How Accurate Was the Movie The Social Network?

Altering the Facts Makes for Great Drama but Poor History:
A Review of Aaron Sorkin's movie "The Social Network"

Aaron Sorkin earned a stellar reputation as the producer of "West Wing," an idealistic TV show about a smart and sophisticated American president with good ethics and equally good policies. Having high expectations for a Sorkin production, I was disappointed in his current release, "The Social Network."

"The Social Network" is the story of Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook, which has 800 million users worldwide and is currently estimated to be worth $25 billion. That's no small feat for a 26-year-old entrepreneur. How did he do it?

Zuckerberg, played beautifully by Jesse Eisenberg, is a 19-year-old student at Harvard as the movie opens. He is having drinks with his girlfriend, and manages to insult her and offend the audience within less than five minutes of crisp, sardonic dialogue. Sorkin establishes immediately that Zuckerberg is arrogant, insufferable and Mensa material, and we cheer when his girlfriend, Erica, breaks up with him. A frustrated and intoxicated Zuckerberg returns to his dorm, thinking that he will create a social media site where Harvard men can rate female students in terms of their attractiveness. He calls the site "FaceMash."

It's a powerful scene, arguing that the birth of Facebook was motivated by teen angst and revenge. The only problem is that it never occurred. Zuckerberg didn't even know a woman named Erica, although he did drunkenly blog about a Harvard coed named Jessica Alona, but he denies that he ever went out with her or that she was the driving force behind Facebook. In fact, Mark had the same girlfriend for the last eight years and she is now his wife.

After the so-called romantic breakup, Mark conferred with his friend Eduardo Saverin (well played by Andrew Garfield), seeking a logarithm that would enable him to hack into various "face books" that were already in existence in individual Harvard dorms. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg was approached by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, twins who asked if Mark would program a dating website for students that would be based on exclusivity; only Harvard students need apply. The site would be called the HarvardConnection (later renamed ConnectU). Zuckerberg was given the private server location and password for the unfinished HarvardConnection site and the code, with the understanding that he would finish the necessary programming.

He agreed verbally to this arrangement, exchanged 52 e-mails with the brothers and had several in-person meetings, but never delivered the work that he'd promised. Instead, he provided a long list of excuses as to why he couldn't meet with the twins. Then one day, to their shock and dismay, they discovered that Mark had been secretly working with Eduardo and Mark's roommate, Dustin Moskovitz, to launch what was then called "The Facebook."

The twins sued Zuckerberg for stealing their idea and alleged that he used part of their programming code. They were awarded $65 million in damages; however, since then, the Winklevoss brothers claimed that Facebook stock was undervalued at the time and they're really entitled to $466 million. The litigation continues.

Zuckerberg led the twins to believe that he was actively working with them when in fact he was working behind their back to establish something similar, but not identical, to their site. The twins wanted to devise a dating site for Harvard students and to expand this across the country. Zuckerberg's site had little to do with dating. It was a place where people could make friends, network, find a date, or simply chat with their nephews, colleagues or children away at school. Moreover, Zuckerberg's original hot-or-not, drunken FaceMash included both men and women. Sorkin omitted this important detail because he wants us to believe that Mark Z. was angry enough at the imaginary Erica that he would have created a website just for men to humiliate and insult women, and have fun doing so. But the site was never that way. Women could also rate men. And there was no Erica. Ergo, Sorkin's hypothesis for Mark Zuckerberg's basis for forming Facebook was false.

As "The Facebook" was catching on like wildfire, another young genius became involved. Sean Parker was one of the instigators of the now defunct Napster, an application that allowed people to download music for free. This infuriated and worried many musicians; ironically, Justin Timberlake played Sean Parker in the film - I hope he took some pleasure in that role since he must've lost a lot of money to Napster! Unlike Zuckerberg who was basically a studious guy with an obsession for programming, Parker was already leading the glamorous life in Los Angeles. He was a party boy who thought big and made Eduardo look small in Mark's eyes. Mark had to decide between the two of them. Would he pursue Parker's vision of Facebook, funded through venture capitalists, or would he stick with his best friend and company CFO Eduardo and their smalltime advertisers, even though Eduardo had refused to move out to California when Mark wanted to advance the business there?

Ethically-challenged Zuckerberg opted for the latter and left his best friend in the dust by writing Saverin out of future Facebook contracts once they reached the 1 million user mark; his share went from 34% of the company to.03%. Saverin was enraged; he sued in April of 2005 and won back a 5% share of Facebook, worth 1.3 billion, as well as an undisclosed amount of money. Parker had a 7% share in Facebook which was revoked when he was busted for cocaine use. Zuckerberg maintains a 24% share although Sorkin leads us to believe he still owns 51%.

Sorkin relied entirely on interviews with Eduardo Saverin to make this production, which was based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. Not surprisingly, Mark Zuckerberg refused to be interviewed. Consequently, the movie can't help but be biased in Saverin's favor.

Since the courts had already established that Zuckerberg was guilty of intellectual property theft, there was no need for Sorkin to embellish. "The Social Network" would have benefited by sticking more closely to the facts, which were dramatic enough.

The movie poses hard ethical questions. It makes us ask ourselves if we are complicit. Do you have a Facebook account? Are you helping to keep the accidental billionaires rich? If you wouldn't wear a T-shirt that says, "Free Bernie Madoff," why would you support Zuckerberg?

Finally, the movie acts as a Rorschach test - in exit polls, people under 40 viewed Zuckerberg as a visionary genius with drive, purpose and ambition: a young man who saw a golden opportunity and took advantage of it. Those over 40 saw him as cold, morally bankrupt and cutthroat. In that respect, "The Social Network" succeeds as a provocative film and it is excellent entertainment. But I fear that many people will mistake this fascinating half-truth for a documentary, and that it most definitely is not. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

What Other Good Film Rental Websites Are There Like Netflix?

