Skip to main content

George Clooney is UP IN THE AIR!!!

So this is the last in the three movies that I was looking forward to at the end of 2009 (the other two being Bad Lieutenant and Avatar). It's hard to say which movies I enjoyed more because they're all so different, but I can confidently say that I enjoyed all three. Also of the three, this movie is the most realistic when it's all said and done.

Up In The Air tells a story about Ryan Bingham, who flies all over America firing people. Laying people off is such a tough thing to do that companies that need to do so hire people like Ryan. It becomes reflective as Ryan sees his own life of isolation at odds compared to the lives of those around him.

It's apt that he has such a hollow and thankless job which parallels his own life. Because he's on the road for 250+ days of the year, his own life is quite hollow; with no stable relationships, weakened family ties and no friendships in sight. In fact the first time we see his apartment, I was kind of shocked. Up until that moment, we see Ryan flying around all over the states, well dressed, well groomed and sharp with his tongue, and I guess I assumed he would have a luxurious home to back that up. But when we finally get to see his home, it hits us; he has a place to stay, but he doesn't really have a home.

I really loved this movie. It was not only contemplative for the character Ryan, but the whole time I was comparing the different philosophies and situations to my own life. It really made me think about my own career search and relationships with people. It wasn't that I could 100% relate to the characters, but they pose questions that are still relevant in my own life. Besides horror, these are the movies I like best; one's that will make me think.

This was another terrific performance by George Clooney. In some ways, his role as Ryan is similar to his own life, being a jet setting, bachelor playboy. Sometimes it's crazy to think that this was once the man from Return of the Killer Tomatoes, but it just attributes to his awesomeness (I can pretend Batman & Robin didn't exist... wait, who am I kidding, that movie sucked ass and he was part of the problem). *ahem* Up in the Air!

And though he was only in it for a small part (mostly in cardboard cut out form at that), it a pleasure to see Danny McBride, my cinematic hero, in a not so over the top role.

This is the third major feature film by Jason Reitman (the first two being Thank You For Smoking and Juno) and I'd say of the three, this was certainly the best. Not to say that the other two weren't great, but this one just seemed more solid because the characters were more grounded. In Juno, the characters were in some sort of pseudo-reality with everyone talking like they were straight out of a comic strip or something, while in Smoking, Aaron Eckhart's character was nothing short of a superhero for the tobacco industry. Up in the Air was filled with more grounded characters with real emotions which made it easier to relate to. The script was also full of sharp dialogue and smart humour, although I'd say of the three, this one keeps the funny moments less blatant.

Lastly, some sad news to report. My close friends are probably more familiar with my baggy friend pictured above. Yes, this very bag went through 6 refills unscathed by the employees at Cineplex. However, the 7th refill attempt would spell doom for my friend... doom in the mark of an X. Yes, my bag finally got the dreaded "mark of death" sealing its last refill. *sigh*. Perhaps it was all for the better. I mean, it was getting pretty dilapidated and gross inside. Well, we had a good run buddy. You saved me more than $40. And you were with me for Up in the Air and really, that's all I could of asked for.

Such a somber note to end on. Later geeks.



Comments

Ally said…
ahahahhahaha omg, that is such a good idea reusing the bag!!
The Lam said…
I'm a cheap bastard, what can I say? :)
Beka said…
Lovin' the popcorn ending.
grace said…
ahh... now i know why (my) jeff mentioned the bag today. i can say i witnessed your popcorn bag antics firsthand!!
The Lam said…
LOL, you've seen the joy that it brought. I'll have to get a replacement bag soon, haha :)
j-yeezy said…
So dude would you recommend this flick? See you tonight!
The Lam said…
Yah, definitely recommend!

Popular posts from this blog

THE ARTIST!!!!!!!

The Artist is director Michael Hazanavicius ode to the silent films of yesteryear. Not only focus on a silent movie actor and movie making, but it in itself is also a silent movie. The movie follows a silent movie actor named George Valentin through the rise and fall of his career. At the start of the film, we see George as this superstar celebrity; he loves the glitz and glamour of being a famous actor and soaks in all the attention he can get. He loves having his photos taken and being adorned on the front pages of newspapers. He is THAT kind of celebrity. At the premiere event of his latest movie, he bumps into one Peppy Miller – a young woman with big ambitions and dreams in Hollywoodland. The lives of the two intersect and an attraction immediately blossoms. The romance could only go so far as Valentin is a (happily?) married man. George’s superstardom reaches its height at a precarious time. And as the 1920s are ushered out, so are silent movies. The new decade brings w...

Finally, the Xbox 360!!

So as I mentioned in a previous post, I received an Xbox 360 for Christmas from my dad. A great present it was! I've had 3 weeks to enjoy it so I guess I can give you my impressions of it now. First the controller. In truth, I haven't felt a controller this comfortable in my gaming life before. As a child who grew up on the 8-bit generation, with just a directional pad and 2 buttons, there was quite a learning curve getting used to using two analog sticks at the same time. You might say, "Hey Lam, how bout the PS2? You have that machine, and that has analog sticks". True, but of the twenty or so games I have for that, all of them used either only 1 analog stick, or allowed the option to switch on to the directional pad. Using 2 sticks at the same time was at first just uncomfortable. This made for all sorts of trouble as I was playing Gears of War . Luckily for me, I had computer controlled teammates that watched my back. I love the Media Center capabilities...

DTV Madness: Jack Brooks - M.S. and Gingerdead Man 2

Okay, honestly, I think this will be the last DTV post for a while. One man can only take so much shit. I'm only human, I have feelings too. These two movies pushed my limit. I'm going to be in DTV-detox for the next month or so. Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer I thought that with a title like this, it couldn't fail. I thought that with a poster like they had, it couldn't fail. Then I realized something... I failed. I failed in thinking that this movie had any hope. I was expecting some fun horror, mixed with comedy in sort of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer kind of fashion with a bumbling hero and smart quips. I mean, with a title like Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer , was I wrong in expecting a variety of monsters get slayed as the title suggests? It didn't help much that the monsters looked uber cheesy. They looked like something right out of a Power Rangers episode. But to their credit, at least they stuck with practical make-up and effects rather than CG. The mo...