Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich
Movie Monday - The Social Network
Why? Why 96% approval on Rotten Tomatoes for this movie? Why a rating which puts this movie up there with Pulp Fiction (94%), The Godfather II (98%) and Citizen Kane (100%) ?
For those in the world who know nothing about TSN, it's about the rise of Facebook, focusing on its co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and the lawsuits against the company in its nascent stage (circa 2003.). Though I do think the Winklevoss twins are still suing.
The movie is based on The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal,2009, (now there's a title which says it all) by Ben Mezrich.. So, I guess Mezrich's lawyers vetted for libel and I also realize I'm watching a fictionalized real story.
It's not a bad movie in any way. It's intelligent but not engaging; thorough but not boringly so. Based on the movie, I would say that Zuckerberg has Asperger qualities: very bright but lacking effective social skills. In fact, we're first introduced to him as his girlfriend is breaking up with him. Despondent, he starts blogging while drunk and blasts her to the Internet world. And at the same time, he starts posting pictures of girls with the question: Which one is hotter? He gets so much traffic that he crashes the Harvard network......and, yes, folks, this is the seed of the idea which will grow into Facebook.
The actors are all very competent with Justin Timberlake given the juiciest role of the bad boy, Sean Parker, founder of the infamous Napster, and early advisor to Zuckerberg. (His greatest advice probably being call it Facebook, not The Facebook.)
Jesse Eisenberg nails the distant, brain-always-churning look which fits how Zuckerberg is presented. Even at the end, we never learn if he is really as devious as others believe.
What bothers me throughout the movie is that I'm never really engaged with the characters nor their situations. It's like I'm reading a well-written news article on an interesting topic. At the end of the movie, it's thanks and good-bye. Not much more.
And that's why I can't understand its almost perfect critical acclaim. Movies with such ratings should be innovative (Citizen Kane) or out-of-the-box (Pulp Fiction.) I just wouldn't put TSN, a good, solid narrative of a cultural meme, in this category.
Now, if the screenwriter and director had tied in the metaphor of Facebook: worldwide human connections which, since they are only electronic, are really not "human" nor actual connections I could understand its ratings. Facebook and its ilk may have changed our social fabric for the foreseeable future. With its invention, we may be moving closer to the stay-at-home, pajama-clad society as seen in Surrogates. Now, there's a story. But watch TSN. Then go have coffee and discuss stuff.
Note: Two things I did bring away from the movie: I'm not joining Facebook and I'm not sending my kid to an Ivy.
For those in the world who know nothing about TSN, it's about the rise of Facebook, focusing on its co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, and the lawsuits against the company in its nascent stage (circa 2003.). Though I do think the Winklevoss twins are still suing.
The movie is based on The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal,2009, (now there's a title which says it all) by Ben Mezrich.. So, I guess Mezrich's lawyers vetted for libel and I also realize I'm watching a fictionalized real story.
It's not a bad movie in any way. It's intelligent but not engaging; thorough but not boringly so. Based on the movie, I would say that Zuckerberg has Asperger qualities: very bright but lacking effective social skills. In fact, we're first introduced to him as his girlfriend is breaking up with him. Despondent, he starts blogging while drunk and blasts her to the Internet world. And at the same time, he starts posting pictures of girls with the question: Which one is hotter? He gets so much traffic that he crashes the Harvard network......and, yes, folks, this is the seed of the idea which will grow into Facebook.
The actors are all very competent with Justin Timberlake given the juiciest role of the bad boy, Sean Parker, founder of the infamous Napster, and early advisor to Zuckerberg. (His greatest advice probably being call it Facebook, not The Facebook.)
Jesse Eisenberg nails the distant, brain-always-churning look which fits how Zuckerberg is presented. Even at the end, we never learn if he is really as devious as others believe.
What bothers me throughout the movie is that I'm never really engaged with the characters nor their situations. It's like I'm reading a well-written news article on an interesting topic. At the end of the movie, it's thanks and good-bye. Not much more.
And that's why I can't understand its almost perfect critical acclaim. Movies with such ratings should be innovative (Citizen Kane) or out-of-the-box (Pulp Fiction.) I just wouldn't put TSN, a good, solid narrative of a cultural meme, in this category.
Now, if the screenwriter and director had tied in the metaphor of Facebook: worldwide human connections which, since they are only electronic, are really not "human" nor actual connections I could understand its ratings. Facebook and its ilk may have changed our social fabric for the foreseeable future. With its invention, we may be moving closer to the stay-at-home, pajama-clad society as seen in Surrogates. Now, there's a story. But watch TSN. Then go have coffee and discuss stuff.
Note: Two things I did bring away from the movie: I'm not joining Facebook and I'm not sending my kid to an Ivy.
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