CLOONEY AT HIS BEST in Up in the Air

George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a paid "hatchet" man whose job is to fire people for corporate executives who don't have the guts to do it themselves. Touted as a "transition specialist", he spends 322 days a year flying from one city to the next while living out of a one-room rental at a place that looks like the Hampton Inn.

His goal: To achieve membership in the 1,000,000 mile club and receive the airlines club card that identifies him as only the 7th man in the world to reach this milestone.

Bingham loves his work and he truly believes he is a performing a positive service. This, however, is not an upbeat movie. It is a timely and very poignant look at getting downsized in the worst job market in decades. Director Jason Reitman has chosen to cast real people who have been recently fired for the roles of the employees that Bingham meets.

Bingham has no relationships, even with his family, and no commitments. He finds this very satisfying. So too, does the female "road warrior" Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) he meets in a hotel bar, naturally.

His boss, played by Justin Bateman, brings in a new whiz kid Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), who has found a way to cut expenses by firing people through videoconferencing. Kendrick is energetic, smart and likable. Bingham takes her on the road to show the hotshot how he does it, and then to attempt the changeover. Clooney is at his best in these scenes. He is smooth and warm and engaging.

We follow Bingham to Wisconsin to attend his sister's wedding who he hasn't seen in years. There we get another glimpse of the character's bravado while really seeing that he is just a lonely guy.

A late scene with Alex is, thankfully, not your "Harry Met Sally" happy ending. It is also unexpected and it is in this scene that you witness the great actor Clooney has become.

Kendrick and Farmiga are good additions to the cast and this is Clooney's best role. Academy Award nominations for sure for the movie and possibly Clooney.

Inglourious Basterds

Now, this is not one of my favorite films ever, but, for a Quentin Tarantino film, it's very strong...mostly because of its performance by Christoph Waltz as Nazi officer Colonel Landa. It's a long film, and like Tarantino's other works, it's very stylized and very violent. But, it features performances that make it worth seeing and Waltz’s performance, in particular, propels this film from standard-violent-war-movie to an excellent work of cinema. Waltz steals every moment he is on screen…unlike most Nazi characters portrayed in movies (I’m especially thinking of Ralph Fiennes’ cold-blooded killing machine in Schindler’s List), Waltz plays Landa with a sincerity and seeming likeability. We think “what is he after,” since we never know what to expect with this quietly deranged character; his light demeanor constantly keeps us off guard. And Tarantino really does capitalize off of this stellar performance. Landa’s scenes are visually elegant and the cast in scenes with Waltz seem to be pulling out all of the stops to give their best performance to match Landa’s maniacal, yet pleasant chill. As for the movie on a whole, it is a new twist on the WWII years in Europe…told with a strong film and filmmaking element. For movie buffs (like myself), I did enjoy the dialogue between the characters about the movie industry and 1930s directors and actors, etc. And, whether you like that “Hollywood” angle or not, it is something that really has not been touched on in a major way before. The style is unique, as usual for Tarantino, and his brash, bold techniques add to the power and intensity of the film. If you can tolerate the violence, check this one out! It’s a far cry from Pulp Fiction, but it’s a strong film on its own…highlighted by exceptional performances.

Nothing But The Truth

Once again, a small film that DESERVES TO BE SEEN gets tossed into a few theaters for a measly weekend in NYC and LA (just so it can say it's a "theatrical release") and then sent on its merry way to obscurity as a seemingly “direct to DVD” title. Sadly, this has little to do with caliber of acting and/or even the box-office draw potential of the cast (though I doubt Brad Pitt still has a few years to wait for this to happen to him): this film stars Kate Beckinsale, who after her Underworld films, not to mention other action films, is a pretty big star. It has, rather, to do with money…which, as usual, is what everything, especially in Hollywood, comes down to. So, this great film with great performances by a strong cast gets lost in the DVD shuffle. But, please...seek this one out! Loosely based on the true tale of a Washington political reporter, the script perfectly captures the right tone…not going too overboard to the weepy or the harpy, which could have easily been done here. And the cast takes that intensity from the page and adds power and subtlety and depth. Inspired by the case of real reporter Judith Miller who went to prison in 2005 to protect the identity of a source, the movie could have become one of those “it’s in the news so Hollywood must capitalize” flicks that are mainly seen as made-for-TV films. But, Nothing But the Truth is much more than that. I would say that this film far surpasses most intense dramas and thrillers you find in your local multiplex. Beckinsale plays the reporter who finds herself caught in this tangle of excitement and confusion after a story she wrote and championed found its way into the inner-workings of the D.C. elite. Every tactic possible is used to get her to reveal her source and the saga finally leads her to jail and away from not only her job, but also her family. Beckinsale, not someone I would call a "deep" actress, is highly emotive and rich here. She is calm and fearless when necessary, but at other times, she is raw and unabashingly open. Vera Farmiga, again not someone I've seen give a truly meaningful performance in the past, is tense and controlled...but just the right amount. Alan Alda also shines as a high-powered attorney who takes on Beckinsale’s case, against all odds. The supporting cast, including Angela Bassett, Matt Dillon, and David Schwimmer, is strong as well, making this a stellar effort by all involved and an all-around excellent film.