If you're a movie lover and use the internet often, you will probably have heard of the online stream rental website, Netflix.com. This is a website that, for a monthly subscription fee of £5.99, allows you to access a library of around 100,000 movies and TV shows to watch whenever you like! There is big business in this market and there are several companies fighting for the consumer attention, so in this article I will have a look at the other companies fighting for a share of your attention.

Love Film
Lovefilm.com is a site with a similar business model to Netflix. Owned by the huge retail giant Amazon.com, it already has established itself as one of the main players in the online stream/rental business.

One of the packages it offers, Lovefilm Instant, is essentially the same package as Netflix, however it is just £4.99 a month! The range of titles available with Instant are less than you get with Netflix though, and reviews for that particular package are pretty poor compared to Netflix.

There is one major difference between Lovefilm and Netflix, and that is the number of packages available. Where Netflix offers one flat rate £5.99 a month all access package, Lovefilm has lots of different options, and prices to go with them. For example you can rent DVD's to your home address for a monthly fee, or stream online for a monthly fee, or combine the two (more expensive). Check my resource box at the bottom for more information on the pricing of the different packages available, plus how to get free trials with both Netflix and Lovefilm.

The one main similarity with both companies is that both offer a one month free trial of their services. This gives the consumer a chance to work out if the service is worth the fees, a very good idea. REMEMBER! If you take up a free trail with either service you must take care to cancel the service before the month is up if you do not want to pay subscription! It only takes either a phone call or a couple of clicks with each service!

Blink Box
Blink box is an emerging company in the market and is growing in popularity in recent times. This is because it has a different take on the market to the other two companies, in that it does not charge monthly subscription fees! This works to the advantage of the occasional film watcher, as you only pay for a film when you want to watch one! Also Blink Box currently has a deal with Dominos Pizza (2012) where on a Monday you can watch a movie from 99p and get 40% off certain orders at Dominos Pizza! For more information and pricing check my resource box at the bottom.

I hope this article has helped in showing the different options available to using Netflix.com. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Jason Bateman: A Child Actor Moves On From His Arrested Development

As a popular child actor in the '80s, Jason Bateman seemingly went off the radar after his show, "The Hogan Family," was canceled in 1991. As he struggled to find work, Bateman's career seemed to be heading towards the same early end as those of so many other young actors, until he was brought onto the show "Arrested Development." Now, Bateman is one of the most recognizable faces in comedy, frequently appearing in ensemble pieces to critical and box office success.

His first major role was in "Little House on the Prairie," in which he played young James Cooper Ingalls. Bateman's character lasted for twenty-one episodes before the show was taken off the air after a slow decline in ratings. With his first taste of national recognition behind him, Bateman went on to co-star in "Silver Spoons" with Ricky Schroeder. Cast as Derek, Bateman appeared on the show for its first two seasons before moving on to star in his own series, "It's Your Move." While popular with critics, the show was canceled after its second season. Following the cancellation of "It's Your Move," Bateman would continue to work as a guest star in shows like "Knight Rider," "Mr. Belvedere," and "St. Elsewhere."

In 1986, Bateman was cast in the role of 16-year-old David in the show "Valerie." Starring Valerie Harper, the series focused on the title character as she tried to raise her kids while working full time. During the show's initial run, Bateman became the youngest member of the Directors Guild of America when he directed three episodes of the series at the age of eighteen.

In the middle of the show's second season, trouble arose when Harper wanted a raise. The producers wrote her out of the series, changing the show's name to "The Hogan Family," and brought in Sandy Duncan as the family's aunt. Initially, the change was a success, but by 1991, ratings were at a low, and the series was canceled.

Following the cancellation of "The Hogan Family," Bateman struggled to find work. He had starred in "Teen Wolf Too" in 1987, but the film flopped at the box office, leading to a stigma that Bateman could not open a film.

During the '90s, Bateman would appear sporadically on television, guest-starring in shows like "Ned and Stacey," "Chicago Sons," and "Rude Awakening." His luck finally changed in 2003, when he signed on to star in Mitch Hurwitz's new show, "Arrested Development."

Detailing the fall of the Bluth family, "Arrested Development" took a very tongue-in-cheek look at family dynamics, politics and economics. Bateman played Michael Bluth, the good son of the family, who tries to keep everyone together after his father is arrested for fraud. The trailblazing comedy featured a biting wit that had no problem with making fun of television clichés, the Iraq war, or even its own network, Fox. The cast included Michael Cera, Will Arnett, and David Cross and would even feature guest stars Liza Minelli and Henry Winkler poking fun at their own images. Producer Ron Howard lent his voice as the Narrator, playing off of his own image. While the show was a hit critically, it couldn't find an audience, leading to its cancellation in 2006. Since then, the show has become a cult hit, finding success on DVD and Netflix. Its influence has been felt in some of today's biggest shows, including "The Office" and "30 Rock."

For Bateman, "Arrested Development" was the spark that would reignite his career. His comic timing and ability to play the straight man led to him seeing an influx of work. He would work with Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau in a number of films, including "Dodgeball," "The Break Up," and "Couples Retreat." Bateman would become a featured actor in many of Peter Berg's films, having major roles in "The Kingdom" and "Hancock." He would even reunite with Michael Cera in the Oscar-winning comedy, "Juno."

With his career at an all-time high, Bateman has continued to find consistent work. The 2011 hit "Horrible Bosses" teamed Bateman with Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day, leading to financial success and production on a sequel. He has even started a production company with "Arrested Development" costar Will Arnett, and their first film, "Mansome," was a Spotlight selection at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival.

