Best Films of 2009: #5-1

#5: Broken Embraces

#4: Avatar

#3: Up in the Air

#2: A Single Man

#1: Inglourious Basterds

Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Wednesday Oscar Watch with Abe. Every Wednesday, I’m taking a look at the awards chances for all of the films released the previous week. Chime in with your thoughts on the Oscar chances for these films in the comments section.

Up in the Air
This is the safest Oscar contender that’s been released yet. It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s locked in a number of categories: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor (George Clooney), and Best Supporting Actress (Anna Kendrick). It’s also a likely nominee for Best Director (Jason Retiman, nominated in 2007 for “Juno”) and perhaps Best Film Editing as well. Never-nominated Vera Farmiga might be up for Best Supporting Actress, but competing with costar Kendrick might not be great for her. This one may in fact win Best Picture – look for it to do well at the Oscars.

The Last Station
This film opened in extremely limited release this week, which is why I have yet to post a review, but it will probably do well with Oscar nominations and then be a big draw at theatres. 2006 Best Actress winner Helen Mirren may return to that race again for her lead role as Tolstoy’s wife. Supporting actors Christopher Plummer and James McAvoy may earn their first nominations, while Paul Giammati could earn his second. I think the attention for this film might be limited to a nod for Mirren because the supporting actor field may be too crowded with all three of them in the running. It’s a possible Best Picture nominee, but I think it will be eclipsed by other films.

Brothers
This film boasts three talented actors, two of who have one career nomination and the other who has never been nominated but may turn in his most mature performance to date. Natalie Portman (“Closer”), Jake Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”), and Tobey Maguire were touted early on as potential contenders, but I don’t think the film opened strongly enough for any of them to break into the race. Reviews weren’t exceptionally great, and I think this film will slide under the awards radar.

Everybody’s Fine
Robert De Niro may earn his seventh Oscar nomination for his performance as a patriarch trying to reconnect with his family during the holidays. I haven’t seen the film, but it hardly seems like the kind of role that deserves Oscar attention. All of his nominations have come from intense dramatic performances, some of which have become extremely iconic (“Taxi Driver” and “Raging Bull”). The film isn’t popular, and most reviews praise only De Niro’s performance, if in fact they do. There are at least seven much stronger contenders ahead of De Niro, and unless voters are feeling truly nostalgic, I doubt he’ll break through.

Serious Moonlight
This film isn’t really an awards contender, but it might have been in a weaker year. It’s worth noting that Timothy Hutton, who’s fantastic in the film, won an Oscar for his film debut in 1980 in “Ordinary People.” Now, almost thirty years later, he’s back with a terrific role in Cheryl Hines’ new film. This isn’t going to be Meg Ryan’s first Oscar nomination, and while it would be nice to see a tribute to late screenwriter Adrienne Shelly, this film is just too small. Her previous film, “Watiress” didn’t garner any Oscar attention, and that film earned infinitely more favorable reviews than this one.

Rounding out this week’s releases, Armored, Transylmania, and The Strip won’t grab Oscar voters’ attention.

There are only a couple of weeks in the year left! Come back every Wednesday for an analysis of the previous Friday’s theatrical releases and their Oscar chances. Thanks for reading!

Movie with Abe: Up in the Air

Up in the Air
Directed by Jason Reitman
Released December 4, 2009

Every year there are films that impress due to their technical achievements, stylistic choices, and standout performances. Movies with exceptionally weighty or important premises go far because they’re buzz-worthy and elicit conversation. And then there are the movies that unsuspectingly come in under the radar, that take a simple idea, run with it, and excel in every aspect. “Up in the Air” is just that, and it’s an altogether delightful and fantastic portrait of one man, as the tagline says, ready to make a connection.

George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a motivational speaker whose day job involves flying to companies around the country and firing employees for them. He’s an expert traveler whose goal is to reach ten million frequent flyer miles. He doesn’t go everywhere to see the world and visit treasured locales and historical monuments. In fact, there’s little mention of Ryan’s appreciations of the places he goes, and when he’s asked to take pictures of a cardboard cutout in front of famous spots, he spouts off a great deal of knowledge about where he is without seeming to care that he’s actually getting to see and appreciate something significant. He’s a fan of his lifestyle because he thrives on living on the go and enjoys not being tied down.

The film, on the other hand, is remarkably grounded in the very logical and coherent manner in which Ryan’s journey is presented. He’s extraordinarily prepared for his life on the move and revels in being a member of every platinum rewards club for which he’s eligible. Ryan is someone who has learned how to create his own sense of stability in his ever-changing life. He’s unprepared, however, for the attempt a plucky young employee named Natalie at his company makes to keep him in one place by shifting his job to a remote one and grounding him permanently. His continued efforts to maintain the way he operates, and Natalie’s refusal to stop pushing back, are what make this trip worth taking.

George Clooney is great at playing the likeable everyman, and this is easily his best performance to date. He’s extraordinarily sympathetic, and the way he spouts his motivational material and seems to believe it is incredible. Ryan’s kindred spirit Alex is embodied by the lovely and talented Vera Farmiga, who also turns in a stunning performance and has marvelous chemistry with the debonair Clooney. Rising star Anna Kendrick more than holds her own against the far more experienced actors as the game-changing Natalie, whose inability to cut loose is mixed with a bizarre charm and allure. Her interactions with Clooney are absolutely hilarious, and their bickering-prone dynamic provides the heart of the film. As a film, “Up in the Air” is moving, funny, and altogether enjoyable. Like Jason Reitman’s previous films, “Thank You For Smoking” and “Juno,” this one is a cut above the rest, in an elite class that should be distinguished from economy class.

A-

Tuesday's Top Trailer: Up in the Air

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies with Abe, Tuesday's Top Trailer. One of my favorite parts about going to see movies is the series of trailers that airs beforehand and, more often than not, the trailer is far better than the actual film. Each week, I'll be sharing a trailer I've recently seen. Please chime in with comments on what you think of the trailer and how you think the movie is going to be.

Up in the Air - Opening December 4, 2009



After hearing rave reviews about this film for a while, I finally saw this trailer for the first time before “New York, I Love You” this past Friday. Like last week’s highlighted film, “The Men Who Stare At Goats,” this one also features George Clooney, though in a more serious role. Clooney stars as a man who has racked up an extraordinary number of frequent-flyer miles, though it appears he’s a far more personable guy than Adam Sandler’s similarly-inspired protagonist in “Punch-Drunk Love.” This film looks like a general crowd-pleaser which should have no trouble becoming a major hit. It seems like a simple story that should be enhanced greatly by a great cast and a talented director. Clooney’s best performance, in my opinion, wasn’t his Oscar-recognized work in “Syriana” or “Michael Clayton,” but his more casual, charming, suave leading man in “Ocean’s Eleven.” Vera Farmiga has shown promise with roles in “The Departed” and “Nothing But The Truth,” and making her the romantic love interest should be a nice part for her to play. Newcomer Anna Kendrick is supposed to be pretty terrific as well, and it’s always great to see a young fresh face break out in this kind of film. Director Jason Reitman has delivered two stellar back-to-back hits with “Thank You For Smoking” and “Juno,” and it looks like good things come in threes. Basically, following Clooney’s Ryan Bingham around the world as he discovers himself sounds like fun. The voiceover narration by Clooney in the trailer is pitch-perfect, and really transmits a sense of what the film will be like without hearing a single voice other than Clooney’s. The trailers’ ending note, “Arriving Soon,” is a pleasant way to prepare for this fantastic landing that I’m very much anticipating.