Up in the Air

Up In The Air

It's hard to work out who's been more heavily favored by the Oscars in recent years - Up In The Air star George Clooney, or the film's director, Jason Reitman.

Clooney may have become the most reliable fixture on the Academy's calendar, but Reitman's record is hard to ignore. Having gained nominations for two out of his three feature films, he has the kind of average that any professional sportsman would be proud of.

In many ways Up In The Air is a more mature and thoughtful movie that Reitman's last outing, 2007's Juno, although that by no means always works in its favor. At times it could use a little of Juno's lightness and humour, and this is one comedy-drama that places its emphasis firmly on the drama.

That's not to say that it's without its funny moments. Clooney is as dry as you'd expect as travelling corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham (translation: he's the guy big businesses call upon when they have to make mass lay-offs), but in sad-clown Clooney Reitman has the perfect foil for many of the funnier characters that are thrown our way.

As Bingham faces a corporate downsizing of his own, he begins to question both his loner lifestyle and his unusual career choice. When he meets fellow frequent flyer Alex (Vera Farmiga) he embarks on what may be the first genuine love affair of his life - but Reitman would never let us settle that easily into familiar romantic comedy territory. Instead he attempts to deconstruct and rebuild the RomCom genre, playing upon its traditional formula with wit, and a surprising realism.

At times Up In The Air relies a little heavily upon the very formula it's trying to parody - but there are enough twists and revelations to keep Bingham's unusual voyage of discovery moving forward.

As for the support actors, many of them seem to have been given specific instructions to increase this rather maudlin movie's laugh count. Jason Bateman is reliably inappropriate as Bingham's boss, while J.K. Simmons and The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis provide the most memorable of the contract terminations.

Watch out for a brief appearance by Sam Elliott too, in one of the film's few moments of true whimsy. It's so unreal that you have to wonder whether we're simply seeing one of Bingham's fantasies come to life.

Up In The Air doesn't have the immediate slacker appeal of Juno, but its slow-burning exploration of Ryan Bingham's disconnected life has provided us with one of modern cinema's most intriguing misfits. He may not boast the fireworks of Travis Bickle, but Bingham is just as much a casualty of modern living. Spare a thought for that businessman sitting next to you next time you fly.

Up in the Air

Directed by Jason Reitman
Starring George Clooney, Vera  Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Bateman
Rated R
109 Minutes  

Plot: Corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham (Clooney) travels the country firing people for a living. His whole world flips when he meets Natalie, a new employee he has to train, and Alex, a fellow traveler. 

Billed as "The perfect movie for our times", Up in the Air is not too close to home, but relatable enough, and well made enough, to stand as one of the top films of the year. George Clooney takes the lead and puts out his most complicated performance to date. Behind his acting is the best screenplay of the year. Quick and clever dialogue is numerous throughout Up in the Air. Also within the script (and the novel, I presume) is a complex and delicate narrative. Characters and story work so well here that, if there was a way to cheat, Up in the Air may have done it. For all the lack of emotion that Ryan Bingham seems to experience, the coveted irony is accomplished, through emotion, as Jason Reitman both writes and directs his best yet. Even with the heavy topic at hand, Up in the Air manages to be funny as well. Danny McBride is the key player in this aspect, and plays one of his funniest characters yet- Ryan Bingham's future brother in law. By combing stellar directing, acting, writing, and a story that couldn't be more relevant, Up in the Air is damn near close to the best film of the year.

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Last updated: 2010-04-11 21:10:15 by user01

Booze Revooze: A Drinker’s Skewed View of UP IN THE AIR

Ramblings:  Up In The Air is Down To Earth

Final Proof: 3 1/2 Shots

You know how you get drunk in airport  bars? It’s not as old-school as train stations and less depressing than bus stations because the people you meet are more varied. For example you got your business people and it’s hard not to look on them with a little envy as they skirt lines with VIP cards and sit down before you in seats better than yours to get comped drinks. They’re the ones paying sky high prices in the bar because they’re saving the receipts that’re all gonna be reimbursed by their companies. But they pay for it in other ways like the families they leave behind to suck jet fumes, and smiles as cold and conditioned as the air they recycle when they’re flying.  Airport bars are designed to make you feel at home even when you know you’re not and they’re polished and professional but often full to the rim with humanity: talkative help cleaning the floors who address you like they know you, happy couples high on the idea of traveling together and those looking on with only one dry eye because they were once sitting in Business and now they’re on Economy and even if they realize they’re better off in some ways, they still need that next drink they can’t afford but are ordering anyway. Airport bars are cool because of the contrast between the shallow depth of the decor and your closest strangers making it real. Up In The Air is kinda like that.

Another cool thing about UITA was how Reitman dealt with the subject of unemployment. In Ryan’s (played masterfully by George  Clooney) own words: “I work for [a] company that lends me out to pussies like Steve’s boss who don’t have the balls to sack their own employees.” So yeah, Reitman coulda just chosen to use that as kinda a backdrop for the story but he chose to move it into the forefront by hiring real unemployed people who’d been laid off to recreate the moment they were fired. Very cool and very meaningful and a great idea because those 25 people add a lot of depth to the movie.

The normal actors do a decent job. George Clooney (Ryan Bingham) gives his character a lot of character and Vera Farmiga is believable as jet setter, Alex Goran. Anna Kendrick is getting a lot of attention for her role as young exec Natalie Keener and the girl is golden. It’s nice to see her in a role that’s more of a stretch than Kristen Stewart’s high school friend in Twilight, and man can Anna stretch.

Basically, if you’re tempted to see this, you pro’lly should. Up In The Air is a trip.

Before we get to the talent, here’s another song from the juiced-box and soundtrack. i like it because, if you listen to the words, it makes  sense for us drinkers: Sad Brad Smith – Help Yourself

Buzz Kills (Watch Out for Spoilers)

Sex: 2 shots

There’s only one partially nude scene, and that’s of Vera Farmiga’s body double who’s got a nice butt and shows a little side boob. i knew right away it was a body double, ask Miss Demeanor, because they never showed Vera’s face during the naked part.  That’s a tell tail sign right there. The UITA Trivia Section on IMDB has Vera saying she doesn’t mind being naked in a movie but that she’d recently given birth and “the breast milk running down would have been inappropriate”. Hell, i don’t know about that but i guess it woulda been distracting.

