Music Spotlight – Favorite Music of 2013: Part 3

Justin Timberlake – Mirrors

Mirros is off of Justin Timberlake’s massive double album The 20/20 Experience (it is on part 1). The track is produced by Timberlake, Timbaland, and J-Roc. The 20/20 Experience is mostly overly bloated and self-indulgent, but there are some fantastic moments and songs too. Mirrors is probably the best track on the album. It feels like classic JT while still exploring his new stylistic genre mixing (though, all with a pop sensibility). Available for download: here

Kanye West – I’m In It

I’m In It is off of Kanye West’s brilliant new album Yeezus, and is produced by West. Yeezus is 2013’s most ambitious and artistically exciting album, boasting many great tracks (like: Black Skinheads, New Slaves, Blood on the Leaves, Send It Up, and Bound 2). I just like I’m In It the most. It has the same dark, angry feel as the album, but more so than any other song it has a hypnotic aspect to it as well juxtaposed to a very aggressive energy. It is a compelling listen aesthetically. Available for download: here

Kilo Kish – Creepwave

Creepwave is off Kilo Kish’s mixtape K+. The song features the Flatbush ZOMBIES and is produced by Cronos. It is a very creepy track (fitting to its name) capitalizing on a great an eerie sound. The whole thing feels like something lurking in the shadows, yet it has a way about it, pulling the listener in. Kish sings as if in a trance, but also with urgency in her voice as if in a muted panic. It is an interesting song. Available for download: here

Kurt Vile – Wakin On A Pretty Day

Wakin On A Pretty Day is off of Kurt Vile’s fifth album Wakin On A Pretty Daze (his most commercially accessible to date). The song is produced by Kurt Vile & the Violators and John Agnello. It has a fantastic lo-fi sound, seemingly working best as a song to put on to chill out. Vile’s a strong songwriter, as his simple guitar strums carry the song perfectly for over nine minutes – the track never feeling too long or overextended. There might not be a better soft rock song released in 2013. Available for download: here

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper – Bird Balloons

Bird Balloons is off Lady Lamb the Beekeeper’s first studio album Ripely Pine. Lady Lamb the Beekeeper is folk and indie rock artist who dabbles in lots of instruments and sounds. Bird Balloons has an edge to it, as Aly Spaltro’s guitar and vocals rage with a palpable raw energy (something not often found in folk music – simply, the song rocks). Musically, it is ambitious and feels a bit like a carnival ride. Available for download: here

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) – Review

Review: Inside Llewyn Davis is a circular character drama that uses the 1961 Greenwich Village folk music scene to show the audience something about themselves, about humanity. The film is about a struggling folk singer and guitar player Llewyn Davis. He is kind of an asshole, favoring the integrity of his music over all else. He has bad manners and a surly disposition, leaving him short on friends to freeload off. Davis is desperately trying to make a career out of his music, but it just does not seem to be working out – on top of that he is dealing with the death of his former partner Mike, who recently committed suicide.

Like many of the Coen Brothers’ films, Inside Llewyn Davis is a parable with an antihero at its center. Here, the lesson appears to be about the beauty of artistic expression, when humanity is otherwise often marred in ugliness. Davis is completely unlikable in almost every way. He is a leach who does not seem to care about anyone other than himself, just grinding it out trying to play music as a source of employment. And yet, when he does perform there is something marvelous to it. The Coen Brothers expose the man as being deeply passionate and affected by life – how else could he absolutely capture the emotions of the songs he plays and resonate so strongly with the audience?

But, Davis is also not completely lost. When he finds out that he may have impregnated Jean (and thereby potentially ruining her home life with her partner Jim), Davis does not hesitate to step up to pay for the abortion. Yes, it is easy to say that he is eager to pay to avoid any future responsibility, and this is probably partially true, but he also could have just as easily told her that it was her problem to deal with (which would be in line with how he behaves in other situations, like abandoning a strung-out Roland Turner). This indicates that on some level he does care about Jean – who is in a way his moral compass. Davis also seems to care about the Gorfein’s cat Ulysses, as if saving the cat will somehow make up for all his other bad deeds. Still, in the end, Davis is fairly despicable and hard for the audience to get behind.