Even with all of these projects, Bateman shows little sign of slowing down. He's currently filming the fourth season of "Arrested Development," due to be released on Netflix. For 2013, he has a couple of films in production, with "The Identity Thief" set to premiere in February. For an actor whose career was nonexistent in the '90s, Bateman has risen to the challenge and become one of the go-to actors for ensemble comedies. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Movie Review: "Page Eight"

Rating: PG, Length: 99 minutes, Release Date: June 18, 2011, Directed by: David Hare, Genre: Drama/Mystery.

"Page Eight" is a political drama produced by the BBC as a made-for-television film. David Hare, well known as a British television writer, is the writer and director of "Page Eight." The primary cast members include Judy Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Tom Hughes, Bill Nighy, and Rachel Weisz. "Page Eight" debuted at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It was later broadcast on BBC Two, BBC HD, and PBS.

Johnny Worricker (Bill Nighy) is an officer in MI5, the British intelligence service. His boss is Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon), the Director General of MI5. Baron is married to Johnny's ex-wife and is raising Johnny's daughter as his own. Baron, just before he dies of a heart attack, passes over a report to Johnny. Johnny notices a potentially explosive passage on page eight. This passage mentions that Americans are torturing prisoners in overseas prisons with the knowledge of the British government.

Johnny infers that Baron wanted him to make the report public, but MI5 officer Jill Tankard (Judy Davis) disagrees with this course of action. Tankard is working directly for the Prime Minister, who wants the report buried. The Prime Minister also promotes the Home Secretary to Deputy Prime Minister in order to buy her silence about the report. Johnny later discovers that Tankard has been using her son to keep tabs on Johnny.

Meanwhile, Johnny gets to know his neighbor Nancy Pierpan (Rachel Weisz), whose brother was killed by the Israeli Army with the help of an MI5 agent. The audience is left guessing about the exact nature of the relationship between them, although it seems as if it is staged. Furthermore, it is clear that MI5 is monitoring their conversations.

Johnny is eventually forced to leave his job in order discover the truth about the report. He disappears, leaving a painting with Nancy. She later hears a news broadcast announcing that the British government knew about the circumstances of her brother's death. She knows that Johnny has leaked the information to the press and realizes that the painting Johnny left her is a clue to his whereabouts.

"Page Eight" explores the distrust that typically exists between the public and politicians. It does this by looking past the headlines on torture and prisons that were especially common when the film was made. Most films in this genre include car chases, explosions, shoot-outs, and assassinations. Hare keeps this film firmly grounded in the real world, so the characters only resort to violence when all else fails.

Hare does not fill the script with light banter or use any lines containing real warmth. The carefully stylized nature of the film means that it carries little emotional content. This is most apparent when Johnny critiques his daughter's painting. Many directors would use this scene to illustrate the bond between father and daughter, but Johnny describes the painting as if he were a professional art critic.

The acting in "Page Eight" is consistently excellent, especially that of Fiennes as the despicable Prime Minister. The ideas in the film are complex, and do not underestimate the viewer's intelligence. The cast members clearly enjoy the subtle dialogue and direction of the film, although many moviegoers will be accustomed to films with faster pacing.

This film has two primary story lines that mingle together as the film moves forward. Two of the subplots revolve around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Nancy's brother. The first main story line is about Johnny's personal life, which is almost nonexistent due to his inability to trust anyone. For example, he is extremely suspicious when Nancy shows an interest in him. This prevents the relationship from developing into a romance, and instead restricts it to a mutual friendship.

Johnny's inability to express himself with any emotion ensures that he is unlikely ever to fall in love. His relationship with Nancy is primarily based on a fondness for arts and culture. Johnny's least serious relationship is with Baron, who teases him affectionately.

The other story line in "Page Eight" follows Johnny's professional life as he deals with the possibility of the Americans extracting information through torture. This part of the film shows that the torture itself is not as alarming as the fact that it has been officially acknowledged. "Page Eight" shows a government plunging into moral bankruptcy, as Johnny tries not to fall in line with this thinking. Johnny must remain grounded while resisting the pressure of the bureaucracy around him.

Watch the trailer for "Page Eight" here. Rating: 4 out of 5. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Where To Sell Those VHS Titles

The last thing I want to do is to put you off any of your own ideas about where to sell those VHS Titles that you have accumulated over the years. Or maybe you are an enthusiastic collector who wants to free up some space in what was once a 3 bedroom house and is now a 2 bedroom house with a large shed upstairs.

But seriously, there are many places you could try to sell your VHS Tapes. There are plenty of online outlets including eBay, Craigslist.com and Amazon, etc. You can sell domestically from garage sales, car boots and the classified ads in your local newspaper.

The thing to remember is this; you want to get as targeted a buying audience as possible and that being the case - you also want that audience to be as big as possible.

Selling VHS Titles is very much a niche enterprise and that niche is split into smaller niches. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to try to get your VHS Titles in front of all the people who might be interested.

Some buyers may only be interested in documentaries, others in trains or travel. Still others may collect comedy or live band performances etc.

But if all these people are looking in the same place, then there is a good chance that they will see some of your video titles - if they are there to be seen.

The largest marketplaces are of course eBay and Amazon.

I am only going to recommend Amazon - WHY?

For one very good reason. Amazon has a real advantage over eBay because it actually has a category called "VHS" and eBay does not.

Instead, eBay has a category called, "DVD's, Films & TV".

Yes, it's true that if you type 'VHS tapes' into the eBay search bar, then look under the categories heading, you will see, "Videos: VHS" mentioned.

But here is the real difference.....

The last time I looked, eBay was showing 2,337 listings under that heading, but at the same time, Amazon had over 83,000.

Amazon is by far the most popular place for selling and is the obvious marketplace for a niche selling enterprise.

Whether you are a collector or simply selling redundant VHS Tapes which are lying around the house - something you should definitely consider obtaining is an up-to-date and proper;y researched list of VHS Titles. A list that shows you which tapes have a value. There are many, many VHS Tapes being advertised on Amazon.co.uk for 1 penny. This is ridiculous and it will be a total waste of your time to try selling some of your VHS Titles when clearly there may be a saturated market for certain titles.

