What came first? The music or the misery?

High Fidelity.

It's hard to say what specifically puts this 2000 film in my personal collection of "must re-watch over and over while salivating over its pure brilliance and unabashed simplicity." Summarized, it's a film about relationships. Relationships that grow develop and become lost. Not loss in the sense of death, but loss in the sense of wallowing in a room alone while you picture your now fresh ex lying in the arms of someone else and not being able to do a damn thing about it. What is worse, is those of us who are able to relate to being the direct cause of that loss.

It’s interesting to me that the film seems to be so embraceable due to the fact that the majority of us, if not all of us, have been in Rob Gordon's shoes.
The extremely brilliant John Cusack plays Rob Gordon, a vinyl store owner / aficionado, who right at the beginning of the film is dealing with the loss of Laura (Iben Hjejle): "Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"

Rob speaks directly to the viewer throughout the film, voicing his inner dialogue in a candid and direct way. This approach is usually tiresome, and when used inappropriately it is not unusual to see it abandoned without notice (see the Pilot episode of Sex and the City). John Cusack delivers every line in a real and relatable way, simply because what he says is so very honest and direct. This very intelligent approach leads right into the highly quotable nature of the entire film. “What would you think if I told you I haven’t seen Evil Dead II yet?”

It’s a Cosby Sweater Rob…….A COOOOOSSBBBYYYY SWEEATAR!!

Following Rob as he rounds out his “desert island, all time Top Five memorable breakups”, we meet multiple characters both in the past and present. Rob employs the “musical moron twins” part time, though they show up everyday regardless. Jack Black is truly brilliant as Barry, in a role that was cast long before he became a mainstream name. He is spastic and over the top in a character that you would expect to find in any elitist form of nerdom that a vinyl record store here represents. Todd Louiso plays opposite Black as quiet and introverted Dick. He is the type of guy to share exponential bits of knowledge on his chosen obsession in a quiet hushed tone due to the fact that even his elite status as vinyl geek isn’t enough to give him any sense of self confidence.

These two characters fill out the scene that is Rob’s life, and the film is sprinkled with more than a few great moments that remind you why you love those friends that annoy you so much. I am of the opinion that everyone possesses geek-level knowledge of some topic; And if you have ever spent time with someone “geeking out” on your topic of choice because you found a fellow Klingon linguist, then you know exactly what I mean.

Moving through Rob’s life we meet the likes of Charlie (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the upper class chick who helps to round out his top five breakups, among other women who have moved on and provide Rob with comedic and hysterical realizations that manage to also border on the sad.

I’m Tired of the fantasy, because it doesn’t really exist.

It’s a combination of brilliant writing, great acting and reliable directing that the story is able to explore what would normally be dark and depressing territory but manage to stay refreshing and extremely funny, if not totally heartwarming. The film is chock full of ‘moments’ that completely expose the inner workings of your stereotypical guy. One beautiful moment finds Rob flattered that a local celebrity has found his record store, immediately following the knowledge that his ex is possibly with another guy, named Ian. “What Fucking Ian Guy?” Another has Rob celebrating the knowledge that his ex hasn’t slept with anyone since him, by going out and immediately sleeping with someone else. I’m sure many loathe the prospect of such an action, but again, this is a film and it brilliantly shows the inner workings and justified logic of a man like Rob.

Ultimately, it's a movie where I can't just pick one scene and say "this is the reason I love the film." The film has to be watched from beginning to end over and over because it is that good, and that watchable. From the many hilarious debates between Barry and Dick, Rob's candid retelling of his top five break-ups, to the brilliant scene with Joan Cusack where she first confronts Rob with her new found knowledge: "Hello Rob....You ASSHOLE!"

If you haven't seen it yet, your missing out. That is not coming from a cinephile who loves to recommend his favorite films just because he thinks they are good. It's coming from the fact that the film was overlooked when it came out, and it is a true tragedy, when I meet someone who hasn't seen it.

"I have demons you can't even imagine..."

The above quote came from David Fincher on the set of Seven, when an actress commented on the grisly nature of the crimes depicted in the film. That Fincher, a creative genius behind the camera, would have demons we can't even imagine should be no surprise. If you listen to the commentary on the same film, you'll hear Fincher describe how he sold the ending of the film to his financiers by claiming it will always be known in the future as "the head in the box movie!"

