Up In The Air (2009); drama comedy film review

Poster artwork for the drama comedy film Up In The Air.

Corporate dis-Connections by Linh

Up In The Air is film adaptation from director Jason Reitman (Thank You For Smoking, Juno) and is a cracker of narrative wit, humour and emotional conflict. Jason also produced the film with his father Ivan Reitman (already announced as the director and producer for Ghostbusters 3) whose creative input adds to the ironies of tragedy in life that can be dealt with through comedy such as the themes of job loss and human connection in the film.

Up In The Air is based on Walter Kirn's novel of the same name and with some artistic license, Jason Reitman and his team of producers have created a film that is moving, funny and thought-provoking. The story is narrated by the protagonist Ryan Bingham, whose job is his life that completely dictates his lifestyle. Ryan Bingham is a career transition counsellor whose job is to sack people face-to-face when bosses couldn't muster up the courage, will or gumption to do it themselves. He has a perpetual presence in airport bars, five-star hotels and is a recipient of enviable first class luxuries and privileges. Ryan's ultimate goal is to reach ten million frequent flyer miles (in the novel it's one million) but along the way, his personal mission is disrupted when his boss becomes impressed with a young corporate down-sizer, Natalie Keener, whose technique of sacking employees via the internet can save his company time and money. She is not the only female to enter Ryan's life. While flying across the country to fire more workers, Ryan meets his female counterpart and equal in the seductive and smart frequent flyer Alex Goran. They immediately connect over a common interest in no-strings-attached sex and first class bonuses. We start to see Ryan contemplating his life choices and he considers a life with connections as an option for him, after a weekend spent romancing Alex and mentoring Natalie at his younger sister, Julie's wedding.

SACKABLE: Natalie (Anna Kendrick) learns the old-school technique of firing someone from Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) in the film Up In The Air. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

The cast for Up In The Air is a dream-team lead by George Clooney as the externally charismatic but shallow character Ryan Bingham; Anna Kendrick (Twilight, Pitch Perfect)  is fantastic as the wet-behind-the ears but techno-savvy Natalie and the alluring Vera Farmiga (The Departed, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas) gives a top-notch performance as Alex.

Although the first few scenes depict Ryan Bingham firing employees played by actors, such as JK Simmons (Thank You For Smoking, Juno) and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover trilogy, Into the Wild), the rest of the film features actual retrenched, sacked and dismissed people from Detroit and St. Louis. Producers of the film put ads in the newspaper under the guise of seeking sacked workers for a documentary, and filmed them reacting and responding to being sacked. These people are the real faces behind the statistics of the recession and the 2007 – 2009 global financial crisis, making Up In The Air a timely reminder of the sad consequences such economic dilemmas can bring.

FAMILIARITY: Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) finds comfort in Alex's (Vera Farmiga) company in the film Up In The Air. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

Up In The Air carries a metaphor throughout the film that shows in the characterisations as well as in the narrative, where firing people is akin to avoiding commitment in a relationship or family issues. George Clooney is pitch-perfect as the suave Ryan Bingham and brings humour to his character despite having a horrible job like sacking people. His lack of connections to people on an intimate level enables him to be devoid of any sympathy or empathy when firing people in person. This depicts a man who's a keen observer of people's lives rather than a participant of their lives. He uses his job to fuel a personal goal to attain contentment and is satisfied with the pampering and privileges his frequent flyer points reward him. He meets his match in two women whose own goals not only conflict or suit his own, but also sparks a connection Ryan Bingham doesn't expect or feels uncomfortable with.

Fans of the Twilight  saga films would recognise Anna Kendrick as Bella's best friend, but she plays a far more complex role in Up In The Air and Kendrick shows she is a star on the rise as Natalie Keener. Her character is a typical Generation Y-er who is brought up in a world where technology makes connecting with people faster, easier and cheaper. Her ideas of firing people over the internet and ways of minimising the possible harm to career transition counsellors in the process has its advantages and pitfalls. She is the new breed of corporate downsizing that allows globalisation to become localisation - you can fire someone anywhere in the world from the comfort of your desk in front of a computer monitor. Natalie soon learns that technology has its strengths in cutting people loose but not in keeping loved ones close enough. When she admits her boyfriend dumped her via text message, Ryan retorts: "Wow. That's kind of like getting fired over the Internet."

