Dann opens the mail bag (e-mail inbox?) for reader reaction

'Up in the Air' flawed?Hi, Dann: I found your piece on possible parallels between "A Christmas Carol" and "Up in the Air" quite interesting. One of the major differences between the two works, for me at least, is in the tone - I think this may be the reason some viewers find the Clooney film ultimately unsatisfying. The Ryan Bingham character isn't so detestable that you don't want him to find a happy ending - or at least one with more definition. The great unanswered question of "Up in the Air" is, however, how did Ryan find out where Alex lives? . . . she certainly wouldn't have shared that information with him. - Ted BalcomDear Ted: I edited out two sentences in your e-mail so they wouldn't spoil the movie for those who have not yet seen "Up in the Air." This movie hammers home a philosophical point I drill into my two daughters' heads as often as I can: Your choices directly impact the quality of your life. That's the message of this movie. If anyone finds this story "unsatisfying," it's because he/she believes in the naive Hollywood conviction that things will always turn out wonderful - no matter what you do, or don't do.And you are right about Alex's Chicago address. We don't know how Ryan obtains it. We'll just have to chalk that up as another inexplicable motion picture mystery, along with "Who heard Citizen Kane whisper 'Rosebud' just before he died, since there was no one in the room at the time?" - Dann'Air' theme is loyaltyDann: Your comparison of "Up in the Air" and "A Christmas Carol" is interesting, but I did not see it. To start, yes, this was the best movie I saw in 2009. I loved the story. After viewing I thought long about what it was really saying. One theme screamed at me: loyalty, or the lack there of. This theme touched all the characters in a big way:Ryan: Loyalty to his airline, restaurants and hotels as long as they gave him the points to achieve his ultimate goal.Ryan: After years of indifference to his family, the family loyalty to help his sister get married by talking her fianc#233; into something he did not believe in for himself.Ryan: Loyalty to his profession and the methods he knew worked best.Alex: Disregard for loyalty to her husband to have a noncommittal relationship with Ryan.Natalie: No loyalty from her unseen boyfriend, who she followed to Nebraska for the sake of their relationship.Fired employees: Termination after years of being loyal to their employer.The main irony of the movie is that Ryan does seminars about living without attachments that tie you down and require your loyalty, but the truth is he was the most loyal person in the movie.In a time when computer-generated effects or 700 people getting killed in 100 minutes or junior high gross-out humor bring in the big box office numbers, this is the type of movie we need more of. Great script. Strong acting. J.K. Simmons proves again that he is one of the best supporting actors of the last 10 to 15 years. - Steve CalcariSteve: If I could just find a way to make J.K. Simmons the Jacob Marley of "Up in the Air," my life would be complete. - DannCute Kate connectsLook for Arlington Heights native Kate Kuen during the season premiere of USA's cable network series "White Collar" 9 p.m. Tuesday. In an episode called "Hard Sell," Kate plays a hard-boiled broad in a boiler room. The charismatic actress has already starred in two independent features from CNGM, a not-for-profit group of Fremd High School graduates from Palatine.Chi filmmaking slump!The recession has hit Chicago's feature film business, according to the Chicago Film Office. Filming plummeted 59 percent last year from 2008. Three feature films shot 39 days in 2009, compared to nine features shooting 99 days in 2008.'Shame' in AuroraFormer Streamwood resident David Blancas will be featured in the movie "Silent Shame" to be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Aurora University's Perry Theatre in the Aurora Foundation Center, 1305 Kenilworth Place, Aurora. Hey, free admission!The 21-year-old Blancas, now living in Aurora, is a 2009 AU graduate and an after-school-program coordinator for Family Focus in Aurora. The movie is about the effects of HIV on a newly married couple attempting to meet the expectations of their conservative families.Dalia Tapia, the film's director and producer, will lead a discussion after the screening. See aurora.edu or call (630) 844-5533 for details.Dann an ageist?Re: "It's Complicated"Dann: Your assessment of the movie (which I have not seen) leaves a little to be desired. First the several comments about age - the characters having "way too much fun for people of their ages." Good golly! How old are you? There are plenty of men and women beyond 50 who have healthy, active, FUN sex lives. Your surprise (of hilarious sex beyond 50 or beyond 60 or beyond 70!) was very revealing. It comes across as a little naive. While the ageism is bothersome, the thoroughness (lack of) reporting is a little more so. It was on a lark, but I have just Googled to discover the fact that Nancy Meyers was also the writer and director of "Something's Got to Give." You mention her, but I think it would have been a more complete story for you to have added the link between the two movies as the storyline for "It's Complicated" seems of the same genre as "Something's Gotta Give." - Deb GreenDear Deb: My review described the kind of movies that Nancy Meyers makes, and I refrained from pointing out she cowrote the single worst voice-over narration film in the history of romantic comedies: 1991's "Father of the Bride" remake. In a review, there's not much space for filmmakers' bios. I prefer to concentrate on the film at hand.In regards to your age question, I'm 57 come May, a mere year away from Alec Baldwin's character in "It's Complicated." My comments about us old people having too much fun bustin' springs was intended to be a joke. - DannGood news sequelsParamount Pictures this week announced sequels will be made for last summer's hit "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" and last spring's smash reboot of "Star Trek." It's all great news. Trekkies know the best "Trek" movies are the even-numbered ones, and no sequel can possibly be worse than the original "G.I. Joe."