So you either need a researched list or else you will have to research each one of your titles individually. This isn't such a big deal if you only have a few, but if you have a shed-load or you are actually sourcing VHS Titles as a means of providing a second income, then having a list which tells you which VHS Titles have value, is something which will save you enormous amounts of time and also prevent you wasting money buying tapes that have little or no value.

Anyway, I hope I have given you some ideas. It only remains for me to wish you good luck in selling your tapes. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Television Aerial Installation, Get the Answer to Your Poor TV Reception

There are still a great number of households nowadays who haven't been upgrading or switching to a more advanced TV watching. They are certainly being contented with what they currently have.

But do you know that there is an easier way for you to enjoy television watching and staying away from poor TV reception on your TV set?

Getting a new improved television aerial installation is one great solution in having a clearer TV picture. You only have to choose from the variety of TV aerials and see which one works for your location.

In most cases, you are getting contented on the kind of TV reception. But if all the chances are there to improve it, then why not make a difference now.

In making a start, you initially need to look for a TV aerial installation company that can make the proper assessment of your aerial installation needs.

Since there are many options when it comes to the kind of TV aerial that can be used, you need to have someone to check which one will work for you.

If you currently have an existing aerial that you used at home, then you may only need to get some upgrade. There will be no new aerial installation needed, just a simple upgrade will do.

Depending on the location that you are at, there will be a certain television aerial that would work. Thus, getting the help of the expert to make a preliminary survey of your area is a better idea.

It is never too late to get the answer to your TV reception problems. You can always get a solution from the right people and company around you.

You just have to go along with the latest technological advancements if you want to enjoy your TV watching most. And getting the right television aerial installation is what you need to do.

Keep in mind as well, that you only need to seek the help of the proficient television aerial company. It is the only way to have the best assistance you want.

Make up your mind now. You can get the right answer to your poor TV reception needs today. Be ahead of the TV aerial advancements coming in the next few years.

With a little effort and a small amount of money that you have to spend, you will get the best TV reception and enjoy your TV watching the most. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Bond Less then Suave

What is wrong with these people?

For the last three outings (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and now, Skyfall), the people behind the franchise chose to present Bond, Commander James Bond in a different form- a hunky assassin, nothing more.

James Bond, of course, is the fictional spy created by Ian Fleming, made infinitely more entertaining with slapdash additions from a multitude of writers who co-opted the character through the screenplays of now, 23 outings.

The last three movies portrayed Bond as more of a killing machine, licensed to kill, with a penchant for speedo rather than a highly sophisticated spy posing as an executive for Universal Exports who goes about unearthing schemes of world domination hatched by crazed master criminals that takes him globe trotting to exotic locations,.

So in Casino Royale (2006), Bond engages terrorist-bomb maker, Mollaka in a cardiac-arrest inducing, crane-hanging, parkour style, impossibly long chase that ended in the obligatory explosion scene. Reviews generally gave the film a positive rating, even citing the chase, the best bond sequence. Ah, that maybe true for some. For me, the chase in 'Tomorrow Never Dies' (1997) featuring Bond handcuffed to a female Chinese agent while riding a motorcycle, negotiating the ledges and canopies of a residential area of a Vietnamese town still stands as the best.

For that particular sequence of Casino Royale, my alternate sequence shows Commander Bond, wearing a bush jacket from Saville row, Walther ppk in hand, waiting on the other side of the crane for Mollaka. Smiling at the dumb founded, totally exhausted, sweat drenched terrorist, Bond speaks with something like " My dear chap, I would have brought you Gatorade but I've a bit of a credit card glitch." spouted in that Bond-patented nasal, low-pitched,clipped Brit accent.

Why would Bond be traipsing atop buildings and cranes? He is an intelligence officer of her majesty not part of the British Olympic team.

I heard somebody ask " wearing a bush jacket from Saville row? why he would have been spotted a mile away". My dear chap, Bond would not be caught dead in anything less chic. In "Tomorrow Never Dies" Bond sneers at the clothes worn by Wade consisting of an odd Hawaiin shirt and slacks when he meets the American spy on board a carrier. Now that would tell you Bond is also a fashion police.

Because James Bond is the most élite spy, a spy's spy, he can't be spotted even if he comes off the oddest thing in a given environment. Remember "You Only Live Twice" (1967)?

Custom made Saville row suits and funny quips define the Bond flair. Who is Bond without suave? If Bond were not suave; if Bond were vulnerable, sartorially inadequate and aging., he might as well be Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt and Aaron Cross, maybe even pinoy super spy, Tony Falcon.

The thing I like about Bond is the idea of a guy who knows what he's doing and showing class while at it. In Dr. No, Bond immediately finds out that the driver supposed to fetch him from the airport was really an enemy spy sent to kill him by merely making a telephone call. In 'Die Another Day' (2002) Bond knows all too well about a Chinese spy ring in a Hong kong Hotel but only exposes his knowledge at exact time, after putting on custom tailored clothes. In all the Bond films I have seen, the commander always possessed some background knowledge of elements of a case.

Diametrically opposed to that particular Bond concept, in Casino Royale, Bond losses all his money in a poker table to a guy called le Chiffre because he assumed the opponent was bluffing. Any fool poker player knows that in a tourney, one does not risk tilting on the assumption of a bluff. It is not just done.All these years Bond possessed incredible luck at the tables.In the Fleming novel, Bond wins. Why they would chose an alternate version is again beyond me.

There is nothing wrong with Daniel Craig. He is as good as his predecessors, except maybe the bad hair. In Skyfall, Craig wears a scruff which looks totally unsuave. Even on vacation Bond is never scruffy. The only other time Bond looked scruffy was In Die Another Day, where he was captured and kept prisoner for a long time and so grows a beard and long hair (though being beaten thoroughly by the Koreans, he should have lost weight a bit).

