Nine plus one out of 10

There is a scene at the beginning of Nine where Lilli (Judi Dench), a clothing designer (and confidante) for the famous film director Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) describes directing: "Directing a movie is a very overrated job, we all know it. You just have to say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ What else do you do? Nothing. ‘Maestro should this be red?’ Yes. ‘Green?’ No. ‘More extras?’ Yes. More lipstick? No. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. No. That's directing.” One could say the same about critics – we say yes and we say no, and very often quite sternly.

Roger Ebert, a critic I often critique, gives Nine a very stern no. He begins his own critique stating: My problem may be that I know Fellini's "8½" (1963) too well. Indeed, this seems to be the case: Ebert, for the rest of his review, ignores the may in his beginning sentence, and goes on a rant of Nine’s ignorance of Fellini’s film. No, I haven’t seen it. And I have not seen the Broadway play either. I have a feeling that you haven’t seen either of them as well. So let’s throw out Roger Ebert because he’s a dinosaur.

A.O. Scott, the douchebag over at the New York Times, also seems confident in his no – and loudly. He screams: Ms. Ferguson stomp and gyrate through a number called “Be Italian,” which, like so much else in “Nine,” resembles a spread in a Victoria’s Secret catalog, only less tasteful. Ms. Hudson, for her part, struts through an embarrassing hymn to “Cinema Italiano” — with inane lyrics about “hip coffee bars” and Guido’s “neo-realism” — that recalls not Visconti or Antonioni (or even the Italian sex farces of the 1970s) but rather those lubricious Berlusconi-esque variety shows that baffle and titillate visitors from other countries who turn on their hotel-room television sets. Fergie’s “Be Italian,” is mean to be “less tasteful” – did you forget, Mr. Scott, that she’s playing a whore? “Cinema Italiano,” my favorite of the musical numbers, is not meant to recall Visconti or Antonioni.. Kate Hudson – who very much resembles her mother in one scene – is an American! You seem to have ignored her part as the American journalist, singing of what Americans want: hip coffee bars and neo-realism. Perhaps it is a reference to the naivity of American, but either way, you have overlooked the entire intent of this number.

The 37% rating over at Rotten Tomatoes is awfully misleading. Can a critic advise you not to trust critics? I enjoyed every second and every musical number of Nine. Daniel Day-Lewis gives yet another incredible performance as the exhausted – in mind and body – Italian film director. You can see it in his eyes and the slump of his body as he walks back toward his dinner (the one where he discusses the script he hasn’t written). Marion Cotillard, who stole my heart with her performance in La Vie En Rose, proves that she can do more than just lip-sync. Her every word poors out with such vigor, confidence, but a hint of her character’s suffering peeks through. The rest of the supporting cast is just as electrifying and beautiful – how can one NOT be in awe of a few of the greatest women in cinema on one stage?! And they’re singing and dancing! I bow down to the leading man of this film, but bow furhter to his female co-stars.

“So, please Guido, yes or no?” Yes, Lilli. Yes!

"Up in the Air" has everything but turbulence

What first attracted me to Up in the Air (nominated for six Globes, which it rightfully deserves) was not the trailer; it was the people who were in and behind the film. It stars one of my favorite actors, George Clooney, and an actress that I have admired throughout many, many films: Vera Farmiga. And, behind the scenes, it is produced and directed by Jason Reitman (who directed another favorite of mine: Juno). The trailer depicted a somewhat cheesy storyline, but when I saw the film I was met with perfection from every aspect.

Up in the Air follows Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) who brings a newly employed woman - Natalie (Anne Kendrick, another chick from Twilight) - to repel her use of Skype-technology for business. You see, their employment is to make unemployment; when an employer's boss is too much of a coward to do it him-/herself, they call up Bingham, who flies out anywhere (and, it seems, everywhere) to do the dirty work.

The most flattering aspect of this film is its actors: Clooney, Farmiga, and Kendrick put the pieces together. As Todd McCarthy states, "The timing in the Clooney-Farmiga scenes is like splendid tennis, with each player surprising the other with shots but keeping the rally going to breathtaking duration." McCarthy here, however, ignores Kendrick's power. There is a scene where all three actors come together: Clooney and Farmiga sit in chairs side-by-side facing Kendrick; a mother and father handing advice to their daughter. The dialogue is quick and smooth and the actors handle their own characters - and their co-stars - with such balance. It is incredible to see such a triangle of talent together; each actor's talents are just as strong - if not stronger - when linked.

"Up in the Air is light and dark, hilarious and tragic, romantic and real.The modernity of Up in the Air is what makes this film so relatable," says Entertainment Weekly. It tackles issues of unemployment (ring a bell?), technology and its advances (tweet tweet), and love (or lack-there-of). I read somewhere - forgive me, I do not have a link - that the interviews with the unemployed were not by actors, but by the recently unemployed Americans themselves. The film highlights the economic recession with a touch of sensitivity. Bingham's journey to realization of both love and technological advancement is also an interesting critique. Clooney despises the use of Skype-like technology to boot him out of his own career (newspaper editors are cringing), and there are sly comments from each character that never let you forget the importance of new technology. As Alex (Farmiga) tells Bingham: "I googled you. That's what us modern girls do when we have a crush."

Reitman's direction - which began receiving recognition when he was only 23 (23!) with his short film In God We Trust - flies us through without a bit of turbulence (sorry, I couldn't resist). Reitman is brilliant with his work in every aspect of direction. In one scene, a couple flies into each others' arms as Clooney speedily walks past toward another flight. Reitman commands an incredible performance from every actor (as we have seen in both Thank You for Smoking and Juno) in every scene. Nothing is ever lost.

There is a shot in the film where the camera slowly follows the nude backside of Vera Farmiga as she travels to the hotel bed with a backless apron. I have not been able to get this shot out of my head (and trust me, it's nothing sexual). There is such beauty in the camera, the movement, the woman, and the emotion of the scene that sums up the film itself: moving, beautiful, and has you asking for more.

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