So anyway, here’s some shots of Vera Farmiga (36) i didn’t already exposé in my Orphan review.
It’s getting harder and harder to exposé Melanie Lynskey (32, who plays Ryan’s sister Julie Bingham) after doin’ her twice already, once for The Informant and another time for Away We Go. Still, i dug deep and found these:
There were also a slew of those fleeting beauties who flit across the screen in the blink of a wink. Here are those Silken Butterflies i hope to see lots more of…

First up, Adrienne Lamping who plays Tammy, one of Julie Bingham’s Bridesmaids. Click on the photo to visit her Agency.
There’s also Meagan Flynn (29) who plays a flight attendant (and wouldn’t we all like to, at least once). My exclusive Bar None interview with her is here.
And it would be a mortal sin not to mention Erin McGrane, who is adorable as Ryan’s neighbor / ex-love interest. If UITA lacks credibility, part of it is that in real life George Clooney would do everything in his power to win back this young lady’s heart.
There’s also Lanette Fugit (39), another flight attendant, though tragically uncredited. Clicking on the photos will take you to her web site.
Finally, and certainly not leastly, i give you a postage stamp photo of Kelly Bertha, one of the recently unemployed who plays herself in the movie. Not only is she gorgeous, but she’s another famous person who knows me and let me interview her.
To wrap this bad boy up, here are some shots of George Clooney (48) for those who prefer fuselage to hangar.
Drink: 2½ Shots

i should probably go a little higher here as there were enough drink references, but i’ve limited it to 2½ because booze didn’t play a key role in the film.

When Ryan (George Clooney) and Alex (Vera Farmiga) meet in the hotel bar, he’s drinking a gin & tonic and she’s got a martini.

Natalie (Anna Kendrick) gets drunk with Ryan and Alex after her boyfriend dumps her by text message. They drink martinis, scotch & sodas, and then there’s more drinking at the Tech party they crash. Hats off to Anna Kendrick who plays drunk with a believable amount of understatement.

The next morning, Natalie apologized for getting carried away, which i liked because i’ve had to do the same kinda post-binge groveling more than once.

There’s also beer from mugs at the rehearsal dinner for Ryan’s sister Julie’s wedding.

When Ryan’s sad, he drinks minibar bottles of Southern Comfort that he keeps in his own fridge in his apartment.

Finally, when Ryan hits the 10 million mile mark, the flight attendant (i’m pretty sure it’s Meagan Flynn from above) gives him a glass of champagne.

Rock & Roll: 1 Shot

The soundtrack is pretty folky but not so bad even if it isn’t rock.
What’s also not rock is the cameo by Young MC at the tech party, singing his hit “Bust A Move”.

Boring Technical Crap

Written by:

Walter Kim – Book

Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner – Screenplay

Directed by: Jason Reitman

Starring

Vera Farmiga – Alex Goran

Anna Kendrick – Natalie Keener

Melanie Lynskey – Julie Bingham

Adrienne Lamping – Tammy

Meagan Flynn – Flight Attendant

Erin McGrane – Dianne

Lanette Fugit – Flight Attendant

Kelly Bertha – Terminated Employee

George Clooney – Ryan Bingham

Bottom Line

See it, Up In The Air won’t let you down.

Al K Hall<br />
Functional Alcoholic Slurperson<br />
(No, REALLY. Google &amp;quot;Slurperson&amp;quot; if you don't believe me.)

Last updated: 2010-04-01 10:35:21 by user08

Up in the Air: Movie Review

We are quite familiar with almost all, if not all movies vying for Best Picture in the different award giving bodies this year. One movie we have not heard before it got nominated is “Up in the Air”. The movie, starring George Clooney is labeled by some as his best film yet. Some even consider this as the overall best picture for the upcoming Oscars (speaking off the Oscars, we cannot wait for the results to come out in the next few days). Six Academy Award nominations pretty much says that this movie is going to be great, too bad that it was released in local theaters just this week. Let’s see if this film, based on Walter Kim’s novel can live up to its expectations.

Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) has an odd job. His job takes him across America to talk to employees and tell them that they have been laid off. On the side, Ryan conducts motivational speeches that tells people that they do not need a life with relationships for them to be happy. His primary goal in life is to reach ten million frequent flyer miles. In short, Ryan's job compliments his life's purpose and with that, he truly loves it. Ryan's job is threatened though when a new co-worker, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), proposes that they should do virtual job firings to save on travel costs. When Ryan confronts Natalie and shows her that she does not know anything about the firing business, his boss decides that Ryan should mentor Natalie on his next few trips. Will Natalie learn something from Ryan or will Ryan learn from Natalie instead?

So can we say that "Up in the Air" has a chance to win the Best Picture category in the Oscars? We can fairly predict that it won't but it was not a bad film at all mind you. In fact, the unique story, characters and even the moral lesson fit the bill together which makes it a must watch for everyone. The film was also deep and will make you think a lot about your life. It was so effective in conveying its message, no thanks to the outstanding performances of the main characters especially George Clooney. We definitely have to agree that this is probably one of his best performances yet. So what made "Up in the Air" miss the trophy? We think it was the way the film's overall story was developed. It felt half-baked and with this, there seems to be a lot of disconnection between the mini dilemmas of each character. With a longer running time the film could definitely have been perfect.

Rating: 4 and a half reels 

Why you should watch it:
- great performances for the three main actors especially George Clooney
- the movie's multiple plot points are unique and full of ironic surprises
- makes you ponder on what your daily life's true purpose is

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- for us, it was a little bit on the short side
- it lacked development and somewhat incomplete /</igscript type="text/javascript"/>/ig</script>

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Recommendations:

Up in the Air

Up in The Air
Starring:

George Clooney, Vera Formiga, Anna Kendrick

Director: Jason Reitman

Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance

Rated: R

George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham a part time motivational speaker and full time consultants who travel’s the country firing people for companies that are downsizing. Ryan leads a solitary life and his philosophy consists of constantly moving and keeping the burden of relationships to a minimum.

Ryan’s life is swiftly changed when two woman come into his life Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) the female equivalent of himself complete with the obsession with frequent flyer miles, rewards programs and the perks and status that these provide; and Natalie the recent college grad who thinks she can revolutionize Ryans industry through firing people via video conferencing.

When Ryan gets grounded due to Natalie’s ideas Ryan’s only chance to get back in the air (the place he calls home) is to take Natalie under his wing and show her the ropes of doing the job face to face.  While working with Natalie and hooking up with Alex Ryan begins to change his philosophy on life.

There are some great performances here Clooney puts on one of his best performances since “Out of Sight” with both Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick delivering as well.  Up in the air combines solid emotional impact with its timely relevance to the failing economy complete with excerpts from downsized employees and the impact it had on their life, it is definitely a perfect time for this movie. Many people however are going to see this and walk away from this wondering what did they just see? The story isn’t put into a box and wrapped up with a bow. The ending is definitely not spoon fed material and that is what I liked most about it. There is realness to this film where not everything has a Disney ending conclusion. Up in the Air does an excellent job examining the complexity of relationships and life in general and how ones priorities might change over time.

