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And The Oscar Goes To: Up In The Air'
I was disappointed to hear that George Clooney's upcoming film, "Up in the Air," was moved back from November 13 to December 4. The release date was changed so that it wouldn't conflict with Clooney's other film, "The Men Who Stare at Goats" - a quirky military satire that Clooney also produced (Overture Films is releasing it on November 6).But I was sad because it means that moviegoers will have to wait a little longer to see it. No question that it will be worth the wait, because it's a terrific film that, mark my words, will win the Oscar for Best Picture. A bold statement to be sure, but one that I stand by 100%. Here's why...
...The third film directed by Jason Reitman is a quantum leap of maturity over his previous efforts, 2005's well-crafted "Thank You for Smoking" and 2007's excellent "Juno." Clooney plays a jet-setting executive who travels around the country to fire people from corporations whose CEOs are too scared to do it themselves. It's a powerful, profound and very funny movie, and Clooney - a Best Supporting Actor Oscar-winner for 2005's "Syrianna" - has never been better.
Barring any unforeseen cinematic masterpieces that may be unleashed in November or December (which is when the real Oscar contenders usually come out), I think the Oscar race basically comes down to three movies: "The Hurt Locker," "Precious" and "Up in the Air."
"The Hurt Locker" is the first Iraq War movie to break through to the masses after a number of box office failures failed to connect with moviegoers - like "Stop-Loss," "The Lucky Ones," "In the Valley of Elah" and "Lions for Lambs," just to name a few. But "The Hurt Locker" isn't just a great Iraq War movie; it's a great movie period - a visceral and exceptionally well-directed movie that captures the perils of combat better than any film since 1987's "Platoon."
It's bound to get nominated for Best Picture (and Best Director for
Kathryn Bigelow), but moviegoers still have an aversion to movies about
the Iraq War. It doesn't affect most of them on a daily basis (at
least, they don't think it does), and they can easily avoid it on the
news, the Internet and their local paper.
"Precious" is a powerful movie about an obese 16-year-old girl who's pregnant with her second child. She suffers at the hands of her physically and verbally abusive mother (Mo'Nique, in an Oscar-worthy performance), and her living conditions in Harlem are beyond disturbing. But the miracle is that despite all the depressing conditions, it's an uplifting story that's filled with hope. It's also a gritty indie that may find trouble connecting with a mainstream audience.
"Up in the Air" is a great story about one man's crisis of conscience. All of the actors are at the top of their game (including "Twilight's" Anna Kendrick, who holds her own with Clooney and gives a breakout performance), and Reitman's screenplay is incredibly well-written and profound. For those reasons alone it deserves to be nominated for Best Picture.
But it will win because it deals with a very major issue that is affecting Americans where they are hurting the most right now: the economy. People have either lost their jobs, are in the process of losing their jobs, or they know someone affected by both. While job loss is not the sole focus of "Up in the Air," it is part of it, and everyone who sees it - and everyone will, since its distributor, Paramount Pictures, is going to give it all she's got - will be moved by it.
It's a movie for our times, and after being nominated for Best Picture for "Juno," Jason Reitman's time will come when "Up in the Air" wins - that's right, wins - Best Picture next March.
"Precious" is a powerful movie about an obese 16-year-old girl who's pregnant with her second child. She suffers at the hands of her physically and verbally abusive mother (Mo'Nique, in an Oscar-worthy performance), and her living conditions in Harlem are beyond disturbing. But the miracle is that despite all the depressing conditions, it's an uplifting story that's filled with hope. It's also a gritty indie that may find trouble connecting with a mainstream audience.
"Up in the Air" is a great story about one man's crisis of conscience. All of the actors are at the top of their game (including "Twilight's" Anna Kendrick, who holds her own with Clooney and gives a breakout performance), and Reitman's screenplay is incredibly well-written and profound. For those reasons alone it deserves to be nominated for Best Picture.
But it will win because it deals with a very major issue that is affecting Americans where they are hurting the most right now: the economy. People have either lost their jobs, are in the process of losing their jobs, or they know someone affected by both. While job loss is not the sole focus of "Up in the Air," it is part of it, and everyone who sees it - and everyone will, since its distributor, Paramount Pictures, is going to give it all she's got - will be moved by it.
It's a movie for our times, and after being nominated for Best Picture for "Juno," Jason Reitman's time will come when "Up in the Air" wins - that's right, wins - Best Picture next March.
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