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New Clip From ‘Up in the Air’

Brian Gresko — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:12:10 +0000

Up in the Air came off the festival circuit with raves, many of which cried Oscar. The trailer did nothing to put out the fire, in fact, it only stoked our interest here at Screen Rant. Now, a new clip from the film is online and it looks great!

The film is directed by Jason Reitman of Juno fame and stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a professional down-sizer. He’s the guy execs hire when they can’t bring themselves to drop the F-word in front of their employees – “you’re fired.” The job keeps Bingham on the road most of the year and he’s developed a life goal of racking up ten million frequent flier miles, for reasons he explains in the clip below.

And while this goal (a major plot point) sounds unusual, if not shallow or just plain silly, it’s not a joke. Like in his previous films, Juno and Thank You for Smoking, Reitman plays his laughs with a shot of seriousness and a lot of heart – something Clooney does so well.

Based on this clip, it looks like he might have found the perfect George Clooney role. Bingham’s a little kooky but somehow smarter, slicker, and a heck of a lot more charming than everyone around him, and that wry grin shows you he knows it. Is it possible Clooney might add Best Actor to his many accolades? (He already won Best Supporting Actor in 2005 for Syriana.) Chances are looking good so far, but we all knew it had to happen some day, right?

[Click to Enlarge]

The surprise here is from co-star Anna Kendrick. She plays a young IT expert with the bright idea of replacing Bingham’s face-to-face dismissals with video conferences, which would of course make all those trips he takes unnecessary.

If Kendrick’s face is familiar, it’s because she was Jessica Stanley in Twilight. And while you might be rolling your eyes thinking she can handle a role in a film aimed at grown-ups, she more than holds her own in this scene. She delivers every line in the dry, droll manner of someone who is far from impressed by her superior. The real kicker is the last line – It’s worth waiting for.

Check out the clip thanks to RopeofSilicon.com:

Up in the Air hits theaters on Christmas Day.

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New Trailer and Release Date for ‘Up in the Air’

Brian Gresko — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:33:39 +0000

Chances are you’re familiar with Jason Reitman’s last movie, Juno. The film garnered him an Academy Award Nomination for Best Director, though screenwriter and former erotic dancer Diablo Cody, along with “it girl” Ellen Page stole most of his thunder. For most people, Reitman’s name probably doesn’t ring any bells.

With Up in the Air, that might be about to change. And we have a trailer that will show you why.

Up in the Air, adapted from a bestselling novel by Walter Kirn, stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a middle-aged professional down-sizer. Bingham spends the majority of his days traveling, going from city to city playing message boy for bosses who don’t have the heart to tell their employees that they’re fired. His life’s goal is racking up ten million frequent flyer miles; he keeps his relationships casual so he’s free to fly whenever business calls.

Of course all that’s going to change over the course of the movie, something involving his sometime-girlfriend played by Vera Farmiga, and a professional shake-up brought about by corporate rising star and possible romantic interest, played by Anna Kendrick. Jason Bateman and Danny McBride round out the solid cast.

The trailer looks pretty good, starting with upbeat pop and some humorous scenes reminiscent of Juno, establishing a light tone with Clooney as an un-tethered lothario, but then hinting at some of the darker stuff to come, replete with a slow tempo acoustic tune. Check it out:

UP IN THE AIR THEATRICAL TRAILER

The buzz from Toronto and Telluride has been great, with the witty dialogue earning lots of laughs, though the story is ultimately sad and reflective. Sounds like the closest movie comparison might be to Alexander Payne’s droll story about aging, About Schmidt.

Like Payne’s film, Up in the Air has the makings of a critical and commercial success. The concept of a man-without-a-home finally settling down and finding the love he’s been searching for is as timeless as The Odyssey. And Clooney, hot off his Michael Clayton tour-de-force, runs with the role. Perhaps he finds some resonance in a guy who worries about aging and disdains the emotional baggage of a mature relationship? This has Oscar written all over it.

So when you can see it?

Well, there’s been a lot of see-sawing on the release date. Originally planned for December 4^th, that was changed to a limited November 13^th release, followed by a wider November 25^th release after the positive reception at the festivals. But Clooney’s already all over November, with The Men Who Stare at Goats coming out on November 6^th, and Fantastic Mr. Fox, in which he voices the title character, hitting screens November 25^th. So, Paramount decided to push Up in the Air back into December again. The current plan is for a limited release on December 4^th and a wide release December 25^th.

