Movie Up In The Air

[red+black]

Starts January 14, but I got free tickets to an advance screening tonight, so I'll let you know how it goes.

From Jason Reitman, the Oscar® nominated director of Juno, comes a comedy called Up In The Air starring Oscar® winner George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he’s met the frequent-traveller woman of his dreams. Stars George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick and Jason Bateman.

Has 6 Golden Globe nominations:
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Best Actor – Motion Picture (Drama) - George Clooney
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture - Vera Farmiga
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture - Anna Kendrick
Best Director - Jason Reitman
Best Screenplay - Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up_in_the_Air_(film)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1193138/

[YOUTUBE]wEZyQgL9pIk[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Warsaw]

Really looking forward to this.

I'm a Clooney fan and by all reports he is stellar in this.

 

[Dirtywhirl]

All signs point to this being great and I have no doubt it will be. Massive awards buzz around it and it has been sweeping at quite a few of the early ones.

 

[alfy!]

Looks so good. I love Reitman, after Thank You for Smoking.

 

[red+black]

Enjoyable modern film, very funny and witty. Currently 8.3 on IMDB, 90% on RottenTomatoes, and 83 on MetaCritic

Definitely put Anna Kendrick down for a Golden Globe. Just googled pics of her and LOL at the difference:

Clooney is his usual self, and his chemistry with Famiga works very well. The stripping down of Clooney's character is very interesting with a small twist at the end. Special mention to Zach Galifianakis (bearded guy from The Hangover) who has a small part at the beginning, as well as Jason Bateman, JK Simmons and Sam Elliott.

 

[RobbyRoy]

Can't see myself not loving this. I hate when we have to wait for movies in Australia, what's the point?

 

[mdc]

Saw it tonight, and I am absolutely flabbergasted by the critical reception this movie is getting.

It is unbelievably preachy, cliché and altogether vapid. The characters are flat and predictable at every turn. And I'd add that generally I'm a fan of George Clooney's work, but in this film the director seems to seek out his absolute worst quality - excessive smugness. All in all, it is the worst kind of film - one that establishes its (completely straightforward) message very early on, and proceeds to spend two hours hitting us over the head with it.

The only positive I can find is the lovely Very Farmiga; she has a terrific screen presence.

 

[midorigreenwood]

Anna Kendrick is awesome. Definitely someone to watch after this and her performance in Rocket Science

will probably do well at the oscars if Avatar doesn't smother it with momentum.






ps: OMG at vera's arse :O

 

[Shinboner '07]

The only positive I can find is the lovely Very Farmiga; she has a terrific screen presence.

very underrated actress

 

[red+black]

Saw it tonight, and I am absolutely flabbergasted by the critical reception this movie is getting.

LOL, at least one of us got our money's worth.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

I hardly go to the cinemas these days but this movie might get my interest. I have a feeling it might be a little predictable, but that is to be expected.

Just out of interest from those who have seen it - I know it revolves around a frequent traveller. Is there much footage of airports or aircraft in general? When I watched the Terminal, there was hardly any footage of aircraft, just the terminal itself. I am just curious more than anything.

 

[midorigreenwood]

now that you mention it........

I remember lots of footage of what seems to be views outside of the plane and inside of a plane....... and lots of airport scenes.....

but footage of the actual plane itself..... :O

I can't remember any >,<

 

[alfy!]

Just read the book, and that was pretty good. Looking forward to it even more now.

 

[CF]

Saw it tonight, and I am absolutely flabbergasted by the critical reception this movie is getting.

It is unbelievably preachy, cliché and altogether vapid. The characters are flat and predictable at every turn. And I'd add that generally I'm a fan of George Clooney's work, but in this film the director seems to seek out his absolute worst quality - excessive smugness. All in all, it is the worst kind of film - one that establishes its (completely straightforward) message very early on, and proceeds to spend two hours hitting us over the head with it.

The only positive I can find is the lovely Very Farmiga; she has a terrific screen presence.

I watched this film with your criticism in my head and quite frankly I couldn't see anything that you talked about.

A very good movie and Clooney was great. He was very smug, but that was the character he played. It wasn't preachy and I could see no message that was trying to hit me over the head. As for the Comedy, well it's more a black comedy I would suggest, rather than playing for laughs.

I thought it was a real grown ups movie with a great story and nicely formed characters and no gimmicks. Nice to see for a change. Check it out.

 

[Bartram_Class]

I watched this film with your criticism in my head and quite frankly I couldn't see anything that you talked about.