Vera Farmiga admitted to using a body double in her nude scene with George Clooney in the hotel room, but her real body of work shows she has more to her than meets the eye. Farmiga exudes sensuality and confidence as the mysterious Alex whom Ryan meets at a bar. She is the female double of Ryan Bingham and understands his needs as a frequent traveller as well as how to serve it up by synchronising her flight schedules with his. 

FAMILY: Julie (Melanie Lynskey) and Kara (Amy Morton) convince their brother Ryan (George Clooney) to attend Julie's wedding in the film Up In The Air. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

Music is a strong element in bringing people together and making connections, but rapper/singer Young MC is an unusual choice for a brief appearance in the film. His singing voice may have become slightly rusty but his energy and enthusiasm keeps everyone entertained as he belts out his hit 'Bust A Move'.  The closing credits of Up In The Air is capped off with a song by the same name which is written and sung by an unemployed musician named Kevin Renick from St Louis. He handed an unsolicited cassette tape of the song to director Jason Reitman a couple of years ago while Reitman was working on Juno and thought nothing of it for a while. Reitman decided to use the song after listening to it and discovering the lyrics carried sentiments similar to that of his film. 'Up In The Air' is an emotional and gentle pop/folk song about uncertainties and indecisions, "who the heck you are and where you're going" in life.

Up In The Air is ultimately about the human connections we have throughout life in work, family and socialising and the grief that emerges if any of these aspects of our lives are threatened either through job loss or a death of a friend/family/colleague. The film has a focus on job loss but it's an experience that can ripple through and affect other areas of our lives, as depicted through the interactions between characters in various situations. Up In The Air has won numerous film awards including Best Actor and Actress/Supporting Actress Awards for George Clooney, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga.

PACKABLE: Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) can pack his entire life inside a backpack in the film Up In The Air. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

Director: Jason Reitman

Writers: Jason Reitman (screenplay), Sheldon Turner (screenplay), Walter Kirn (novel)

Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Zach Galifianakis, JK Simmons, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, Sam Elliott, Danny McBride, Chris Lowell, Marvin Young (Young MC)

Producers: Jason Reitman, Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock, Daniel Dubiecki, Jeffrey Clifford, Ted Griffin, Michael Beugg, Joe Medjuck, Helen Estabrook, Jason Blumenfeld, Ali Bell

Original Music Composer: Rolfe Kent, Matt Messina

Cinematographer: Eric Steelberg

   

Film Editor: Dana E. Glauberman

   

Production: Steve Saklad (Production Designer), Andrew Max Cahn (Art Director), Linda Lee Sutton (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Danny Glicker

Running Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes

The Lovely Bones (2009); supernatural murder mystery film review

Poster artwork for the supernatural murder mystery film The Lovely Bones.

Spirit Connections by Linh

The Lovely Bones is the film adaptation of Alice Sebold's beloved book of the same name and is director Peter Jackson's latest film following his blockbusters The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong. Transcribing it from page to screen proved to be a challenge, but Peter Jackson and his fellow screenwriters/producers Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens have succeeded in creating a superb adaptation that works equally well as a stand alone film. While the book is an emotionally-charged read about a family dealing with a young child's death, the film is a supernatural crime thriller with a strong focus on Susie Salmon's in-between rather than the family breakdowns and strained relationships following her death. 

AWAKENING: Susie (Saoirse Ronan) wakes to an in-between world in the film The Lovely Bones. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

The story is set in the 1970s and narrated by the main character, Susie Salmon, a fourteen year old, who is raped and murdered by her neighbour George Harvey. She watches her family cope with her death while she's in an otherworldly state. Susie doesn't realise she is dead and in an in-between world until she starts seeing images of her killer, the murder weapon and other little clues that connect Harvey to her murder. The brutal rape scene which was detailed in the book has been omitted by Peter Jackson to make the film more family friendly. The flashbacks Susie experiences and the editing gives the viewer all they need to make the connections and the audience discovers answers at the same time Susie does. Susie has the ability to tap into the thoughts and emotions of the living and from her in-between, she can control how they feel and what they do simply by willing it to happen. Susie is already dead as she narrates, and her spirit cannot leave the in-between while her killer remains at large, and because her loved ones are still holding on to memories of her instead of moving on with their lives.