That said, the Coen Brothers do something quite interesting with their portrayal of the world around him to get the audience on his side (though, I am not sure it will work for every viewer). Basically, Davis is shown as a pure musician and one who is genuinely talented. The Coen Brothers interact with the world of the film and all the other characters through the perspective of Davis – who more or less looks down on everyone else. Thus, the other characters are either just as awful as (if not more so than) Davis or laughably goofy. Thus, the audience too takes on Davis’s perspective of superiority, which allows the film to work as a comedy as the Coen Brothers roll out a series of odd characters and situations for Davis to encounter.

The musical performances are really the standout aspect of the film, which some ways works as a musical – on a much purer level than the typical musical structure viewers are used to as filmgoers. Davis delivers a number of fantastic performances and the audience are treated to a few others from supporting characters as well (like the hilarious Please Mr. Kennedy). It is in these performances where the film and Davis expose their souls, where the beauty and emotional power of the music is put on display to shine, erasing all the ill feeling the audience might feel towards Davis. Despite being an ugly person, his music is something special and the audience is able to see something deeper, truer inside him (which creates a connection). This speaks to humanity in general. Throughout our existence, humanity’s history is littered with unmistakable heinous repulsiveness, yet our history too is filled with monumental achievements of grace (often resulting from the arts). There is a dichotomy within people, they have it within themselves the ability to destroy and create wonders. The beauty and emotion of Davis’s music may in fact come out of his tortured life. It is his release. The music allows Davis to show his emotions (grief, loss, a joyful exuberance for the music, and so on), and may in fact be his redemption.

Another interesting aspect of the film is the circular narrative structure that the Coen Brothers employ. The film starts and ends with the same sequence, a flash forward that the audience does not realize is a flash forward until the scene happens again to end the film. In between, the audience experiences a week in Davis’s life, as he desperately tries to make something of his career, going up to Chicago to play for a music promoter/club owner. Like many of the Coen Brothers’ narratives, the world just seems to have it out for Davis (some of which he probably brings upon himself). As much as he wants to make it as a performer, everything seems to be working against him. The audience sees him struggle for a week with really nothing to show for it. Has he even grown as a man or learned anything new? But as with other Coen Brothers’ films, the point is not so much the character, rather he is just a foil for them to express something deeper – which is really more up to the audience’s interpretation than an exact meaning.

Inside Llewyn Davis is odd and quirky, like most of the Coen Brothers’ work. But additionally, some viewers may find it to be overly long in parts (I am specifically thinking of the road trip to Chicago sequence). While the pacing did not bother me, I can see it being an issue for those not fully engaged in the narrative, as it is a bit slow.

The music in Inside Llewyn Davis is onto itself a good enough reason to see the film (especially for fans of folk music), but the Coen Brothers offer so much more with their typically irregular characters and penetrating parable narrative.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: The Coen Brothers, who briefly ventured closer to a conventional Hollywood narrative with True Grit (though, still a film I really liked), have found their way back to making wonderful, strange films with Inside Llewyn Davis, which feels in some ways like a companion piece to Barton Fink and A Serious Man, and musically maybe a bit of a continuation of O, Brother Where Art Thou? The Coen Brothers continue to distinguish themselves as true American auteurs, with each new film both expanding their impressive catalog and exploring something new and grand. Each of their films (minus a couple) is a cinematic treat.

As stated many times above, the music in the film is fantastic. The Coen Brothers and executive music producer T-Bone Burnett have assembled and crafted a very strong array of folk songs that entertain and get to the soul of their performers. However, Bruno Delbonnel’s cinematography may be the film’s most impressive aspect. It is at the same time surreal and felicitous, creating a feeling within the audience that they are watching a time-soaked period drama (which they are) – it feels both old and new. It also perfectly echoes the grief stricken sadness of Davis, thereby fitting the tone very well. There is even a slight hint of nostalgia, despite all the characters being fairly unlikable. Jess Gonchor’s production design provides a real authenticity to the film, as everything looks and feels as it should. Gonchor also succeeds in using his design to speak to who these characters are – which particularly can be seen in Mary Zophres’s costume design.

