00s Movie Review - Michael Clayton

Director: Tony Gilroy
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 119 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack, Skipp Sudduth

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2024 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 48: A FILM FROM AN ACADEMY AWARD WINNING/ NOMINATED DIRECTOR
 
Description: A law firm brings in its "fixer" (George Clooney) to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multibillion-dollar class action suit.

Review: “Michael Clayton” is the directorial debut of Tony Gilroy. It’s a prestige film that is praised by the American critics.

In “Michael Clayton”,  immoral selfishness of big companies is being dealt with. Michael Clayton is a fixer and the right man to stop those people, who do whatever it takes to keep their power and status.

“Michael Clayton” is good especially because of the acting. Clooney is fantastic in the title role, as well as Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson and Sydney Pollack. They paid a lot of attention to the development of the characters and that is pleasant. The story is somewhat conventional, it’s nothing like we haven’t seen before. In the end, the film doesn’t leave he impression you would have hoped for. But “Michael Clayton” is definitely a good film, mostly because of George Clooney.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Burn After Reading

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 96 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich, Richard Jenkins, J.K. Simmons

Description: A disk containing mysterious information from a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous and daft gym employees (Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand) who attempt to sell it.

Review: “Burn After Reading” is a comedy from the Coen Brothers that is unpredictable, has a sharp sense of language and characters that will stay with you.
Linda Litzke is an employee of a fitness club who is desperately seeking funding for the plastic surgery she deems indispensable. Her co-worker Chad Feldheimer is all sunshine: a dorky guy who thinks he’s smart, a sports fanatic with a penchant for the word shit. Then there is the fired, alcoholic CIA agent Osbourne Cox, his ice-cold wife, and the sex-obsessed Harry Pfarrer, who sleeps with just about every female character.  
Basically, the plot is simple: Osbourne Cox loses a copy of his memoir. Linda and Chad mistake it for top secret information and try to get something for it, any way they can. But of course, all sorts of things go wrong, the entanglements become increasingly complicated and surreal, and no one, not even the CIA, has a clue what’s actually happening.
“Burn After Reading” is populated with stupid, selfish people, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any affection for them. And while doesn’t have a clear moral message, it is a film where moral issues come up. A film that seems a bit superficial, but has much more to say about it than you might think. You could even call it a satire.  
But more important than deeper layers and meanings, of course, with a comedy is always: it it funny? The answer is yes, but those expecting one thigh-slapping joke after another will be disappointed. This is partly because the film is filmed fairly straightforwardly. And it’s more the characters and their actions that are funny. A movie by the Coen Brothers that is very overlooked.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Fantastic Mr. Fox

Director: Wes Anderson
Genre: Animation/ Comedy/ Adventure
Runtime: 87 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky, Eric Chase Anderson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Jarvis Cocker, Wes Anderson, Karen Duffy, Robin Hurlstone, Hugo Guinness, Helen McCrory, Roman Coppola, Juman Malouf, Jeremy Dawson, Garth Jennings, Brian Cox, Tristan Oliver, James Hamilton, Steven M. Rales, Bob Hersov, Jennifer Furches, Allison Abbate, Molly Cooper, Adrien Brody, Mario Batali, Martin Ballard

Description: An urbane fox (George Clooney) cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation.

Review: Obstinate director Wes Anderson brings the famous children’s book “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, written by Roald Dahl, to life. The fable about a fox that is on the run from three mad farmer, has been a personal favorite of Anderson for years. It took him some time to make this film. Reason: Wes Anderson always likes to do things a bit different than others. He decided to go for stop motion animation, which means there are twelve shots for every second of the film. Again Anderson manages to be surprising.
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” is a notable movie that doesn’t have a lot in common with other animations, like modern, computer animated films. All the shots in the movie look like they come straight from a picture book, with off course the infamous color pallet Anderson uses. He gave all the animals faces full of expression and a lively structure of fur. All of the animals have their own character. Take Mr. Fox, a slick and  not so virtuous fox who said goodbye to his life as a thief. His wife is pregnant and he has to be more responsible, so he takes on a job as a columnist. Twelve fox years later, when his son Ash is all grown up, Mr. Fox wants to start stealing again.
Off course we see the structure, the dysfunctional family, Anderson loves that. He gives Roald Dahl’s story an extra, more mature layer, which makes it more fun for adults.
For originality “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is outstanding. It’s very risky to go for this animation method in the world of computer animated films. That makes this movie unique. And Wes Anderson has done a wonderful job telling this beloved story. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is probably my favorite Anderson movie.

