Social Network

With

Jessie Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield,Justin Timberlake,

Josh Pence, Armie Hammer

This movie was based upon the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. It was more than the creation of Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg. The story talked about friendship, loyalty, jealousy, betrayal, social interaction, and the lawsuit. Take the social experience of college and put it on the internet.

According to Jessie Eisenberg who played Mark Zuckerberg, for three weeks some of the cast along with director David Fincher, and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin sat around the table discussing the script. Jessie said he spoke three times – he was listening – discussion very exacting. He was discovering the guy he was portraying. Zuckerberg was very bright and introverted. He seemed distracted but very focused on what was going on in his head. What was driving him internally? Getting the right cast was crucial. Couldn't cast someone with 20 years acting experience he/she had to be so young. Those chosen were well-suited for the parts they played.

Movie opens up in a restaurant with a bar with Mark and his girlfriend at a table for two having a discussion. That particular scene took 99 takes – trying to create realism.

Even though part of the film was done on location in Boston when the weather was freezing cold, much of it was filmed in Los Angeles.

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss were twins who first had the idea of a social network. They shared this idea with Mark hoping to have him join them in developing this idea. Instead Mark took off with it and made it his own. The twins were portrayed by Armie Hammer and Josh Pence. The face of Armie was put over the face of Josh to create the identical twin affect. Mannerisms, body movements were watched closely – some scenes more than others. The twins sued Zuckerberg which resulted in an out of court settlement.

Director Fincher would do a scene over and over until it was done right. One scene was done at least 23 times. Watching the interaction between Fincher and the cast was fascinating. He would tell them how to deliver a “word” and/or “phrase” then the viewer would see the final outcome to the attention to detail. Eisenberg said he didn't always feel comfortable when Fincher said “Cut.” Other times when he did feel good about a scene, Fincher would have the scene done again.

At the end of the movie, Zuckerberg had the money but no friends. 


I am Louise and this is my point of view. 

CAPOTE

WITH

PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN

AND

CATHERINE KEENER

Truman Capote was looking for an idea for his next book when he found a story in his newspaper about the killing of the Clutter family (mother, father, and two children) on their farm in Holcomb, Kansas on November 14, 1959. Capote and his friend Nelle Harper Lee went to Kansas to investigate this murder.

In January 1960, two suspects – Richard Eugene Hickok and Perry Edward Smith – were arrested. Capote got permission to interview them. He and Smith became friends which gave Capote valuable information for his book In Cold Blood. Smith went on a hunger strike and Capote fed him with baby food to bring back his strength.

For those of you who haven't seen the end of the film or read the book, this is as far as the review goes.  What follows are interesting behind the scenes info.

This book took Capote four years to write because this case kept being appealed and he couldn't put an end to the book until the case was final. Once In Cold Blood was published, this established Capote forever as a writer which he is first and foremost.  He didn't finish another book after this one. 

During the time Capote was working on his book, his friend Lee finished her novel To Kill a Mockingbird.  At the reception for her, Capote was wrapped up in the frustration of trying to finish his book and he personnally couldn't see what all the fuss was about concerning his friends novel. This story was turned into a movie and Lee was later awarded the Pulitizer Prize.

In making this film, Hoffman lost 40 pounds. The actor who played Smith did lose quite a bit of weight for hunger strike scenes while on death row.

In the opening scene, wheat is weaving in the wind in November in Kansas. No wheat is ready and full grown in November in Kansas.

Many scenes were added after the major filming was completed. Quite a few of the scenes were improvised. According to Hoffman, improvisation should be with a purpose and reason.

The weather played an interesting part with the filming. Last outdoor scene – with Capote and Pauline walking – an hour after saying “CUT,” big snowflakes started falling.

This film had amazing local casting. The director hand picked ever single face.

Catherine Keener, playing Nelle Harper Lee, did good character work by the way she walked which brought more validity to the part. It was obvious when she walked as herself as opposed to when she was in character.

