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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Up In The Air

    Featured In Issue 147, March/April 2010

    Picture3.5
    Sound3
    WSR Score3.5
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Paramount Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    07894
    (MPAA Rating):
    R
    (Rating Reason):
    Language and some sexual content
    (Retail Price):
    $29.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    109
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    2009
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    03/09/10
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Jason Reitman
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS HD Lossless 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    In Up In The Air, Ryan Bingham (Clooney) is living the high life. Flying all over the world on business, he never stops moving...until he meets Alex (Farmiga), a fellow passenger, and learns that life isn't about the journey, but the connections we make along the way. Nominated for six Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Actor (Clooney), Best Supporting Actress (Farmiga and Kendrick), Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Based upon the novel by Walter Kirn. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include commentary by Writer/Director Jason Reitman, Director of Photography Eric Steelberg, and First Assistant Director Jason Blumenfeld; the featurette Shadowplay: Before The Story (HD 02:27); the music video "Help Yourself" by Sad Brad Smith (HD 01:02); storyboards; 13 deleted scenes with optional commentary by Reitman (HD 23:16); an American Airlines prank; the teaser trailer; and the theatrical trailer.

    The 1080p 1.85:1 AVC picture exhibits a natural visual character with a cinematic flare. But edge enhancement is noticeable throughout, and the overall look appears "distorted" with an edgy and rough feel. Poor contrast contributes to a certain dullness. Still, at times, the imagery is sharp and natural, which is when the picture is appealing. The color palette is inconsistent as well, with at times, natural hues, and at other times, hues that appear crushed. Fleshtones suffer from the same inconsistencies but at times are perfectly natural. Blacks are deep but generally crushed as well. Resolution can be excellent, with good depth imagery. Close-ups are impressively refined, with fine facial features and object textures defined. Slight grain is apparent, which softens the picture at times. Overall this is not a particularly stimulating picture, but it does have its moments. (Gary Reber)

    The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is conventional throughout, with production and ADR dialogue that sounds forward and unconvincing spatially. This is a predominately frontal-focused soundtrack, with ambient atmospheric sound effects positioned in the front channels, but absent in the surrounds. The well-recorded music score occupies a wide and deep soundstage and provides envelopment in the surround channels, but that's pretty much it for surround. There is not much to this soundtrack, given its limited application, even though numerous scenes lend themselves to spatial soundscapes defined with surround envelopment. Overall this is a mediocre and undistinguished soundtrack. (Gary Reber)

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