Writers of the last three Bond films removed the suave side of Bond for no valid reason I can think of. They just made Bond ordinary.

Probably the writer lost track of Bond's cover, a well-traveled executive of Universal Exports (which I think might need updating. It's not really known what it exports, cigars maybe as in 'Die Another Day'?). As such, Bond has to look the part, custom clothes (should fit well, they would be custom tailored after all), cigarettes (555 was the Bond brand until 'Live and Let Die' in 1973), Smirnoff, most expensive watch and Aston Martin.

Bond would also have to be not just literate in computers, he would have to be a techie, as most executives today. As such, Bond would be well verse in broad range of subjects.

And as techieness goes, Commander Boothroyd (or Q) is the mother of all techies (even before the word came about) and in that, Bond can never be without a new gadget.

Skyfall (2012) meantime shows signs of Bond aging, sensitive (he took personally M's order for moneypenny to take the shot that fell him in a struggle on top a moving train) and unable to hit targets. I don't think 007 is authorized by her majesty to age, be sensitive, even sweat or miss targets, let alone non-moving ones during practice. those traits belong to a lower paygrade, I suppose, definitely not for double Os.The secret service recruited Bond from the Navy from which he earned the rank Commander. At that rank, he should be in his thirties or there about. The franchise having thrown away the time line of Ian Fleming (that he was recruited after the 2nd world was) abandon the age question entirely (as an example, in Casino Royale Bond just earned his double 0), it then stands to reason that he is still in his thirties, strong, sharp and cocky.

And what about the famous Bond girls? They lost their catchy names like Pussy Galore, Octopussy, Dr. GoodHead, Major Onotop and Honey Rider? But I like the idea on Moneypenny being a trained operative, although she should have disrobed for a sneak peek on what Bond is missing. The occasional appearance of Moneypenny should beg the question, will they?

And then there are the more ordinary villains that Bourne could kick with one hand tied.

My list of first-rate villains include Jaws and Oddjob, almost industrutable. I like 006 as a villain as well, more gripping when it is two equal forces and suaveness. Silva in Skyfall is not comparable to 006 even when it is indicated that he is a top spy as well. How can a trained operative miss M at the hall?

All in all, the Bond franchise moves rather splendidly, if it were judged by the box office return. But for the old Bond followers like me,come on then, give us back old James. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Reviews of Famous Martial Arts Movies, The Duel

"The Duel" is more of a canvas soaked in blood rather than a movie and it is filled with moments of rage and bloody encounters, filling each scene in the movie with decisive death blows and displays of ultimate fury. Directed by the legendary Chang Cheh under the Shaw Brothers banner, the dialogues and the conversations between the characters in the movie seem to be an excuse to move from one bloody encounter to another. Apart from the mindless butt-kicking, "The Duel" also touches the sensitive topic of corrupted politicians and politics, thus forcing the protagonist to over-ride the law at all points to take down a bunch of power- hungry politicians trying to destroy peace and harmony.

The opening scene shows Tan Jen-chieh (Ti Lung) getting a huge butterfly tattoo drawn onto his chest, as a show of his affection for Hue-dieh (Ping Wang). But the happiness doesn't last forever, as Tan gets involved in a war between his gangster grandfather and a fierce rival. Chang Cheh tries to create a western impact with such a violent crescendo as a gang of assassins stroll down the streets butchering innocents. When knives and swords start being thrown meaninglessly, "The Duel"transforms itself into a cinematic butchering playground, bursting arteries and cutting through bellies as if there is no tomorrow. The screen is filled with carnage, bashed up faces, torn shirts and blood.This blood bath results in the exile of Tan and his grandfather getting murdered.

"The Duel" is violent although the climax reveals the director's honest attempt to take on the political world. Tan ultimately takes down each and every bad guy in a bloodbath. However, the evil Senator manages to escape the punishment. Chang shows that no matter what the degree of violence is, it will not be able to vanquish the real masterminds manipulating the government. This was a well realized fact and was beautifully presented in the climax of the movie. Instead of letting the bruised and battered protagonists stand upright at the end of the movie; Chang shows them trying to stand up and surprisingly freezes the frame. This was done probably to show the shadow of mortality looming on all mankind, no matter who they are. The battle against mortality can never be won, no matter how good you are at Kung Fu.

The glamour that is usually associated with Shaw Brothers is very evident throughout the movie, more during the numerous bloody scenes. All other colors have been used brilliantly throughout and the audience is left spell bound at one point. Quality sound, which is a vital factor for the success of a Kung Fu film, is amazing throughout the movie. The screams, slices and the gushing blood leave a long lasting impression on the minds of the audience.

Successful both as a movie based on Kung Fu and as a take on the political world, "The Duel" is a movie worth watching. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Famous Hero Spiderman's Journey to the Big Screen

One of the top grossers in the big screen today is superhero movies and who could forget Marvel's famous hero Spiderman? The boy who got bit by a radioactive spider has charmed the public and was able to sell off its merchandise by storm. Among the many adventures of Spidey and his rise to fame, he was able to come up with three box office movies. And this year, there's yet another follow up that people are surely going to line up for.

Spiderman is a story about a boy named Peter Parker who was bit by a radioactive spider thus giving him his superhuman abilities. Peter Parker was the typical outcast in high school. He was way too smart for his level, he was an introvert and was always bullied in school. Moreover, his foster parents, Aunt May and Uncle Ben weren't financially well-off therefore giving Peter more pressures in life.

When Peter found out he had powers in the likes of a spider, he took advantage of it to earn more money. It made him join fight clubs in disguise by wearing a mask so that he could beat his opponent and win the prize money. However, when his uncle was killed by a robber he has set free earlier, he changed his ways and took his responsibility of fighting crime and enemies that arise in New York.

