LA @ Christmas: Movie Time: Up In The Air

One of the great things about being in LA after Christmas is the movies. I mean they are playing everywhere in the country (except the few that are out "for consideration"), but in LA (home, as it were) there is something about going to see a bunch of movies after the holidays that feels less frivolous than it does elsewhere.
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I don't pretend to know why, but it does. And, having said that, let me say this about "Up In The Air."

"Up In The Air" is a odd, very odd, little movie. It is one of the movies that I was really glad I saw, but I couldn't tell you why. Much less tell you know on Earth it got made except perhaps that George Clooney said - let's make it. And I think anything that catches George's eye, gets made.

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First off, the three leads see in the poster (George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick) are masters of their job. You know George enough that he doesn't actually get lost in the role. But you very quickly believe that this man has hollowed himself out to the epitome of a "road warrior". On the other hand, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick are less known, and so inhabit the roles you could believe that they really were these people.

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It was a little hard for me to watch, since the literal story is about people who fire other people for a living (when the company doesn't have the stones to do it themselves). And, having just gone through this particular experience via e-mail and the promise of "we will call and talk about it" - but never having gotten the call - I found that a little close to home.

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After the movie Eddie asked what I thought and I said, "I LOVED it and hated it". And he said, "Me too?" Question mark intended. It was a movie that made you think and I am still not positive what I think about it - but I have thought about it a lot and that in itself is quite a recommendation from me.