I promise to wax philosophical about weightier matters soon, but until then I must ask:
Can you guys tell me what is so great about The Social Network? I feel like I have had the following conversation about 5 or 6 times already:
Unsolicited Advice Giver: Have you seen The Social Network?
Me: Nope.
UAG: It's supposed to be really good.
Me: Yeah, I don't have any desire to see that.
UAG: Oh no?
Me: It sounds like some privileged white guys making money and then behaving badly. I mean, I can see that anywhere, right?
The other thing people say is, "Aren't you interested in Facebook?" Hey, I like a good story about a plucky Internet start-up as much as the next gal, but is there something I'm missing here? Socially awkward nerd + grand vision + started in a garage/dorm room = success and mild megalomania. I mean, I remember liking that idea when it was a TV movie about Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
I guess I'm baffled that there are so many panties in a wad over this movie. What do you think? Should I suck it up and go see it?
P.S. Don't even get me started on the Black Swan/Natalie Portman issue ...
Suckers for Zuckerberg
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6 comments:
I'm not going to be much help here, since I see maybe one movie a year and it wasn't The Social Network.
But I will say that I have pretty similar viewpoint to yours. I just don't see what could be so interesting about that premise.
I have to know: What was your one movie this year?
Haven't seen a movie yet this year. Last year... hmm. I saw that movie with Liam Neeson where he kills everyone in the world because they kidnapped his daughter. Was that this year? Actually I think I saw that movie "9" last year. I might have seen two!
I think I am the one who has to weigh in here, as I have seen the Social Network and almost all of the other nominated movies. (On a side note, I haven't actually seen that many movies this year, but the ones I went to see happened to be nominated.)
Here is the thing about the Social Network. The movie is fine, I would even say it was pretty good. The real positive about it is that it does draw you in and keeps you interested despite the fact that nothing that happens is actually all that captivating on its own. The story is actually pretty straight forward. Super confident nerd creates a modern day phenomenon, gets rich, becomes a jerk to his friends and meets Justin Timberlake, but not necessarily in that order.
I think most people get caught up in the movie because they feel like they should be. Facebook is somewhat polarizing, where everyone seems to have some opinion on it. Likewise reality television is the same way and people are treating this movie as if it were no different. People are always looking for scandal and want to know how the "other half" lives. I think the popularity of the movie is no different than that of the Real Housewives of god knows where, only it is classed up because it was written by Aaron Sorkin.
More importantly, I am now curious why Audrey has an issue with Black Swan...
First of all, kudos to Keith for making his two movies last year one of the best (9) and worst (Taken) of 2009.
Second, thanks to Joe for confirming what I had expected about the Social Network: that it's pretty good, but that people are mostly interested in it because they think they should be.
And my grudge with Ms. Portman? Well, the last movie where she really impressed me was The Professional -- when she was 12 years old. And her part in the three Star Wars prequels did nothing to endear her to me. So I just don't get it when people get really excited about her. While it's impressive that she did a lot of ballet training for her role in Black Swan, she also spent the whole movie looking like she was constipated (or maybe passing a kidney stone).
It's interesting, Joe, that you compare SN's appeal to a classed-up version of reality TV, because I think (in parts) Black Swan is a Lifetime Original Movie with really high production values. When people start raving about it, I sometimes think, "Did these people SEE the same movie that I did?"
I could go on with my overwrought analysis, but I will spare you. And maybe I wll get around to seeing The Social Network one of these days ...
Honestly, I really liked Black Swan and Natalie Portman in the role. I really cannot speak to her in anything else really, but I do remember enjoying the professional. (I really liked the main character, who always seems to play some kind of foreign mercenary)...
Nevertheless, Black Swan is another movie designed to draw you in, but for different reasons than the Social Network. You just have to suspend your disbelief as this girl devolves into her own twisted reality and not get stuck on any of the details.
Of the nominated movies I have seen, I think I liked Black Swan the best, but I would argue that all of the nominated movies I saw were flawed in some way, which I think is what causes such a healthy debate.
On a side note, in the spirit of full disclosure, I also really enjoyed Black Swan because it was another movie with Winona Ryder! I am really enjoying her comeback since I had a crush on her back in the 90's. :)
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