The Social Network (2010)

I went into this movie expecting a great movie and I got that and then some. This is not the "Facebook Movie." This is the movie about how this spy, nervous computer geek got revenge in the most fiscal way.

Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) just got dumped by his girlfriend. She knows he's smart and capable of doing whatever he can to get rich, but he's also a socially-inept ass. As a result, Mark enlists the help of friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) to make facemash.com, a site dedicated to choosing which Harvard female was more attractive than the one next to her. After that erupts over campus, he's a sensation. He then gets the idea for a social network website that puts all the college experience online...or did he take the idea from the Winklevoss twins who hired Zuckerberg to build a similar site. As TheFacebook.com expands, Zuckerberg is feeling the heat. Napster co-founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) helps Mark build up the a franchise and subsequently pushes Saverin out. Exactly how many friends will Mark have left?

As good as this movie was, nothing stood out more than the performance of Jesse Eisenberg. He managed to nail the character and kept him moving at the same Aaron Sorkin pace. That means, he kept talking and talking and talking until there was nothing left to discuss. Him and Andrew Garfield are both deserving of Oscar consideration. Director David Fincher as well. He managed to make a movie about computer nerds exciting. Also, kudos for the most exhilarating rowing (I'm sorry, crew) race in the history of film. Go see this movie.

Zombieland (2009)

Short, sweet and one hell of a lot of fun. As far as zombie movies go, this is one of the better ones. And as for zombie comedies, those people will be happy because this isn't anything like Shaun of the Dead.

All characters, with one exception that I will not go into because of its hilarity, are named after their hometowns. Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is out on his own in a world almost entirely made up of zombies. He has since created a list of about 30 rules to help him stay alive in the world that constantly involves movement. While walking down a deserted highway, an SUV with bulldozer-like modifications comes along and out pops Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson). They agree to ride together and help Tallahassee's unending quest to find a Twinkie. On one stop, they meets sisters Wichita and Little Rock (Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin). Love, lust, carnivals and distrust soon follow.

This movie was just an outstandingly fun time. One of the best movies I've seen this year and would be the best comedy of the year if The Hangover didn't exist. Just a great load of fun and I highly recommend it.

Adventureland (2009)

This movie is not a comedy. The way the marketing was made, you would think this would be another Superbad, but no. Still good though.

James (Jesse Eisenberg) is not a normal college graduate. He studied literature and thought of himself as a more sophisticated person, one who doesn't act like the rest of his high school class. But once his dad gets demoted, James has to work at Adventureland to start making money for grad school. It's there where he meets Em (Kristen Stewart). Em is a girl who has no idea what she wants out of life and doesn't seem to care about that. Throw in an adulterer, two simple bosses, a nerd, a crotch-puncher and the girl who no one expected back, and you got the makings of a 1987 old-fashioned good time.

I felt that this movie was basically the late 80s version of Dazed and Confused. Just not as funny. Most of the comedy came from Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as the husband and wife bosses. It's a good coming-of-age movie that a lot of people can really relate to. Watch this, just don't expect fall down hilarity.