Favorite Films of All Time, No. 10

 


In 2022 I'm revisiting my favorite films of all time, doing a countdown of the Top 50 throughout the year. Check back each Friday for the latest installment in the countdown of films, which include releases through 2019. Agree? Disagree? Have a thought on the choice? Be sure to share in the comments below!

Ryan Bingham: [trying to convince Jim to marry Julie after he got cold feet as Kara watches through the window of the closed door] If you think about it, your favorite memories, the most important moments in your life... were you alone?
Jim Miller: No, I guess not.
Ryan Bingham: Hey, come to think of it, last night, the night before your wedding, when all this shit is swirling around in your head, weren't you guys sleeping in separate bedrooms?
Jim Miller: Yeah, Julie went back to the apartment, and I was just by myself in the honeymoon suite.
Ryan Bingham: Kind of lonely, huh?
Jim Miller: Yes, it was pretty lonely.
Ryan Bingham: Life's better with company.
Jim Miller: Yeah.
Ryan Bingham: Everybody needs a Co-Pilot.
Jim Miller: That was a nice touch.

Up In The Air (2009)
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick
Director: Jason Reitman
About: The early 2000s were a great time for Reitman. He had one film already on this list, and also made Juno in that period. But my favorite of his films, by far, is Up In The Air. This classic stars Clooney as a corporate executive whose job is to help fire people. He lives a solitary life on the move, and that's what he craves. He lives a life free of connection. When he's paired with a younger executive (Kendrick) who challenges that, at the same time he connects with another traveler (Farmiga) with whom he connects, Ryan begins to re-evaluate his life choice. I love the humor and the performances here. It's possibly Clooney's best film. But what really sticks with me is the emotion here. We go on a journey with Ryan, and it's beautiful. I thought it should have been Best Picture the year it was released and it's a film that's stuck with me for a long time. I never cease to be moved by its ideas and performances when I watch it, and I've probably seen it 20 times since it was released. It's a near perfect film which has steadily worked its way up my rankings up to the Top 10.

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