I just saw "Up in the Air." I enjoyed the film, but I'm a bit puzzled why critics raved about this movie. I thought the movie was okay, but not anything to write home about.

I was shocked at Vera Farmiga though. What has she done to her face? Yikes.

Back from Holmes. Was entertained. Very much.

I enjoyed the film, but I'm a bit puzzled why critics raved about this movie. I thought the movie was okay, but not anything to write home about.

Well if you really hate romantic comedies where a lifetime of bad behavior is redeemed by falling for the the right person, this is sort of the perfect antidote. If the typical redemption romance were a person, this would be the film that leaves that person lying on the floor like a jigsaw puzzle with a bunch of pieces missing.

ha! I actually don't prefer romantic comedies like that, but I guess I wasn't expecting this to be a romance movie so I became puzzled midway through.

I saw it less as a romantic movie than a relationships one. I really enjoyed all the character interactions, even as they turned out to be not quite as they seemed. But I'm also disposed to identifying a bit uncomfortably with some of starting-out Ryan's perspectives, so it made me squirm a bit.

I saw it less as a romantic movie than a relationships one.

Well yes, but

it used a heck of a lot of bad romantic comedy tropes: specifically doing all the things shitty people who are really nice guys at heart do in those to show that they are really nice guys deep down inside.

And unlike the Romantic comedies it doesn't work

I guess I just didn't see it as a romcom at all.

It's a coming-of-age story. Interestingly, the guy coming-of-age starts off thinking that he has everything figured out and the thing he learns is that the life he carefully crafted for himself is not what he wants. He ends the film broken, which is very interesting for a Big movie.

What was interesting to me is that the viewer, his family, and Natalie, view him as broken from the get go. He's the only one who doesn't. And then, he comes to the realization too.

I guess that's why I squirmed, because I know I don't get the relationship thing, and am fine with that- romantic, that is. But I know that makes me the odd one out. He doesn't. And then gets slapped in the face with it when he tries.

Boy, Avatar hit every page of the "What these people need is a honky" playbook. And then flipped back to the beginning and started over.

I do not get Sam Worthington. He is only slightly more attractive and charismatic than Channing Tatum. And his American accent needs some serious work.

Sherlock Holmes was just plain fun.