DIVE Oscar picks 2012

The Best Picture frontrunner tramplesover its “talkie” competition by breathing life into along-forgotten genre. If “The Artist” does win Best Picture at this year’s Oscars, it will be the first silent-film winner since 1929. FEB 23

‘Eternal Sunshine,’ ethereal love

My generation is anything but naïve. Embittered by news media, as well as Comedy Central, we cannot accept purported truths with a nod and smile. FEB 22

Movie Review: Haywire

A wise prophet named Tyler Durden once said, “I want you to hit me as hard as you can.” Moviegoers want just the same from action films. JAN 25

Movie Review: The Artist

“The Artist” is not a cool or interesting movie. In fact, it resents such accusations. JAN 19

Movie Review: Tower Heist

DTH Diversions reviews Tower Heist and A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. NOV 10

Movie Review: The Rum Diary

The Rum Diary Bruce Robinson probably penned “The Rum Diary” script listening to Tom Waits and staring at a Puerto Rican sunset. NOV 3

Movie Review: Dream House

Depending on how you spin it, “Dream House” can either be the most underwhelming movie audiences will see this year or a top contender for the worst. OCT 6

Movie Review: Shark Night 3-D

Audiences for a movie called “Shark Night 3-D” probably don’t ask for much: Some gore, a few underwater shots, and maybe a nude scene with uninhibited spring-breakers. SEP 13

Movie Review: Scream 4

Every good movie review begins with a statement of how every good movie review begins. The next sentence suggests what the second sentence should suggest. MAY 18

Movie Review: Somewhere

The laws of physics maintain that it’s impossible to create something out of nothing. But alas, “Somewhere” would be nothing if not for its nothingness. MAR 28

Spring break bulletin

Dive’s got some tips on how to maximize your break, be it the best traveling records or easy day-trip or weekend destinations. So don’t be blue if there are no exotic beaches in your future. Even Chapel Hill can feel tropical when there aren’t midterms clouding your outlook. MAR 16

Movie Review: Unknown

While the film exploits the potential for suspense and thrills offered by its premise, its tonal and rhythmic ambiguities prevent it from amounting to anything more than a subpar suspense thriller. MAR 3

Movie Review: Just Go With It

Between the poop humor and overdependence on celebrity cameos, this ingenious blend of stupid set-ups and stupider jokes amounts to one big, steaming pile of wit. FEB 23

Movie Review: ‘Blue Valentine’

Deaf lovers walk hand in hand toward the edge of a cliff. You call out to stop them, but they don’t hear you. JAN 26

Movie Review: Megamind 3D

If Superman were too timid to use his superpowers, he’d forever be a dreadfully average news writer named Clark Kent. Cowering behind a façade of PG-friendliness, “Megamind” hides the uniquely funny elements of its storyline behind the fare of a sub- par family film. But with stellar voice talents tapping the film’s wellspring of originality, the animated feature rids itself of its “Kent”-ness just enough to rescue itself from comedic peril. When a bumbling supervillain named Megamind (Will Ferrell) finally defeats Metro City’s adored Metro Man (Brad Pitt), he slumps into purposelessness. NOV 11

Movie Review: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Oliver Stone is usually good about putting his money where his mouth is. SEP 30

Movie Review: 'The Social Network'

Mark Zuckerberg knows us beter than we know ourselves. He’s got over 500 million friends attesting to it. In creating the internet phenomenon that is Facebook, he’s proven something about this generation: it’s not special. Modern life is just as checkered with uplifts and heartaches as that of times past. But why is it that we, once given the opportunity, choose to share those feelings to countless others? Why do we forge so many relationships and try to make such personal connections over the web? SEP 26

Movie Review: 'The American'

Any true restaurateur will tell you that atmosphere is everything. Stouffer’s freeze-dried lasagna will taste like Italy’s finest if the setting is romantic enough. Furthering Europe’s tradition of treating its cinema like its food, Dutch filmmaker Anton Corbijn offers tense quietism and effulgent cinematography without preparing much meat and potatoes. But with George Clooney’s perfect lead performance, the film leaves you more than full. SEP 9

Movie Review: The Last Exorcism

Around 250 exorcisms are performed in the U.S. SEP 2

Movie Review: Piranha 3D

Alexandre Aja would be sorely disappointed if he knew that his newest horror flick snagged a four-star rating. AUG 26

Movie Review -- "The Town"

All you need to rob a bank are Halloween masks, AK-47’s and nothing to lose — so say the countless sting movies that have schooled us in theft over the years. But you need much more than this to make a good heist film.