Grade-90

Up in the Air - ***1/2

Directed by:  Jason Reitman

Starring:  George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman

Review:  About half way through the movie I had already decided that I was gonna give the movie only 3 stars.  However, after seeing the rest I bumped it up a 1/2 star, which makes sense as the scene where I decided it was a 3-star movie was the turning point in the film.  The scene I am referred to is the scene after Kenrick's character Natalie fires her first person and has to leave to go outside and catch her breath.  The person she just fired said she planned to commit suicide and Natalie could not handle having this woman's blood on her hands.  However, as he always seems to do, George Clooney's character Ryan comes to the rescue.  Ryan explains to Natalie that these people just heard the worst news you could hear and they say "crazy" things and aren't thinking clear.  It is their job to make sure this blow is as soft as possible and that those people don't do these "crazy" things they say.

You see, Ryan and Natalie are "Termination Engineers."  Basically, other companies hire them to come in and fire their employees for them when they don't have the stones to do it themselves.  This has, historically, required a personal touch causing the "termination engineer" to be there in person to let someone go.  This, of course, means characters like Clooney's Ryan are always "Up in the Air" and on the road.  Ryan prefers this life.  In fact, he prefers it so much so that he occasionally has speaking engagements in which he has a seminar about unpacking the "backpack" of your life.  His theory is that all of our belongings and all of the people in our lives bring extra drama and baggage and weight to the point that we would all be better served to just let all those things fall to the wayside and not weigh us down any longer.

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This is a convenient philosophy for Ryan allowing him to not have any meaningful human connections all in the name of his "new age" "ahead of it's time" philosophy.  However, this philosophy gets challenged once he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga) on the road and begins to have periodic trysts with her when they can meet up on the road.  After bringing Natalie out on the road and having her meet Alex, Natalie challenges Ryan to give her a chance to be a permanent part of his backpack.  This makes Ryan stop and think for a second and the result is him asking Alex to be the date to his sister's wedding.

************SPOILER ALERT*************


Ryan takes Alex to his sisters wedding and it becomes a huge success and they both have a great time.  After parting ways and Ryan learning that he will be "grounded" and will now always be in Omaha having to fire people over the computer, Ryan decides that she should be a permanent part of his backpack.  During a speaking engagement Ryan leaves in the middle of his speech to fly to Chicago and find her so they can live happily ever after.  This is where the meet of Clooney's performance takes place.  Upon arriving at Alex's door, Ryan sees kids in the background and her husband approaches the door.  No words are spoken, no explanation given, Ryan simply leaves with a horrific look on his face.  Is this why Ryan preaches not baggage in life?  Could this have happened to him before and now he will stick rigidly to his philosophy?  This is unclear, but now we know a little more why such a philosophy could be warrented.

Throughout this movie, Ryan and his philosophy are constantly challenged and ultimately Ryan caves and accepts that his theory about not needing people in his life may not be the best.  However, Ryan ends up hurt in the end and searching for answers. 

Ultimately, I feel the message of the movie is that one extreme is just as bad as the next.  Filling your "backpack" with things and people for no real reason that just weigh you down does you no good.  However, living your life with a completely empty "backpack" gives you nothing to look forward to and severely limits your ability to find true happiness.  In the end, through the events at his sister's wedding I think Ryan comes to realize (as we all should) that everyone needs those things/people to weigh them down a little bit, as long they are the right things/people, so we can be grounded and centered in our lives instead of always "up in the air."

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up in the air

eh, if you hate george clooney, you’ll hate this flick.  it’s pretty much george clooney being george clooney.  with sexy co-stars.  wait a second, that’s just george clooney being george clooney.  what i mean to say is you get a lot of george clooney in this movie.

having thusly stated, it’s not that bad a show.  if you don’t mind george clooney that is.

it seems to me to be a modern spin on a classic tale of two misfit companions on a journey together.  much in the old frank capra mold.  kinda like it happened one night.  this is one of the reasons i’m a fan of george clooney.  he does a lot of these throw back, old school films that might not always have the mass appeal of the oceans 11 but i kinda enjoy.  movies like the good german which is done in a 50’s film noir style or goodnight and good luck which portrays the edward r. murrow vs. senator joseph mccarthy controversy in a 50’s black and white style.

all very cool films.  i’m not putting this one there with goodnight and good luck, but it’s not bad.  it does take on a depressing vibe towards the end.  and that’s the modern twist on the frank capra classic model.  and it’s also more true to life.

two and a half bobbly headed george clooneys out of five.  i might pick it up in th e5 dollar bin just cause chicks dig george clooney.

directed by jason reitman.  screenplay by jason reitman and sheldon turner.  starring george clooney, anna kendrick, vera farmiga and jason bateman.  with j. k. simmons, sam elliot and danny mcbride.

Cal Reed

Up in the Air

"Up in the Air" is directed by Jason Reitman ("Thank You For Smoking" and "Juno"). It stars George Clooney ("Ocean's Eleven"), Vera Farmiga ("The Departed"), Anna Kendrick, and Jason Bateman (TV's "Arrested Development" and "Juno"). J.K Simmons and Zach Galifianakis both have small, but very funny parts.

George Clooney is Ryan Bingham, a man who has no real relationships with anyone. He spends the majority of his life flying to various parts of the country firing people. Since he travels so much, his frequent flyer miles are a pretty big thing for him. His company then makes the decision to fire people via video chats, to save time and money on flights, hotels etc. Jason Bateman plays the boss, Craig Gregory and Anna Kendrick is Natalie Keener, the girl who proposed the idea of firing people via the internet...just a fun fact in case people were wondering and didn't feel like IMDBing the movie. This doesn't sit well with Ryan since it would completely change his lifestyle which currently includes several one night stands with Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga)...since apparently having an elite status with airlines, hotels, etc is a turn on. That's the general idea of the movie...I won't ruin the end for people and stuff...

Well, George Clooney is George Clooney. Honestly, that should be enough said. He is a great actor and people know it and that's why he is the star of so many movies. He is great as the lead actor in "Up in the Air," which really shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. George Clooney had great chemistry with the other cast members. That's always a good thing when watching a movie. The chemistry comes across mainly with his female co-stars as they are in most scenes with him. Vera Farmiga is convincing as George Clooney's female counterpart in the world of frequent flying. I haven't seen Anna Kendrick in anything besides this, but she is a very good actress and plays the role of a young woman in the business world, questioning George Clooney's character's lifestyle well. The nature of the movie required that everyone (at least the main cast members) be capable of doing comedy and drama. Everyone comes through on this one. They all are convincing in their characters and were lucky enough to be given a great script to work with. The dialogue flows well and is just smart and funny when it needs to be. The movie is also well-paced and doesn't really drag, except for a little bit when Ryan is at his sister's wedding. When you first watch the movie you may think it's predictable...but ultimately you would be wrong...unless you have the natural ability to sense what is going to happen in a movie.

