Up in the Air đ«
Today's movie is streaming on Prime Video and Netflix
Happy Thursday âïž
Todayâs recommendation is for Up in the Air, Jason Reitmanâs Oscar-nominated dramedy that features one of George Clooneyâs best performances and catapulted Anna Kendrick into stardom. Itâs streaming on both Prime Video and Netflix.
Hereâs what itâs about: Ryan (Clooney) travels from city to city helping companies downsize (aka mass layoffs). He spends most of his life in airports and hotels. However, when he meets Alex (Vera Farmiga), a fellow frequent flyer, and a new colleague Natalie (Kendrick), he begins to think thereâs more to life than work. [Trailer]
Why you should watch it: Some directors have a single message they want to communicate and perfectly craft a screenplay to explore it. Thatâs what Up in the Air feels like. Clooneyâs Ryan doesnât have a midlife crisis at a certain age like most people â he has one when heâs approaching ten million frequent flyer miles. That âaccomplishmentâ has him facing his own loneliness and even mortality. Reitmanâs screenplay has so many astute observations â maybe a bit too obvious â about life when you have nothing to ground you. It makes you yearn for something (or someone) to always be there.
All the while in the background it tackles the economic anxiety that the country was feeling in 2009. As Claudia Puig writes in her review, âit's tough to capture an era while it's still happening, yet Up in the Air does so brilliantly, with wit and humanity.â Thatâs the most important thing to note. Despite its poignancy, Up in the Air is a delight to watch.
Directed by Jason Reitman // Runtime 110 mins // Year 2009 // Genre Comedy-Drama
đș Buy or rent: Prime Video | iTunes | YouTube
Two trailers you should watchEndings, Beginnings
Director Drake Doremus has had a rocky career since breaking out in 2010. Still, I have hope for Endings, Beginnings. It feels a lot closer to Like Crazy, another romance I quite liked dealing with a rocky relationship â it has a great score by Dustin OâHalloran. Shailene Woodley is consistently great and Sebastian Stan, who has been finding his footing outside of Marvel, is a more than capable romantic lead.
Directed by Drake Doremus // Runtime 110 mins // Year 2020 // Genre Romance
đș In theaters May 1st
Run
After the thrilling and inventive Searching, Iâll follow director Aneesh Chaganty anywhere â especially with another thriller. Run hopefully gives Sarah Paulson the star moment she deserves after killing it in supporting roles in films for so long. I guess this is American Horror Story: Mom?
Directed by Aneesh Chaganty // Year 2020 // Genre Thriller
đș In theaters May 8th
Thatâs it for today! Thank you for being here. Have a terrific weekend!
See you Monday!
Karl (@karl_delo)