George Clooney will probably be nominated for an Oscar for his role as a man addicted to travel. Clooney plays a corporate “hit-man” brought in by firms to fire their staffs. Through his job, Clooney spends 300+ days traveling. And gaining frequent flyer miles. Clooney meets up with a female frequent flyer played by the lovely Vera Farmiga (pictured above) and sparks fly. The on-screen chemistry of Clooney and Farmiga is electric! Director Jason Reitman makes one mis-step, but it doesn’t ruin the movie. Up In the Air manages to combine dark comedy and a critique of lifestyle choices in one entertaining package. GRADE: A-

Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox is based on the Roald Dahl children’s book with the same title. Basically, it’s the story of Mr. Fox and his family who are terrorized by three farmers: Boggis, Bunce, and Bean. Of course, Mr. Fox brings this retribution on himself by stealing the farmers’ chickens, geese, and cider. With the voices of George Clooney (Mr. Fox), Meryl Streep (Mrs. Fox), and plenty of other notables, Fantastic Mr. Fox provides excitement and entertainment. The stop-action techniques are clever and a welcome change of all the Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) so common in movies today. Children will enjoy this movie, but so will adults. GRADE: B+

During the Holiday Season we should remember those who are protecting us. If you read only one book on the Iraq War from 2009, The Good Soldiers should be that book. David Finkel documents the lives of the soldiers in the 2007 Surge. The day-to-day grind can suddenly turn deadly with rocket attacks, IEDs, and snipers. Finkel captures the normalcy and intimacy of a combat unit punctuated by the instant surreal incursions of warfare. After reading The Good Soldiers you’ll really appreciate the sacrifices our military make on our behalf. This is a moving, profoundly intense book. GRADE: A

Nicholson Baker’s writer’s blocked poet, Paul Chowder, pontificates on rhyme and famous poets all while he delays, delays, delays writing the Introduction to his poetry anthology. Chowder’s editor is getting frustrated with the delay. Paul Chowder’s girlfriend, Roz, leaves him after tiring of his evasions and excuses why he won’t write. Baker has plenty of fun criticizing poets and critics and the general state of poetry in the world as he tries to get his writing mojo back. As a novel, The Anthologist is a bit of a confection. It rambles along and entertains. If you’re in the mood for something light, frothy, and amusing The Anthologist is just what the doctor ordered. GRADE: B

Scroogenomics argues that unless you know EXACTLY what the person you’re giving a gift to wants, you’re wasting your time and money. When people receive gifts they don’t really want, Joel Waldfogel’s research says it hurts the U.S. economy. A lot. Waldfogel says we waste $13 billion a year in bad gifting. Waldfogel’s advice is to give cash (or gift cards) where the recipient can buy what they really want. Or, you can do what Diane and I do. When we first were married, we had Christmas gifting disasters galore. Don’t even mention my gift of a Chinese wok to my wife unless you want to experience the Wrath of Diane. Then, we came up with the idea of Diane buying the gifts she would like to receive (mostly clothes) and I bought the gifts I would want to see under the tree on Christmas Day (mostly books, CDs, and DVDs). We would wrap them, exchange them with each other, and pretend to be surprised on Christmas when we would open them in front of the kids (but they caught on pretty fast). GRADE: B+

There’s nothing scholarly about P. D. James’ Talking About Detective Fiction. P. D. James simply talks about detective fiction, mostly the British variety, in this slim volume. James likes G. K. Chesterton, especially the Father Brown series. She hasn’t much positive to say about Agatha Christie. James dismisses Christie as a puzzle maker. In the brief chapter on American crime writers, Hammett and Chandler are mentioned. James really likes Sara Paretsky. And Ross Macdonald. If you’re looking for a working writer’s take on her genre, TALKING ABOUT DETECTIVE FICTION should fill your need. No index. GRADE: B

Surprising as this sounds, I actually thought Did You Hear About the Morgans? was mildly entertaining. Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker play an estranged couple who witness a murder. They are whisked off to a Witness Protection Program site in Ray, Wyoming. Their guardians are Sam Elliot and Mary Steenburgen. The rural beauty works its magic. The sparks begin to fly. Yes, this a routine romantic comedy. Nothing special. But Parker plays the hyper New Yorker perfectly. Hugh Grant…plays Hugh Grant perfectly. GRADE: C+

WOW! That’s my initial reaction to James Cameron’s AVATAR. I can’t wait to see it again! The eye-popping graphics, the intelligent use of 3D, and the breakthroughs in world-building will make AVATAR one of those touchstone movies like Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Yes, the plot is a little clunky. It’s the greedy Civilization vs. the spiritual Primitives model. But Cameron keeps the amazement level so high, you’ll be lost in the brilliant color, action, and excitement. Once again, James Cameron proves he is “King of the World.” In this case, the world is called Pandora. Rick Robinson suggested I focus on the James Horner soundtrack and I did. The music is evocative and compelling. What are you waiting for? Go see AVATAR! GRADE: A+

Frequent readers of this blog and/or my fanzine, MAZES, will be amazed to learn I was pretty much a non-reader in Third Grade. Somehow Dick and Jane, Spot and Fluff, did nothing to excite my imagination. My Mom, in desperation, bought me a copy of Tom Swift and the Caves of Nuclear Fire for a Christmas present. When I unwrapped the book, I immediately started reading it. I didn’t put it down until I had finished reading the book. I noticed several other Tom Swift titles listed on the dust jacket and said, “I want these other books, too.” So the very next day, my Mom took me to a bookstore and she bought every Tom Swift book they had, all in all about eight more titles. My Mom’s worries about her non-reading son disappeared forever. After I had read all the Tom Swift books, the Hardy Boys were next, and even some Nancy Drews. And then there was no stopping me. But it all started with Tom Swift and the Caves of Nuclear Fire. I’m eternally grateful that my Mom was concerned enough to take an action that changed my life so profoundly at such a young age.