In some ways the film is episodic, with sequences feeling separate and insular – characters coming in and out. There are many small performances, all of them strong. Garrett Hedlund has almost no dialog, for example, but feels so dynamic on-screen. Other great small supporting performances come from Ethan Phillips, Stark Sands, Max Casella, Justin Timberlake, F. Murray Abraham, and especially Adam Driver (who just steals the Please Mr. Kennedy scene). John Goodman plays Roland Turner, an obnoxious aging cripple jazzman. As unlikable as Davis is, Goodman’s Turner makes him appear in a much better light (if only for a moment). Carey Mulligan is fantastic as Jean, a young woman and folk singer who is both fed up with Davis and probably secretly still has a thing for him (because why else would she care so much about him or be so infuriated by him). Her scene in the park opposite Davis is maybe the most compelling, acting wise, of the film (really, I kind of wish there was more between these two as their chemistry is electric). Oscar Isaac is brilliant as Llewyn Davis. He has always been a good character actor, but this film sees him at his best. He plays Davis to be a dirt bag, yes, but behind all that is a man who is in intense emotional pain. Maybe all his bad behavior is just a protective front or him acting out against a world that has seemingly never given him a real chance, instead taking so much from him.

Summary & score: Fans of the Coen Brothers will again be enchanted by yet another great character driven parable, and in addition Inside Llewyn Davis offers incredibly moving and entertaining musical performances. 8/10

Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience, 2 of 2 (2013) – Review

Review: Following his highly commercially successful album The 20/20 Experience, Justin Timberlake decided to release more tracks from his recording time with Timbaland and J-Roc (Jerome Harmon) as his fourth studio album calling it The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 (and he may have recorded some new stuff too).

Overall, the album sounds and feels a lot like its predecessor, which was expected, but on a track-by-track basis it is much weaker, as it seems clear that many of these songs were not quite album-quality leftovers from Timberlake’s initial 2013 release. And, the issues that plague The 20/20 Experience are also very apparent here as well. Namely, many of the tracks are just over-indulgent, over-long, and frankly boringly generic. Although, Amensia, one of the longer tracks on the album, is probably the best song on the album. It showcases Timberlake at both his sensual and pop-music best. The radio-friendly singles Take Back the Night and TKO also mark a large improvement on Suit & Tie, though neither is quite as strong as Mirrors.

Collaboration wise, the album again sees a pointless verse from Jay-Z and a song featuring Drake, who also really adds nothing. The album is again fully produced by Timberlake, Timbaland, and J-Roc who work well together, but again many of the tracks just go on too long and/or feel/sound like leftovers.

The album is still probably a worthwhile endeavor for fans of Timberlake. For pop music fans, however, a wiser strategy might be to just cherry pick a few of the stronger tracks, as the album as a whole is weighed down great by all the bloated material. 2/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Amnesia – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

2)      Take Back the Night – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

3)      TKO – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

Available on: Digital Download

Jay-Z – Magna Carta… Holy Grail (2013) – Review

Review: Magna Carta… Holy Grail is Jay-Z’s twelfth solo release and his first album since 2011’s collaboration with Kanye West Watch the Throne.

There is a lot to like about the record. Musically, it is lush and interesting – filled with first-class beats from the industry’s top producers (Timbaland and his partner Jroc handle most of the production on the album, but Pharrell, Mike Dean, Swizz Beatz, Mike Will Made It, Travi$ Scott, Hit-Boy, and Boi-1da among others also contribute). Lyrically, Shawn Carter seems somewhat engaged and still has a gifted flow. He mostly focuses on his wealth and the things it affords him (thus disconnecting him from most of his fans), but there are some more reflective moments as well (like the best track on the album Nickels and Dimes or Jay-Z Blue). Also, there are not a ton of features overpowering the album. Rick Ross is the only rapper to be given a proper guest verse, and the other featured artists all bring something to the record. All in all, it is very much a typical Jay-Z album. Not his best work, but a solid outing.

Magna Carta Holy Grail is also significant due to its unusual release. Jay-Z made an exclusive deal with Samsung who bought one million copies to give to their customers for free seventy-two hours before the album’s official release to the public. And, like West’s Yeezus, Carter did not really engage in the typical music industry marketing plan for the release. There were not any prerelease singles (though Holy Grail did sort of serve one) and there was not much build up other than one Samsung commercial and internet buzz. But, in today’s world when you are as big as West or Carter that is all you really need.

