1. The reason the critics love “The Social Network” is because it represents the best film talent of today, at the top of their game. Just like software has it's own notion of design and elegance, so does film. All disciplines define excellence internally. The fact that film analysis is played out in a public arena is ancillary. 2. Filmmakers feel no real obligation to represent the factual truth. What matters more is an emotional truth. The Social Network "feels" true. Read David Mamet’s “Three Uses of the Knife” for a great overview on drama, facts and what the audience really wants. 3. Sorkin did Zuckerberg a favor. Who do you like better? An awkward guy who makes a social website to try to compensate for those shortcomings, and gets everything but the thing he lacks? OR a well-adjusted guy with close friends makes the brutal P&L decision to cut one of those close friends out of the company because that friend is dead weight? 4. Sorkin did us a favor, too. We got to watch a story that didn’t make us feel bad about ourselves. Here’s an exercise - make a list of people you hold dear, in descending order. Start with your mom, family, friends, down the line. Now, the challenge: I'll give you a billion dollars to cut one of those people out of your life (through betrayal, whatever.) How far down the list will you go? Most of us...not far down. That's what Zuckerberg was faced with. And while I don't know the true details of the case, there was a lawsuit with multiple settlements. And as producer Scott Rudin said, whenever you tell outright lies you get sued, and no one is suing the filmmakers so far. Would I want to watch a film where the main character did what I would probably do, but would hate myself for doing? No. Even if it was for billions? No. Smart man, that Aaron Sorkin.

Nils, I enjoyed it. The IMAX 3D was fantastic. I cant vouch for the non-IMAX version. If you see it, tell me which film references you notice. My list was cumulative.

I agree. As far as action films go, Unstoppable was neither the tear-jerkiest nor the heart-thumpiest. So your margarine analogy may be both more accurate and more insightful. And Diehard (to play this out) didn't just have butter on it - it was buttery and delicious all the way through. Thanks for watching Saint John. I appreciate it.