UNNEIGHBOURLY: George Harvey (Stanley Tucci) keeps an eye on his neighbours in the film The Lovely Bones. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

The Lovely Bones features motifs and metaphors throughout, such as the harrowing scene where Susie finally enters an open door of a house which represents George Harvey's subconscious. While she is there, she can see all the young female victims who have been raped and murdered by Harvey during the last decade. Harvey had taken Susie's charm bracelet as a souvenir, but only kept the house charm. It is this little house that is symbolic of the place which holds the dark secrets of his crimes - in his memories.

PREDATORY: George Harvey (Stanley Tucci) follows Susie (Saoirse Ronan) through the cornfield in the film The Lovely Bones. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

The film moves at a steady pace, with moments of heightened fear as Susie's sister Lindsey searches for evidence in Harvey's house, to some tender and touching times as Susie tries to reach into her father's consciousness to let him know she's OK and who her killer is. The challenge of 'showing' the audience what is happening inside one's mind through actions instead of words is no mean feat; yet with the blend of strong performances from the lead actors and some special effects, the thoughts and emotions are made visibly obvious.

CRUSH: Grandma Lynn (Susan Sarandon) notices Susie (Saoirse Ronan) is secretly in love with Ray in the film The Lovely Bones. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

Leading the ensemble cast is Irish actress Saoirse (rhymes with 'Persia') Ronan, an Oscar nominee for her excellent performance in Atonement, who plays Susie and is so convincing with her bright blue eyes as to make one believe in her sincerity and innocence lost; Mark Wahlberg gives his character, Jack Salmon, enough emotional angst to show he really cares about and loves his daughter but not enough for the audience to care about his character; Rachel Weisz is wonderful but under-utilised as Susie's grieving mother, Abigail, who just wants to move on and move away from the pain and suffering her daughter's disappearance and death is bringing to the family; Susan Sarandon brilliantly provides the comedy relief in the film as Susie's Grandma Lynn, who arrives to keep the family from falling apart and into an emotional blackhole, with her big hair, plenty of make-up, cigarette in one hand and alcohol in the other. Her appearance changes dramatically when her character transforms to flat hair and no make-up as she becomes a more responsible person; Stanley Tucci's Italian features are barely recognisable under a wig, facial hair and make-up in a fantastic portrayal of the ordinary and plain paedophile and pervert George Harvey, which has earned him Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominations; New Zealand actress Rose McIver is fabulous as Susie's younger sister Lindsey who suspects her neighbour George Harvey of her sister's murder.

SIGNS: Jack (Mark Wahlberg) sees Susie in the light of the candle in the film The Lovely Bones. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

The Lovely Bones is visually stunning and beautifully filmed, with CGI used to create Susie's in-between, which is her own imagined utopia stemming from her subconscious, rather than being an actual physical place. A state best described as existing between Heaven and Earth. Susie experiences things as though she is sometimes in a dream with brightly coloured clothes, funky platform shoes, and an environment that changes abruptly and unexpectedly, sometimes at her whim. The musical score by Brian Eno is like an emotional sound wave that flows and sets the mood with serenity, happiness and hope or fear, horror and sadness. Most of the film uses sound editing effectively, and accompanies the visual effects to produce plenty of beguiling imagery and scintillating sounds.

FAMILY: Abigail (Rachel Weisz) tells her son Buckley (Christian Thomas Ashdale) that Susie will be home soon  in the film The Lovely Bones. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

The Lovely Bones is a film of hope and light at the end of the tunnel which will strike an emotional chord for those who have grieved or mourned a loved one who has passed away. Some fans of the book will be disappointed as this is not a direct reflection of the novel. Instead of a cinematic carbon copy of the book, it is an enthralling and brilliant film which bears the usual trademarks of Peter Jackson's visionary élan. It's a shame people still judge a film by the book from which it was adapted. Afterall, Peter Jackson is not a director/producer who will always do things "by the book". That is part of his genius.