"Up in the Air" is a lot more than a comedy and a lot more than just a drama. It's a great combination of the two. It's not powerful like "Precious" or "Invictus" or something, but there is just a lot more substance to it then most movies these days. There are some hilarious lines and funny scenes dealing with people's reactions to being fired. The movie also deals with relationships and just things that people deem as important in life. I've got to say I am very impressed by Jason Reitman. He's a young director and makes great movies. This movie is a follow up to "Juno," which I love and think is a great, funny movie. "Up in the Air" however is even better as it has a great cast and is just more mature and intelligently written and executed.

The movie looks great. Lots of scenes out of focus, great reaction shots from people and closeups/unique angles are used at times. And aerial shots, for me anyway are always a good thing...and given the type of movie this is it works out great.

I thought this was a great movie. One of the best of the year and it has gotten several Golden Globe nominations and I hear that it will probably be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Who knows if it will win. They have been a lot of great movies this year...especially recently because of Oscar season. 4 out of 4 stars...People should see it...if you like George Clooney or any member of the cast, Jason Reitman movies, or well made movies in general. Go see a matinee...given the quality of this movie a matinee is a great deal...or you could wait til next year sometime and rent it, but come on, why do that when you can watch it on the big screen during Oscar season?

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Up in the Air: High Clooney

"Up in the Air" is a movie that proves The Donald isn't the only one who utters those two freaking words.

Meet Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a corporate downsizer who's paid big bucks to travel the country and say "You're fired," albeit in a kinder and gentler manner. And he does it very well, thank you, until a company decision to further impersonalize the process leads to...no, the Movie Slut won't give that away.

Based on book of the same title by Walter Kirn, this is a movie with brains, edge and a third finger — pointing upwards — on the pulse of 21st-century America.

It does unravel into implausibility at the end, which the Movie Slut learned was a departure of the book. Still, don't miss this one, if only as a primer on how to tackle those heinous airport security lines.

See you at the movies, The Movie Slut

Up in the Air

This is a good movie with some glaring flaws.

They come late, so it's easy to think you're in the presence of greatness -- or at least excellence -- for quite some time.

"Up in the Air" is the story of a business traveler played by George Clooney. His business is firing people. Business, of course, is good.

Firing people entails flying all over the country. In fact, it entails spending much more time on the road than at home. And that doesn't bother Clooney at all. His home is the road. The road in the sky.

Clooney spends so much time flying that he's closing in on ten million air miles. Only six other people in commercial air travel history have ever logged ten million miles. He wants to be person number seven.

His life develops two complications. The first is that he meets a fellow business traveler of the sexy, slinky variety. She is Vera Farmiga. They meet in an airport lounge and bond over a comparison of their elite customer travel perks.

This is a complication because Clooney normally tries to remain emotionally aloof. His heart is always in transit, like his body. But sexy and slinky is also smart and funny. Soon our boy George is in love.

The second complication is the appearance of a young, brash co-worker played by Anna Kendrick.


Kendrick's eager ambition manifests itself in a proposal to do away with face-to-face firings. She creates a business plan which will turn the entire company's operations virtual. This will save money on travel, but it will rob Clooney of the only home he's ever had. Not to mention any chance at those air miles.

So Clooney protests.

To make a longish story shortish, Clooney gets put in charge of showing Kendrick the ropes, of taking her on the road and giving her some on-the-job experience. This creates a terrific dynamic because the two characters are opposites. Experience versus immaturity, cynicism versus idealism, caution versus recklessness.

And here's the deal: this relationship IS the movie.

Let's pause for a note directed at storytellers everywhere (my humble self included): any time you can tell a love story WITHOUT the physical love, you should go for it. The results are often superlative.

In "Up in the Air," the relationship between Clooney and Kendrick works because there is no sexual tension. At one point Clooney overhears Kendrick telling her boyfriend she doesn't even think about Clooney in "that way." Why? Because "he's olllld."

In the absence of sexual agendas, what develops between Clooney and Kendrick is something much better than a romantic attachment. What develops is a human attachment.

The occasional presence of love interest Vera Formiga only adds spice. The best scene in the movie takes place when Clooney and Farmiga try to console Kendrick after her boyfriend dumps her. They draw on their considerable life experience to put the pain of a broken heart in perspective for their young friend, but Kendrick is hard to persuade. Instead of accepting their wisdom, she ends up dishing out a sequence of hilariously unintentional insults.

It's a sweet scene. It's funny. And it's real.

So you can imagine my consternation when Anna Kendrick vanishes from the last thirty minutes of the film.

And then Vera Farmiga turns into... well, someone other than what we thought she was. Someone a lot more like Tiger Woods.

Before we know it, the movie flies off the tracks. Or crashes into a mountain. Whatever the appropriate analogy is.

After setting up a transformation from traveling loner to man who learns the joys of home and hearth, the movie does Clooney's character -- and the audience -- a disservice by leaving him curiously unchanged.

He ends the movie alone, up in the air, just where he started. The only difference is that he's gone from being perfectly satisfied with his life to feeling empty and purposeless.

To me this reeked suspiciously of Oscar-hunting. Everyone knows the shortest road to Oscar gold is the sad ending.

It's too bad, too, because it's not in the DNA of "Up in the Air" to be depressing. All the twists and turns that unfold at the end feel out of place.

As a result, the movie reminds me of last year's "The Reader." Like that artistically minded also-ran, "Up in the Air" is blessed with a strong central premise, a great central relationship and some excellent stretches, but ultimately becomes a pointless venture that does not resonate.

SCORE

How Accomplished: 72/100

How Much I Enjoyed: 71/100

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Up In The Air

Up In The Air! No it's not the sequel to Up. Hahahaha.. K that was lame. Retarded lameness aside, this movie is really really good. Fans of mature indie flicks like Little Miss Sunshine are gonna dig the hell out of this movie.



Okay so the movie is about a guy, Ryan Bingham who is like this downsizing agent. Companies pay him to fire their employers for them. And he's fired so many people that he has become a shallow person. He has no soul at all. He's so hollow that he loves being on the road and up in the air. He loves not having any human relationships or connections. In comes this young girl, Natalie who has this idea of firing people online thus saving the travelling expenses and crushing Binghams whole existence because he is aiming to get 10 million frequent flyer miles by staying up in the air as long as possible. So he decides to bring Natalie along to some of his business trips to try and change her mind.


George Clooney is absolutely fantastic here. We get the same charming witty character Clooney's use to playing but with a twist that this charming personality of his is just a mask of hiding the fact that he is really lonely. He has no friends, no close ties with family and no real home to go back to. The only place where he feels whole is when he is riding in an airplane because that's what he's been doing for so long. He's so cut off that the only goal that he has in life is to reach 10 million flyer miles. Which is kinda like a World of Warcraft geek wanting to reach level 10000000 or something.


