I Wanna See That!: The Social Network

The weight of four years came crashing around me as I watched this trailer for The Social Network for the first time in ages. When this came out, it was 2010, a time when the iPad was only 6 months old and Facebook was still relativity new. Since those times, Facebook has become way more than a site, it's become a way of life, the hub for an internet driven social existence. It's beautiful to see such progress, although one thing we've had very little progress on in that time is making moves that are better than The Social Network. There are maybe half a dozen that can truly rival it in its perfection, a fact that's hammered home by this exquisite trailer.

While the Facebook layout depicted in the opening moments is obviously outdated, it surprisingly still matches what we're accustomed to seeing on a daily basis on that site, meaning it's impact is far from lost. As this montage concludes, we're thrust into the year 2003, where Mark Zuckerberg wants to translate the whole college experience to the internet. As a rapid dash of dialogue and footage occurs, all set to the impeccable tune Creep, covered by the Vega Creep, Zuckerbergs characterization in the film  is readily apparent. Here, he is a genius who, as the song notes, "...wants control, a perfect world..."

In mere minutes, David Finchers gripping world and all it stands for is put on display, especially by the Aaron Sorkin scripted words that continue to exemplify the themes of the film. "This is our time!" Justin Timberlake announces (how weird it was to see that N*SYNC dude doing a dramatic feature!) and indeed, for those who have enough savvy to create a site like this, it is their time. The best one though may be a brief conversation where Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield, pre-Spider-Man) and Zuckerberg talk about the site. "Do you like being a joke!?!?!" Mark exclaims "DO YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT?!?!"

First of all, I'm super glad they get to show off here the amount of acting talent Garfield has that isn't allowed to be put into his Spider-Man performances. Secondly, wow. That exchange alone in the trailer is so intense one can't imagine it getting any better in the feature, but oh wow, it really does. That's what makes The Social Network notable as a trailer; it's deft ability to not ruin the film it's promoting but still managing to be a superb entity on it's own.