Not Blow Away by Up in the Air

Perhaps its because I was so much anticipating them, but movies in 2009 that began with "Up" largely disappointed me. It started with Up itself, which was very good, and probably achieved the most artistically from a film perspective, of many recent animated movies, but it wasn't as complete, as enjoyable or entertaining, an experience as past features.

Up in the Air was similarly disappointing. The direction and acting were apt, the writing left a bit to be desired. I liked it, yes it was better than a lot of the other crap that hits the silver screen lately, but I was neither significantly entertained nor inspired. It was certainly not the typical George Clooney film, instead feeling at times like an imitation of a Sam Mendes film, then a Coen Brothers work, only to be replaced by a Zach Braff flick.

The general story, characters, emotion, and theme were only superficially examined. Things just kind of went along and then ended. The thesis was more successfully examined in Office Space, the story arc in American Beauty. Not so disimilar from Jason Reitman's Juno, which I even think was a more solid film as much as I could criticize it, though I did enjoy Thank You For Smoking.

I'm once again amazed that this was a Best Picture contender, while it certainly surpassed some of its contenders, becoming more and more convinced that 2009 was no stellar year at the box office.