And at the same time we are following this character Natalie as she watches her personal life fall apart as she is slowly turned into George Clooney' character. Not because she wants to but just because of what her job demands of her. Anna Kendrick is really amazing here. I didn't really notice from the start but she's one of Bella's friends from the Twilight series.. You know the really minor sidekick character who magically loves Bella? Yeah that's the one.



I love how she starts her character off as the very naive scared first time on the job person which I think we all can identify with to becoming a powerhouse to slowly burning out as the job begins to take a toll on her. And Anna Kendrick pulls off Natalie brilliantly!


It really makes me mad looking back at the Twilight series thinking that they had this amazing actress and they just threw her to the side to make way for spoilt "attractive" "actors." Remember in 2008 when all the Twilight freaks were lobbying for Rob Pattinson to get an Oscar nomination for playing Edward Cullen? Justice never seemed so sweet watching Anna Kendrick get nominated for her Golden Globe muahahahha. Suck it Twilight girls. I expect her to get a Best Supporting Actress nod but sorry hun Mo'Nique's gonna win it. At least you'll get nominated.



I also gotta salute Vera Farmiga who plays the female version of Clooney. She is smouldering in this movie. You get the sense that she is in control and you better behave if you want any of her cookies (if you get what i mean) She had George Clooney down on his knees throughout the whole movie. And she is hella hot. There's is one scene where she's naked on the bed with Clooney, that ass...... whoooooo hahaha.



Up In The Air takes a big stab at the whole elite status concept. Everyone wants elite status am I right? Everyone wants to get priveledges normal people wouldn't have simply because we think the lifestyle is glamorous or bla bla bla. Well too much of it is a bad thing I guess from what the movie is saying.


Jason Reitman the director is 3 for 3 right now. I loved Thank You For Smoking, I loved Juno and I love this little film he's done here. No it's not as funny as his previous two but it's definitely the most mature character driven pieces in the indie scene. Will it get nominated for Best Picture? I don't know really. Part of me wants it to, but with all the other great films that came out like Avatar, 500 Days of Summer and Precious, it's got real slim chances.

RATING: 7.5/10

NicholasC

Up In The Air

This review discusses the protagonist’s dramatic arc, from beginning to end, in detail. Some may consider this a spoiler.

A melancholic portrayal of a country in recession, but a manipulative depiction of a lifestyle. UP IN THE AIR doesn’t seem to approve of its protagonist’s nomad existence, and at times I almost felt like the movie was trying to convince the audience that not marrying and not having any children will turn you into George Clooney’s character. Sure, there are times he displays an argument that strongly defends his isolated life, but in the end, it’s a film about a man regretting the path he chose.

In this case, this isn’t a good thing. No-one lives life fully; you’re lucky to have but a fraction of all there is to experience. Marrying, having kids and settling down isn’t for everyone, and UP IN THE AIR decides that, instead of showing the pros and cons of the life protagonist Ryan Bingham chose for himself, it’s going to concentrate on the cons.

Which isn’t really honest; Bingham’s life is quite fascinating. Uninterested in forming bonds with people, his home is the airport. As a man who fires employees for a living because the employees’ actual bosses don’t have the balls to do so themselves, Bingham is a bringer of bad news and a witness to a lot of shock and suffering. He has to convince these people, seconds after telling them they’ve been fired, that this is an opportunity, not a loss.

And he loves that life; he loves that all his worldly possessions fit into a single bag; the confort of a plane and the energy of an airport; the belief that his job is a vital one: instead of your boss awkwardly telling you you’re no longer needed, it’s a trained professional that will do his best so you will leave the room feeling not as monumentally awful as you should be feeling. After all, you’d have been fired anyway; that it’s a man like Ryan Bingham firing you is a small sweetening of what might be the worst day of your life.

Enter Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), a young woman full of ideas who proposes an idea to Bingham’s boss (Jason Bateman): do it via videoconference. Let the employee get the bad news through the cold distance of a computer screen. This would allow people like Bingham to discard the need to travel so much and settle down if they wish. Obviously, Bingham hates the idea, and the scene where he explains why to Keener and his boss is one of the best in the film: he might have personal reasons to dislike the idea, but he’s got pretty fucking good arguments too.

So his boss has another idea: make Bingham and Keener teacher and student, so she’ll learn from his experience and with this knowledge support any other ideas she might have in the future. Obviously, Bingham also hates that, but he’s got no choice. And so, throughout the movie, he trains his new student while having a casual relationship with a woman called Alex (Vera Farmiga), who travels just as much as him and who describes herself as Bingham “with a vagina”. And as the movie progresses, he starts to realize the life he’s lost because of the other life he chose.

As we eventually do. How not to? So much to experience, and proportionally so little time. The problem with UP IN THE AIR is how, in the third act, it seems to condemn Ryan Bingham for his life. For its first two acts, it’s a brilliant film. A sensitive comedy that strikes the right balance, making you laugh but never letting that get in the way of its dramatic potential; the picture it paints of a country in crisis is touching and real. All those headlines we’ve read about a corporation firing “10,000 employees in March” gains a much stronger meaning, and I particularly highlight the quick but exceptional performance by J. K. Simmons (always brilliant) in a dramatic cameo that is one of this film’s memorable scenes.

But while that aspect of the film is superb, the dramatic arc that Bingham goes through falls apart in the third act, with director Jason Reitman giving in to painfully obvious licensed music that pretty much describes with its lyrics what the protagonist is feeling; worse, Reitman and co-writer Sheldon Turner put Bingham into increasingly implausible situations — who in their right fucking mind, or even completely insane, would ask a man like Bingham to convince another person about the wonders of marriage? It becomes clear, in this scene, that the character who asks Bingham to do this doesn’t need him to; the script does. Not to mention the moment where Bingham experiences an extremely important moment of his life and, due to the things he’s been through during the film, he’s almost indifferent to it — which is overdone to say the least. You’d at least expect him to be happy while it happened, reflecting on the importance (or lack thereof) of the event itself afterwards.

This paragraph contains spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the film, please skip to the next one: the plot twist regarding the true nature of Vera Farmiga’s character, Alex, is equally artificial. The movie does hint to it in a scene where Alex tells Keener about what she wants in a man, but not only it doesn’t feel consistent at first, it’s even more problematic when in a phonecall after it happens, Alex is absurdly (and preposterously) cold to Bingham, describing him as a escape, a “parenthesis”.

