David Fincher’s The Social Network is the film moviegoers have been waiting for all year. Yes, Inception was fantastic and mind-bending. Yes, Toy Story 3 was incredibly moving and wonderfully animated. Yes, The Kids are Alright was hilarious and heartfelt. However, those three films (the best so far this year) all have to take a back seat to The Social Network which is darn near perfect. The film is relevant, important, thrilling, smart, funny, and a fascinating discourse on a generation. Under the incisive and brilliant direction of Oscar nominee Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Zodiac), the movie explores the beginnings of the social networking site Facebook and its creator Mark Zuckerberg winningly played by Jesse Eisenberg (The Squid and the Whale, Zombieland). Zuckerberg is a Harvard student and computer genius with a giant ego, no social graces and big ambition who creates the website along with funding from his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield). Along the way, Zuckerberg gets hit with two law suits, falls under the business tutelage and pointed charisma of Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), and becomes a billionaire and internet rock star. It’s an incredible film with the most brilliant dialogue I’ve heard in ages written by Emmy winning scribe Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) who is a shoo-in for the Adapted Screenplay Oscar. And it’s a very “talky” film, but it doesn’t feel like it. Fincher keeps the pace fast and furious and the film draws you in tight and won’t let you go. It also keeps you thinking long after the film. The Social Network is a modern masterpiece that discusses a generation’s obsession with instant and constant communication, plus the power of the internet and themes of greed, fame, friendship and loyalty. It also features powerhouse award worthy performance from Eisenberg who does so much with the slightest glance and arrogant word and Garfield (Never Let Me Go, the new Spiderman) who is the heart of the film. In fact, the whole cast is flawless includes breakout performances from Armie Hammer as the entitled wronged Winklevoss twins, Rooney Mara (just cast as the lead in the American version of The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo) as Zuckerberg’s ex girlfriend and Justin Timberlake who is both a charmer and a douchebag in his strongest performance to date. It’s such an impressive piece of work that I think it will become a movie for the ages and should be the front-runner in the Oscar race. It’s a must see on all levels. Simply put, like the protagonist of the film Zuckerberg, The Social Network is brilliant.
Grade: A+
Look for these Oscar nominations as well.
Best Picture
Best Director: David Fincher
Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg
Best Supporting Actor: Andrew Garfield
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Score: Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails!) & Atticus Ross
And depending on how well it’s received it will be competitive with these possible nods as well.
Best Sound
Best Visual Effects (the Winklevoss twins digital super-imposing is flawless)
Best Supporting Actor: Justin Timberlake
Best Supporting Actor: Armie Hammer
For more on the film, click here. And check out the trailer for the Best movie of the year so far The Social Network.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SocialNetworkMovie?v=53OUHupfqws&feature=pyv&ad=6836107426&kw=the%20social%20network%20trailer
his hands. What he doesn’t have in his little fingers is a golden statue named Oscar. Despite three previous nominations for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator and Blood Diamond, Leo has gone home empty-handed every time. However, that all may change with his next big movie, the biopic of J Edgar Hoover, J. Edgar, directed by five time Oscar winner Clint Eastwood. The film takes on this iconic man’s story as he embodied the face of law enforcement for decades running the FBI and becoming a very powerful and controversial figure, not to mention having a very secret private life. And that private life will be explored as well including his rumored romantic relationship with coworker and confidante Clyde Tolson played by Armie Hammer (The Social Network). The film also stars some heavy hitters including Oscar winner Judi Dench and Oscar nominee Naomi Watts plus Josh Lucas, Jeffrey Donovan and Ken Howard. Watch for the film to play into the Oscar race in practically every field from costumes, to score, writing, direction and of course performances when it opens on November 9th. And now, the first trailer has hit the web. Take a look at Leo in J. Edgar below and let me know if you think the fourth time will be his Oscar charm.