Hoffman won three awards for playing Capote: Oscar, Austin Film Critics Award, Bafta Film Award.


I'm Louise and this is my point of view.

Pride of Yankees

WITH
GARY COOPER AND TERESA WRIGHT

How heartwarming to see Gary Cooper's portral of the baseball great Lou Gehrig who became a first baseman for the Yankees. His mother had her heart set on him becoming an engineer like his brother. She felt being involved with baseball was “good for nothing.” Later in the film, she becomes her son's biggest fan. “Pride of Yankees” was not only about baseball but also love. The love between Lou and his mother, the affection and devotion between Gehrig and his wife, Eleanor. In Gehrig's first game with the Yankees, he loses his footing after walking into a row of bats lying on the ground. Miss Eleanor Twitchell says “How's tanglefoot?” Before a world series game, Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth told a little boy in the hospital that they would hit a home run (Gehrig—2 home runs) for him. With hard work, that same boy does learn to walk again. This film garnered 11 Oscar nominations including best actor and best actress. There was enormous response of women to this story. This movie was also a story of relationships such as Gehrig's relationship with his parents, his wife, his game, his teammates, Babe Ruth and the press.

Gehrig was left handed while Cooper was right handed. To compensate for this difference, a scene would be filmed with Cooper using his right hand then the negative would be reversed. This technique allowed us to see Gehrig as left handed.

Walter Brennan worked with Cooper as his sidekick on six different films. The Gehrig's last speech to his fans has been considered baseball's Gettysburg Address. While talking to his fans for the last time, Cooper repressed a tear which added an extra dimension to his talk.

Lou Gehrig was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mrs. Gehrig donated a great deal of memorabilia to the museum. In the film, he gave her a bracelet which depicted special events in his illustrious career. This bracelet represented Gehrig's love for his wife and baseball. Mrs. Gehrig willed this bracelet to the museum after she died. During their marriage, Mrs. Gehrig kept a scrapbook of all of her husband's baseball accomplishments. This scrapbook is now in the museum preserved so the pages won't yellow. Also found in the museum is her copy of the film Pride of the Yankees as well as his uniform he wore in 1939, the year he retired.

Lou Gehrig was known not only for his baseball legacy but for the qualities he demonstrated as a man such as courage, modesty, devotion, fortitude, valor, and simplicity. 


I'm Louise and this is my point of view.

Revolutionary Road

 

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

                                                           with    

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and Kathy Bates

When selecting this film, I thought it was going to be a light-hearted story. Wow, what a surprise! It is a powerful story with a sad ending. However, the scenario is a typical one for a couple of the 1950s. Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe for best actress in 2009 for this role.

Kate and Leonardo play April and Frank Wheeler who meet at a party, fall in love, and get married. After seven years of marriage, their life “seems” perfect. They have two children and move to a Connecticut suburb. She stays home with the children and he commutes to New York to a job he hates. His dad had worked for this company for 30 years. April comes up with a wonderful plan to revitalize their relationship by moving to Paris. (Place Frank had been to during the war). With their savings and money from the sale of the house, they would have enough to go to Paris where she would get a secretarial job and Frank would take care of the kids. This idea does make Frank think that life may be better in Paris.

One morning Frank's boss wants to see him. Frank thinks he is going to be fired after his earlier work performance. However, instead of being fired, he is about to be promoted due to an idea he submitted. The company wants him to work on a new project: computers. Initially, he said no because of the plans for Paris. Then April finds out that she is expecting a third child. Plans for Paris were beginning to crumble. This was too much for April and was considering performing an abortion so long as it was done before the 12^th week.

Frank does not want the baby aborted. He takes the job and April seems to have come to terms with the Paris plans – “g-o-n-e.” Frank goes to work as usual and the day appears to be like any other. However, April has other ideas.

My thoughts were – April took the situation into her own hands because she felt trapped when she saw her dreams vanish . This trip was to put “excitement” back into the marriage and into her life! NOW another baby and the same “ole” routine. You will have to watch this movie to find out what April does and you can come to your own conclusions. I'm Louise and this is my point of view.