Reitman, however, does show some impressive new tricks as director. From the energetic opening to the melancholic ending credits, UP IN THE AIR is a competently shot film. With a bluish cinematography that alludes to the cold, office world Bingham lives and feels most comfortable in, the film also has some inspired camera movements, such as the shot that starts with a character singing karaoke and pulls back to show two characters having a conversation. And the shot that puts Bingham and his family all in the same frame is perfect, since it enhances even more the severe awkwardness of the moment. After all, Bingham is not a family man.

The film also benefits from a good cast: George Clooney is of course affected by the irregular dramatic arc his character goes through, but delivers a charismatic and touching performance, being utterly convincing when depicting Bingham at work; Anna Kendrick strikes a good balance between the smart woman her character wants to be and the overly emotional one she actually is (and her convulsive weeping in a certain scene is very funny). Vera Farmiga is also sabotaged by the third act, but is quite competent for most of the film. Finally, Jason Bateman abandons his typically friendly persona for a much colder, profit-chasing character. With the exception of actors like J. K. Simmons, most of the people seen being fired in the film are actually non-actors who have indeed been recently fired, and their reprisal of how they felt in the film is convincing and natural; a good casting idea.

While UP IN THE AIR most definitely works as a sad depiction of the current state of affairs, as the portrayal of an isolated man it’s quite flawed. For the first and second act, the film was keeping a nice balance, and on the third it takes a side; instead of Bingham acknowledging the life he didn’t have, he seems to utterly regret the one he did have — the same life that, when the movie starts, he had been quite happy with up to that point, well into his middle-age. He seems to regret never settling down, and the chain of events that leads him to this state of mind is manipulative and artificial.

Instead of witnessing a middle-age crisis, I felt like I was being lectured on how being Bingham is Wrong. Of course, I could read the film another way, or find other explanations — after all, regretting your entire life is hardly unheard of in human nature — but it is how I felt, due to the problems in the third act. A little more subtlety and UP IN THE AIR could have been a well-rounded, polished dramedy.

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http://andrenavarro.wordpress.com/

Last updated: 2010-02-18 11:05:40 by andre_navarro

Up in the Air

     I hate watching modern romance films.  They are all the same.  People who shouldn't be together and will make each other miserable if they try to spend the rest of their lives together spend the entire movie realizing that fact, until, in the end, there is a romantic moment, which somehow makes up for everything else that has transpired, and the couple that shouldn't be has a long, romantic kiss, and the movie ends.  The really sad fact is that some of these movies are actually pretty good, up until the third act, where it all falls apart because the doomed couple has to get together in the end.  "Up in the Air" looked like it might be different, and it was, but not enough.
 
     "Up in the Air" stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a man who works for a company that sends him around the country to fire people during large lay offs or whatever and help counsel them with their severance packages, finding a new job, ect...  He has spent his life doing this, he is very good at it, he spends more than three hundred days a year on the road, has little connection to friend or family, and is quite happy and successful.  In his off time, he does speaking engagements, most of the time to promote his book on how movement is life and relationships only weigh you down.  Clooney's character meets Alex Goran, played by Vera Farmiga, a business woman who also spends a lot of time on the road and they begin a physical relationship which they consummate whenever their busy itineraries happen to bring them near one another.  Then we get the younger woman, Natalie Keener, played by Anna Kendrick.  Kendrick's character is a recent college graduate who is there to innovate the way Clooney's character does his job.  She proposes ending the traveling and wants to start firing people via video phone.  Before this plan is implemented, she spends some time traveling with Clooney's character to see what it is he actually does.
 
     The first two acts of "Up in the Air" are very good.  You've got some really good writing and some great actors.  It was very enjoyable and gave me hope that this movie might not be your typical romance film, and it wasn't.  It was far worse.  (Sorry, but I'm going to give away the end here.)  Clooney's character is happy and successful.  In the second act, all the women in his life, his sisters, his lover, and his co worker, convince him that, without relationships, he is actually miserable, and he buys into it.  So, in the modern romance film, he has to fall for one of them (not his sisters) and they must kiss.  Well, turns out that his lover is married with children and the co-worker is way too young and leaves the job after her breakup.  On top of that, the company that Clooney's character works for finally realizes that firing someone over video phone using a script and an untrained, poorly paid, drone, is a terrible idea, so they put him back on the road, where he is now completely miserable.  The end.  Roll credits.  If this had been a modern romance film, I would have hated it, but at least there would have been some kind of pay off in the end.  Instead, I'm left wondering why.  Why did I just spent a little over an hour and a half of my life watching a movie about a man who starts out happy and turns out miserable.  There was no reason to make or watch this movie. 
 
     I'm sorry if this is turning into more of a rant and less of a review, but at the end of this movie, I was angry.  Did I really just blow of one my free passes and pay eight dollars for popcorn and a drink so I could watch a happy and successful man slowly realize that his life is meaningless and he is, in fact, miserable and now powerless to change it?  Really!?  I don't demand an Disney-esque ending, but come on, give me a reason to watch.

Brian
Ciné Critique Américain

Up in the Air (review published December 2009)

Ryan Bingham is not Juno MacGuff. Don't see this movie just because the guy who did Juno did this too. If you have that mindset, it will disappoint. Juno is a character who starts out aimless and finds a more defined path for her life. Ryan starts out with a defined path for his life but winds up aimless by the end. The effect is unsettling and even unsatisfying if you're looking for a more traditional comedy.
 
What is great about Jason Reitman is that he shoots for the edit in this film. Every shot is carefully planned for both comedic and dramatic purposes. One scene in particular could be used to study directing and editing. It simply has Bingham going through a security check at an airport, but every little step involved with that procedure is shot and cut in rapid, harmonious succession with sound effects that make those blunt gray containers seem like weapons. Bingham is a warrior.
 
Several scenes include large American Airline posters in the background that read: "We Value your Loyalty." This underlines the defining concept of the film. Loyalty is a limited resource. Everyone has it invested in something, but what's going to provide the most return? There is much to be said about relationships, with characters that are loyal, disloyal and even indifferent, and the need "to make a connection" (as the tagline so cleverly tells us). This is a timeless story centered around the American Dream but yet is a snapshot of our time and the result of the current economy. People need to see this. It will reach out to them.
 
Juno was what it was because of Reitman. He brings a certain level of humanity to everything he does. Up in the Air deserves the title of Best Picture. It's the most all-around complete film of the year.

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Up In the Air

As the film opens, we are aloft over a standard mid-size American city. In fact, we will see a whole series of cities beneath our wingtip montage style. After touchdown, a series of talking heads appear. No, these are not TV newscasters or on-the-scene reporters. These are people who have just been given the news that they have fired, let go, laid-off, sacked, or canned, due to restructuring, downsizing, or other variations of the corporate mumbo-jumbo that basically means hit the road Jack, you’re outahere!

