UP IN THE AIR’s JASON REITMAN ON OUR LAYOFF ECONOMY

Although as I write this its Tomatometer is at 89%, Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air is something of a Rorschach test for critics, with some finding the film to be both canny and empathetic, a Hollywood picture calibrated for the emotional temperature of a country with a 10% unemployment rate. Others see its Hollywood sheen and evocation of the family as obviating the economic reality it is set against. (J. Hoberman of the Village Voice writes: “… a satire unsullied by anger, Up in the Air floats above the pain.”

I am solidly in the “pro” camp, feeling that Reitman has worked within the Hollywood style to create a nuanced, often quite melancholy, and far from facile portrait of numbed America. Here is an excerpt of my interview with…

The Engadget Show – 001: Jon Rubinstein, Bit Shifter, iPod event, Moto CLIQ, N900

Well it’s finally, really happened. The very first Engadget Show is done and ready for your viewing pleasure. First up, Josh sits down with Palm CEO Jon Rubinstein for an in-depth discussion, then Nilay and Paul join the fray for a dissection of recent news — including the recent Apple iPod event, the Motorola CLIQ, and a hands-on look at an early version of the as-yet-unreleased Nokia N900!

We’re still getting our T’s crossed and I’s dotted for the Zune and iTunes subscriptions, but you can download the full HD video below — or just sit back and watch the streaming file up above.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, Nilay Patel
Special guest: Jon Rubinstein
Produced and directed by: Chad Mumm
Music by: Bit Shifter
Visuals by: Paris and outpt

Download the Show: The Engadget Show – 001 (HD) / The Engadget Show – 001 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show – 001 (Extra small – 319MB)

Update: Just a quick note — we know we’re having some bandwidth issues, both with the downloads below and Viddler. This is totally new ground for Engadget and the response has been a little overwhelming, so bear with us as we iron out these kinks. We’re working hard to make sure everyone can check out the video!

Continue reading The Engadget Show – 001: Jon Rubinstein, Bit Shifter, iPod event, Moto CLIQ, N900

The Engadget Show – 001: Jon Rubinstein, Bit Shifter, iPod event, Moto CLIQ, N900 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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‘Asteroids’ heading towards the big screen?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal has won an all-out “bidding war” over the film rights to Atari’s classic Asteroids video game. We’re not entirely sure who all was involved in this “war,” but the conflict couldn’t possibly be prompted over the universal themes tackled by the story of the plucky little triangular spaceship and the asteroid field it inhabits. As the Reporter, um, reports: “As opposed to today’s games, there is no story line or fancy world-building mythology.” Michael Bay is rumored to be very interested in directing.

[Via George Ruiz]

Filed under: Gaming

‘Asteroids’ heading towards the big screen? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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