Week in Review

Catching up on what I've seen since my last post.  

The Social Network (2010)

(In the interest of full disclosure, I am a member of facebook.) 

Tuesday night I went to the Cinema Saver to see The Social Network.  I used to go there almost every Sunday night when I stopped attending the Harpur Film Society showings.  Not much has changed. I was the only one watching my movie, which started a few minutes late because the single employee had to manage all the duties of the theater.  

I think I'm going to attempt to see a movie there at least every other week or so.  It's only $2 and there is usually very little chance of running into annoying moviegoers (or, really, any moviegoers) who talk or make noise through the movie, which is good because that shit makes me slowly boil behind the eyelids and I'm worried that I'll either end up stroking out or getting into a fight.  Neither of those things would have a good outcome as I have very bad student insurance and no upper body strength of which to speak.

Anyway, I thought that The Social Network was a pretty slick film.  But I didn't really like it.  I am (usually) a big fan of Aaron Sorkin.  I like his fast and witty dialogue and his smart characters.  In this movie, however, something just didn't come together for me.  While I enjoyed the acting of Eisenberg,  it also bothered me a bit.  I've seen Mark Zuckerberg give interviews and he is more the socially awkward nerd than the lovable nerd without a censor.  

As a general rule I dislike stories that are told in any sort of flashback or dream sequence.  This goes for books, movies, TV shows, oral narratives, songs, etc, etc.  It's just incredibly hard to do something like that well.  So, the way this movie goes from "present" meetings with lawyers to the "past" history feels a bit tired and cheap in a lot of places.  Of course, the witty banter between Zuckerberg and the lawyers probably would not have worked as well had the story been told differently.  

John, I remember you telling me that this was something you didn't like about the movie either.  

Want to know what I think one of the best things to come from The Social Network is?  Generation Why by Zadie Smith from the New York Review of Books.  Not only is it an excellent review of the movie, but it's also a very good analysis of facebook.  

Jules et Jim (1962)

As part of my continuing effort to see more classics, I watched Jules et Jim on Wednesday and absolutely loved it.  The way the story is told it feels as if the movie is built upon several little moments passing by.  It does this while remaining optimistic even in the face of war and the trials of both love and friendship.  The movie is close to fifty years old but the themes are just as relevant today.  

This is one of my favorite scenes.  The song is really beautiful.  

Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

Like Jules et Jim this movie was also available on Netflix Instant.  I've watched this on TV a few times over the years, but reading John write about it last week I thought I'd better give it a proper viewing.  And what can I say?  It's a great movie.  I definitely understand why Truffaut is essential viewing.  I'll be watching his other films that are available on Netflix Instant this week.  

Also, Julie Christie as both Clarisse and Linda Montag is brilliant.  

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Since I was on a bit of a Malick kick last weekend after seeing the trailer for Tree of Life and then watching The New World on Monday, I decided to watch the The Thin Red Line again.  I've always thought of this as my least favorite Malick film, but I enjoyed it more than I remembered.  

Californication

This show is, by far, my favorite TV show that I've seen this year.  The writing is dirty and funny.  The characters are all supremely flawed and lovable.  David Duchovny is a tour de force as the ultimate anti-hero.  

I'll elaborate more when I do a "Top TV Shows of 2010" list.  Yeah, I've noticed that you guys like to do that High Fidelity list thing.  I'm down with that.  I think that a "Top 5 Book to Movie Adaptation" list will be coming soon.  

Primer (2004)

Okay, I didn't actually watch this movie this week.  In fact, my copy is currently in a big blue bag full of comics and DVDs that I lent to John.  But, I did read on Reddit one of the best explanations of the film that I've seen anywhere.  I thought I'd share it in case anyone else got as excited over the details that came out last summer about Carruth's new film as I did.