Director Ben Affleck is smart enough to avoid this rookie mistake, and even overcompensates. Fusing nuanced character study with raw adrenaline, his newest crime drama hijacks viewers’ undivided attention without factoring in their much-divided focus.

Spike Jonze Collaborating with Arcade Fire on Short Film

You know Reader, I recently remembered something about you: You’re probably a hipster. Considering that this blog runs on Diversions, devoted in large part to the local and indie music scenes (which I know are not mutually exclusive) and probably the most “ironic” thing to read in the Daily Tar Heel, there’s a good chance that you’re listening to something like Belle and Sebastian right now (not the tracks from Juno, of course.) Even as I write this, I notice that our blog covers a Pitchfork-lauded folk septet of soughing strings players, not one of them without a lazy beard or a mosaic blouse. Now, it’s very possible that you’re not a hipster, but, to indulge in my McCarthyistic tendencies, I must add that it’s very likely that you are indeed a hipster and, as such, refuse to admit to the label that society has carved out for you.

Reel Deal: "The 1-Second Film"

What if I told you that you could be a movie producer? It’s a (extremely) short film from a no-name animator, and the credits will run for about an hour after the film ends. There’s no pay involved, but celebrities like Kiefer Sutherland, Stephen Colbert, Jonah Hill, and Spike Jonze will share producer credit with you. No past experience necessary. All you need is a buck.

Reel Deal:

Most American TV viewers remember June 10^th, 2007. On this night, at around 9:58 pm, HBO’s critically acclaimed series “The Sopranos” arrived at its intentionally ambiguous conclusion, with a smash cut to black and a silent credits reel.

Reel Deal: "Super 8"

First and foremost, Reader, I just want to say that I hope you’ve enjoyed your summer thus far. If your wild and crazy summer has been shaping up at all like mine, you’ve been spending most of your time watching movies at home or at a local theater with some friends. You and I have a lot to talk about in the coming months (though I imagine it will be mostly a one-sided conversation). Here we go…

As you probably already know, the world witnessed two WTF moments in watching “Iron Man 2.” Fortunately, neither of them took place during the movie itself. The first was in the previews reel, when a mysterious teaser trailer for an alien movie premiered. The second was the post-credit scene, during which Thor’s hammer made a cameo as an ad for Marvel’s Summer 2011 flick, “Thor.” Since the latter is self-explanatory, here’s the scoop on the sci-fi teaser. It’s called “Super 8,” and there’s a lot of Cloverfield-esque mystery attached to it. What we do know: The film is written and directed by J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek,” “Lost”) and produced by Steven Spielberg, the Hollywood sci-fi veteran whose filmography need not be referenced. The film takes place in 1979 and is a homage to Spielberg’s sci-fi material from the 70’s and 80’s. MAY 29

Reel Deal: "Due Date"

To this day, I can’t answer the age-old question that many a moviegoer have faced since last summer: Which is funnier… Robert Downey Jr.’s blackfaced (and Oscar-nominated) portrayal of identity-confused actor Kirk Lazarus in “Tropic Thunder” or Zach Galifianakis’s turn as the childishly reckless Alan in “The Hangover?”

Don’t think too hard about it. This November, the two Hollywood sensations will share the screen in “Due Date,” a road trip comedy featuring Downey Jr., Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, and Alan Arkin. Todd Phillips (“The Hangover”) is directing the film, which will be the second of at least three movies that Phillips and Galifianakis will make together (as “The Hangover 2” is already in the works).

The film centers on a workaholic expectant father named Peter Highman (Downey Jr.), who is forced to hitch a ride with wannabe actor Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) in order to make it to his child’s birth on time.

I know it sounds like Downey Jr. will just accentuate Galifianakis’s typical quixotic-delusion-of-grandeur affability, but in a recent press interview, Downey Jr. described his role as much more integral to the film’s humor (Pretention? Well, you decide for yourselves): >No one is really the straight man in this movie, but I am kind of like this stick that's pounded into the ground, that I think a lot of people can relate to."