Source: Slash Film & Apple Movie Trailers

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TIFF 2009 Two Days In: What’s Good & Bad So Far

John Foote — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:19:04 +0000

Coming up to the third day of the film festival and thus far I have seen The Informant!, which I liked very much despite some problems with decision making by the director, Broken Embraces, which features just a stunning performance from the astonishing Penelope Cruz, Antichrist, a repellant yet unforgettable film, Hugh Hefner, a superb documentary that should earn an Oscar nomination, Bright Star, a disappointing film from Jane Campion, Jennifer’s Body, a rather average horror film from the pen of Juno (2007) writer Diablo Cody and the superb Up in the Air, from the great Jason Reitman.

Matt Damon and George Clooney are both so good, so strong in their respective films that choosing one over the other for the Oscar seems impossible, but if I had a vote it would go to Clooney for his stunning work as a man who thinks he is living a life he loves, but discovers he is hiding from life and needs to find himself. His greatest fear when he goes searching for his soul, is that it may not be there anymore. Clooney has never been better and hey, he’s been terrific before. Up in the Air is the best work of his career and firmly establishes Jason Reitman as one of the top directors working in cinema. The man is brilliant. The film is not as jarring as Juno (2007), the language not the same, but the characters every bit as real, just as deeply portrayed by the actors. What a gift Reitman has with his actors.

Penelope Cruz was once an actress I loathed. Her work in Blow (2001) was shrill and hysterical (not in a good way) and she was merely grotesque in Vanilla Sky (2001), yet in Volver (2006) she grew as an artist before my eyes, forcing me to concede the woman is gifted. She did it again in Vicky Christina Barcelona, winning an Oscar for her work, and again in Elegy (2008), an under appreciated little film with Ben Kinglsey and Dennis Hopper doing fine work opposite Cruz. She comes through again in Broken Embraces, the latest from Aldomovar, in which she portrays a schemer from a director’s past, once again working her dark magic on both he and the audience.

When did the transition from terrible actress to world class happen? Was she always this good and simply not being given the roles, or is it that she is more comfortable with certain directors? Whatever it is, seeing a Cruz film no longer worries me, instead it is reason for celebration. She is a wonder.
Poor Jane Campion. How does one follow The Piano (1993)? Not with The Portrait of a Lady (1996) that much was clear. But Bright Star? Sorry, but no. Despite a flamboyant, and often very good performance from the lovely Abbie Cornish, there is little in the film to admire. Based on a true story, the love affair between the poet Keats and his neighbor, Fanny, the film strives to be something it is not, and ends up being nothing more than a disappointment. Sad because Campion is the real deal.

Today is a busy one…more later.

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Toronto International Film Festival Coverage

John Foote — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:29:58 +0000

Screen Rant would like to welcome guest reporter John H. Foote, who is covering the 34th Toronto International Film Festival for us. We have his first report for you today, with more sure to come. Check out first word on some of the Fall/Winter’s biggest films:

I would be a fool if I did not at least mention I had seen Antichrist here at the 34th Toronto International Film Festival, and though beautifully shot, the film is among the most repellent works I have ever seen. That said, I have been unable to think about much else since seeing it. ‘Nuff said.

Up in the Air might be the best film of the year, a superbly acted, directed and written film that brings out the very best in George Clooney, who stars as Ryan, a man traveling America firing company employees when their own bosses lack the courage to do so. Beyond the social and economic relevance of the film, the picture is a love story about a man trying to find something about himself to love, and being terrified he can’t.

Ryan has set up a life for himself where he is constantly on the road, never home, lives out of a suitcase and has mastered the art of fast check-ins at airports and hotels, all the while edging closer to his goal of ten million frequent-flyer miles. When he meets a young lady and they become close, the last thing he is looking for is a relationship, but as he falls for her, he discovers the last thing she wants is a relationship.

Clooney has never been better than he is here as Ryan, and he may win an Academy Award for this riveting performance that is tinged with sadness. This is a man we might know, this man might be some us, and we understand what a sad existence he really inhabits. Vera Farmiga is outstanding as the women he falls for, and in a stunning supporting performance, Anne Kendrick shines as the junior executive who comes up with an idea to fire people online, thereby killing the need for travel, which is, of course, Ryan’s worst nightmare. The road trip they take changes both of their lives.

Jason Reitman is a very smart director; he knows exactly what to get out of his actors and precisely what story to tell. Coming at a time when so many people are losing their jobs, he has made a film that is sensitive to those who are out of work, but sassy enough to poke a bit of fun at the reality of being fired and how we react. As the film says, being fired is a new beginning. Yet Reitman’s greatest move is that he shows the pain of being fired, which we often view as a failure, and the terror of being alone, which is our greatest failure.

