Up In The Air

George Clooney works his way rather effortlessly through this little morality tale of a man who makes a living traveling all over the country doing what the weak bosses cannot do- fire people. He is a man who finds his home in the constancy of a hotel chain- to the point that his own apartment looks like a room that has just been checked out of. He has travel down to an art- a comfortable art where he is greeted and treated as a VIP- due to his amazing accumulation of miles. He has an even life- one of work and travel with the occasional hook up. And he likes it. There is no conflict. When his comfort is challenged by a young hire who want to do the firing via teleconferences rather than travel, he wants to prove to her that there is more than a script involved in firing unsuspecting employees. When he enters into a relationhship with an aggressive fellow traveler, he almost slides into another reality. If you think hard enough about the movie, you can find some irony in most of it. The acting is superb. And I really liked this film- I'd overanalyze it though because it is actually a story with 3 subplots that involve other kinds of firing. It is like a very good short story- it gets the audience to FEEL for the people in it. There is no real high drama, and the plot twists aren't much of a surprise, but the cast does so much with it that you don't notice those things. GO see it. (Just don't pay attention to Clooney's new teeth and botox- I don't mind the botox, but those new choppers keep him from looking like George Clooney. I will grudgingly admit he looks better. But hey- I guess it's his job to look good, so go with the new).

It's Complicated

Finally, a great romantic comedy about 60 year olds played by 60 year olds! Meryl Streep, Alex Baldwin and Steve Martin, and a great supporting cast of very likeable people, enter into this film with great believability and great enthusiasm. It is laugh out loud funny in a lot of places. And it is very sweet and poignant in spots. The best part of it is that it portrays people who are NOT freakish or crazy . The kids are not screaming at their parents- but they are normal, happy and emotionally stable. The parents aren't drug addicts or alcoholics (though they come close on that one). Every one of the people is likeable. After so many movies where the teenagers are obnoxious, where the parents are shrewish or abusive, and where women are weak and ineffective, this movie is a pleasant relief. Even better- the men in the audience laughed out loud at the truths in this. I can see it being something we will watch on cable over and over just to make sure we didn't miss anything. And, the cinematography is beautiful. Some of the scenes start with almost a postcard feel- they are framed so beautifully. It's a little gem of its genre. It isn't a chick flick at all. Despite it's family story, it is NOT a family film. Leave the kiddos with the sitter or park them at the Squeakquel.

The Blind Side

Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw and Quinton Aaron are the stars in this movie about a black kid who is homeless and is adopted by the Tuohy family - and he grows up to be the real Michael Oher of pro football fame. This could have been schmaltzy beyond words. But Bullock and McGraw positively radiate southern hospitality and spirit- and yes, love- for Oher. This is a true story. The film doesn't follow the book and/or real life too closely, but it gets the gist of it right. Bullock is amazing in this role- it is as if she was born to play Leigh Anne, the former sorority girl from Ole Miss. Leigh Anne does it her way. And she does it without asking for compliments or praise. She does it because she could and because it was right. Her husband obviously adores her independence and conviction. This is a heartwarming and wonderful movie- even more so because it is true. If everyone took just one homeless child, it would be a different world. It must be a priviledge to know Leigh Anne Tuohy.

Avatar

Let's get this out of the way first- it is a visually stunning film- maybe the most visually stunning film you will ever see. Every detail of a strange planet and its biological diversity seems to be taken care of. So, if you want to spend over two hours marveling at that, go for it. I am not sorry I saw it- at least on that level. But I promise, I could have written it myself- the dialogue and plot were so stock that anyone over 13 could have finished the lines. Leave it to the Canadian James Cameron to make the enemy the US army. In an imaginary universe, Cameron could have chosen any random imaginary enemy, but he makes it the United States military. There is all sorts of preachy stuff that implies that humans are horrible and have ruined their "mother" (earth). Cameron is so full of self indulgent crap that the movie feels not only cliche ridden but ridiculous. Cameron COULD have made a brilliant film. But he didn't. And anyone who isn't blinded by the action and effects will know that. It is beyond predictable. But you should see it anyway because it is simply beautiful to watch.

An Education

It is 1962 in a London suburb and a very bright, fresh faced Jenny(Carey Mulligan) is the great hope of her girl's school to be the one to go Oxford. She has what would be called "spirit" in 1962. She is bright, pretty and intensely curious about the adult world she hasn't yet entered. So when a handsome and winsomely charming, and well off, older man (Peter Sarsgaard) begins his seduction, she is a willing follower. The rest of the movie is "an education" for Jenny and her parents, and perhaps her teachers. If I say more, it will ruin the story, so I won't. But if you miss this wonderful film and go to see some crappy movie instead, you've made a mistake. "An Education" is a movie you can talk about at dinner. Jenny is only one person's fool in all of this- and we feel she knows it but doesn't want to end the illusion. You can discuss what would have happened to her had she done various things instead. You can discuss what her parents did or didn't do (keeping in mind that it IS 1962, not 2009.) Because you will leave the theater having cared about her. I loved this movie. And so will you.