I love the guy.

Last night, to celebrate the evening of my 31st, my wife and I attended Fincher's latest, The Social Network. If I were to sum up the impact of this film in one sentence, without trying to sound like I want to cross the line with a Man-Crush on David, it would be: "We need a new fucking Fincher film in the theater every week."

Out with this shit!...and in with Fincher!

"A guy who makes a new chair doesn't owe money to everyone who ever built a chair."

The Social Network is a brilliant movie, and I guarantee that it was no easy task to accomplish.

The film revolves around it's central character, Mark Zuckerburg - the creator of Facebook - and contains absolutely no action, no gunfire, no explosions and no nudity (though one scene does flirt with it).

2 hours of dialogue, driving a plot forward at rabid speed. So much so that the film feels like it's only 90 minutes long, when in reality its 2+ hours of solid and engaging story.

When my wife and I first sat down in the theater, I was sure I was going to end up going crazy and yelling at the back row - which was full of a mixed bag of teens, pre-teens and barbie dolls - to SHUT UP, as they were loud; And I have a thing about ANYONE talking during a movie. Yes, I do believe all "Tommy Texters" and "Sally Soundtracks" should be fucking hanged!

Anywho.......Literally two and a half minutes in to the film the theater was completely silent. They were all actively hooked before the opening title cards were complete. It's interesting because the film is not made dumb simply for an audience that is easily duped. The story jumps forward and backward in time, geek-speak prevails throughout the nerd dorms, and there are more than a few character arcs to follow. It is truly great to see films like this still being made.

Aaron Sorkin cannot be ignored for his contribution to what surely is one of the best of Fincher's catalog. Aaron wrote so intelligently that the fact that your watching nerds furiously type out computer code completely goes unnoticed because your too busy witnessing a callous, emotionless, robotic human being - who comes close to being a douche bag were it not for the anti-hero syndrome - destroy every human connection he has while simultaneously revolutionizing the way we all interact. The irony is obvious but it doesn't lesson the impact that this situation represents to our current culture.

I have heard before that it's now cool to be a nerd. Perhaps that is true; but that is not what this film is saying. Mark did not become cool because he learned any lessons, taught any lessons, or grew as a human being. Really, over the entire scope of the film all we witness is Mark get richer as he simultaneously alienates everyone around him. His tunnel vision is so encapsulating that he doesn't eat or sleep.

Before this film I compared Jesse Eisenberg to Michael Cera. Not in an insulting way. More so in the way that they both did similar films, and have dabbled in both mainstream Hollywood and the indy world. I know he won't be standing up on the Oscar stage for this - I could go on about that too - but he certainly showed the level he is at with this film. Jesse is a truly brilliant actor, and to hear him deliver some of the films best in-your-face dialogue elevates the film, and his character in the eyes of the audience. Already you can see some of his snappy straight-laced insults being quoted from the audience.

The Social Network is bar-none the best film out right now, and I'm hard pressed to find a film this year that is more impressive - with the exception of Inception (say that 5 times fast).

Fincher himself said that it takes 5 or 6 years minimum to really tell if you have made a great film. Seven, Fight Club, and Zodiac are three of the finest films to come out in two decades, and all three are in almost every cinemaphiles top 10 list. Suffice to say that I think he knows what he is doing, and this film will definitely be another one on the classics list.

For those of you who can't understand seeing "The Facebook Movie," I'm afraid there is no hope for you if you judge it purely on that fact; and you ought to stick with what you know.

Year XLV......and he turns 31

Today I would like to start writing more, as I let this blog lag due to my limited ambition, or incredibly hectic schedule. Whichever is a more convenient excuse I guess.

I'm 31 now. Not an overly significant number, but birthdays - regardless of the number - are important to me none the less. What is more important then celebrating the day you were born?

I plan to now take the advise of ever so witty - I won't call him controversial because it is a lazy word to apply to someone who applies simple logic - PZ Myers. "Don't overly edit your posts. Just write them, and get them out there."

I'm off to go see Fincher's new masterpiece and I'm sure my review will be just as praising.......just not written as well.