— by VANNA LAND —
The holiday season is always filled with some of the best and most acclaimed movies fighting for places in the crowded lineup at the box office — and this year is no exception.
In fact, two George Clooney movies are right in the middle of the fray — with his Paramount dramatic comedy “Up in the Air” jockeying for a position alongside his war-themed dark comedy “The Men Who Stare At Goats” from Overture Films.
Both movies are receiving plenty of praise and are being released during the coveted time when most Oscar buzz movies hit the box office.
“The Men Who Stare At Goats” has not moved from its announced release date of Nov. 6. However, “Up in the Air” moved from an original release date of Dec. 4 to a limited release on Nov. 13 (going wider on Nov. 25 –- due to positive reviews at festivals). That date was reconsidered due to the other Clooney film being released the week prior and the fact that Clooney also voices the title character in the animated “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which opens Nov. 25. So Paramount has returned “Up in the Air” to its original release date of Dec. 4 for a limited release before going wider on Dec. 25. Got all that?
The plot for “Up in the Air” is as follows: Ryan Bingham (Clooney) is a corporate downsizing expert whose cherished life on the road is threatened just as he is on the cusp of reaching ten million frequent flyer miles and just after he’s met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.
The movie, an adaptation of the bestselling novel by Walter Kirn, is directed by Jason Reitman (of “Juno”) who also co-wrote the screenplay with Sheldon Turner.
Joining Clooney are Vera Farmiga as one of his girlfriends and Anna Kendrick as another possible love interest and a rising corporate star. Jason Bateman and Danny McBride round out the cast.
To help you get through the added waiting time (and, hey, airlines make you wait — so why wouldn’t a movie about an airline make you wait?), enjoy the recently-released second trailer for “Up in the Air.”
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Clooney has 3 movies I want to see.
I’m looking forward to this one most of all, I don’t know how I feel about Anderson’s project yet, we’ll see what some reviews have to say, and The Men Who Stare at Goats seems so brazen and ridiculous, it just might work.
Believe it or not, we get a lot of people who come to the site because of “The Men Who Stare at Goats.” It is the second most searched phrase on Google to bring people to the site. People are really interested in the movie.
My budget is going to be zapped with all of these wonderful movies. Wish they didn’t all come out right during the busy and already costly Christmas season.