Rating: 5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Ocean's Thirteen

Director: Steven Sodenbergh
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2007
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, matt Damon, Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Shaobo Qin, Don Cheadle, Andy Garcia, Carl Reiner

Description: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) rounds up the boys for a third heist after casino owner Willy Bank (Al Pacino) double-crosses on of the original eleven: Rueben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould).

Review: The story in a nutshell: Danny Ocean and his ream get together to assist their buddy Rueben Tishkoff, who has been double-crossed by casino boss Willi Banks. As a result, Rueben has collapsed, is in bed with heart problems and Danny is furious. Time for revenge. The plan is to bankrupt Banks’ casino before it officially opens its doors. Let the swindle and sabotage begin…
After a flying start “Ocean’s Thirteen” collapses after thirty minutes. The different storylines aren’t all that interesting, characters come and go, and certain things remain unexplained. But they are back in Las Vegas, like in the first movie. And the actual execution of the plan feels like old times. And this part was really fun, enjoyable and exciting.  
Does the third film add something to the series? Not really. The second one also didn’t, but I do prefer this over “Ocean’s Twelve”. But “Ocean’s Eleven” was the best of the three and they should have just stuck with that one.

Rating: 3/ 5

00s Movie Review - Ocean's Twelve

Director: Steven Sodenbergh
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Comedy/ Thriller
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 2004
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, Scott Caan, Casey Affleck, Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Carl Reiner, Shaobo Qin, Elliot Giuld, Vincent Cassel, Bruce Willis, Don Cheadle, Albert Finney

Description: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) once again teams up with experts so he can pull off three major European heists.

Review: Steven Sodenbergh’s “Ocean Twelve” demonstrates the difference between actors and movie stars: the film clearly lacks content, but is filled with beautiful images and gorgeous people. Loads of star power in this film, but rarely do they show their acting skills.
Where “Ocean’s Eleven” has a clear vision and plot, “Ocean’s Twelve” doesn’t really seem to care about the plot. Because it’s really of no importance at all. Danny Ocean and his companions are yet again trying to pull off three major heists. This time in three European countries: The Netherlands, Italy and France.
The other story that we follow is that of an elusive thief called Night Fox. He is in everything the cliché of the flamboyant jewel thief: a rich French baron who was trained by the best thief of all time, he steals purely for fun and leaves a small stone fox statue at the places he robs.
I really enjoyed the first film, but “Ocean’s Twelve” really dragged and was even boring at times. I did like the added humor, especially when Tess Ocean (played by Julia Roberts) had to pretend to be Julia Roberts. And with all those amazing stars in the film, it’s sad that actos like Don Cheadle and Elliot Gould don’t get the screen time they deserve. Because they are true scene stealers.
Overall, “Ocean’s Twelve” was just another cash grab.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - Ocean's Eleven

Director: Steven Sodenbergh
Genre: Crime/ Thriller/ Comedy
Runtime: 122 minutes
Year: 2001
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, Elliott Gould, Julia Roberts, Scott Caan, Casey Affleck, Don Cheadle, Carl Reiner, Shaobo Qin, Holly Marie Combs, Barry Watson, Joshua Jackson, Topher Grace, Shane West

Description: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his ten accomplices plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.

