5 FOR / 5 AGAINST: UP IN THE AIR

I'm not sure why I wound up seeing "Up in the Air," I'm more of a fan of George's classic good looks then I am of his movies or acting, but I enjoyed it. The theater was fairly crowded and we laughed throughout the movie.

Ryan Bingham's (George) job is to fly all over the country firing people. Unlike most people, Ryan loves traveling and has elevated it to an art form. In addition, traveling helps to keep his relationships simple and uncomplicated. That's about to change.

First, Ryan meets Alex (Vera Farmiga) a fellow traveler and George with a vagina. Next he meets Natalie (Anna Kendrick) a young go getter who threatens his way of traveling life. "Up in the Air" is an exploration of a man and his interpersonal relations mixed with too many scenes of people reacting to losing their jobs and their way of life.

5 FOR:

1. George is his usual charming, handsome and humorous self. This role is perfect for him and he shines in it.
2. Alex in a neck tie -- gave me a woody. Vera is so sexy and hot and more than holds her own with George in charm, good looks and humor.
3. Natalie is a scene stealer and challenges, "He's too old for me," Ryan. I especially enjoyed their almost father/daughter relationship and the banter there-in.
4. One of the aspects I enjoyed most about this movie was its exploration of life and relationships and how they change and adapt as you grow older. Natalie's debate with Ryan and Alex is both interesting and potentially depressing but ultimately dead on and a revelation for Natalie.
5. Funny, funny, funny except when people are crying over their "new opportunities." 

5 AGAINST:

1. George is starting to show his age - especially around his neck. His skin has an almost gray hue and he didn't give me a woody lying naked (from the nipples up) on the floor. His hair and smile are awesome.
2. Vera in that neck tie gave me a woody and even left me wanting more! PING! That was the sound of my Kinsey Scale rating sliding in the wrong direction. I better listen to some Cher.
3. This would have been a better movie for me if it had just focused on Ryan's traveling, relationships and changes to his job and not so much about what his job is. It would have been just as easy to move the story along and the movie could have had more impact. 
4. Huge, ridiculous, obvious, saw it coming from a mile away cliche Hollywood moment that no one in their right mind would ever decide to do. 
5.  Right on the heals of a huge, ridiculous, obvious, saw it coming from a mile away cliche Hollywood moment that no one in their right mind would ever decide to do is a second Hollywood moment that a blind man, blindfolded and under a leather hood, in a windowless, doorless, lightless brick room, at the bottom of a collapsed mine shaft could see coming. I felt these "plot twists" were lazy and left me with a bad taste in my mouth for this movie. I don't understand all the positive press and reviews.