Matt Damon will also likely be an Oscar-nominee for his superb performance in The Informant! portraying a high-powered executive who blows the whistle on his company, all the while believing he will be forgiven for the pain he has caused and rewarded with the job of CEO. Of course once the FBI begins to explore the case, they see that he is not exactly the most honest informant. In fact he is an embezzler who lies so often he he has likely forgotten how to tell the truth.

It is a brilliant piece of acting from Damon, energetic and downright buoyant, but there is always something dark happening around his eyes, something that does not quite ring true. Steven Soderbergh has long been one of the best directors in movies, winning an Oscar for Best Director for Traffic (2000) and a nomination that same year for Erin Brockovich (2000). Here he seems almost stumped about what kind of film he is making – Is it a comedy? A satire? A black comedy? A drama? The music by Marvin Hamlisch certainly suggests that the film is a comedy, but the situations are far too dramatic from time to time to be entirely comedic. Thankfully, Damon hits all the right notes and saves the film with his brilliant performance.

That’s it for now from the Toronto International Film Festival. Check back for more later.

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Teaser Trailer For ‘Up In The Air’ (Plus a Clip)

Ross Miller — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:55:43 +0000

The first teaser trailer has appeared online exclusively over at Slash Film for Jason Reitman’s (Juno) upcoming comedy/drama, Up in the Air, starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Jason Bateman. The film played at the Telluride Film Festival this past weekend to great reviews, with some even talking Oscars for the film before it’s even been released.

In Up in the Air, George Clooney plays a man whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he’s about to reach ten million frequent-flyer miles and met the frequent-flyer woman of his dreams.

We already got a look at the poster for the film, and now we have the teaser trailer, along with a minute-long clip. According to Slash Film, the trailer was specially cut by Reitman for the web. Nice. Check out the teaser and the clip below:

Up in the Air Teaser Trailer from /Film.

I like how the trailer (as Slash Film points out) conveys a Fight Club-like philosophy held by Clooney’s character that the things you own and your relationships end up weighing you down. I really dig the idea of exploring that in a film like Up in the Air.

I think Reitman is really a talent to watch out for, and it looks like he’s directed another great movie with his latest: Clooney’s role looks like it fits him perfectly; Farmiga is a great actress finally getting her due; and I like how the plot at this point seems rather loose and ambiguous.

I was a huge fan of Reitman’s debut feature, Thank You For Smoking (I still can’t believe that was his first film – most impressive), and although I wasn’t as enamored with his second film, the multi-Oscar nominated Juno, I still was really charmed by it (any issues I had with the “stylized” dialogue have kind of wavered upon rewatches). I’ll be there opening day for Up in the Air, for sure.

What do you think of the first teaser trailer (as well as the first clip) for Reitman’s latest? Are you a fan of the writer/director’s first two movies, and are you looking forward to his third?

Up in the Air is playing at the Toronto International Film Festival in a few days, and is released theatrically on December 4th, 2009, in the U.S. In the UK it is set to be released on January 15th, 2010.

Source: /Film, WorstPreviews and Apple

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New Posters: Saw VI, Inglourious Basterds, Shutter Island & More!

Ross Miller — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:15:35 +0000

Today we have a bunch of new posters for you that have appeared online over the lat few days or so. They include posters for Saw VI and a new George Clooney film, Up in the Air, a couple of special ones for Inglourious Basterds, and a couple foreign language ones for [REC] 2 and Shutter Island. Check them all out below.

First up is the new poster for the upcoming next installment in the successful torture-porn horror Saw franchise, Saw VI. I’m not going to waste much time in saying this franchise lost what made it interesting long ago.

However, what I must admit is they sure do know how to design cool-looking posters for these movies. Last time we had the “Blood Bank” posters that have been used since the first movie, but not this time. No, this time we have a rather ingeniously designed and creepy-to-look-at poster that merges an old pair of gloves with human hands. Oh, if only the actual Saw movies were as good as the posters they come up with for them. Check it out:

I’m guessing the poster is supposed to symbolize the fact that someone else is taking over for Jigsaw by (figuratively speaking) putting on his gloves. It seems like an obvious idea to put on a poster and yet no one has really picked up on it and employed it before. Nice.

Saw VI hits U.S. theaters on October 23rd, 2009.

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Mid-Week Movie News Wrap Up – Nov. 27, 2008

Niall Browne — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:19:12 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving folks.

This weeks Mid Week Movie News Wrap Up features:

Steven Seagal goes to TV; Vera Farmiga joins the mile high club; Twilight stars get a pay raise and Jean Claude Van Damme’s career really must be Expendable!

1. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Steven Seagal will star in his own reality TV show- but get this: He fights crime!!

Steven Seagal: Lawman sees the pony-tailed one as a real life deputy fighting crime and capturing criminals in New Orleans.

I’m not making this up. The show will air on the A&E Network.

Source: Variety

2. Vera Farmiga will co-star will George Clooney in Jason (son of Ivan) Reitman’s Up In The Air. The film is an adaptation of Walter Kin’s novel and has the following plot:

“A human resources exec whose only joy in life comes from the prospect of notching his millionth frequent-flyer mile, a goal he pursues with zeal as the rest of his life falls apart because he is constantly on the road.”

Farmiga will be Clooney’s love interest.

Source: Variety

3. When do you know that your life has changed? When you get paid $10 million more for a sequel to your first hit film. Twilight stars Robert Pattinson, and Kristin Stewart will both be paid $12 million for New Moon – the sequel to Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight.

The first film was produced at a cost of $37 million and grossed a staggering $70 million when it opened last weekend.

Source: Chicago Sun Times

4. Clint over at Moviehole got a scoop stating that Dolph Lundgren wasn’t the first choice for Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables . Apparently Jean Claude Van Damme turned down the role and Sly went to Lundgren as his second choice.

The reason Van Damme rejected the film?

He doesn’t like to share screen time.

Jean Claude – are you kidding?

Word on the street is that Arnold Schwarzenegger has been offered a role, but the chances of him appearing in the film are slim.

However, you never know!

Source: Moviehole

That’s it for now – see you at the movies.

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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: August 31, 2008

Niall Browne — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:04:44 +0000

I can’t believe that it’s now the end of August! Soon the winter blockbusters will be knocking at our door and the next thing you know it’ll be Oscar time again. Where does time go? Is it playing like a re-run somewhere, can you just flick to another dimension to a time where you are still awaiting a fourth Indiana Jones movie? Who knows, but I do know that it’s another Weekend Movie News Wrap up featuring a new aspect: a weekend box office update.

This week:

After our box office round-up we see what George Clooney and Jason Reitman are doing Up in the Air, we find out what former superhero is joining the Toy Story franchise, we look at who might be helming the Poltergeist movie and the Voltron film and what is new on the Inglorious Bastards casting front.

Weekend Box Office

It looks like Tropic Thunder will retain its box office crown and gross another $14-16 million over the Labor day weekend. Fox’s tinkering with Babylon A.D. didn’t do any good as the film will only bank $11-13 million this weekend. Ouch – what a summer Fox has had!

Don Cheadle’s Traitor did a modest $2.2 million on Friday and it should bank $10 million when all is said and done over the weekend. Meanwhile Disaster Movie was a disaster coining only $2 million on Friday – look for an $8 million weekend.

Death Race crashed an burned on its second weekend dropping a mighty 63% grossing just $1.7 million on Friday. Look for a little over $8 million by the end of Labor Day weekend.

Art house hit The Dark Knight will have crossed the $500 million barrier and the Caped Crusader epic should bank about another $11.5 million. Holy legs, Batman!

Movie News

1. Speaking of Batman, former Dark Knight George Clooney has signed on to Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air. The comedy film follows a business man who is addicted to collecting air miles. Sounds strange and quirky so it should be up Clooney’s street. I imagine it’ll fly high in awards season!

Source: Variety

2. Another former Batman, Michael Keaton has signed on to Toy Story 3. Keaton will play Ken (of Ken and Barbie fame). His other half will be voiced by Jodi Benson. Benson was also the voice of Ariel in The Little Mermaid. I didn’t know that already. Seriously.

Source: IESB

3. It looks like the Poltergeist remake has snagged itself a director. Vadim Perelman director of House of Sand and Fog is in talks to direct the horror film. Nothing is set in stone yet, so this could change. Heck, they could even give Brett Ratner a call.

Source: Bloody Disgusting

4. More Bastards have landed (that’s a Peter Jackson reference for you). Christoph Waltz has joined Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards as the main evil-doer of the film, Colonel Hans Landa. Meanwhile National Treasure star Diane Kruger has also come on-board the film, in the role first intended for the much older Nastassja Kinski.

Source: CHUD

5. The Voltron movie has nabbed a director in the form of Max Makowski. The film is a Transformers-esque giant robot movie. Makowski has in the past brought us One Last Dance (a film that I have sitting on DVD but have never watched), as well as episodes of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

No, seriously, he did. I have nothing to say about this. Nothing at all.

I will say that there’s probably a joke in there somewhere.

Source: Latino Review

That’s it for another week. See you at the movies!

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