Spiderman was franchised in the 80s so that it could become a film production. It was moved to various production companies until it finally reached and stayed with the Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Sony thought it would be a smart move to hire a comic book fan to direct the movie so they called Sam Raimi. In the end, he was the director of all the three Spiderman films namely Spiderman, Spiderman 2 and Spiderman 3. The lead role was played by Tobey Maguire and his love interest Mary Jane Watson was Kirsten Dunst. Spiderman's antagonists in the sequel were Green Goblin as Willem Dafoe, Doctor Octopus as Alfred Molina, the New Goblin as James Franco who happen to be Harry, Peter Parker's best friend, the Sandman and Venom.

Raimi's trilogy had a budget of $597 million and was able to gross nearly $2.5 billion dollars worldwide. The first two films were given exceptional reviews however the third one received mixed opinions. Although there were rumors that there would still be a fourth installation, it was discontinued but made way for an upcoming movie, mid-year of 2012.

The Amazing Spiderman is a reboot from Sam Raimi's films and is directed by Marc Webb. The plot takes Peter back to his teenage years and in high school making the production replace Tobey Maquire with Andrew Garfield. Peter's love interest in the movie happens to be Gwen Stacy played by Emma Stone. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Big Film Posters of 2012

Films are getting bigger and bigger. Prequels, sequels. Remakes and more. 2012 is a big year for films, and in turn, film posters. The designers and teams behind films have probably, quite a lot on their plate. You'd be forgiven to thinking that they could just chuck then design to an intern.

"You boy! Intern! The one with the beard! Take a screen shot and put some reviews on it. Make it snappy. 8 million prints. In the next hour. "

However, it's worth bearing in mind that this is the studio's main route to press and excitement over their latest creation, so plenty of time and effort goes into making these posters the best they can be.

So the top film posters of 2012 for the bestsellers were as follows:

The Avengers

The Avengers posters showed the full cast of the avengers assembled (see what we did there?) with some shots of individual members, and a clear focus on the date as well as the 'A' for avengers and the studio Marvel. The brand is well established and needed little explanation, and the use of the variety of characters on their own and together added diversity and interest for fans of the individual films (e.g. Thor, Hulk, Iron Man.)

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games posters were a mix of the full cast in a shadowy side profile, as well as the arena shot with the strap line 'the world will be watching'. For those who hadn't read the hunger games books, this unusual setting certainly gave an air of mystery to the film, with the poster giving actually little away to the genre and plot of the Hunger Games. The continuity of brand imagery, the searing orange and blacks meant that the hunger games posters were soon a noticeable fixture across the country.

Titanic 3D

Titanic 3D's posters featured jack and rose looking wet and a little harrowed (wonder why?) with the strap line 'experience it like never before'. The push here is all on 3D, and Titanic 3D, although not reinventing the wheel, was always going to be a big hitter on the anniversary of the sinking of the ship.

Wrath of the Titans

The Wrath of the Titans posters featured spearing of two headed beasts, a hunky male lead in full view of the shot, as well as the aforementioned beast breathing fire on said hunky male lead. The theme of wrath of the titan's poster was definitely 'Action!!' and gave a real indication of 'what you see is what you'll get.' It worked, grossing $298,004,440 worldwide.

So, we're not even through 2012 and we are already seeing some amazing film posters and movies hitting worldwide. The year of the blockbuster, the movie poster themes continue to push 3D, Imax and Real, and we can expect to see some great images for the upcoming Batman: The Dark Knight Rises posters and the new Spiderman posters. Keep your eyes peeled! Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Things to Do In Orlando Harry Potter Theme Park

First came the thick books, then the blockbuster movies, now Harry Potter fans can experience the world of magic through the Harry Potter theme Park in Orlando, Florida. With almost six years in the making and a cost of roughly about $200 million, Universal Island of Adventure was opened to the public in June of 2010. Since day 1, countless of Harry Potter fans around the world visited the place for its magical scenery and exciting Wizarding activities. It didn't take a long time for the park to become a legit tourist attraction in Orlando.

This 20-acre Wizarding World is an area inside the Island of Adventure Theme Park. Right from its entrance gate, visitors are welcomed with a stone arch of the Hogsmeade village by a steam-blowing train of Hogwarts Express. In front of it is a stretch taken straight from the movies: crooked-chimneyed old English shops along its winding road while snow-capped roofs are gleaming in the Florida sunshine.

Because of the popularity of the park, it's normal to see the park very crowded, everyday. So if you're planning to take your kids and the whole family to see the magical Harry Potter universe come to life, make sure you follow these tips:

1. Get there Early

Avoiding peak hours is your best option for a hassle-free visit. If you don't want to spend long minutes waiting in the long line just to get in the rides, make sure you arrive early. Also, the park usually closes during peak hours later in the day.

2. Take full advantage of Bypass Line-Ups

Universal Studio Theme Park helps guests who can't be at the park early through their alternative routes. There are three ways to bypass line-ups;

a. Staying at the Universal Orlando Resort and getting free "Universal Express" access.

b. Buying the Universal Express ticket.

c. Getting a VIP tour at a premium price.

3. Avoid crowded areas, such as shops.

As much as you want to purchase souvenirs, don't waste your time in buying items in crowded shops. There are tons of souvenir shops inside the theme park where you can get merchandise items. If you're thinking of going shopping inside the park, then you better avoid shopping in small shops. Those in the lower area of the Hogwarts Castle are better options for shopping.

4. Purchase wand at the Owl Post shop rather than in Olivanders.

Getting your own wand is a part of the whole Harry Potter theme park experience; however lines can be quite long in the Olivander wand shop, as it can only accommodate so much people at once. Owl Post shop on the other hand, is quite accessible in the connecting Banges and Dervish shops. Also, this shop is far more spacious.