IN-BETWEEN: Susie (Saoirse Ronan) senses danger while in her in-between world in the film The Lovely Bones. Image: Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks.

Director: Peter Jackson

Writers: Alice Sebold (book), Peter Jackson (screenplay), Fran Walsh (screenplay), Phillipa Boyens (screenplay)

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci, Rose McIver, Reece Ritchie, Michael Imperioli, Carolyn Dando, Christian Thomas Ashdale, Nikki Soohoo

Producers: Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, James Wilson, Ken Kamins

Original Music Composer: Brian Eno

Cinematographer: Andrew Lesnie

Film Editor: Jabez Olssen

Production: Naomi Shohan (Production Designer), Jules Cook, Chris Shriver (Art Directors), Meg Everist, George DeTitta Jr. (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Nancy Steiner

Running Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes

3D Avatar (2009); science-fiction fantasy action drama film review

Poster artwork for the science fiction fantasy action drama film Avatar.

Imaginative Immersions by Linh

Fifteen years later and costing almost half a billion dollars to create, director James Cameron's patience in pursuing the very latest motion/animation technology in film has paid off, making his sci-fi epic Avatar a stunning visual wonder to behold. Avatar is a blend of live action, CGI and motion capture technology, which takes the viewer on a visual thrill-ride with battles on land and in air, romance between different races and immersive experiences in a jungle of wild beasts and stunning vegetation.

AVATAR ARRIVAL: Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) steps foot on Pandora for the first time in the film Avatar. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

The story is narrated by the protagonist named Jake Sully, a former Marine who is confined to a wheelchair. After his scientist brother passes away, he is offered a chance to 'walk' again as part of the Avatar programme onboard a military space station that is financed by a corporate mining company and houses a team of scientists and military personnel. An avatar is a remotely-controlled biological body that is linked to and driven by the human consciousness. The avatars are made of combined human DNA and that of the Natives of Pandora, the Na'vi. Jake Sully's mission is to infiltrate the Na'vi on Pandora, a moon orbiting the planet Centauri, and remove the Natives to mine the precious substance 'unobtainium' that could solve the Earth's energy crisis. He meets and falls in love with the female warrior of the Na'vi, Neytiri, after she teaches him the ways of her people. Jake soon becomes one of the Na'vi and his allegiance is tested as he must choose between his military mission and his Nature-loving Na'vi.

WARRIOR WAYS: Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) learns the ways of the Na'vi from Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) in the film Avatar. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

Avatar's most alluring visuals are dominated by the captivating flora and fauna in Pandora's jungles; with deceptively harmless and beautiful plants that are self-illuminating or sensitive to touch and will move to avoid danger, and the many prehistoric-looking beasts that are friendly, fierce or dangerous become scene-stealers, even though they are computer generated. Although there are many creatures on Pandora, none have fur or hair except the Na'vi people; even the wolf-like beasts and the horses with the head of an ant-eater are hairless, with smooth, shiny skin that glimmers in the light. Animal lovers and plants enthusiasts will enjoy the spectacular scenes of animals interacting with the Na'vi and the majestic beauty of the floating mountains. James Cameron has imagined a world of many mysteries and wonders which are visualised in superb technological capabilities that may become the benchmark for future filmmaking in this genre.

SACRED SPIRITS: The Eywa makes Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) the chosen one as Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) watches in disbelief in the film Avatar. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

James Cameron's fictional Na'vi people have a humane soul and are more likeable than some of the humans in the film. The Na'vi is a clan of ten-foot tall, blue-skinned, reptilian-like humanoids and the native inhabitants of Pandora. The Na'vi are spiritual and strong-willed people who have a profound connection with Nature (whom they call Eywa), and they believe all things in life are linked to Nature. Their history, culture and beliefs are connected to Nature and everything flows from it. The viewer becomes deeply involved with the plight of the Na'vi, which are all motion-captured performances driven by actors, but are wonderfully portrayed through voice and movement.