APR 16

Reel Deal: De Niro to Star in Vince Lombardi Biopic

Alright, I’ll be honest and say that I didn’t know too much about Vince Lombardi before writing this post. I knew he coached base … well, I knew he was a coach … of a sport of some kind. As it turns out, he was the legendary head coach of the Green Bay Packers (alright, so I was off on baseball) from 1959-1967, during which time the Packers won five league championships. Taking on the franchise at a time when the Packers were not taken seriously at all, Lombardi’s fierce disciplinary measures and his famed words of wisdom inspired greatness in run-of-the-mill footballers. And judging by the pages of quotes authored by Lombardi on”brainyquotes.com,” I think it would be safe to assume that the man had just as many insights to offer off the field as he did on it.

This intriguing life story has garnered the attention of producers at ESPN Films, who have decided to make a biopic about the sports icon. And in trying to cast someone fitting for the part of an unwavering, notoriously domineering sports icon, they found the perfect man for the job, the raging bull himself, Robert De Niro.

APR 9

Reel Deal: "Kill Bill: Vol. 3"

Near the end of “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” after slaughtering countless villains by chopping off their heads, plucking out their eyeballs, ripping out their entrails, and stabbing at their faces, The Bride (Uma Thurman) shoots a stoic, bloodthirsty gaze at Bill (David Carradine) and says, “You and I have unfinished business.” Bill responds in a fierce whisper, “Baby, you ain’t kidding.”

I’m very happy to report that director Quentin Tarantino and Uma Turman have some unfinished business. The director recently confirmed rumors that “Kill Bill: Vol. 3” was in the works, revealing to an interviewer on an Italian talk show that “the Bride will fight again.” But, much to the disappointment of Tarantino fans across the world, he plans to wait until 2014 to begin production.
2014… as in four years from now… Dammit!

Tarantino explained of the four-year wait: "Two reasons: One, I think me and Uma needed a ten year break. And the second one, I love the character and I think she deserves ten years of peace. She deserves ten years of no fighting, she deserves ten years with her child Beebe. I put her through a lot in those first two movies and I just want her to have a nice peaceful life for ten years."

APR 2

Reel Deal: "I Love You Phillip Morris," U.S. Release

If you were to throw “Catch Me If You Can” and “Brokeback Mountain” in a blender, and add a hint of “Bonnie and Clyde,” the cinematic concoction would probably taste somewhat like the upcoming crime dramedy, “I Love You Phillip Morris.” But don’t expect to serve it in America anytime soon.

After struggling for over a year to get a U.S. distributor to touch this star-studded, but graphically homoerotic picture, directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa decided to re-edit the film, and finally found distribution with Consolidated Pictures Group (nope, I haven’t heard of them either.)

“I Love You Phillip Morris” tells the true story of con man Steven Jay Russell, who is portrayed by Jim Carrey in the film. Russell, once a police officer involved in a peachy suburban church-every-Sunday marriage with Debbie (Leslie Mann), has a stunning realization one day that he is gay, and ventures out into the world in his true, homosexual self. In order to finance this lifestyle, he pulls off a number of high profile cons, eventually landing himself in prison. This is where he meets Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), and I’ll let you guess what kind of relationship they have. Russell cons his way out of prison, taking Phillip with him. Managing a life together outside of prison, Russell hides his secret dealings from Phillip, who’s convinced that Russell is a lawyer, as Russell’s past crimes inevitably catch up with him.

MAR 26

Reel Deal Blog: "When You're Strange: A Film About the Doors"

If you love The Doors as much as I do, then you’ve probably seen Oliver Stone’s 1991 catastrophe “The Doors,” which depicted the band as bunch of drunkards engaging in a half-assed self-fulfilling prophecy whose theatrics outshine the poignancy of their work.  Replete with historical inaccuracies and blatant instances of Stone’s signature over-dramatization of true events, the film took the legacy of one of the most influential rock bands to ever enter the national consciousness and, as Jim Morrison would say, “ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her, stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn, and tied her with fences and dragged her down.”

But here to finally salvage the band from a tainted public perception is Tom DiCillo, writer and director of the soon-to-be-released rockumentary, “When You’re Strange: A Film About The Doors.” As the title suggests, the movie chronicles the revolutionary and controversial lifespan of The Doors, exploring both the chemistry between the band members and the historic death of lead singer Jim Morrison. The film was a major crowd-pleaser during its run in the film festival circuit, and has generated strong critical reception within the past several months.

Two main reasons for the hype: First, it’s narrated by Johnny Depp (yes, the Johnny Depp), who, in the trailer, delivers Morrison’s poetry in a hypnotic, Doorsy whimsy which enchants you to see this movie. Secondly, the film’s 90 minutes are almost entirely comprised of never-before-seen footage of the musicians, allowing for a more intimate and candid look into a band which many people saw as a group of buffoons.