5. Wait for the Lights

Though it can be quite tiring to walk around the park for hours, staying inside until night will allow you to see more magical ambiance of the park, completing your whole Harry Potter Theme Park experience. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Choose Right MPG to MP4 Converter For You!

MPG is a file format, which has been abbreviated from MPEG. It is a moving pictures expert's group presentation of the multimedia files. This is one of the best file formats, which is heavily supported over web. MPG is compatible with windows operating system; you will it hard to manage this file format over the Mac operating system. There is another problem with MPG file format, which is incompatibility of this file format over portable device. You cannot play your MPG file over IPOD, IPAD and cell phones.

Life is becoming busier with the passage of time. You will hardly find some time to get some entertainment. You cannot manage your life without a solid part of the entertainment. Life will not provide you with massive time to get some entertainment over big screens of your LCD's and LED's. You will find yourself working almost 18/24 a day. You will like to get entertainment over the small screens of your portable devices.

Your MPG files are incompatible with portable and mobile devices. It will get hard for you to manage your MPG files over your small screen. This file format is incompatible with portable devices. You will need to convert your MPG files to some other file format, which should be compatible with the mobile and portable devices. MP4 is a file format, which is fully compatible with all kinds of operating systems. This file format is also compatible with the Mobile and portable devices. If you did not convert your mpg to mp4 converter you will find yourself in a problem.

This is why; you should convert you files to MP4 file format. You may ask how to convert the MPG files to MP4? Of course, you can easily finish the conversion process. You will find multiple applications, which may claim to finish the job for you. You should always be careful, while you declare a choice of conversion. You can never afford to trust some application, which comes from some unreliable platform. Wonder share presents an application, which is reliable, effective and efficient at the same time. This application can easily convert mpg to mp4 formats.

This application is quick enough to finish the job. You will not be at the moment waiting, if you used this application for completing your job. This file format allows you to edit your files too. You will find this application will serve you, by its multi-functionalist functions. This will not only convert your MPG to MP4 files, but it will provide you with an opportunity to edit your file too. People like to edit their files, so that they get the output of their own choice. This application comes in windows and Mac supported versions. Mac users do not need to worry about converting their MPG files to MP4 file format, as this application will serve them also. Get this application, so that you can easily manage, play and convert your MPG files.

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Acting schools In Los Angeles, How to Find the Right Acting Classes Los Angeles

In a city that is the heart and soul of the entertainment industry, it is probably not surprising to find out that there are hundreds of acting classes Los Angeles acting classes are taught by actors and actresses who have either been stars at one time in their life and now can't find work because of their age or disabilities or they just have a passion for acting and want to be involved in it however they can. Either way, you will not have a hard time finding acting classes South Bay and Los Angeles have many quality acting schools to choose from.

As a matter of fact, the most difficult part about finding acting classes Los Angeles will probably be deciding which one to go with. If you can find a class taught by a veteran of the stage and screen, that will be your best bet because they will not only teach you what you need to know to act on film and television, but also what you need to know to act in plays. Many actors and actresses get discovered by acting in plays, so this can be a very good skill to have. Just try to stay away from acting classes Los Angeles that are taught by those who have not had any form of acting success. Obviously, these people have not made it based on what they are doing, so why would you make it by doing the same things? The truth is you would not, so avoid them if you can.

South Bay is an area located in the southwest part of Los Angeles. Like the rest of L.A., you will not find a lack of acting classes South Bay for you to attend. While acting classes South Bay are not located in the heart of L.A., you can still find good classes to attend and learn from. You are going to be less likely to find classes taught by former stars here, but you can still find them taught by veterans of the stage. As previously mentioned, many stars were discovered when they were in plays, so you will want to know how to do this type of acting so you can get parts in as many plays as you can get.

Once you decide on the acting classes South Bay that you want to attend, keep in mind that they will not make you a star overnight. Actually, chances are they will not make you a star at all. L.A. has an overall population of well over three million people and, honestly, roughly 90% of those people either are or want to be celebrities. It is a flooded market and the competition is fierce. One thing that acting classes South Bay will not teach you is how to handle rejection, so be sure you can take it when they tell you no a million times before you ever get a yes. Otherwise, you will never make it in this town.

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Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl Movie: A Conman Show

After the ‘Band Baaja Baraat' glamour, Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma shared screen in the Ladies vs Ricky Bahl movie once again. This movie is the brain child of Maneesh Sharma. Sharma moulded this duo in the same way he did in Band Baaja Baraat. Nevertheless the movie did not do much magic on the audience as well as on the Box office. However Parineeti Chopra, the cousin sister of Piggy Chops casted a charm on the viewers with her lovely face, sweet expressions and the way she delivers her dialogues like "Murgi or Kasai me sachcha wala pyar hogaya hai". This movie has a clear cinematography of Aseem Mishra. The lyrics of Amitabh Bhattacharya and the music by Salim Sulaiman will touch your heart a bit for sure.

As per the Ladies vs Ricky Bahl Movie Reviews, the story revolves around the dumps and ditches of a con man (Ranveer Singh) who enchants ladies and amuses with their wealth. Here conning is his only way to make his living. The movie has a slight combination of Khosla ka Ghosla and Bunty aur Bubli. The dealing of a land and the confidence tricks to cheat girls are somehow similar to those above mentioned movies. The movie has been shot in four different places. They are Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow and Goa. There are three ladies whom he deceives. Among them Parineeti Chopra will catch your eyes for no doubt. Most importantly the best parts of the movie are with Parineeti Chopra. She is the life of the movie. Therefore Anushka did not have much to do in the movie. Moreover the entry of Anushka is late in this movie. She comes into the film in the post interval portions of this movie. Astonishing to see how the modern ladies can be cheated so easily.

