December movie reviews

UP IN THE AIR. George Clooney is Ryan Bingham, who is on the road 300+ days a year in his job as a hired gun firing employees for companies who don't can't bring themselves to fire their employees. He seems to take pride in his job, and he is good at it. He also really loves accumulating the frequent flier miles, with a goal of getting to some super elite status. He is OK leading a life with no human connections (he also teaches seminars telling people it is good to have no personal baggage). When his company threatens to ground him, he takes a new employee on the road to show her the ropes. The young woman is understandably appalled by his lifestyle and attitudes. A second story line involves Ryan meeting a woman (Vera Farmiga) that sparks something in him. (She is a commitment-phobe as well). He is surprised that she is someone he actually wants to spend time with. The movie doesn't go to expected places, and while very funny at times, is also quite touching. And Clooney is perfect for the role. A definite two-thumbs up.

INVICTUS. After Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was released from prison in the early 1990’s and became president in South Africa, he was faced with the daunting task of trying to bring his country together. One of the methods he used to unite people was to encourage the South Africa rugby team (captained by Matt Damon) to be competitive in time for the 1994 World Cup, which was going to be held in South Africa. The team had been hated by the country's black population- rugby was overwhelmingly a white man's sport, and the team was a symbol of black oppression. But Mandela sees the power of sports on the national psyche. Although the movie ends with a climatic rugby match, this isn't a typical inspirational sports movie. It is more an intellectual look at politics, how leadership works, and about the political savvy of Mandela. He is a brilliant man. This is a good (not great) movie.

THE BLIND SIDE. LeeAnn Twohy (Sandra Bullock) is a well-to-do designer in Memphis Tennessee - a steel magnolia Southern woman. While driving home one evening, she discovers a teenage boy walking out in the freezing cold. Realizing he has nowhere to go, she lets him stay the night in her house. She discovers he has no home (no dad, taken from mom because she was addicted to crack, kicked out of a friend's house), and eventually the teenager becomes part of her family. Not just that, LeeAnn makes sure he does well in school so he can play football. This is based on the true story of Michael Oher, who is now a professional football player. I was surprised by how much I liked this movie. It is inspirational without being treacly or preachy.

A SINGLE MAN. George (Colin Firth) is an English professor in 1962 Los Angeles. Eight months earlier, he lost his long-time lover in a car accident. And he is not getting over his grief. And, because he is gay, he really can't share how devastated he is with anyone (except one old friend played by Julianne Moore). His pain is palpable, and he doesn't see a future. He is just going through the motions. He has a gun... Now, I will agree with all the critics that are raving about Colin Firth's performance, because he really does an amazing job, both in the grieving and in the flashbacks to his life with his lover. But as far as the movie goes, despite the outstanding acting, the recreation of the 1960s, and the style of the film, I thought it was too low-key. Watching a man being depressed (practically catatonic) for the first half of the movie nearly put me in a coma.

PRINCESS AND THE FROG. This is a delightful movie by Disney, with the look of their classic animated films. The pictures of jazz-era New Orleans are beautifully drawn. This is an updated Disney, though, because the lead character, Tiana, doesn't want to marry a prince. She is working hard make her dream of having a restaurant come true. When a ne'er do well prince arrives in town, the prince gets involved with a practitioner of voodoo, and before you know it, the prince is a frog. He will involve Tiana in his predicament and they will end up in the swamp befriended by a firefly and an alligator. And so it goes in the Disney way. Catchy tunes with a New Orleans feel by Randy Newman. I thought this was a very sweet movie. At one point I even had a tear in my eye. Awwww.

ME AND ORSON WELLES. Zac Efron is Richard, a wanna-be actor in 1937 New York. One day he is outside the Mercury Theater, and Orson Welles hires him for a bit part in his play "Caesar", opening in a week. The movie follows the young kid's introduction into how much it takes to put on a theatrical show. Plus he has his first romance. And he learns the pros and cons of dealing with a genius like Welles. The movie's real highlight is Orson Welles, who was such a fascinating man. Although I somewhat liked the movie, I think it would probably be more for viewers who know a little background about Welles and the Mercury Theater, because there are some historical references that might be lost otherwise. (Although I am not sure they are important.) I enjoyed the movie, but other than a great performance by the guy playing Welles (you can really believe it is Welles), I am only mildly enthusiastic about it.

EVERYBODY'S FINE. Robert DeNiro is a recently widowed, retired factory worker. When all of his kids (including Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, and Kate Beckinsale) bail on a family get-together, he goes on the road to visit each of the four in their various home cities. Of course, he finds during the visits that all of the kids have issues/problems he didn't know about. Part of the communication problem lay in the fact that dad expected a lot of his kids, so they are afraid to disappoint him. There are no big reveals, nothing over the top. Nothing unpredictable either. Although not exactly a ground-breaking family drama, it was a decent enough movie. It least it isn't overly sentimental or tear-jerking. But not really worth the price of a ticket.