Review: Danny Ocean just got out of jail and he’s already planning his next heist: the simultaneous robbing of three major casinos in Las Vegas. To carry out this daring plan, he assembles ten experts that, after extensive preparation, seems perfectly capable of getting the job done. However, it is questionable whether it will be that easy in reality, because casino owner Terry Benedict is smart and has cameras everywhere.
“Ocean’s Eleven” is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name. although in this case the term remake is very broad. Because Steven Sodenbergh’s version has some common ground with its predecessor it is essentially a completely different film. It starred Franks Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. among many others, and had the right atmosphere. But it lacked atmosphere and action. With Sodenbergh’s take on it, that’s different.
Their mission seems impossible at first, since the safe is very hard to access without being seen. But somehow the protagonists know how to find a surprising wat to bypass all security measures. Of course things go wrong, which add to the excitement of the film. The film has a lot of tension. The slick camera work and high star quality make for a great film. But it’s not perfect. The characters are largely one-dimensional. But don’t let this stop you from watching the film.
“Ocean’s Eleven” is almost two hours of entertainment.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 145: Hail, Caesar!

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Musical
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes, Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Channing Tatum, Frances McDormand, Jonah Hill, Alison Pill, David Krumholtz, Wayne Knight, Patrick Fischler, Clancy Brown

Description: A Hollywood fixer (Josh Brolin) in the 1950s works to keep the studio's stars in line.

Review: Hollywood in the 1950s. That’s wat the Coen Brothers are focusing on in “Hail, Caesar!” It critizises, parodies and is also nostalgic about it. It was a time where actors starred in movies where they didn’t necessarily want to star in.
The film is funny and looks stylish. But the context doesn’t really support it. The central story is about fixer Eddie Mannix. He has to keep all his stars in control. Like a stubborn swim film actress who got pregnant. Or a western actor who can not act, who has to be part of a serious British drama film. But Mannix’ biggest problem is the kidnapping of big star Baird Whitlock. The popular actor is taken during the filming of Hail, Caesar!
“Hail, Caesar!” isn’t the sharp comedy it was supposed to be. The cast is probably the best part of the fim. Besides Josh Brolin as Mannix, there is no big part. All the others are supporting roles, which make the cartoonish characters work.
Not one of the Coen Brothers’ best work, I expecte a lot more.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Top 5 Thursday: Hottest Male Characters in Horror Movies

Since it is October and it’s the month of Halloween, I decided to share with you a top 5 featuring horror movies. Well, I do it my way. I focused on the hottest male movie characters in horror movies. Here they are.

5. Seth Gecko (George Clooney in “From Dusk Till Dawn”)
Seth Gecko manages to charm you and you almost forget that he is a criminal. And although I’m not much a tattoo kind of girl, his is pretty awesome. And sexy.

4. Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale in “American Psycho”)
Patrick Bateman is exactly the kind of man I would never date: a yuppie, narcissistic and vain man. But he is attractive.

3. Curt (Chris Hemsworth in “Cabin in the Woods”)
Curt is kind of a douche, the jock of the group. But come on, it’s Chris Hemsworth who plays him. I just had to put him on the list.

2. George Lutz (Ryan Reynolds in “The Amityville Horror”)
I don’t know why George Lutz is in this film shirtless so often, but I’m not complaining. George eventually turns into a psychopath, but he still got the looks.

1. Jerry (Colin Farrell in “Fight Night”)
I’ve never liked the swoony vampires, that don’t want to kill people. I liked the bad boys. Having Jerry as your neighbor is not that bad, weren’t it for the fact that he is an evil vampire. A hot evil vampire.

They Almost Made the Top 5: Jerry (Colin Farrell in “Fright Night”), Nick Jones (Chad Michael Murray in “House of Wax”)

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 4: Gravity

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 90 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris

Description: A medical engineer (Sandra Bullock) and an astronaut (George Clooney) work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.

Review: It’s simple: people who end up in a hostile environment with only their own perseverance and the will to survive. It has been done many times. Director Alfonso Cuarón takes it a step further: space. Medical engineer Ryan Stone and astronaut Matt Kowalski have to rely on themselves and each other when they are the only two survivors after their shuttle is destroyed. Without any contact with Earth, they only have each other and the chances of them being saved are minimal.