 
Up In the Air is the story of Ryan Bingham, a termination professional, portrayed by George Clooney. He is a corporate sky-warrior whose profession is to fly across the nation firing people. His firm is a corporate consulting firm hired by other corporations to fly into town and give the bad news to those employees deemed no longer needed.
 
You might call him the ax-man.
 
Bingham seems perfect for his job. He’s sincere, he not only knows what to say, but he also knows when to say it. He has heard all of it, be it anger or anguish from those who have just been given their walking papers, a kazillion times over.
 
We may not admire his work, but we can readily see that he is very good at it. In fact, his firm is in such high demand, that Bingham is on the road over 300 days a year.
 
And then there’s the Bingham the whiz of a traveler. He can pack a suitcase blindfolded as he has it down to a science. He’s got every kind of card that the airlines, car-rentals companies, and hotels offer. Frequent flyer cards don’t even go into his wallet. That’s entry level. Think bigger. Think gold, platinum, elite and higher. He even holds an American Airlines Concierge Key-Card which can elicit oohs and aahs from even the most experienced of travelers.


 
He never stands in line. He knows the ins and out of getting his boarding pass, his rented car, or his hotel room in a blink-of-an-eye, while the rest of us schlubs  move in increments of inches while standing in our lengthy lines.
 
He’s good-looking, he’s successful, and loves his work. He has it all. Or does he?
 
We eventually get to see that Bingham’s professional life is all that there is to him. His home is in Omaha, and his studio apartment has all the charm of a Motel 6 room(somehow I think they’re called Motel  8 these days). His fridge is empty holding only some unused airline in-flight mini liquor bottles. His closet has only a few wire hangers. His shelves are bereft of anything. In short, Bingham’s personal life is as empty as his apartment.


 
Director Jason Reitman and his co-screenwriter Sheldon Turner, have fashioned a detailed and nuanced character in Ryan Bingham. At first we admire him, then we think he’s cool – he does a good job of charming and then bedding Vera Farmiga, who plays Alex, another peripatetic business woman. But when we finally see Bingham’s non-existent home life, we begin to feel sorry for him.


 
They throw us a few curve-balls along the way. His boss played by Jason Bateman, has hired a new girl, Natalie Keener, played by Anna Kendrick, who does a great job in her role, to stream-line the process and save the firm untold thousands in travel expenses. Her idea is to stop all the travel and fire people via I-chat, a video conferencing format. This would be the end of all face-to-face firing.


 
When Bingham get this news, he is aghast. His life, as he knows it, would be over. He challenges Keener to make-believe fire him via face-to-face role-playing. His experience at this is overwhelming, so Keener fails. But Bateman as Craig Gregory, then suggests that Keener accompany Bingham on the road for a week to learn the ropes of how to fire people.


 
That’s the front end of the movie. Reitman will spend the second half of the movie along a more structured film format investigating the Bingham/Alex relationship, the Keener/Bingham working relationship, and he will lead us toward a resolution of whether Bingham will be able to make some real connections with other humans instead of those oh-so-brief and transitional relationships he has with those he fires.
 
The Director has done a very good job in the telling of the story, but I wasn’t that crazy about the story. We’re expected to believe that Bingham has achieved some personal growth but I’m not sure that he really has.
 
Clooney is marvelous as he shows us his standard sophisticated, suave, and cool guy, that we all admire. He then reveals some weaknesses in Bingham like fear and loneliness, and this only accentuates why he is one of the highest paid actors. Clooney, just like Bingham is very good at what he does.


 
Farmiga, as Alex Goran, the sexy female road-warrior is also superb, but her character is all surface. We never do find out much about why she does what she does.
 
Kendrick does perky and professional so very well. But her role has much more depth than does that of Alex Goran. We do see her vulnerabilities, her uncertainties, and her anger. We mentally applaud her when she calls Bingham an asshole.
 
The film is slick, and entertaining, and is generally receiving favorable reviews. There have been some Golden Globe nominations for the film as well. But my view is that while I can envision an award for Clooney, that not much else in the film is award-worthy. When you leave the theater, you won’t be disappointed, but you won’t be exhilarated either.[Edit Jan . 19th - The Golden Globe Awards were announced - Clooney didn't win but Reitman did for Screenplay - so I was wrong on both sides of the transaction!]
 
To take this review in for a landing, I’ll state that despite the fact that Bingham, Goran, and Keener are always flying high for business, the film really lacks any high points. But that doesn’t make it a bad flight.  It is just as the title implies – simply a few hours of your time spent up in the air, and spent well.

Recommendations: Chak De! India

Last updated: 2010-01-23 20:24:05 by JustMeMike

Movie Review: Up in the Air (2009)

When I first heard about George Clooney's new film Up in the Air, I thought it was the sequel to the 1994 basketball comedy The Air Up There starring Kevin Bacon.

Well, not as such.

The story revolves around Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a man with a very unique job which I won't divulge, but I will say it does require him to be 'up in the air' a lot.  Despite having to use his mouth for a living, Bingham shies away from human connection.  Enter Alex (Vera Farmiga) and Natalie (Anna Kendrick), two women who will turn his life upside down and make him question his life choices.

Up in the Air is the real deal - interesting premise, terrific script, great performances; warm, funny and very human - just about everything you could ask for in an A-grade drama comedy.  It's not the type of film that will make you go 'wow', blow your mind or change your life, but it's a film voters of awards will love (and from the awards it has already received, evidently so).

Up in the Air is co-written and directed by Jason Reitman, director of Juno and Thank You For Smoking.  If you have seen one or both of those films, then you'll have an idea of the style and feel Reitman injects into Up in the Air.  It is a film dealing with serious issues and tragic situations, but somehow there are plenty of great laughs - certainly more than I expected. Full credit goes to Reitman and I have a feeling an Oscar nomination is coming his way shortly.

As for the performances - I've never been a huge fan of George Clooney because of that smug, dickish vibe he constantly gives off, but I have to admit it works perfectly here.  He is charming and funny and he makes you believe Ryan Bingham is real person.  Vera Farmiga, on the other hand, I am a big fan of, so I have nothing but praises for her subtle, believable performance.  And there's the always-welcome Jason Bateman, who offers his usual stellar presence.

But it is the tiny chipmunk girl from the Twilight Saga, Anna Kendrick (I think she plays the annoying friend Jessica), that absolutely steals the show as the young hotshot.  I never knew she could act.  I think she'll get a nomination as well and I wouldn't be too surprised if she won.

If there is a complaint about Up in the Air, it's that the film is a little flat.  Yes, there are ups and downs and it can get quite emotional, but there's not much heart-thumping excitement. At 109 minutes, it's definitely not a movie children would be able to sit through without getting restless.