However, getting back to the music, upon further inspection Magna Carta Holy Grail is also kind of disappointing. West, hit or miss, is constantly trying to change and progress music (and specifically hip hop). He is not afraid to create raw music and bare his soul. Meanwhile, Jay-Z has basically just turned in a lazy dose of sameness. Plus, Jay-Z has ascended to such a place personally that what is important to him and what he talks about primarily on the album is superficial and meaningless to most of his audience. Essentially this is yuppie music. It is no longer hip hop for the streets (and probably has not been for a long time now), which is fine – it is just that it seems to now lack heart, ambition, and urgency.

The songs themselves also feel lacking. Personally, I like seven of the tracks. But of those, I still find issues: Holy Grail is basically great thanks in most part to Justin Timberlake (and he also adds a lot to Heaven); Tom Ford succeeds thanks to Timbaland’s fantastic beat; Crown sounds like a track left off Yeezus but is nowhere near as engaging; Beach is Better is great but its playtime is not even a minute, and thus feels incomplete and frustrating – for example. Then there are tracks like La Familia which add nothing other than to give the album as overlong bloated feel.

Overall, I like Magna Carta Holy Grail, but it just sort of feels like Jay-Z phoned it in when other artists are still trying to make amazing music (for better or worse), which leaves me let down. 3/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Nickels and Dimes – Produced by Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua

2)      Holy Grail – Produced by The Dream, Timbaland and Jroc, featuring Justin Timberlake

3)      Crown – Produced by Travi$ Scott and Mike Dean

Available on: Digital Download

Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience (2013) – Review

Review: Justin Timberlake has been atop the world of pop music for over a decade, maintaining his position even without releasing a new album in over six years. That is how much impact his first two solo albums Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds had on the genre and its fans. Thus, The 20/20 Experience drops with almost unattainable expectations.

The album’s lead-in single Suit & Tie featuring Jay-Z is both probably the most radio friendly and the weakest track on the album. It is not a bad song; it is just underwhelming given the immense expectations. It does not grab the listener like his great past singles have. Plus, Jay-Z’s verse is sort of boring and the song would be better without it.

Suit & Tie aside, the rest of the album is filled with epic genre blending songs that seem to take grand pleasure in how well-crafted and how much different they are than the overall sameness of today’s radio singles. Timberlake seems to be interested in making music that actually aspires to be something more, something that pushes pop music forward.

It is a very ambitious album – and, it mostly works very well. Fans will to some extent lament the loss of true catchy singles (as really there are none, unless you like Suit & Tie). But, Timberlake wants his fans to grow musically like he has. Nevertheless, however, this will likely disappoint a few.

Musically, Timberlake, producing with long-time collaborators Timbaland and J-Roc (Timbaland’s protégé), has created a lavish musical experience. The album combines aspects throughout the history of pop and R&B with each song (for the most part) playing as a sweeping musical journey. The album has tracks that invite the listener to dance, but it mostly stays away from the more bombastic sound that has seemingly overtaken pop music (by way of electronic music’s rapid rise in popularity) – and in that way it has a different overall sound though there are certainly touchstones to Timberlake’s past.

The 20/20 Experience is maybe not the great album it aspires to be, and strong singles are not really a bad thing for a pop album to have – but, it is a very good album and musically something different and aesthetically interesting. That is something listeners should expect from genre leaders, to grow and push their craft forward, and that is what Timberlake has done with this album. 3/5

Essential Tracks:

1)      Mirrors – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

2)      Tunnel Vision – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

3)      Strawberry Bubblegum – Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake & J-Roc

Available on: CD and Digital Download

Trouble with the Curve (2012) – Review

Review: Trouble with the Curve is a great baseball movie – and almost a complete rebuttal to 2011’s Moneyball – that has not forgotten the most important ingredient to any film is good characters. It is about Gus, a scout for the Atlanta Braves, who is on his last legs professionally. The game is changing and his eyes are failing. He is sent out on what could be his final assignment to scout what many believe to be a sure thing. His daughter Mickey, who grew up on the road with him but now has a difficult relationship, decides to tag along to help her father out so he can keep his job and passion for a few more years.