MAR 19

Reel Deal: "Source Code" (2011)

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but the human being pictured to the side is the offspring of glam-rock starman David Bowie. No, his name isn’t Ziggy Stardust (though I wouldn’t put it past a fantastical celebrity to indulge in obscure nomenclature for his children.)

He is Duncan Jones, the up-and-coming filmmaker best known for directing last summer’s critically acclaimed “Moon,” a sharp and imaginative sci-fi film that so keenly fleshed out dramatic suspense with one single character stationed on the moon (played by the always perfect Sam Rockwell). “Moon” was an impressive testament to Jones’ cinematic eye, featuring both his directorial and screenwriting acumen. Upon seeing the picture, I was fully convinced that Jones had found his niche in the sci-fi genre, having powerfully captured the awe-inspiring/maddening desolation of space that his father once sang about.

Well, I was half-right. Duncan Jones will flex his sci-fi muscle once again in his new project “Source Code;” however, the infinite aura of space is being replaced with the mental frenzy of time travel.

Let me explain. “Source Code” centers in on a soldier named Colter, who wakes up on a commuter train bound for Penn Station having no idea how he got there. He soon realizes that he is inhabiting the body of a man named Sean Fentress, but has no time to investigate because the train soon explodes into smithereens from a bomb set in place by terrorists. The end.

Relax, I’m kidding (about the movie ending there, that is). Colter wakes up again in the same moment in which he originally found himself, seventeen minutes in the past, given the opportunity to prevent this tragedy from taking place again. With each reawakening, Colter explores the characters and surroundings of the train that may shed some light on the devastation.

MAR 5

Reel Deal: "Captain America" Movie Buzz, John Krasinski Top Candidate for Lead Role

Alas, the most nationally treasured superhero ever to be sketched in American comic books is finally being transposed into cinema. Those of us who don’t make pilgrimages to Comic-Con (and more importantly, those of us who don’t know what Comic-Con is) can finally experience the full story behind this cultural icon in 2011’s “The First Avenger: Captain America.” Marvel Studios just needs to place this beloved character in the right hands and the star-spangled badass will have his glory.

But oh, how Marvel Entertainment loves to take risks…

First, the studio has hired the king of sub-par filmmaking, Joe Johnston, to direct the film. While Johnston has flexed his epic cinema muscle a bit with “Hidalgo” and wowed critics with 1991’s “The Rocketeer,” his last foray in revamping tradition (this month’s “The Wolfman”) was one of the most unnecessary remakes I’ve ever seen. Treating Lawrence Talbot’s character development as an afterthought and perpetuating the film with self-referential jokes in order to tell a 30-minute story in an hour and a half, Johnston took a poorly written script and remarkably made it worse.

Fortunately, he might have a good script to spoil this time around, as screenwriting duo Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely were hired to pen the screenplay. Having received much acclaim on the “Chronicles of Narnia” series and 2004’s “The Life and Death of Peter Sellers,” the writers just might be able to strike the balance between edginess and profundity that has marked great the few great films based on superhero franchises.

Producer David Feige indicated that the character of Steve Rogers (Captain America) will most definitely be explored in this picture, with about half of it dedicated to the WWII era (during which Rogers partook in the life-changing top-secret defense experiment of creating super-soldiers) and the other half dedicated to present day America. Such character context has been the one common denominator of praiseworthy superhero films, such as “Batman Begins” and “Iron Man.”

FEB 27

Reel Deal: Hanna-Barbera's "Yogi Bear" Movie

“The Simpsons Movie” was inevitable. An animated series with such cultural importance deserves nothing less than a silver screen adventure. Looney Tunes, South Park, The Flintstones, and SpongeBob Squarepants have all earned big screen features for this reason (the name “SpongeBob” doesn’t even trigger a red spell-check squiggle in Microsoft Word.)

But who the hell has been waiting for a movie about Hanna-Barbera’s Yogi Bear?

Warner Brothers has been developing a 3D live-action/CGI adaptation of the series, scheduled for a release on December 17, 2010. This constitutes the eighth major film production based on a Hanna-Barbera cartoon series, the most recent one being (cough) “Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.”

