up in the air

this film was receiving considerable attention before its release. jason reitman's previous two films, thank you for smoking, and juno (nominated for best picture) were both very well received. george clooney is always more than a solid lead these days (forget about the ancient 'batman & robin').

this film was very well done. it was well-acted, well shot, well directed, and had a solid story. every part of this film screams for an oscar, but i do not think it will win. what this movie lacks is uniqueness. i find in a few years i will think back to this film as a very good one, but not one that leaves a lasting impression of any sort, on me. for example, i recently watched 'paris, texas' which was just re-released on the criterion collection, and i find my thoughts continually drawn back to the film, even weeks later.

the story is a little cliche and on the predictable side, but the strong performances all around help mask it to a certain extent. danny mcbride is freaking hilarious in the limited amount of screen time he gets. he really steals the show. as with all of reitman's films, humour is its strong suit. there are many very funny parts in this film. reitman is a master of blending emotion and humour together.

this is a very solid film, one of the year's best. however, i find it does not invoke enough spark or originality to make it the best of the year.

invictus

clint eastwood is one of the most consistent and hard working directors out there right now. he consistently release multiple movies a year, and they are always good. eastwood, morgan freeman, and matt damon hook up in this rugby movie about south africa and nelson mandela. this really is not much of a sports movie, which is why some did not like it very well. it is all about the changing climate in south africa at the time, and its effects on the country and the nation's rugby team.

the film is very understated and focuses on little details that give it life. one does not find overwhelming sounds of sports fans that cause adrenaline to surge, which is why i liked it. it does not seek to glamorize the game of rugby, but rather to present it in a realistic fashion.

i didn't overwhelming love or hate this film. i liked it better than a lot of people who are downplaying the positive reviews it has garnered. i feel it is very underrated and has flown under the radar all last year.

on a side note, while they both were solid in the movie, i do not think freeman and damon did enough acting wise, to receive the academy nominations they got for best actor and best supporting actor respectively.

a serious man

i'm a serious fan of the coen brothers. their unique vision for each of their films, and the way they inject dark humour into their more serious films is incredible. 'no country for old men' was a high point for the brothers, as that cormac mccarthy adaptation won best picture. i would not be surprised if this film won best picture either. it is that good.

the story, set in the 1960s, revolves around a jewish college professor whose life is falling apart. he tries to make sense of this failing world, looking to his faith and the fact that he himself has done nothing to bring this on, but he finds no real answers. the film had me wanting to shout at the screen at Larry, to stop allowing everyone to walk all over him all the time, but alas he routinely takes the coward's way out. michael stuhlbarg should have been nominated for best actor, and as far as i am concerned this was the biggest oscar snub. i feel his performance was better than george clooney's in 'up in the air,' and morgan freeman in 'invictus,' who both got nominated.

the intricate story is among the best that the coen brothers have crafted. it will be very funny one moment, then almost painful the next. the interaction with Larry and the different rabbis he visits is also a high point for the film.

i enjoyed this film immensely. at the time i watched it, it was my favorite film of the year (though another has now taken up that slot), but i still feel is it one of the years finest, and i hope it gets the credit it deserves at the oscars in the form of some golden statues.