The Social Network (DVD/Blu-Ray) -- Dir. David Fincher. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake.
Mostly-true dramatization of the story behind that Bookface computer thing the neighbor kids are always nattering about.
The Social Network focuses solely on the interpersonal drama surrounding Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and not on the questionable conduct of Facebook itself. Even this limited scope offers plenty of material for the filmmakers; Zuckerberg (allegedly) stole the idea for his website from the Winklevoss twins (a pair of burly Harvard undergrads straight out of the Harry Potter universe) and cheated his best friend and co-founder, Eduardo Saverin. The movie is framed around the resulting legal action.
Jesse Eisenberg leads the cast, portraying Zuckerberg as an obnoxious, somewhat pathetic, possibly autistic, but ultimately sympathetic genius. Performances are universally good--even Justin Timberlake (as Napster founder Sean Parker) leaves no room for me to make fun of him.
The story of Facebook's rise is reasonably sordid, but it would never have held up as a movie without the immense creative talent behind The Social Network. Dialogue by Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, The West Wing) is as sharp and clever as in any movie I've seen, and Fincher fills every scene with small character moments that bring the words to life. Characters who appear for only a single scene in The Social Network are better developed than the lead roles in half the films I watched this year. And as usual, Fincher and cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth find ways to turn shots and sets that ought to be dull into works of art.
In fact, if I were really reaching for criticisms, I might say that The Social Network is a bit of a show-off. When every character has the sarcastic wit of Oscar Wilde, it's hard to forget we're watching the carefully-polished product of a skilled writer. And the creative cinematography borders on gimmicky sometimes, but no one can say the film isn't visually interesting.
That's The Social Network, in short: not a revolution in cinema, but masterfully made and highly relevant. We can only hope that Facebook's inevitable collapse is as entertaining.
Rated PG-13 for billionaire jackassery4.5 out of 5
Alpha and Omega (DVD/Blu-Ray) -- Dir. Anthony Bell, Ben Gluck. Starring Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Danny Glover.
Low-rent version of The Lion King starring wolves instead of... whatever those things in The Lion King were. I don't remember. Kangaroos?
Alpha and Omega is about two young wolves, a high-ranked female and a low-ranked male, returning to their pack in Jasper National Park. Along the way they make friends with talking birds and small furry animals instead of eating them. That's kids' movies for you.
With cheesy editing, subpar music, generic character design, and animation at least 10 years behind the curve, one has to wonder if Alpha and Omega should be judged as an exceptional amateur effort rather than a weak professional one. No such luck--the film is a product of Lionsgate and the California-based Crest Animation Productions. They may not be the wealthiest players in the business, but they're certainly part of the big leagues.
While its aspirations and production values are low, the film at least has a respectable B-list cast (including Dennis Hopper in his last performance) and a competent, if uninspired, script.
Its depiction of gender stereotypes might upset some, but there are more important things to worry about. The movie is harmless.
No one should pay money for Alpha and Omega, but it will make a very nice prize in a cereal box a few years from now.
Rated PG for the beginning and the end, the first and the last2.5 out of 5