Nevertheless, on the whole, Up in the Air is a quality movie that ticks most of the right boxes.  It's unlikely to be one of those memorable films you'll remember years down the track, but for now, at least, Up in the Air will come to mind when I think about the top films of the year.

4 out of 5 stars

[PS: Felt good to get that one out.  It's been a while since I reviewed a movie!]

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PJM

Last updated: 2010-01-23 03:22:05 by pacejmiller

Up in the Air

Up in the Air, co-written, directed and produced by Jason Reitman, is one of the year’s finest, and stars George Clooney (Ryan Bingham) at his absolute best. Bingham works for a firm hired by companies to fire employees rather than doing it themselves. These “terminators” do exist and take it from one who knows whereof she speaks, even if this job isn’t outsourced, the tactics employed are the same. For anyone who is unemployed or knows someone who’s been laid off, this movie hits very close to home. That said, somehow Up in the Air is highly entertaining and that is due to the screenplay and the actors.   As a man more comfortable in airports, hotels and airplanes, and lives for the number of frequent-flyer rewards he’s accumulated, George Clooney is sensational. It’s hard to imagine any other living actor who could handle this role. The part calls for an actor who can be sharp, sarcastic, hard-hearted, charming and ultimately sympathetic and Clooney pulls it off 1000 percent.  The two lead actresses are also terrific. Vera Farmiga (Alex) plays Ryan’s newly found soul mate, seemingly as carefree as he and equally obsessed with her credit and mileage cards. Anna Kendrick (Natalie) portrays the too smart for her own good rookie recently hired by Ryan’s company by suggesting that more money could be saved if the firings were done over Internet video-conferencing, rather than in person.  While not exactly a feel-good movie, Up in the Air is still a must-see.

UP IN THE AIR

George Clooney plays a man whose job is to fire people in Up in the Air.  The title refers to where he spends a great deal of his time.  He travels about 300 days out of the year all across the country.  He’s on airplanes so much that he has those special gold cards that get him immediate access on those long lines everyone hates at the airport.  His name is Ryan Bingham.  He actually enjoys spending all this time in airplanes, airports, and hotel rooms.  It’s when he is at home that he is bored.

Ryan is one those loners who doesn’t feel the need to get married or start a family.  He likes being independent and on his own.  People sometimes ask him why he lives such an isolated life, but he denies that, saying “I’m surrounded”.  This is true.  He’s around many people while in these airports and long flights.  What Ryan doesn’t really want is a true connection with someone, a lasting relationship of any kind.  He barely even sees his own family.

As I said, Ryan gets paid to fire people.  Bosses who don’t have the guts to fire people on their own, or maybe fear the employee’s immediate reaction, hire him to come in and do the dirty work for them.  Jason Bateman plays his boss who brings in a much younger new employee (Anna Kendrick) who has some ideas on how to better fire people.   She has come up with firing people through a sort of webcam.  You fire them while speaking to them through a computer screen.  This will save Ryan and his co-workers from doing all that continuous traveling.    Of course, he is not pleased about this sudden technological idea which they plan to use.  He would now be at his own home all year and not enjoying the life he has come to love.  Ironically, Ryan seems to feel like those people who have just been let go from their own jobs.  He may still have a job, but if this new advancement succeeds then the lifestyle he has become so accustomed to is over.

There is a woman (Vera Farmiga) who Ryan met at an airport recently and seems to travel almost as much as him.  She leads a very similar life, at least in regards to her job.  Neither one of them knows what the other’s life is like outside of their business trips.  He begins to click with her; soon you wonder if he has found just the right person to connect with.

A great aspect of the film is watching the various reactions of people getting fired.  The movie even intersperses actual people giving their summation of how they felt when losing their jobs.  With today’s economy the way it is, this film couldn’t be timelier.  It captures the modern era of downsizing and unemployment not only showing what it feels like to lose your way of making a living, but also what it’s like to be on the other side of that situation… to be the one who has to bear the often heartbreaking news.  The story of Ryan’s solitary lifestyle mixed with the interesting job that he has makes for one compelling piece of cinema.  This is one of the best films of the past year.

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Recommendations: The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Se7en , 25th Hour

http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-philadelphia/danny-porcaro

Last updated: 2010-01-18 18:22:40 by thatmoviedude

Up in the Air

Last updated: 2010-01-17 21:27:36 by malikaziz

Up in the Air: A Soaring Example of Effortless Drama

Writer/director Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air was a critic favorite going into this year’s award season. While the film has been no stranger to award nominations, actually landing a win has been a bit more problematic. With six Golden Globe nominations, Up in the Air walked away with only one statue – for Reitman’s screenplay. Garnering a total of six Oscar nominations, only time will tell if the Academy will follow suit and leave Up in the Air high and dry. Here’s the breakdown:
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) flies around the country firing people. He’s never home, instead finding comfort in his organized and systematic travel schedule. All that is thrown into question when Ryan’s company decides to implement new business practices, putting an end to his nomadic lifestyle. Before his wings are permanently clipped, Ryan must show a new recruit, Natalie (Anna Kendrick), the ropes, all while balancing a jet-setting relationship with Alex (Vera Farmiga), a similarly chronic traveler.
The Monkey: This movie was quiet. I don’t mean boring and I don’t mean I couldn’t hear it. In the midst of films like Avatar, Inglourious Basterds and The Hurt Locker, Up in the Air is a breath of fresh air. With a solid script, award-winning performances from all three lead actors and the deft touch of a skilled director, Up in the Air is a textbook example of a good film.
The film mixes humor and drama so seamlessly that critics were surprised when the Hollywood Foreign Press categorized the movie as a drama instead of a comedy. It’s this balance between light and dark that makes this film so human, so real, so relatable. The drama wasn’t forced, the humor wasn’t set-up. Everything was very natural, organic.
The ending of the film was left ambiguous, and rightly so. Where does the main character go from here? The fact that there were two distinct directions for Ryan Bingham to go (and that both would be equally justified by the previous events of the film) is evidence of successful storytelling.
The Weasel: At times, the movie was almost too quiet. Clooney’s performance was subtle and well-crafted; however, there were moments when the audience needed something more.
Halfway through the film the central action shifts from Ryan’s interaction with Natalie to Ryan’s interaction with his family. The transition was a bit abrupt and the absence of Natalie was definitely felt during the last third of the movie. Why did her character just drop off the screen?
It’s always a treat to see a movie that stays with you after the house lights come up andUp in the Air did not disappoint. By touching on issues of relationships, job security and life-changing decisions, Up in the Air is able to connect, on some level, with everyone.
4 Death Stars out of 5
http://hearculturepop.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/up-in-the-air-a-soaring-example-of-effortless-drama/ 

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Last updated: 2010-03-30 14:00:26 by JediDustin