Over four years it took Cuarón to finish this project and it shows. “Gravity” looks amazing, breathtaking. Not only the visuals of our planet, but the fantastic camera work. Long shots, the opening scene alone takes about fifteen minutes. The camera floats graciously in space and shows us planet Earth and the characters. The way it was filmed, makes you feel you’re weightless. This is one of those films where 3D really adds something extra.

Cuarón pictures space realistically. It’s obvious he paid attention to every detail and what I found the most interesting is the absence of sound. The only sounds you hear are the voices of Stone and Kowalski talking over the radio or their voices muted due to their suits. The silence is scary. From the moment the two astronauts are told to abort their mission, you’re on the edge of your seat.

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are both very good. There is a huge contrast between the two. Bullock’s Ryan Stone isn’t as comfortable in space as Clooney’s Matt Kowalski. The interaction between the two is sincere. This makes “Gravity” not just a technically difficult film.

“Gravity” is a great move experience.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 70: Tomorrowland

Director: Brad Bird

Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction

Runtime: 129 minutes

Year: 2015

Starring: George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Micahel Key, Chris Bauer, Thomas Robinson, Pierce Gagnon, Matthew MacCaull, Judy Greeg, Matthew Kevin Anderson, Michaell Giacchino

Description: Bound by a shared destiny, Casey (Britt Robertson) bursting with scientific curiosity and former boy-genius inventor Frank (George Clooney) embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory.

Review: The world isn’t doing so well, according to “Tomorrowland”. War, natural disasters, neglecting our nature. Leading scientists have created an utopia: Tomorrowland. It’s a futuristic location, in a parallel universe. There they are trying to find solutions to help planet Earth.

We meet young Frank Walker. He build his own jetpack and wants to show it at an exhibition. If someone his age can make it, anything is possible, so he says. He meets Athena, a recruiter for Tomorrowland. She makes him part of the project.

Many years later, earth hasn’t changed much. People are selfish and pretend not to see all the bad things happening in the world. Except for Casey Newton. While on a mission to prevent rocket base Cape Canaveral from shutting down, she is arrested. When she is released, a mysterious pin is handed to her. This pin brings her to Tomorrowland. But why was it given to her?

There is a clear moral in “Tomorrowland”. We should take care of our planet. This is typical for Disney. That nostalgic perfection of the opening scene is also very Disney, just like the rest of the film is pure magic and fantasy. But “Tomorrowland” has much more to offer. The movie shows us that we all make our own future.

“Tomorrowland” is visually stunning. The movie all together is an exciting rollercoaster ride. It’s a great movie experience. George Clooney is really good in this film. He has humor and I enjoyed his performance. Same goes for Britt Robertson, an upcoming star in Hollywood. Raffey Cassidy was probably the biggest surprise. The young girl was the star of the film.

“Tomorrowland” is definitely a movie worth watching.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 11: The Monuments Men

Director: George Clooney

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 118 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban

Description: An unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners.

Review: The most horrible stories about World War II have been told, but the loss of artwork during this period is an underexposed theme. For George Clooney enough reason to make a movie about it. “The Monuments Men” will be his fifth directed movie. We know Clooney best as an actor and he also takes on one of the lead roles. With him, big names like Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray and John Goodman form a dream cast.

When President Roosevelt tells curator Frank Stokes that, besides many lives, lots of famous art work were lost in the war due to the Nazis. With strong arguments Stokes manages to get permission to assemble a team of art historians, museum directors and curators to find those lost treasures. The team of seven men don’t all have experience in the army.

‘True Story’ is a wide term in Hollywood. In real life hundreds of men and women were responsible for finding the cultural heritage. This isn’t the biggest problem of “The Monuments Men”. It’s a mediocre script and that gives is us a lot of dull moments and it doesn’t have a central storyline.

