Hey folks, Harry here -- I like UP IN THE AIR. But if you went to theaters this year and came away thinking it was the single greatest work of cinema in 2009 - I'd have to call you fucking nuts. I like UP IN THE AIR, but frankly - I didn't like or want to particularly spend time with the characters. They're pretty much universally petty people that are so self-centered and uncool that I just wanted to slap them and tell them JOIN HUMANITY! Which is pretty much the point of a lot of the film, but about halfway through - I just wanted to slap them all. For me, I vastly prefer Clooney in MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS this year. But - whatever - it feels like a NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW winner. An early leader in the awards race that will eventually be over-shadowed by the greater works of 2009. At least, that's my hope. What do you think?
UP IN THE AIR NAMED 2009 BEST FILM OF THE YEAR BY THE NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW *** 2010 Gala to be held on Tuesday, January 12th with Meredith Vieira as Mistress of Ceremonies New York, NY – December 3rd, 2009 – The National Board of Review named Up In The Air the 2009 Best Film of the Year. Directed by Jason Reitman, Up In The Air is the timely odyssey of Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizer and consummate modern business traveler who, after years of staying happily airborne, suddenly finds himself ready to make a real connection. The film will be released in select theaters on December 4th by Paramount Pictures. Below is a full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review: Best Film: UP IN THE AIR Best Director: CLINT EASTWOOD, Invictus Best Actor(s): GEORGE CLOONEY, Up In The Air MORGAN FREEMAN, Invictus Best Actress: CAREY MULLIGAN, An Education Best Supporting Actor: WOODY HARRELSON, The Messenger Best Supporting Actress: ANNA KENDRICK, Up In The Air Best Foreign Language Film: A PROPHET Best Documentary: THE COVE Best Animated Feature: UP Best Ensemble Cast: IT’S COMPLICATED Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: JEREMY RENNER, The Hurt Locker Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: GABOUREY SIDIBE, Precious Spotlight Award for Best Directorial Debut: DUNCAN JONES, Moon OREN MOVERMAN, The Messenger MARC WEBB, (500) Days of Summer Best Original Screenplay: JOEL AND ETHAN COEN, A Serious Man Best Adapted Screenplay: JASON REITMAN and SHELDON TURNER, Up In The Air Special Filmmaking Achievement Award: WES ANDERSON, The Fantastic Mr. Fox William K. Everson Film History Award: JEAN PICKER FIRSTENBERG NBR Freedom of Expression: BURMA VJ: REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY INVICTUS THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSEBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS Ten Best Films (in alphabetical order) AN EDUCATION (500) DAYS OF SUMMER THE HURT LOCKER INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS INVICTUS THE MESSENGER A SERIOUS MAN STAR TREK UP WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Five Best Foreign-Language Films (in alphabetical order) THE MAID REVANCHE SONG OF SPARROWS THREE MONKEYS THE WHITE RIBBON Five Best Documentaries (in alphabetical order) BURMA VJ: REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY CRUDE FOOD, INC. GOOD HAIR THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS Top Ten Independent Films: (in alphabetical order) AMREEKA DISTRICT 9 GOODBYE SOLO HUMPDAY IN THE LOOP JULIA ME AND ORSON WELLES MOON SUGAR TWO LOVERS “The NBR is very proud to announce its honorees for 2009 – a year in which filmmakers’ voices and visions were innovative, exciting and eclectic. We are thrilled to honor Jason Reitman’s bittersweet and poignant film, Up In The Air, with wonderfully strong performances, writing and direction,” said NBR President Annie Schulhof. “The NBR is looking forward to this year’s gala at Cipriani 42nd Street with Meredith Vieira joining us as the evening’s MC.” This year the NBR screened over 300 films – 181 narratives, 79 documentaries, 46 foreign language films and 11 animated films. The NBR, founded on January 25th, 1909, was originally founded as an anti-censorship organization and continues to honor excellence and freedom of expression in filmmaking today. The 108 members include knowledgeable film enthusiasts, academics, filmmakers and students from the NY metropolitan area. Many of the student members are past recipients of the NBR student grant program which enables students and young filmmakers to finish their projects and exhibit their work. The 2010 NBR Gala will be held on January 12th at Cipriani’s 42nd St. in New York City. Meredith Vieira will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies. Once again, the accounting firm of Lutz & Carr tabulated the actual ballots. ## THE NBR For more than a century, the National Board of Review has been committed to freedom of expression in the cinema. Originally established to fight government censorship of motion pictures, the NBR has championed many films of significant social impact. The NBR continues that commitment today with its annual William K. Everson Award for film history, so named for the signature film historian and educator of modern times, a long-time NBR member, as well as its annual freedom of expression award. The NBR also celebrates the filmmakers of tomorrow with student philanthropy, which supports young filmmakers with financial aid that enables honorees to complete projects and exhibit them at various film festivals. For more information please visit http://www.nbrmp.org/ HISTORY The National Board of Review was founded in 1909 in New York City, just thirteen years after the birth of cinema, to protest New York City Mayor George McClennan's revocation of moving-picture exhibition licenses Christmas Eve 1908 on the grounds that the new medium supposedly degraded the morals of the community. To assert their constitutional freedom of expression, theater owners, led by Marcus Loew, and film distributors (Edison Biograph, Pathe, and Gaumont), joined John Collier of The People's Institute at Cooper Union to establish a National Review Committee, an anti-censorship group, that endorsed films of merit and encouraged the new "art of the people." In 1919 the organization first selected its "10 best movies of the year." The NBR later published a magazine called Films in Review, which was the first publication devoted to critical discussion of film, counting among its contributors Harold Robbins, Dore Schary, Stephen Sondheim, Alfred Hitchcock, and Tennessee Williams. During the era of the Hollywood blacklist (when others were silent), Films in Review vigorously opposed film censorship. Movies released between 1920 and 1950 carried the legend "Passed by the National Board of Review." # # #
