Meanwhile, on Twitter...

• 15:41 You know I was asking about Cary Elwes' career a while back? And mentioned Zemeckis about the same time? Well, they've joined together to... #
• 15:43 ...create a project of OHDEARGODFUCKNOJUSTSTOPGODAMNIT!!!! proportions: bit.ly/57FsTL #
• 18:03 Confession time: I've never actually read any of Gail Simone's Birds of Prey. I'll be using the new series as a jump on point, though. #
• 19:33 "From the writers of Year One..." Yes, Bill Murray, flee Ghostbusters 3 while you still can. #
• 19:41 The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst #
• 23:01 Ow, my fucking head. #

00:54 Up in the Air was a brilliant film. But not one to watch when you're already feeling down about lack of close relationships, I think. #

00:59 Although worrying about such things seems inconsequential considering the news out of Haiti. #

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Review: Up in the Air

I managed to catch Up in the Air, the new movie from Juno and Thank You For Smoking director Jason Reitman a little early. The screenplay, also by Reitman and based (loosely) on Walter Kirn's novel, deals with Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) a man who has the rather soul-crushing job of jetting around the country firing people - a troubleshooter for companies who don't want blood on their own hands.

Bingham's frequent flyer miles are put in jeopardy when a young new addition to his company, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) develops a method of video conferencing to lay people off. Bingham is forced to educate Natalie why the personal touch is irreplacable - ironically as he relishes his life of impersonality.

Reitman's yet to make a bad movie and Up in the Air is no exception. It lacks the black comedy that the similarly fast-talking central character had in Thank You For Smoking, but Clooney's character is from a similar mold as Nick Naylor or Juno - they're all characters who would be easy to dislike. But as the movie progresses, the frailty of Bingham's existance is exposed and the pathos comes into play.

It's not, however, an easy movie to watch. Clooney doesn't play his generic affable rogue character for laughs, but instead delivers a performance that's much more layered than his gurning on recent Coen brothers efforts like Burn After Reading. He's sympathetic, but broken and as the movie progresses, Clooney's performance, and the script, take on a more thought-provoking turn. He's equally matched by Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga as the other central characters and a host of supporting actors, such as Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons, Melanie Lynskey, Sam Elliott, Amy Morton, Danny McBride and Zach Galifianakis ensure that the acting is top notch throughout.

What the movie lacks, somewhat surprisingly, is the black comedy of Juno or Thank You for Smoking - this is an altogether sadder and more poetic piece than either. There's moments of comedy and some neat one-liners, but they're fewer and further apart, particularly as events unfold later in the movie - it's a more downbeat and thought-provoking story. The atmosphere reminds me more of the loneliness of Lost in Translation than the snappy dialogue of Reitman's previous movies, and that's by no way a bad thing.

Technically, writing, directing and performance-wise this may well be Reitman's best movie to date - those turned off by Juno's glib, somewhat unnaturally dialogue will find a movie that has its groundings firmly in reality, but reality isn't always a happy or perfect place.

Intelligent, thought-provoking and beautifully directed and performed, this is a movie to see, if not necessarily for entertainment purposes. It's not "fun", but it's certainly a movie that has gravitas, human emotion and is deserving of the multiple award nominations it's received. Highly recommended.

Here's an early Valentine's message for you all