Up In the Air

In 2002, director Jason Reitman read Walter Kirn’s novel about a charming man who constantly traveled to fire employees of companies that were downsizing. Reitman was sure the story would make a great movie and began a screenplay adaptation. Other projects intervened, but the script for Up in the Air was finally finished and filmed in 2008. Sheldon Turner was the co-writer.

George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, who, in addition to his job handling layoffs, is a motivational speaker! In a great performance, Clooney reveals intriguing characteristics of a shallow man being transformed. At the start, we see Ryan being grateful that his life is not cluttered with people and things. His one goal is to earn 10 million frequent flyer miles. He likes the anonymity of constant travel — until he meets another frequent flyer, gorgeous Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga). Coincidently, they are staying in the same hotel. At the hotel bar, they relax over drinks and chat as corporate travelers; but their gestures and eyes become intimate. After dinner they share a room.

Returning to his company office, Ryan finds that a brilliant co-worker, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick), has talked their boss (Jason Bateman) into cutting costs by conducting lay-offs over the Internet. Ryan objects.

While Ryan and Natalie are on a business trip together, Natalie gets bad news; her fiancé has dumped her. Alex arrives on the scene and suggests they take Natalie to a high-tech dance party in the hotel to cheer her up; it works.

Ryan invites Alex to his sister’s wedding. When they arrive, they are told the groom, Jim Miller (Danny R. McBride), has confessed he doesn’t want to wed — ever! Ryan is asked to talk with Jim. I loved the sensitive way Ryan counsels Jim, suspending his own lifestyle preferences and focusing on Jim’s need to marry and become a father. Because of Ryan, the marriage takes place. When Alex leaves, Ryan has many mixed emotions. He decides to fly to her city and go to her house. What happens when he knocks on her door?

Rated R. 109 minutes.

The Music Instinct: Science and Song

I agree with the critics, musicians and scientists who laud the PBS program The Music Instinct as “a ground-breaking exploration of how music affects the brain and different parts of the body.” We see X-rays of brains, videos of dancing people around the world, unfamiliar instruments being played in exotic venues and beautiful singers performing in many languages. Their fantastic sounds transport us beyond the earth!

I especially enjoyed the costumed Asian and African musicians playing together using evocative quarter tones, with Bobby McFerrin tapping out his own syncopated rhythms. American guitarists happily join in with improvising melodies. Among the various drums are those played by Evelyn Glennie, a famous deaf woman drummer who plays music by sensing sound through her bare feet. Yo-Yo Ma, cellist, calms us with a spiritual performance of a Bach Saraband. Other features are Daniel Barenboin on Sound, and Olivier Sacks on The Musical Brain, Music and Education, and Music as Medicine. This disc is a treasure!

120 minutes. Available on DVD.