HYBRID HUMANOID: Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) tests his new avatar in the film Avatar. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

The cast is a mix of new comers, veterans and rising stars who all give convincing performances in the live action scenes (40 percent of the film) and the fantasy scenes, which are predominantly CGI and motion capture but still engaging.

Australian actor Sam Worthington thrilled in Terminator Salvation, and provides a strong portrayal of Jake Sully who finds deeper meaning in flora and fauna than machines; Zoe Saldana is completely motion captured as the beautiful female Na'vi warrior Neytiri. Saldana creates an intriguing character in Neytiri, from being highly suspicious of Jake Sully to trusting him with her life, and she is part of the film's emotive lure; James Cameron's 'reported' mouthpiece of humanitarianism in science is Sigourney Weaver's character Grace Augustine, whom Sigourney Weaver brilliantly portrays as an idealistic perfectionist and she also appears as an avatar; Stephen Lang is fantastic as the thoroughly nasty and ruthless Colonel Miles Quaritch who flexes his military muscle to wage war on the Na'vi; Michelle Rodriguez gives the film some comedy relief as the female Marine pilot Trudy, who gives as good as she gets, and in a role similar to Paul Reiser's character in [I]Aliens[/I], but more animated, Giovanni Ribisi is the pushy and determined space station supervisor Parker Selfridge who forges ahead with his plans regardless of the human and environmental costs.

NATIVE BEAUTY: Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) fights against human firepower in the film Avatar. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

James Cameron and his visual effects/production team create a clever balance of reality and fantasy, with the live action sequences contrasting in colour, lighting, and human attitudes and behaviour compared to the luscious greenery of Pandora and earthy nature of the Na'vi. However, like the military personnel onboard the space station, the Na'vi have their warriors who fight for survival and defend their home against the onslaught of bullets and firepower from the 'Sky People' - a name the Na'vi give to humans as they are always entering and attacking Pandora from the sky.

TESTING TIMES: Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) puts his Na'vi training to the test  in the film Avatar. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

There are many allegorical themes and metaphorical messages emerging from Avatar such as ecological/environmental awareness, interracial love, the misuse and abuse of military might, and the dangers of corporate greed; it is essentially about the ways of human nature in attempting to control and destroy Nature. These are recurring themes that appear in all of James Cameron's films including Aliens and Terminator, which some viewers may find as self-indulgent.

DESTRUCTIVE DIFFERENCES: Station Supervisor Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi) wants forced removal but scientist Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) advocates for humane re-location in the film Avatar. Image: Twentieth Century Fox.

Cameron's attempts in allowing the technology to act as a secondary feature to support the actors' performances fails in some aspects, but succeeds in enhancing the visual pleasure of the cinematic experience for audiences. The viewer cannot escape the motion capture technology and other special effects as the action unfolds and the story develops throughout Avatar; humans respond better to human-generated emotions and actions rather than that generated through technology. Despite this, Avatar is a brilliant piece of imaginative cinema artwork in visual and audio effects with a stirring soundtrack that emulates the sounds of nature courtesy of the musical mastery from James Horner.

Avatar won three Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography and Best Art Direction. It also earned two Golden Globe wins and two BAFTA wins.

Director: James Cameron

Writer: James Cameron (screenplay)

Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Dileep Rao, Laz Alonso, Wes Studi

Producers: Colin Wilson, James Cameron, Brooke Breton, Josh McLaglen, Jon Landau,  Janace Tashjian, Peter M. Tobyansen

Original Music Composer: James Horner

Cinematographer: Mauro Fiore

Production: Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg (Production Designers), Nick Bassett, Kim Sinclair, Robert  Bavin, Jill Cormack, Simon Bright, Andy McLaren, Todd Cherniawsky, Sean Haworth, Andrew Menzies, Stefan Dechant, Kevin Ishioka (Art Directors), Kim Sinclair (Set Decorator)

Costume Designers:  Deborah Lynn Scott, Mayes C. Rubeo

Running Time: 2 hours 40 minutes