Director Robert Lorenz knows the secret to what makes a good Hollywood-style film: relatable characters with a clear story arc. He also knows his target audience. Gus is lost in today’s world. He does not understand technology and he hates the way Sabermetrics are taking over the process by which talent is analyzed in baseball. It makes him, and all scouts (an important aspect that shapes of the game), obsolete. He is out to prove that a computer cannot really fully understand a player. Lorenz has multiple examples that make Gus’s point. He may be an ornery old man who is out of touch in a lot of ways, but he still is completely in tune with the game of baseball. This appeals in many ways to the audience. The audience (especially the targeted older movie-goers that make up Clint Eastwood’s typical demographic) relates to Gus because they feel the same way about the world that is becoming more and more technology savvy and dependent, leaving out generations. Trouble with the Curve is about a man fed up with this widening generational gap and that speaks to the target audience. Thus, the audience is very much invested in Gus. And, for other audience demographics, Lorenz has created a fleshed out character that can be related to through humor (as there is a fair amount of funny material).

Gus’s daughter Mickey is also a strong character that the audience can latch on to. She is a successful lawyer who loves her father but is frustrated by their lack of communication – a common theme in many families. The character also provides a nice juxtaposition to Eastwood’s strong-but-silent stoic character (that he is famous for), because she shows the issues that have been created between her and her father due to his lack of communication with her. The narrative (which does not really need her, though it would be a slightly different story without her) is all the more compelling because the audience sees the deconstruction of Eastwood’s own archetype.

As this is a Hollywood-style narrative, Lorenz does not shy away from having a fairly predictable and safe structure, complete with the happy ending. But, with this kind of film, the happy ending is not just expected it is demanded. Imagine the story of Gus being left by his daughter and eclipsed by technology (i.e. being wrong about the players while the computers are right). The story would be rather dark and would end with Gus probably killing himself or letting himself go in humiliating total defeat. It would be heartbreaking. Trouble with the Curve, however, is not this type of him and that is not the type of film that Eastwood’s target audience wants to see. However, that being said, the film’s narrative structure does leave it feeling a little lazy and wrapped up in a nice Hollywood bow. For some, this will hurt the film, as the structure and character archetypes will feel overly played out and tired (and too safe). But, taking the film at face value, the narrative works well for the story that Eastwood and Lorentz want to tell.

I have said before that baseball translates itself to cinema better than any other sport, as it seems to have the most human aspect to it. It is a game that is specifically about individual achievement, while still being a team sport. A pitcher and hitter are alone as they face one and other. And thus, it lends itself perfectly to being inhabited by great characters as a backdrop. Baseball seems to accentuate the human emotions and drama of the characters, as it is a very nostalgic pastime for the audience. So, to make a great baseball movie, a filmmaker merely needs well-drawn characters in a baseball setting (with seemingly a hint of wonder and majesty), and have a love of the game – which is evident in all involved in this film. It is also a great baseball movie because it gets back to the quirky and magical intricacies that make baseball the special wondrous game that it is, and away from the dehumanizing numbers that dominate today. As someone that seems to be drawn to nostalgic things from my childhood, I like this, as I remember the fun I had in little league. The film speaks to both the fan and child just playing the game in all of us.

Trouble with the Curve is going to work best for those that like and understand baseball (though it is not a mandatory requirement) and enjoy good characters and well done character drama.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Robert Lorenz makes his feature debut with Trouble with the Curve. He served as Clint Eastwood’s producing partner on Eastwood’s last ten films (as well as second-unit director on a few others) prior to this. Lorenz decided to take a very straightforward approach to the material, shooting it in a very typical Hollywood style (standard coverage), which worked for the material.

Marco Beltrami’s score is also fairly standard – emphasizing the dramatic beats. Tom Stern’s cinematography and James J. Murakami’s production design work with the Hollywood style aesthetic of Lorenz’s narrative as well. The photography is glossy, making even the small town ballparks look majestic and magical (being a common theme in baseball movies), while the production design reinforces the characters and narrative. It is very good work (as to be expected from these two).

For a character drama like this to work, the performances must be good. In Trouble with the Curve, the performances are the strongest aspect of the film. John Goodman and Matthew Lillard are good in smaller roles. Justin Timberlake brings a lot of charisma and likability to the film, as well as a change of pace from the more stubborn and combative leads. Amy Adams is maybe the best part of the film. She plays Mickey to be very strong and independent, but still insecure when it comes to her father. I also really liked the fact that she is completely in love with baseball, and cannot fight it, even in her grownup life. Clint Eastwood plays the same old gruff, cantankerous and grumpy man that he seems to always being playing these days (see Gran Torino or Million Dollar Baby for reference). And as usual, it works to great effect. He is compelling and has fun with it.