A very good movie and Clooney was great. He was very smug, but that was the character he played. It wasn't preachy and I could see no message that was trying to hit me over the head. As for the Comedy, well it's more a black comedy I would suggest, rather than playing for laughs.

I thought it was a real grown ups movie with a great story and nicely formed characters and no gimmicks. Nice to see for a change. Check it out.

This

Clooney was outstanding, unlike a certain other film out at the moment, it was character-driven and without wanting to spoil it, I was pleased to see an ending that wasn't typical Hollywood slop.

Thought Kendrick was superb too, don't think it will win best film but I wouldn't be surprised if Clooney and Kendrick got up.

 

[Macca19]

Yeah good movie. I liked it. Clooney was good. Vera was alright, not sure if she was globe-worthy. I thought Kendrick was better. She played the uptight young corporate very well.

I get where mdc is coming from with the preaching. The second half in particular was very preachy...but I dont think it detracted from the movie.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

I just saw it and was pleasantly surprised - I probably expected a few more laughs but it wasn't really that type of movie. I did like it at the end that it was quite open - it left a lot of questions about what happened next to all the characters. At one point it looked like it would have a predictable ending so I am happy with how it ended.

As for the preaching part of it, I can see the point of view. But really, that was Ryan's life and he was happy with that. Everyone picks a career/lifestyle - not everyone picks or can choose a standard 9-5pm job. That doesn't suit a lot of people - so there are others who love travelling for thier job. But the whole idea of marriage etc became a little bit preachy - since when has marriage been what everyone in life wants?

It should win some awards thats for sure.

 

[CF]

But the whole idea of marriage etc became a little bit preachy - since when has marriage been what everyone in life wants?

I agree with you, but our culture is geared towards Career, marriage, & family. So I did not find that preachy, just how some people do react to people who never marry. People remain "single" for lots of reasons. Families in particular can be harsh on members that never tie the knot and this is amplified when a siblings or friends get married. I thought that part worked in well with the overall story.

I liked the ending too.

Spoiler

It showed that given the choice he chose his former lifestyle over "settling down". That in that sense with his momentary flirting with the idea of a settled relationship he learns that he likes his life the way it was and goes back to it.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

I also liked the point he made back at his sister about her marriage not working too - with the divorce rate these days, maybe too many people believe in the 'fairytale' and don't think that it won't work out.

I just hope that no matter what your views on marriage are, I hope people leave the cinema thinking about thier current life 'status' and if they are happy with it, maintain it, no matter what others may say.

 

[CF]

yep agree. The protagonist went through that to find out his lifestyle suited him and that's what he wanted. That was the point of the story for me. He was being told you can't be happy being alone and living like you do and there was part of him that wasn't sure as well. He had to go through what he did to find out if that was true or not. He learned something about himself.

 

[Rod Stroker]

LOL, at least one of us got our money's worth.

You said your tickets were free

 

[Rod Stroker]

Saw it tonight, thought it was good without being brilliant. I don't understand how it's being labeled as a comedy? I don't recall laughing.

It felt quite eerily familiar to me as I'm in Outsourcing with a high travel requirement. Down-sizing goes with the territory (although the preferred term is right-sizing) so I could relate quite well to his line of work.

What I couldn't buy though was that for such a sharp character with an answer and solution for everything, that he was too naive not to know in advance, what he found out when he went to Chicago towards the end. It must have crossed his mind to at least ask the question. It certainly crossed my mind and hence when he got the news in Chicago, I was not surprised, and in fact a bit pissed that he didn't see it coming.

Highlight for me was the cameo of Marvin Young MC! 20 years on and that tune still sounds good

 

[Rod Stroker]

I also found it odd that he had the address of the resident in Chicago (I presume it was given to him by the resident), and then when he got there he was confronted with the news and told that he should not have come. If the resident didn't want him there then I don't know why he would have the address.

 

[Caesar]

I quite enjoyed it, but I was quite depressed afterwards when I realised my preferred Oscar winner is either this film or The Hurt Locker. It's been a pretty thin year.

 

[Shell]

Highlight for me was the cameo of Marvin Young MC! 20 years on and that tune still sounds good

LOL, I know!! I must admit I was singing along to "Bust A Move".


As for the movie, I thouroughly enjoyed this one. There were a few laughs along the way.. amid all the serious content. 8/10

Fun fact: Except for the professional actors (i guess the ones that interact more with George, etc when he is firing them), the rest of the people who are fired in the movie are "real people" who were let go recently from their job.