This Week: What We Learned About Lone Star, The Social Network, and Let Me In

I still can't believe Life got canceled.

You guys should learn a little bit more about a movie before panning it so much. Zuckerberg had nothing to do with this movie being made. He did not ask for it, does not approve of it, and it paints pretty much every single character in it in a somewhat negative light. Really, the most likeable character in the movie gets shafted. It's a socially awkward computer nerd (kind of) stealing an idea and manipulating his friends on the way to becoming a billionaire. It's a great movie, a great story, and has nothing to do with Zuckerberg's ego or facebook, really.

Do some homework before you start insulting something, really. It's not like you had to see the movie to even get that idea, pretty much every review says what I said, and the tagline for the movie is something like "You can't more 500 million friends without making some enemies"

@ Robby: Wow...it's like you only watch local news bits on the worst Facebook has to offer (by the way, all of the negative traits of Facebook that you mentioned exist in real life, between bullying at school, real drug use, people spending hours in their basements ranting at anything they can think of). Yes, people spend way too much time playing Farmville (I admit, I was one of them for awhile) and don't get out and enjoy life. News flash - this is nothing new, and something only the most vile, treasonous, anti-freedom filth would ever suggest banning or having the creators arrested for.

Yet, I will say that Mark Zuckerburg has perverted Facebook for personal gain. I'm one of the relatively few people that joined Facebook in its first two years. Back then, it was a fun and simple way to connect with other people at your college. At first the expanded features (out-of-network friends, events, etc.) were great. And then Zuckerburg opened it up to high schoolers, businesspeople, and the general public. Expanding the user base made the implementation of applications, privacy-infiltrating advertising, and all the other things that people hate about Facebook necessary to maximize profits. Facebook is still a great way to connect with people (I've found friends from high school that I never would have heard from again if it weren't for Facebook), it's just not as good as it used to be.

As a note about the actual movie, I don't care if Zuckerburg or Facebook weren't involved at all, it seems like a giant, unnecessary ego boost to someone several years into a massive ego trip. I'm sure it's a great film, though as someone not high-brow enough to think highly of but a handful of films on the list at the top of the page, I doubt I'd care for it.

There are plenty of websites online that people find addictive, many of which are social. This is only news to the decrepit and socially uninformed. So, Robby, for your sake, rest your arthritic fingers: addictiveness being the sole reason for making something illegal is a silly concept, and it isn't the sole reason for the illegality of drugs. @McMuffin: It is true what you say, and I do agree with your point on the movie's capitalization. Joe's conclusion wasn't well thought out, considering that the movies very obnoxiously presented tagline implies that Zuckerburg's way to success wasn't accompanied by unicorns and piano ballads.

Fantastic movie, by the by.

Wow Robby, I didn't know keeping in touch with friends and family was a drug. lol

I haven't seen the movie, but my understanding is that Zuckerberg and company are not presented in an entirely positive light. That said, the timing may actually be ideal to capitalize on the growing resentment towards Facebook.

@Robby: Making a clear argument with proper spelling and grammar goes a long way towards being perceived as something besides a fruitcake.

For those of us who aren't foaming at the mouth at the idea of a website that allows you to see how fat your high school classmates got and play farmville: I'm surprised at the timing of this movie. In the online community there has been a building resentment towards facebook as a company. What started as something you used to connect with classmates in college has blown up to enormous proportions. Since achieving worldwide success, facebook's lack of concern for your privacy is staggering. They are much more aggressive than other companies regarding selling your information and targeting advertisements. Odd that in the wake of all these questions regarding the ethics of the company, a movie should come out with facebook as the protagonists.

I'm sorry, seems like i messed up on a line. ...and who don’t understand how serious young people’s interests in this website is.