Summary & score: Trouble with the Curve is really just the same old Hollywood style drama about two characters learning to connect that we have seen hundreds of times and thus is very predictable, but with great characters and a baseball setting the film is still very engaging. 7/10

Friends with Benefits (2011) – Review

Review: Friends with Benefits is really funny with sweet rom-com moments and surprising dramatic depth among its characters (considering its genre). The film is sort of hypocritical as it both tries to dismiss and deconstruct the romantic comedy genre (one that is mostly in total disarray) while at the same time completely complying with the genre’s narrative structure guidelines. The movie within a movie (which takes place in NYC, but is comically shot in LA with poorly done makeshift signs and dialog) goes out of its way to make fun of the genre, only for the lead female character Jamie to be enamored with it and the lead male character Dylan to learn how to win her back from it (oh yeah, and spoiler alert on that last sentence if you have never seen a rom-com and have not realized that their structures are almost always the same). Writer-director Will Gluck stays within the lines narratively speaking, but brings a lot of fresh and funny comedy to the film which ultimately sets it above many entries in the genre in recent years. A generic genre film with fairly standard leads can be overcome to a degree when the jokes are good, and in this film they are. This film suffers a little from Hollywood repetition (there is always some plot that garners at least two film each year – things like 1997’s Dante’s Peak and Volcano or 1998’s Armageddon and Deep Impact or 1999’s The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc and Joan of Arc), as earlier this year No Strings Attached came out touting generally the same logline – though with a deeper look the films are quite different, and both are very funny. The deeper look does not necessarily matter though as many will assume they are both the same movie. Along with the comedy, Will Gluck also bestows the film with great supporting characters that are surprisingly well drawn with dramatic and emotionally engaging depth, especially Jamie’s mother and Dylan’s father. These types of characters provide the film with emotional weight (and maybe even a little too much at times for those wanting a purely light film) and help further develop the leads, both of which are generally good things. When all is said and done, Friends with Benefits is a good film. It has the outline of a typical romantic comedy (which keeps it from being great), but the body of the piece is fresh enough to overcome what is somewhat becoming a tired genre (or is a tired genre).

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Will Gluck is now three for three in making entertaining, light and funny movies (for me, Friends with Benefits is his best to date, but for most other critics it is probably Easy A). Cinematographer Michael Grady does good work for a genre that features a fairly standard Hollywood shooting style and the same can be said for Marcia Hinds, who does a great job with both her locations and set design – giving more depth to the characters with her work. Romantic comedies often come down to the chemistry and compatibility of their leads. Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake are both great on their own and work very well together. Most of the best stuff in the film comes from them being together onscreen. Jenna Elfman (who takes a good Dharma & Greg joke) and Bryan Greenberg are good in supporting roles, but Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson and especially Richard Jenkins (whose performance is almost too good to be in this type of film) steal most of their scenes. There are also fun cameos from Andy Samberg, Emma Stone, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Masi Oka, and Shaun White.

Summary & score: Friends with Benefits works because of its great leads and very funny jokes, but is also sort of a paint-by-numbers romantic comedy narratively speaking. 7/10