The soundtrack is good, but not for this movie. It’s sounds like a comedy. It does have some comedic moments here and there though. The big amount of talent is underused. George Clooney and Matt Damon are doing a routine job and Cate Blanchett can’t really shine. Hugh Bonneville can easily keep up with his colleagues and Bill Murray’s dry humor is as always a pleasure to watch.

The cynicism works, but the rest is just mediocre. I really wanted to love this movie, for its theme and the wonderful cast, despite of all the negative reviews. But a dream cast is no guarantee for success. We still have to wait for the master piece by director George Clooney.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

Quotables: "Up in the Air"

Although it’s not a very spectacular movie, I like “Up in the Air” somehow. It’s enjoyable, there is good acting and I just want to watch it whenever it’s on TV. Here are some memorable quotes from “Up in the Air”.

Ryan Bingham: How much does your life weigh? Imagine for a second that you're carrying a backpack. I want you to pack it with all the stuff that you have in your life... you start with the little things. The shelves, the drawers, the knickknacks, then you start adding larger stuff. Clothes, tabletop appliances, lamps, your TV... the backpack should be getting pretty heavy now. You go bigger. Your couch, your car, your home... I want you to stuff it all into that backpack. Now I want you to fill it with people. Start with casual acquaintances, friends of friends, folks around the office... and then you move into the people you trust with your most intimate secrets. Your brothers, your sisters, your children, your parents and finally your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend. You get them into that backpack, feel the weight of that bag. Make no mistake your relationships are the heaviest components in your life. All those negotiations and arguments and secrets, the compromises. The slower we move the faster we die. Make no mistake, moving is living. Some animals were meant to carry each other to live symbiotically over a lifetime. Star crossed lovers, monogamous swans. We are not swans. We are sharks.

Natalie Keener: I thought I'd be engaged by now. I thought by 23, I'd be married, maybe have a kid, corner office by day, entertaining at night. I was supposed to be driving a Grand Cherokee by now.

 

Ryan Bingham: You know that moment when you look into somebody's eyes and you can feel them staring into your soul and the whole world goes quiet just for a second?

Natalie Keener: Yes.

Ryan Bingham: Right. Well, I don't.

Ryan Bingham: [on getting through airport security] Never get behind old people. Their bodies are littered with hidden metal and they never seem to appreciate how little time they have left. Bingo, Asians. They pack light, travel efficiently, and they have a thing for slip on shoes. Gotta love 'em.

Natalie Keener: That's racist.

Ryan Bingham: I'm like my mother, I stereotype. It's faster.

Ryan Bingham: The stars will wheel forth from their daytime hiding places; and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over.

Ryan Bingham: You know why kids love athletes?

Bob: Because they screw lingerie models.

Ryan Bingham: No, that's why we love athletes. Kids love them because they follow their dreams.

 

Natalie Keener: Can you stop condescending for one second or is that one of the principles of your bullshit philosophy?

Flight Attendant: Would you like the cancer?

Ryan Bingham: What?

Flight Attendant: Would you like the can, sir?

Ryan Bingham: Last year I spent 322 days on the road, which means I had to spend 43 miserable days at home.

Ryan Bingham: Are you angry at your computer?

Natalie Keener: I type with purpose.

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 74: The Descendants

Director: Alexander Payne

Genre: Drama/ Komedie

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, Beau Bridges

Description: With his wife Elizabeth on life support after a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King (George Clooney) takes his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai to confront the man who was having an affair with Elizabeth before her misfortune.

Review: There are many reasons why it’s fun to be George Clooney. Women love him, men would want to trade with him, he is rich and he has the best job in the world: filmmaking. But there are also a lot of negatives to his life. Clooney is famous, that it’s sometimes impossible for him to get lost in a character. But nowadays he decides to work with directors like Joel and Ethan Coen, Anton Corbijn and Jason Reitman. In “The Descendants” it’s Alexander Payne, and his role gave him a Golden Globe and Academy Award nomination. It seems like George Clooney is more an actor then a star now.