While we’re on the subject of movies featuring universally forgotten celebrities… Warner Brothers has enlisted pastime SNL star Dan Aykroyd to play the titular character. This makes perfect sense, as Yogi’s signature ever-crescendoing, semi-New-Yorker, drunk sportscaster voice falls within the wide vocal range which Aykroyd has demonstrated in his extensive past of animation projects.

What doesn’t make sense is the casting choice for Yogi’s miniature buddy, Boo-Boo. This sidekick was presented in the original series as a bowtied tagalong with a drowsy, intellectually monotonous voice. So how does pop personality Justin Timberlake fit? Unless there’s such a thing as post-adolescent puberty, Timberlake can only offer the voice of late-teenage boy, which will strip Boo-Boo of his wise but passive voice-of-reason charm.

FEB 19

Reel Deal: The Green Hornet

The closest that the pale and chubby Seth Rogen has ever come to being seen as a superhero was his role as an overzealous mall cop. We can sometimes take the actor seriously, but at the end of the day he’s an oafish buffoon (and I mean that in a good way) that we love to laugh at. Whether he’s a modest and self-effacing stand-up comic (“Funny People”) or a rambunctious and immature police officer (“Superbad”), Rogen always delivers his signature under-the-surface candor.

But what if his heroics were not delusions of grandeur? What if Rogen were to portray a daredevil without parodying the role? Ladies and gentlemen, The Green Hornet...

Sony Pictures has begun development of a new superhero revamp, “The Green Hornet,” which is to be released in December of this year. Based on the radio and television series of the same name, “The Green Hornet” features the crime-fighting life of Britt Reid, a Los Angeles newspaper publisher by day and a masked vigilante by night. Aided by an Asian sidekick/martial-arts extraordinaire named Kato, Reid combats gangs and crime lords in order to make Los Angeles a better place. Lacking super powers, the Green Hornet is a master of hand-to-hand combat and drives a high-tech death machine called “Black Beauty.”

FEB 12

Reel Deal: "Sucker Punch" (2011)

Considering both casts of Zack Snyder’s two hit films, “300” and “Watchmen,” you’ll notice a grand total of four females, three of which have negligible supporting roles. Even though Silk Spectre II (Malin Ackerman) has her moments in “Watchmen,” we have yet to see a woman occupy Snyder’s visually brilliant universe kicking some major ass. But in his new project, “Sucker Punch,” we’ll see, not one, but FIVE dangerous heroines.

No, “Sucker Punch” is not a female boxing movie. Snyder’s film, now set to be released in March 2011, centers in on a young girl in an insane asylum who will soon be lobotomized. After first describing the film’s concept with “Alice in Wonderland with machine guns,” Snyder released a more detailed synopsis in February 2009, stating, “"Set in the '50s, it tells the story of Baby Doll (Browning), who is trying to hide from the pain caused by her evil stepfather and lobotomy. She ends up in mental institution and while there she starts to imagine alternative reality. She plans to escape from that imaginary world but to do that she needs to steal five objects before she is caught by a vile man. She has 5 days to escape before being lobotomized. In order to cope with the situation, she enters the hyper-real world of her imagination, and the lines between reality and dream begin to blur. She is joined with friends who are inmates from the institution. Lessons learned in the said fantasy world could help the girls escape their real-world fate."

FEB 5

Reel Deal: Paul Thomas Anderson's New Project - "Master"

If you’ve seen “There Will Be Blood” (especially the last five minutes of it), you’re well aware that director Paul Thomas Anderson is not afraid to explore religion in his films. In his uniquely harrowing way, he showed us the lions-and-lambs relationship between capitalism and faith in the divine.

In what will undoubtedly be a fresh look at religion, P.T. Anderson’s new project, “Master,” centers it’s story on a persuasive man who hatches a religion that catches on in 1952. The working title refers to this “master of ceremonies,” who gains notoriety with the great number of people he proselytizes. The story’s main focus is the relationship between The Master and Freddie, a young vagabond roped in to the religion who becomes the Master’s lieutenant. Freddie begins to question his faith, as well as the divine authority of the Master, sparking a “Blood”-esque struggle (minus the oil and the almost godly presence of Daniel Day-Lewis).

Click below to read more.

JAN 29

Reel Deal: Spider-Man Reboot

With the exception of his darker days of long hair and unexplained swing-dance capabilities, Peter Parker has always been conceived with such great dimension by Sam Raimi. Though the third film was plagued by the pitfalls of its unresolved, emotionally vague script, Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy has presented a fresh approach to the web-slinging superhero… and now it’s all over.