In the second half of the movie they plans for taking revenge and then comes another con woman Ishika aka (Anushka). But eventually Anushka and Ranveer fall in love with each other. This is one more wondering scene of the movie how these twosomes get smitten with each other by a single kiss. The movie is directed under the banner of Yash Raj films. The songs are choreographed very nicely. Nevertheless the actors did a not bad acting all along the movie. Still the storyline loses bit shine. The Ladies vs Ricky Bahl Movie Rating is for that reason poor and not up to the mark at all. It is rated 2 out of 5 stars. According to the FM channels the entire spectators are there in the movie hall only because of Parineeti Chopra as the same romance flashback of Band Baaja Baraat is no more such entertaining.

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How Daniel Craig Was Received As 007

The announcement that Daniel Craig was  to be the new face of 007 in November 2005 came with quite a lot of controversy, with many hard core fans who had been brought up on the Pierce Brosnan films hostile to the new actor and angry that "their" James Bond had been given the boot by producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson.

One group of fans was quick to air their displeasure by setting up a protest website, declaring that "Craig was not Bond". The media caught onto this and reported that Bond fans were unhappy; they also attacked Craig for having worn a lifejacket while about the Royal Marine's high-speed powerboat that was used to transport him to the press conference.

Once filming got underway in 2006 a string of negative stories were published by the British tabloids;  Craig was not tough enough to play James Bond and had had his teeth knocked out while preparing for an action scene; and that he couldn't drive a car with a manual gearbox were just two of the stories.

However, once the Casino Royale trailers hit the Internet the reception by the majority of Bond fans was overwhelmingly positive and the negative stories became replaced by more positive ones. While fans of James Bond are used to having high hopes which are often dashed by disappointing films, the buzz around Casino Royale only got better.

Film critics who attended private screenings ahead of the premiere were astounded at the film that had been produced and both Casino Royale and Daniel Craig's portrayal of Bond were widely praised across the board. What had started off as a potentially risky casting decision, and which at times had looked like it might have backfired paid off. Casino Royale was the first Bond film in many years that proved to not only be a commercial success but a critical one too.

The movie-going public were taken by the much more realistic and physical version of James Bond that showed much more violence and minimised the reliance on those fabulous gadgets that always seemed to get him out of trouble just when required.

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Box Office Capsule is a complete Entertainment site for Bollywood, Hollywood and South Movies Lovers

Box Office Capsule is a website owned by Khyati Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. which provides bollywood movies review, their previews, box office collections, analysis, predictions, rate critics, bollywood news, south news, hollywood movies review, movies rating and My ADDA. The site was formed in December 2011.

This is first of its kind platform for bollywood/film buffs to get connected and share their views.

There is a unique property called ‘My Adda' where members can login and enjoy the first social network kind of experience dedicated to Bollywood.

Another unique proposition is ‘Rate the Critics' where audience can express their views and rate critics on the basis of the quality and honesty of reviews.

We also have a unique scientific model that can be used to predict the business of Hindi films. This model has been developed by an IIM Graduate who developed it after extensive research all over the world. This model claims an accuracy of 95%. This model has been very popular among many film celebrities, producers, exhibitors and distributors. It was extensively covered by media all over.

In addition to all this, the website also focuses on latest box office collections, analysis, news, etc. We make sure that we present box office in completely unbiased manner and give readers a complete new scientific approach to the analysis that currently does not exist in India.

The site and the Facebook group/twitter has a huge viewership in India and is also popular in USA, UK, Canada, Pakistan, UAE, Australia, Norway, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands and France.

All Latest Bollywood News can be read here with new and latest images. Hot and sexy models and actresses pictures are also available on this website. Audience can give his ratings here on any movie without hesitation.

He can express his views, upload his images and videos through My ADDA and after login everybody can see the posts, images and videos.

In "Unreliable News", those movies who did the worst business in the year comes.

"Expert Views" Section gives us the experts advice on the hot topics related to Bollywood, Hollywood and South Movies, that what's new is going on in Industry?

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Movie Downloads on the Internet

Most of us come home after work or have some free time on the weekend and would like to relax for a while maybe pour something to drink, grab a quick snack and sit down to watch some television. First lets watch the news for a while to catch up on things current. Now I would like to watch a movie, I have all the premium channels my cable company offers, STARS, Showtime, Lifetime, Cinema, the list goes on. I cannot find anything that interest me they have the same titles sometimes for months at a time. Pay-per-view is my next option the cost is $6 up to $20, forget it!

I decided to do some surfing on the internet I typed in movies. I started reading what they had to offer it sounded pretty good to me. Some sites offered P2P movies. I knew this was an infringement on the copyright, the same thing happened with the CD's in the music industry consumers were downloading the songs but the producers were not receiving any commission. They made a big deal of it, a few people refused to stop distributing the songs. They were heavily fined or jailed. I eventually found a site that claimed to have legal downloadable movies NOT P2P. They offered unlimited downloads for two years at a wonderful price.

To join their club was very simple I entered my credit card information and then hit the download button. I filled out the rest of the form; the selection of movies came up on my screen. The selection was immense, it contained a large selection; action, adventure, cartoons, comedy, classics, drama, fiction, new DVD releases, love, mystery, and you get the point.

Most homes today have HDTV which allows you to join the computer to the TV through a HDMI cable, another method is through your home entertainment system with some AV Jack's or through a wireless router if your computer video card will support it. These methods can be easily looked into through the Internet, they are very common. If you cannot join the two and have a conventional television do not despair.

Download and Burn

Most computers have a burn disk program in them from the manufacturer if not you can download one from the numerous free programs. (Infra Recorder) http:gofree.com. Download your favorite movie then the instructions to burn it to disk. You now have a DVD that you can use in any DVD player or computer.

The advantages of downloading, your own movies are quite clear. Download as many as you like when you want to. A lot cheaper than a video store, no driving, no late fees, no schedule to look up, portable, totally legal.

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