We know Payne from tragicomedies like “About Schmidt” and “Sideways”. Like both films “The Descendants” centers a middle-aged man, who is on a crossroads in his life. They realize that they have failed and want to make it right. Matt King on the other hand, doesn’t realize he has failed. And his life is turned upside down when he finds out that his wife, who is in the hospital after a waterski accident, had an affair. Not to mention how he’s trying to be a good dad for his two daughters.

Alexander Payne finds the right balance between drama and comedy, without overdoing one of the two genres. The humor is subtle and the drama is light. George Clooney is very convincing and sometimes says it all with his facial expressions. The young Shailene Woodley is also great, with some really strong scenes. The only thing missing is and edge, what “About Schmidt” did have. It’s all a bit too neat.

Great acting, a perfect movie for award season. I liked it, it touched me.

Rating: 4,5 / 5

Quotables: "Fantastic Mr. Fox"

How this movie was made is just amazing. I just love Wes Anderson’s style! It’s based on a book by Roald Dahl and I decided to pick my favorite quotes and to share them with you.

Mole: I just want to see... a little sunshine.

Mr. Fox: But you're nocturnal, Phil. Your eyes barely open on a good day.

Mole: I'm sick of your double talk, we have rights!

Coach Skip: Basically, there's three grabbers, three taggers, five twig runners, and a player at Whackbat. Center tagger lights a pine cone and chucks it over the basket and the whack-batter tries to hit the cedar stick off the cross rock. Then the twig runners dash back and forth until the pine cone burns out and the umpire calls hotbox. Finally, you count up however many score-downs it adds up to and divide that by nine.

Mrs. Fox: Why did you lie to me?

Mr. Fox: Because I'm a wild animal.

Mr. Fox: [looking at an electric fence] Huh. This could be difficult.

Squirrel: It's fatal for humans, but we got enough fur to keep the voltage from getting to us. Let's go!

Mrs. Fox: Excuse me? Am I being flirted with by a psychotic rat?

Ash: There's a lot of attitudes going on around here... don't let me get one.

Mr. Fox: They say all foxes are slightly allergic to linoleum, but it's cool to the paw - try it. They say my tail needs to be dry cleaned twice a month, but now it's fully detachable - see? They say our tree may never grow back, but one day, something will. Yes, these crackles are made of synthetic goose and these giblets come from artificial squab and even these apples look fake - but at least they've got stars on them. I guess my point is, we'll eat tonight, and we'll eat together. And even in this not particularly flattering light, you are without a doubt the five and a half most wonderful wild animals I've ever met in my life. So let's raise our boxes - to our survival.

Franklin Bean: What are you singing, Petey?

Petey: Erm... I just kind of made it up as I went along, really.

Franklin Bean: That's just weak songwriting! You wrote a bad song, Petey!

In the Picture: The Characters from "Up in the Air"

"Up in the Air" isn't a very spectacular movie, but it's a movie I really enjoy every single time. And that's basically because of the actors and how they portray their characters. It's only three main characters, but here they are.

Ryan Bingham
Played by: George Clooney
Ryan Bingham is fully dedicated to his job. He lives it, he breaths it, he IS the job. It’s Ryan’s entire identity. He fires people for bosses who don’t have the guts to do it themselves. Ryan tries to keep personal relationships as far away from him as possible, including his own sisters who he hardly ever sees. He’s pretty happy with his life the way it goes and it gets better when he meets Alex, his female self.

Alex Goran
Played by: Vera Farmiga
Alex Goran is a fellow traveller and she is turned on by Ryan’s credentials. Alex has the same look on life, she just wants to have casual meet ups with Ryan, no strings attached. But is Alex who she really is?

Natalie Keener
Played by: Anna Kendrick
Natalie is Ryan’s new colleague and has innovative ideas for the company they both work for. In order to understand the job, Natalie tags along with Ryan. They are each others complete opposites. Natalie does believe in love, marriage and committing to someone and doesn’t seem to believe that Ryan isn’t looking for any of that. They have a rocky start, but have mutual respect for each other eventually.

Favorite Character: Natalie Keener