Up In The Air

Up in the Air (2009)
I loved this movie. It was even better the second time around when I did screenshots. Definitely a movie I'll watch again, so I'm glad I bought the DVD.

(Loosely? based on the book of same name, by Walter Kirn. Don't know how much different, but googling tells me he didn't have a traveling companion in the book.



Reminded me of In Good Company in some ways. Similar environment.

And (500) Days of Summer too. Maybe it was similar humor.

My first impression of the movie was not good because I didn't like the opening sequences and fast forwarded thru them. It was long. It was boring. Let's get to the movie already. But that was really about the only thing I didn't like and looking back, the opening fits.

Rated R for a brief bare butt scene and the F word.

Stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham,
Anna Kendrick (Twilight) as Natalie Keener.
I don't remember Anna in Twilight, but she is good in this movie. Plays the smart slick young woman on the fast track to success who hasn't been knocked around by life--yet.



I really didn't want anybody to change in this movie, which is unusual for me. I didn't want Ryan to have this big epiphany transformation and go for the relationship. I wanted him to stay the way he was.



I loved his efficiency at the airports.



I loved the cardboard picture he hauled around which didn't fit in his efficient travel bag.





I loved Ryan's sisters:
Amy Morton as Kara Bingham
Melanie Lynskey as Julie Bingham
I loved his brother-in-law to be.
Julie and Jim are getting married and my favorite scene is when Jim gets cold feet and Ryan talks to him. Jim is sitting on a tiny chair in the nursery reading the Velveteen Rabbit. He goes thru this long schpeel of what's the point.



Spoiler:
Alex? Here's the big hint about her.



She calls Ryan a "parenthesis." Ouch. But really, she was the parenthesis.

And the big mystery was who played Natalie's boyfriend, Brian? His name was not in the movie credits nor any place online that I can find.

MUSIC

OST CD

There is a long song list at the very end movie credits. Here are the ones that got my attention and I looked them up.

YouTube Video
Goin Home, by Dan Auerbach
At marker 43:47 panning the room where the office is emptying.



Song playing during the wedding scenes, about 01:25:25 marker:
YouTube Video

Help Yourself, by Sad Brad Smith

"I know you'll help us when you're feeling better and we realize that it might not be for a long, long time
But we're willing to wait on you
We believe in everything that you can do if you could only lay down your mind
I want you to try to help yourself

Take the time to take apart, each brick that sits outside your heart
And look around you
There's people everywhere
And though they don't always show it they're just as scared
And we'd be more prepared if you just pulled on through
I want you to try to help yourself..."

Then a few songs at the end when the credits are rolling.
Be Yourself, by Graham Nash
YouTube
AND
Up In The Air, by Kevin Renick, YouTube

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OST Track List (Amazon):
1. This Land Is Your Land - Guthrie, Woody
2. Security Ballet - Kent, Rolfe
3. Goin' Home - Auerbach, Dan
4. Taken At All - Crosby, David
5. Angel In The Snow - Smith, Elliott
6. Help Yourself - Smith, Bradley Gran
7. Genova - Galvagna, Sacha
8. Lost In Detroit - Kent, Rolfe
9. Thank You Lord - Buchanan, Roy
10. Be Yourself [Demo Version] - Nash, Graham
11. The Snow Before Us - Jared Matt Greenber
12. Up In The Air - Renick, Kevin

-------------
Song Credits at end of movie ("Written by" not included--too long.):
This Land is Your Land, Performed by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Lonely in Love, Performed by Jeff Babko
Mood Indigo, Performed by Thelonious Monk
Goin' Home, Written & performed by Dan Auerbach
O.P.P, Performed by Naughty By Nature
Good Times, Performed by Chic
Bust a Move, Performed by Young MC
Sign You Name, Written & performed by Sananda Maitreya
By You Side, Performed by Blue Mountain
Time After Time, Performed by Anna Kendrick
Genova, Performed by Charles Atlas
Hurtin You, Written and performed by Ben Kweller
Angel In The Snow, Written & performed by Elliott Smith
Taken At All, Performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Help Yourself, Performed by Sad Brad Smith
The Snow Before Us, Performed by Charles Atlas
Thank You Lord, Written & performed by Roy Buchanan
Tickets To Life Theme, Written by David Winer
Up In The Air, Written and performed by Kevin Renick
Be Yourself, Performed by Graham Nash