In a heated debate between Raimi and Sony Pictures last week over “Spider-Man 4,” Raimi stated that he could not create his envisioned fourth installment by the targeted release date, which was set to be in May 2011. He officially left the project on January 11^th.

It should then come as no surprise (but rather as profound disappointment) that Tobey Maguire has walked off the project as well. The actor has frequently made clear that the mutual undestanding he shares with Raimi is an industry rarity. The Peter Parker they created hinged on this chemistry.

But what’s next for the franchise? Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios have both announced that Marc Webb, director of this year’s sleeper hit “(500) Days of Summer,” will helm a reboot of the Spider-Man series, featuring Parker in his high school years.

Click below to read more.

JAN 22

Reel Deal: 10 Sequels to Expect in 2010

Having original movie ideas was so 2009. The very lucrative tradition of extending stories into multiple films (James Bond has 22 different adventures with six different actors) will define the cinema of the new year. Here’s a preview of the sequels to be released:

 1.       “Iron Man 2”

                Release Date: May 7

                This is going to be more than just a superhero flick. With Robert Downey Jr. reprising his role as Tony Stark and Mickey Rourke cast as his nemesis Whiplash, the movie will be another one of Hollywood’s affirmations that the two actors’ careers have officially returned. Yeah, so Don Cheadle is replacing Terrence Howard as Lt. Colonel Rhodes... If director Jon Favreau’s original approach to the first Iron Man evinces itself in this film, I promise that you won’t even notice.

 2.       “Shrek Forever After”

                Release Date: May 21

                If you’re a human being on this planet, then you’ve probably seen Avatar. In doing so, maybe you caught the trailer for the fourth installment of the Shrek series. The new movie will revolve around the wrongdoings of Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn), as Shrek also tries to handle life with his ogre family.

Click above to read more.

JAN 15

Reel Deal: "Arrested Development" Movie Finally On Its Way!

"As Hollywood agents worry about the demise of the town's lowing cash cow, the multi-camera, staged sitcom, here to save the day is Arrested Development, a farce of such blazing wit and originality, that it must surely usher in a new era in comedy." – Alison Powell (The Guardian)

Arrested Development was a one-of-a kind marvel for American television, a perfectly realized sitcom about a hilariously dysfunctional family of offbeat, self-destructive characters presented in a fresh style of insider jokes and plot-dependent flashbacks that has come to define the show as the most sharply written sitcom ever to air on American television… and America missed it. Throughout its three years on Fox, Mitchell Hurwitz’s Arrested Development received very poor ratings, but garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. It won six Emmys and a Golden Globe Award, and yet America was so oblivious to the show’s very existence that it was finally cancelled in February 2006. But we faithful Arrested Development fans (one of the biggest ones among us being Keith Olbermann, by the way) have been desperately waiting for a film conception of the show to be developed since narrator/producer Ron Howard alluded to the prospects of Arrested Development: The Movie in the final line of the sitcom.

Click above to read more.

DEC 11

Reel Deal: Facebook Film - "The Social Network"

You’re probably reading this post with your Facebook page opened up in another window, perhaps ‘officially’ ending a relationship or maybe fervently sending friend requests to start new ones. You also have no idea that this vast virtual world of social connectivity through which all of your interpersonal relations are forged was created by a couple of Harvard misfits with characteristically geeky computer skills. At the dawn of Facebook’s success, their friendship deteriorated and egos expanded in an epic struggle for power. It’s one hell of a story - and it should be one hell of a movie.

Columbia Pictures has bought the rights to Ben Mezrich’s novel about Facebook’s genesis, "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding Of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal." Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (best known for penning “A Few Good Men”) has written the screenplay, and a surprising choice has been made for the director.

David Fincher, mostly known for dark, stylistic movies such as “Se7en”, “Zodiac”, and the cult hit “Fight Club”, is taking on the project, which is considerably less grand and ambitious as his latest work – Academy-award nominated “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” As a huge Fincher fan, I personally cannot help but wonder how this master of mystery and suspense will tackle such melodramatic material. Then again, Fincher just might add that touch of shrewdness that has been his signature in his films – visually captivating scenes fluidly swooping by with dark humor maintained throughout. In fact, it will be, in a way, refreshing to see Fincher’s trademark directorial choices made in a new context (no violence, no deaths, and no shady characters.)

Filming began in October 2009 in Cambridge Massachusetts, and is set for release in late 2010-2011.

DEC 7