MOVIES THAT RULE: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Statistically speaking, the location of choice to film a movie isn't usually the six states that make up New England. New York, California, and even Toronto usually trump us, but in the past few years, a series of tax breaks have lured plenty of filmmakers to the city of Boston. Although it doesn't seem like a mecca of great cinema, some of the best films (in my opinion) ever made have come out of this region. I'm not Roger Ebert, but 2010's The Social Network (filmed in Cambridge) is a more important film than just the "Facebook Movie" at first glance.

The Social Network

Although younger than a year old, some may question it's spot on any best-of list yet. The New York Times called it "a brilliant film", Rolling Stone called it "an american landmark", and The New Yorker stated that it was "revolutionary, absolutely emblematic of it's time and place." Not too bad for a cast of basically unheard of actors besides Jesse Eisenberg, who breaks out of his typecast role as a neurotic goofball, to deliver a great performance to portray the precise, determined Einstein that Mark Zuckerberg actually was. Damn, even Justin Timberlake gave a great performance as Sean Parker, the co-founder of Napster who got completely raped by the record industry for his file sharing program back in the early to mid 2000's.

Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Zodiac, Panic Room, The Game), it's the technical things in this that get you. Fincher's signature preciseness in every shot is what draws you in, from the lighting, to the angles, really the whole tone of the film brought in by the cinematography is brilliant.

Trent Reznor's haunting score is also picture perfect here, it's dark, destructive, minimalist music is played behind scenes in deposition hearings, ivy league frat houses, and prestigious campus landscapes. Pretty ironic. There is a lot to be said of this film, from the actual screenplay (Aaron Sorkin), to the sharp, witty dialogue that demands your attention.

I forgot to mention the fact that it actually does define this generation, what the world has really become. Also, it plays The Beatles' "Baby, You're A Rich Man", when the end credits roll. Go out and buy the Blu-Ray.