The Social Network (2010) – Review

The Social Network is smart, funny, engaging, interesting, and so much more than anyone could have ever guessed a film about Facebook would be (and yeah, the overall truthfulness of the story depicted is irrelevant to me). Right from the first scene (and what a brilliant scene it is, probably the best I have seen this year, to date) it is clear that this is a special film. The interplay and fast-moving pointed dialog between all the characters is beyond top-notch and is something that is missing in most Hollywood films. What makes this scene so good, and many in the film, is that right from the beginning the audience completely understands the characters, the film and the magic of what is about to happen. Only to be followed up with a scene that completely revolutionizes how technology can and maybe should be portrayed to the masses. While what Mark Zuckerberg is doing is complicated, director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin design the scene to be completely and somewhat universally understood. Sure there is technical jargon throughout the film, but it does not matter or hinder the viewer’s overall understanding. However, this is not what makes the film great. The film is a tale about a young man that is completely alone and sad. He is brilliant, but that does not translate into his ability to make friends – which is ironic given the subject matter (and really the premise of Facebook – are your Facebook friends actually your real life friends). Fincher is able to capture a character and promote him in such a way that he should be the protagonist, but does the audience like him – probably not. But he is not an antagonist either, not really at least. Zuckerberg is trapped in what he imagines is the way things are and should be and that influences his attitude, persona and decisions. But the problem is that his perception is altogether flawed and really more of an ideal than an actuality, which isolates him even more and fundamentally disconnects him from humanity and reality. He does not have any friends, because he does not actually understand what it is to be or have a friend. And thus the story is sad. The viewer could hate him, as he is kind of a jerk, all the time, but he does not know any better or even have the capability to know better as he seems to have no basis for real human interaction, which is why he is so drawn to the social internet experience. His one true goal is too be esteemed and respected – which influences his behavior (stemming again from what he thinks he should act like to garner these attributes from others). When others succeed because of inherent wealth alone, he is jealous and spiteful. He champions self-made, bottom to the top, types (because that is what he essentially is). The film is on the surface the interesting story of the founding of Facebook, but really Fincher and Sorkin are more interested in the character of Zuckerberg (or one like him). Facebook is a backdrop and could be anything. It is not the point. The point is to look at what our society has become, as Zuckerberg is an amalgamation, and maybe exaggeration, of the culture of the modern computer-social man – alone and disconnected from real meaningful experiences. He longs for real interaction, but he just does not know how, and yet he creates the most successful social network ever. The story carries the audience, as there is no character that they can get behind and root for, which would often be the downfall of a film – if the viewer does not care about the characters, then they do not have a stake in the outcome and thus are not full engaged in the narrative – but Fincher is able to look at his characters, society and culture in an earnest manner while substituting story for protagonist. It is risky, but he does it masterfully (though, I wonder how well the film plays upon multiple viewing – now that you know the story and are left with the characters, does it still work? I think it does because again, Fincher and Sorkin substitute protagonist with wonderful dialog and scenes and perfect performances that intrinsically emote the needed emotions that influence the viewer, regardless whether there is a likable character to take stock in). The Social Network works because Fincher is a great director and knows how to structure a complicated film with mostly unlikable characters.

Technical achievements: as stated at agony above, director Fincher and writer Sorkin are masters of narrative storytelling and this film basically succeeds on their talent (in lesser hands this would just be a stale film with limited interest based on each viewer’s appeal in knowing the story of the founding of Facebook – i.e. more than likely it would not be good). The film is also very good aesthetically. Cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth (and Fincher movie veteran) collaborates well with Fincher allowing the camera be fluid and moving, yet focus on what is most important. The color scheme, like many of Fincher’s films, is dark with brown and earthy colors making for a kind of depressing overtone to the film, but given the character and subject matter it is quite fitting.  The editing by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall in film is great, which it needed to be to precisely capture the wit and interplay of the scenes, characters and dialog. Donald Graham Burt’s production design is good, fitting the feel of the scenes well. The score by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor is outstanding. While it is subtle in places, it captures the loneliness in the story (I loved what I think is Reznor’s rendition of In the Hall of the Mountain King). The cast is great in the film; all are very suited and give good performances. However, there are a few that are just amazing. The film’s star, Jesse Esenberg, perfectly encapsulates the character (though it is on-type for him, but still it is a wonderful performance). Andrew Garfield is among the best young actors working today, and he shows it with his performance. He is just a kid, naïve to the ways of the world desperately trying to be an adult. Justin Timberlake plays his role as we imagine he is like, yet behind the wow is a tragic figure akin to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Howard Hughes. The two breakout performances in the film belong to Armie Hammer and Rooney Mara. Nether is given lots of screen time, but they are mesmerizing in what they have. Hammer is hilarious, while Mara needed to be perfect, as her performance launches the whole narrative (and she is). The film has a difficult narrative structure to derive a great film from, being that there is no real protagonist or character of any sort to cheer for or get behind, but Fincher, cast and crew do just that – make a great film.

The Social Network lives on its wit, performances and irony. It challenges the audience to engage themselves in a study of a flawed and lonely character, and they do – enjoying every bit of it. 9/10