The Great Debaters

THE GREAT DEBATERS

WITH DENZEL WASHINGTON & FOREST WHITAKER

PRODUCED BY OPRAH WINFREY 'S HARPO

DIRECTED BY DENZEL WASHINGTON

This movie was inspired by a true story. It takes place in Marshall, Texas in 1935. Mr. Melvin B. Tolson, coach of the debate team at Wiley College, does a brillant job of developing his students into a debate team that cannot be beat. This achievement illustrated how African-American underdogs were able to defeat superior rated white students. The debaters at Wiley won over the team at the University of Southern California (USC). In the movie, the debate took place at Harvard. A note at the end of this review explains why the change was made in location. According to Robert Ebert, this story went beyond depicting how the Wiley debate team defeated the champions. The coach, students, community believe education is their best way out of the prisoning entanglements of racism and discrimination.

As director of “The Debaters”, Denzel Washington wanted the actors to meet the real people.

Mr. Melvin B. Tolson--(Denzel Washington) is a columnist, politician, poet, educator, debate coach. He broke through the color barrier and competed against USC. (In the movie, Harvard) In 1947, he was named Poet Laureate of Liberia. For both black and white sharecroppers, he helped to organize a national union which made him feared as a rebel, even a communist.

Dr. James Farmer, Sr.--(Forest Whitaker) was part of a force to change America. He walked from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Boston University to receive his doctorate degree.

Samantha Brooks-(Jurnee Smollet) This character was loosely based on the real person Henrietta Wells. An excellent student who became the first female debater.

Henry Lowe--(Nate Parker) This character's real name was Henry Heights. He was arrogantly intellectual, good with rebuttals, and could make the opponent look bad.

James Farmer, Jr.-- (Denzel Whitaker) was a precocious fourteen year old who did the research for the debate team. He was one of the main debaters against the University of Southern California which Wiley won.

This movie depicted the environment in the 1930's towards the blacks. These students were one generation away from slavery. A term “Jim Crow” depicted the separatist movement which made the blacks seem “invisible.” They had to use separate facilities from the whites, such as: buses, hotels, bathrooms, restaurants, etc. During this time whites were lynching blacks. Such a lynching took place just before the big debate at USC which James Farmer, Jr., used effectively in his presentation. His rendition of this event played a major role in winning the debate.

To understand why Harvard was mentioned in the movie instead of USC, '“Co-writer Robert Eisele explains: “In that era there was much at stake when a black college debated any white school particularly one with the stature of Harvard. We used Harvard to demonstrate the heights they achieved.'”

“The Great Debaters” is truly worth watching. The story is riveting and the acting is superb. From my point of view—an educational experience reminding us of why the Civil Rights Movement was needed.

New York, New York

     New York, New York was made in 1977 by director Martin Scorsee staring Oscar winners Liza Minnelli as Francine Evans and Robert DeNiro as Jimmy Doyle.  The movie opens on VJ Day, August 15, 1945.  Jimmy Doyle is looking for a one night stand --sex--to celebrate VJ Day.  He uses every line he can think of but gets no where especially with Francine Evans, a WAC.  Jimmy Doyle is a trumpet player who gets an audition. Francine is a singer who does a routine with Jimmy -- "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me."  They are both hired.  However, Francine gets a call from her agent about an audition and walks away from the show with Jimmy.  He goes after her and finally finds her with the Frankie Hirth Orchestra.  Jimmy can be pushy, demanding, and cocky, however, he knows his music and gets a job with the orchestra.  Jimmy and Francine eventually get married, she become pregnant, and goes back to New York.  Jimmy finds himself directing the orchestra but must turn it over to the piano player.  He goes to New York to find a job with a black sextet jazz group.  Francine has a baby boy but Jimmy leaves unable to cope with the extra responsibility.  The rest of the movie shows the show business success each of them attains until their paths cross again.  Acting is superb and Liza's singing is tops.  I am Louise and this is how I see it.