Julie and Julia

A fun, lighthearted film that really, really, really made me want to eat. Not cook, mind you. Some would want to copy the co-main character, Julie Powell, on her quest to cook all of Julia Child's recipes from her Mastering the Art of French Cooking classic cookbook. I just wanted to eat my way through the movie. Aside from this film encouraging my foodie-ness, it is highly entertaining, though I must admit, I enjoyed Meryl Streep playing early Julia Child on an odyssey to to get a French cooking cookbook published in English MUCH more than the odyssey of Powell and her recipe crusade. Amy Adams as Powell is appealing, as Adams always is, but I had little interest in Powell's saga. She cooks and blogs about cooking and talks about cooking and fights with her husband about cooking. It gets a little tiresome. The Julia Child parts, mostly set in Paris after WWII, are full of life and passion...just like Child herself. It is impossible to take your eyes off of Streep's Child...not only is the characterization by Streep spot-on, but the storyline is also more vibrant and lively. We take a vested interest in Child and her cookbook quest, whereas with Powell, we honestly don't care by the end. Fortunately, the Julia Child pieces of the film are so overwhelmingly funny and sweet, they make the film worth watching. And, it's not that you will HATE the Powell storyline...you just won't want to be best friends with her. With Child, you want to be her pal...to help her along with her cookbook...to talk with her...and especially, to EAT with her. And, I'm sure this has to do with both Child's gregarious personality and also with Streep's vivacious performance. All in all, an engaging, entertaining film that you most definitely should not watch on an empty stomach!

The Gathering Storm

Albert Finney plays pre-Prime Minister Winston Churchill to a tee in this historical drama done by HBO. Disliked by many of his Parliament cohorts and thought as a buffoon by others, Churchill, in the 1930s, thought he was on his way out…or at least down…of British politics. Enter Hitler and his pesky little brand of Arians who started taking their rampage through Europe…Churchill saw and felt that Hitler needed to be stopped before most other of his counterparts in Parliament. This desire to defeat Hitler before anymore damage was done is what eventually brought Churchill back into the fray of power in Parliament and eventually to THE position of British power, Prime Minister. But, this film, rightfully so, stops before Churchill comes into power. Rightfully so, since this film is more about the MAN…and the marriage between him and Clemmie than about Parliament and politics and war. Excellent performances by both Finney (who really becomes Churchill in every way) and Vanessa Redgrave as Clemmie.

Criminal Justice

If you ever are tempted to commit a crime, watch this. I say this, because this British mini-series is, I would say, the strongest piece of material I’ve ever seen or heard of that covers each aspect of the criminal justice system…from police station to trial. But, the accused here, Ben Coulter, does NOT commit a crime. He, which you know from the beginning so I’m not ruining anything, is an innocent victim. Yes, he had a one-night-stand with a strange lady he had just met. Yes, he drank WAY too much. And yes, passed out in her kitchen after having consensual sex with her. After he wakes up and finds her stabbed to death, he panics and flees the scene, has a car accident, where the police are called and eventually find out Ben was the one in the dead girls’ house. We (the audience) know he did not do this. But, the police, lawyers, judges, fellow inmates, and even his parents are not so sure. The evidence is overwhelming. The coincidences are just too insurmountable. He just HAD to have done it, right? Well, step-by-step, each of the pieces is chipped away as the wheels of Lady Justice roll on. Even though the story is set in England, the same principles apply…justice, for all its merits, moves slowly and is not above imperfection.

Collision

An excellent, compelling British drama about what-ifs: what if I had left the restaurant two minutes earlier…what if I had taken a different road…what if I had gone slower. All of the what-ifs here pertain to a car crash on a motorway, as the British call them, and the people who were all involved in it. Told in flashbacks all stemming from the present where a senior and very troubled police detective is investigating the crash…its origins, its causes, its motives. One of the drivers fled the crash scene and there is an abundance of confusing evidence of why and how the crash began, so the detective has a lot to sort through. And, as he does, he “imagines” or flashes back to what might have been going on at different points, with the passengers of the different cars of the crash. These flashbacks really do the job of immersing the audience into the lives of each of the drivers and passengers. We get attached to these people. We want them to be good. We want them to survive…both figuratively and literally. Excellently acted, this is one of the strongest television dramas I’ve seen in a while. A must see!

The Blind Side

What a great feel good movie! The movie closely follows the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis which is based on a true story.

Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is a homeless black kid from the Memphis projects who lands in a wealthy Christian school on a scholarship. Leigh Ann Touhy (Sandra Bullock) finds him walking alone on a cold night and takes him home for one night. That one night turns into many and eventually Michael is adopted by the Touhy family. As a football player and student, Michael works hard and with the help of a tutor, his coaches and adopted family becomes an All-American offensive left tackle at the University of Mississippi. The Baltimore Ravens drafted Oher in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft.

Sandra Bullock’s performance as Leigh Ann Touhy is consistently outstanding. Finally she finds herself in a drama with a worthwhile story line. The Touhy son S.J played by Joe Head provides great humorous scenes. Kathy Bates, Tim McGraw and Quinton Aaron are also strong in their roles.

Not only a reflection on the strength of family, the Blind Side shows great football action and strategy. Appearances from several famous Southern college coaches provide an interesting view of the college football recruitment process. The Blind Side warms the heart during this holiday season.

Oscar® Calendar

JANUARY

Mon., Jan. 4
Early registration opens for Niles District
cardholders who bring their completed
10-punch film card. 
&
WATCH TO WIN contest begins

Mon., Jan.11
Registration opens for all Niles District cardholders


Mon., Jan. 25
Registration opens for all NON-Niles District cardholders

Tues., Jan. 26, 2pm
Rebecca, Not Rated, 130 min

FEBRUARY

Mon., Feb. 8
PICK THE WINNERS contest begins

Tues., Feb. 9, 2pm
The Lost Weekend, Not Rated, 101 min


Wed., Feb. 17, 7:30pm
Road to the Oscars® with Reid Schultz:
2009 in Film! (R)



MARCH

Tues., Mar. 2, 2pm & 6pm
My Fair Lady, Rated G, 170 min — SINGALONG


Sun., Mar. 7, 7:00pm
Oscar® Night Party! (R)


(R) Registration required

Winter Film Program Recap

December

*Sat., Dec. 5, 2pm—Angels and Demons, PG-13, 138 min
*Thurs., Dec. 17, 2pm—Four Christmases, PG-13, 88 min
*Sat., Dec.19, 2pm—Josh Groban in Concert, NR, 60 min

January

*Sat., Jan. 2, 2pm—My Sister’s Keeper, PG-13, 109 min
*Mon., Jan. 4—WATCH TO WIN OSCAR CONTEST begins —
see the AV Desk for details.
*Sat., Jan.16, 2pm—Gypsy Caravan: When the Road Bends, NR, 60m.
*Thurs., Jan. 21, 2pm—Julie and Julia, PG-13, 123 min
*Tues., Jan. 26, 2pm—Rebecca, NR, 130 min
*Thurs., Jan. 28, 2pm—Classical Composers in Hollywood

February

*Sat., Feb. 6, 2pm—The Proposal, PG-13, 108 min
*Mon., Feb. 8—PICK THE WINNERS OSCAR CONTEST begins —
see the AV Desk for details.
*Tues., Feb. 9, 2pm—The Lost Weekend, NR, 101 min
*Thurs., Feb. 11, 2pm—Amélie, R, 122 min
(in French with English subtitles)
*Sat., Feb. 13, 2pm—Patsy Cline: Sweet Dreams Still, NR, 60 min
*Wed., Feb. 17, 7:30pm—Road to the Oscars® w/Reid Schultz:
2009 in Film!
*Thurs., Feb. 18, 2pm—My Life in Ruins, PG-13, 95 min

March

*Tues., Mar. 2, 2pm & 6pm—My Fair Lady, G, 170 min — SINGALONG

Angels and Demons

Based on Dan Brown’s first “Robert Langdon” book, Ron Howard makes an above average thriller that keeps you guessing to the very end. Unlike Howard’s The Da Vinci Code, also with Tom Hanks as main character/symbologist Langdon, this time around the pace is faster and the action seems more necessary to the story. And, I found, this film much less convoluted than The Da Vinci Code, even though it is chocked full with just as much history. Dealing with both the kidnapping of four senior Cardinals in Rome (where they have congregated after the death of a pope) and a missing container of “antimatter,” the kidnappers, calling themselves part of the Illuminati, a historical secret organization, threaten to kill a Cardinal an hour and then blow up Vatican City. Langdon is this time called in by the law enforcement of Vatican City because of his knowledge of the Illuminati and, once he gets involved, the action does not slow until the end credits. As Howard did with The Da Vinci Code, he got top names to play key supporting roles: Ewan McGregor playing the late pope’s Camerlengo, Stellan Skarsgård as the head of the Swiss Guard, the pope’s personal protection service, and the always excellent Armin Mueller-Stahl as the Dean of the College of Cardinals. No, the script is not perfect and the story itself is, of course, far fetched. But, for a solid action movie, you cannot really go wrong with this one. And, the special effects are pretty top-notch…considering that much of action takes place at the Vatican, where Howard and crew were, naturally, restricted. All in all, Angels and Demons will most definitely hold your attention!