Up In The Air (Jason Reitman, USA)
Reitman has turned the tables yet again, proving he can venture far away from his previous projects and head into more serious territory, while still hanging on to comedic roots with brilliance. George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a constant traveler, whose job is to fire people. Bingham is a lost soul, going from airport to airport with little connection to any home, friends or family. He fills the role to perfection. Clooney has so much charisma and hidden desperation that the character clicks right from the start. After the delightful opening credits in which we see an array of aerial photographs we are thrown right into Binghman’s life. Through a montage of hilarious scenes we see how light Bingham travels and how he knows just about every trick in the book.
Anna Kendrick plays a newly hired college graduate at the company. She has plans to get rid of air travel and fire people through an iChat-like interface. The company head, played marvelously by Jason Bateman, has decided to let Anna travel with Clooney to get some experience with face-to-face firing. Through his travels Clooney meets the gorgeous Vera Farmiga, who becomes his love interest and shares many of the same problems in life. Her performance is completely absorbing as she opens up Bingham to the audience. The film effortlessly jumps from moments of harrowing social and personal commentary into sections of pure comedic bliss. Reitman knows how to balance and push each end of the spectrum to the perfect destination. Many people have expressed problems with the third act, but I believe it has a necessary tonal switch, creating a stunning emotional opus. He has made a landmark film with mass appeal, coupled with inherent intimate connections. It has taken us 9 long months, but the first masterpiece of 2009 has finally arrived.
10 out of 10
Valhalla Rising (Nicolas Winding Refn, Denmark/UK)
Director Nicolas Winding Refn continues to change up the formula with each new film. Completely different then the gritty Pusher Trilogy and oddly creative Bronson, comes Valhalla Rising. The loose story follows a savage named One Eye, played by Mads Mikkelsen, on a journey through a mysterious land as he breaks free from capture. Winding Refn breaks up the story into six chapters with some epic titles (Hell, Sacrifice, etc.). It’s a shame the film doesn’t quite live up to that goal. This is the definition of all style, no substance. Winding Refn has a wonderful eye for visuals, and it shows here. This would be the perfect film to play in the background at some sort of gothic rave.
Winding Refn described the film as a piece of art, a painting one would look at for hours. There is breathtaking imagery on nearly every fram, so the film does succeed on some level. The story and pacing are left in the dust though. The first act is interesting, like seeing anything wildly new for the first time. That feeling wears out quite quickly, and for the middle hour of the film we wander randomly with this character, wondering how we got here and why does it matter? The end picks up a bit as we get to a final showdown. Mikkelsen said his character is more about “energy” rather that motivations or any type of development, and this is quite apparent. There is no connection to any actions he carries out or any type of familiarity. One of the few highlights of the film is the score. Winding Refn has crafted a dronal rock soundtrack, that gives a desperately needed punch to the face. The few moments of violence also delivers. Mikkelsen’s character literally beats the living shit out of many of his opponents and it is handled beautiful. The film isn’t terrible, but it certainly is a massive let-down in what would have been an addition to a perfect filmography for this young director.
5 out of 10
The Road (John Hillcoat, USA)
What a long road it has been. The cinematic adaptation of the praised Cormac McCarthy novel certainly has hit many speed bumps. After a year long delay, it has finally arrived. Faithful to the novel, John Hillcoat has crafted an austerely dark look at the bleak voyage of a father and son. While this is the furthest from the feel-good film of the year one can get, Hillcoat’s take is approaching impeccable beauty. There are moments of sheer suspense, desperation, and pure heartache.
It is the not so distant future and humanity is nearly extinct. The film follows a father (Viggo Mortensen) and a son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) on a journey south to find hope. Their relationship is handled exquisitely throughout the film. There are also a few flashbacks with their mother (Charlize Theron). Her performance is a mixed bag, as her motivations are unknown and quite underdeveloped. John Hillcoat is the real star here. Through staggering visuals and a keen sense of when to push the boundaries, the film glides along with elegance. It goes to many dark, dismal places making me very curious on how this performs at the box office come Thanksgiving. There is barely a glimmer of hope for the entire two hours. One of the main highlights during the adventure is a supporting role by the barely recognizable Robert Duvall. His role is very small, but a specific scene with Mortensen’s character is one of the best of the film. The score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is astounding. From the mesmerizing introduction piano theme to the swelling end, the haunting score fuses with precision. The film is certainly not for everyone, but those who can handle the dreadfully dreary tale, will find something to love and contemplate with The Road.
8.5 out of 10
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