It's hard to come down, when you're up in the air...

Give George Clooney a black suit and a businessman role, and what do you have? Obviously an Oscar nomination. No big bang or surprise there. Clooney (Ryan Bingham) killed it in Up in the Air in just that outfit and just that role. He's up for Actor in a Leading Role because of it.

What those who have not seen the film may not realize is that Clooney's female co-stars shined as well. Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, Juno) seamlessly wove Vera Farmiga (Alex Goran) and Anna Kendrick (Natalie Keener) into the narrative, granting them their own time to shine when appropriate, and having Clooney take a step backstage.

Enough cannot be said for the cinematography. From the opening aerial shots, which continue throughout the film, to the clicking and flipping of Clooney's suitcase—I watched in awe.

Many say they saw the ending coming from a mile on this one, and I can't disagree with them. But that said, an obvious ending hasn't ruined a good a story for me since Mother Goose.

A trailer for you:

In other Up in the Air news, the soundtrack is beyond worthy of downloading from iTunes. With tracks from Crosby, Stills & Nash, Elliott Smith, and even Young M.C. ("Bust a Move"), there's a little something for every taste bud.

I'll also plug the Crazy Heart soundtrack to prep you for tomorrow's post. It's a bit steep on the iTunes cost chart at $14.99, but especially if you're a country fan (which I'm not), it's a solid $15 to spend. Jeff Bridges outdoes himself time and time again.

Like Mr. Bingham asks—and it is a question worth asking—how much does your life weigh?