

So to celebrate the release of the movie we take a look at some of the George Clooney films that you really should have in your collection.

- Good Night and Good Luck

2005's Good Night and Good Luck elevated Clooney from good looking actor to real Hollywood player as he once again moved behind the camera for this movie.

Shot in black and white the movie follows the events of the mid-1950s leading up to acclaimed CBS journalist Edward R. Murrow's (David Strathairn) decision to stand up against fiery Senator Joseph McCarthy, who was out to rid the country of communism.

McCarthy's seemingly reckless behaviour, in which he condemned individuals without giving them a fair trial, angered Murrow and his producer Fred Friendly (Clooney) into action.

The resulting few episodes of Murrow's show, See It Now, found Murrow on a personal, patriotic crusade to challenge McCarthy and rid America of his callous persecution.

The movie was met with critical acclaim as it was an intelligent and beautifully shot movie that really showed of Clooney's talent behind the camera.

The movie was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.

- Syriana

Despite the spotlight being on Clooney's directorial effort in 2005 it was his acting that brought him Oscar glory that very same year with Syriana.

Loosely adapted from Robert Baer's memoir See No Evil the film focuses on the politics of oil and the global influence the oil industry has.

Clooney stars as Bob Barnes, a longtime CIA agent preparing to slow down his life and spend more time with his teenage son (Max Minghella).

But his last secret mission, getting rid of Prince Nasir (Alexander Siddig), turns out to be more complicated than he imagined, placing him in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy involving government corruption, oil, and international terrorism.

While all eyes were on Clooney for the Best Director prize it was his turn as Bob Barnes that scooped him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

- Michael Clayton

He followed this Oscar winning turn up with Michael Clayton, which was met with major critical acclaim in 2007.

Michael Clayton is an in-house "fixer" at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. A former criminal prosecutor, Clayton takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen's dirtiest work at the behest of the firm's co-founder Marty Bach.

Though burned out and hardly content with his job as a fixer, his divorce, a failed business venture and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm.

At U/North, meanwhile, the career of litigator Karen Crowder rests on the multi-million dollar settlement of a class action suit that Clayton's firm is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion.