Corrie Live - Recap/Review

50 years ago today, a programme debuted on UK TV which would change the way we looked at television, introducing the soap opera to Britain. That show is of course: Coronation Street.

Half a century on the show is still going strong, and to celebrate, the show was specially extended to a full hour long episode, which would go out LIVE, and it was announced that a whopping four regular cast members would die before the week was out.

On Monday night’s show, a tram came off the viaduct, destroying the night club and the corner shop, leaving carnage throughout the street, and many members of the cast left trapped in the wreckage, and over the last few episodes the aftermath has left devastation.

The first casualty of the week seemed to come in that first show, as John took a hammer and smashed it over Charlotte’s head, although he quickly becomes distracted, the crash coming before he has time to hide the body.

Last night, fan favourite Ashley Peacock’s 15 years on the street came to an end as the last remnants of the club collapsed, just moments after he left an emotional voicemail for his wife Claire.

As the live episode finally got under way Nick stumbled out of the Joinery, informing Deirdre, and in turn Claire herself, that Ashley didn’t make it.

In a superb performance, Julia Haworth, who plays Claire, screams at Audrey as she says that Ashley was a hero for saving Nick and Peter. “What good is a hero if he’s dead”, she moans. “I’d take a coward any day if he was here to tuck his sons in at night.” In that single moment, the heart of a nation cried out for her.

It’s not over for Claire though, and when later on Ashley’s message finally comes through, and she plays it on speakerphone to the crowd in the Rover’s, I defy anyone to have not let out a tear.

At the hospital, Fizz is gives birth to a baby girl, Hope, introducing a new life even in amongst the Armageddon going on else where. It’s not all easy though, as John finds out that Chesney has left the hospital to return to the house to get Fizz’s things, and John is forced to run home to hide Charlotte’s body.

The biggest shock of the night though comes as he drags the body out, and a paramedic who spots them both check’s Charlotte’s pulse and confirms that she is still alive, even if only barely.

Molly (Vicky Binns) is still trapped in the corner shop, and Sally Webster (portrayed by Sally Dynevor) convinces the firemen to let her go in, and be with her friend in what could be her final moments. In any normal episode these would be the best scenes by a mile and Dynevor and Binns act their asses off to really bring the fear and danger of the situation to the fore. Molly finally concedes that she is going to die, and with her final breath utters the words that will change Sally’s life forever. “If I’m gone, Jack won’t have his mummy. He’s going to need his daddy…. It’s Kevin. I’m so sorry”. With that her hand goes limp.

In another touchingly tragic sequence, we see Peter and Leanne tie the knot in the hospital, with Leanne finally telling Nick that she doesn’t love him, and that she wants to be Mrs Barlow, even if it’s only for a few minutes. As heartbroken as Nick clearly is, he agrees, knowing that she is making the right decision.

As Peter and Leanne kiss, Peter’s heart stops, and despite the doctors rushing to rescuscitate him as we leave the hospital for the last time this episode, we can only assume that Devastation Street has taken its penultimate casualty.

The episode ends with Tyrone returning, only to hear that he is moments too late, and that Molly is gone. He hugs a speechless Sally, and we are left to wonder how long it will be until Sally is forced to reveal what she knows.

Overall, this was a terrific episode. So much was going on, with over 65 regular cast members involved, and for a live episode this was a truly colossal undertaking.

It felt completely seamless though, and if you hadn’t known it was live, you would never ever have known. Every scene flowed perfectly into the next, every performance was as flawless as it would have been had they had 20 takes to get it right.

Eastenders attempted a live episode earlier this year, and as good as it was, it felt live. You could see the cracks. The greatest praise I can possibly give to Corrie as it celebrates its half century: this was FLAWLESS.

Wikileaks - Journalism or Terrorism?

Wikileaks is a website which will have escaped no one’s knowledge in recent months, but just in case you have been living under a rock or something, here’s the basic jist: Wikileaks is a site where people can anonymously send in whistle blowing tips, and, once verified, these tips will be posted, bringing them into the public domain, without the fear of backlash to the whistleblower

There have been more than 20,000 “leaks” to date, and the man the world has to thank (or not) is Julian Assange, the founder, and webmaster, of the site.

The site has been criticised in recent weeks for releasing files which the US government believe endanger their troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, by leaking confidential military records.

There is certainly an argument to be made that Assange acted recklessly in the publication of some of these communiqués. I won’t deny that.

But in general terms what he was doing was reporting on injustices that the general news media saw fit to keep from you, and which the governments of the world hoped you would never see.

Take this video, which can be found at: http://www.collateralmurder.com/ .

It portrays a group of Reuters journalists in Baghdad, being fired upon – and killed – by an American helicopter crew who justified the shootings on their radio to command by saying the men were “insurgents”, and “carrying AK-47s”. The video – which just for the record Reuters themselves tried to obtain through a Freedom of Information request which was shut down – clearly shows this entire account to be false. The men both have cameras, but there is no weaponry. These journalists were shot and killed for no reason, leaving 8 men dead, and 2 children seriously injured.

This story, if not told here, would have completely passed by other major outlets, and the US army would have got away with what they did.

Because of Assange, even if no true punishment is brought on the men, the world at large can at least know what they did, and the knowledge of their crime will be the greatest punishment humanity can put upon them.

Now, this view is, surprisingly, not exactly shared by many in Washington.

Over the past few weeks and months, many have spoken out against Wikileaks.

Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, has openly said that “We strongly condemn leaks on American diplomacy. US is taking "aggressive steps" to hold those responsible for release of confidential documents”, going on to say that “The United States deeply regrets the disclosure of any information that was intended to be confidential including private discussions between counterparts or our diplomats’ personal assessments and observations”

Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin went one step further, saying that: “[Assange] is an anti-American operative with blood on his hands…Why was he not pursued with the same urgency we pursue Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders?”

Yes, if it were up to Palin, the United States of America would be at war with Wikileaks, and Mr Assange would be public enemy number 2, right behind Osama Bin Laden himself.

Well Mrs Palin, and anyone else who holds such narrow minded views, allow me to remind you of one thing: Julian Assange is a journalist. Wikileaks is a media institution. Freedom of the Press is an important human right, and if this was any other, more traditional, media outlet then you’d see that what you’re trying to do is openly censor the press – the first step away from a democratic society and into a totalitarian dictatorship.

As a budding reporter, I cannot help but salute Julian Assange’s bravery, in standing up for what he believes, and risking his liberty to bring real stories to the world, where other journalists would sooner just allow them to slide to save their own jobs.

36 years ago, two journalists broke a story, with the help of a whistleblower, which would go on to bring down the highest office in the land. I am talking of course about Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, and their work for the Washington Post in bringing to light the Watergate Scandal, and forcing the resignation of Richard Nixon.

Breaking a story, about people in positions of power, doing bad things. Officials leaking official documents and sources to a member of the press to get these stories out. Does any of this sound familiar? Bernstein and Woodward are two of the most highly respected investigative reporters of all time. And yet for committing the same “crime” (if you can call it that) – Assange is being hunted down.

The corruption of power, and the weakening of the news media in just 35 years, is plain to see.

How can a reporter ever hope to repeat the success of this kind of story, if their alleys of pursuit are automatically shut down by the words “national security”, at every available juncture.

With Assange on the run, and his arrest unfortunately probably imminent, it is up to us, the reporters of the world, to stand behind him. Unite behind his vision – of a world where the truth is told, no matter what the cost – and never back down, even when the powers that be would rather quieten us (especially then even).

Wherever you are Julian, just know that while there are those who seek to destroy you, there are just as many of us out there who truly support your endeavours, and who believe that only through work like yours can we return to a day in which the journalists hold those in power to account, not simply work as their lap dogs.

I will leave you dear readers with a quote from Texan state representative Ron Paul. A man not particularly known for his liberalism, and yet a man who in this instance has hit the nail on the head when it comes to Wikileaks: “In a free society, we are supposed to know the truth. In a society where truth has become treason, we're in big trouble.”

There is no Buffy without Joss Whedon

In May last year, it was announced that Kaz and Fran Rubel Kazui, who own the rights to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, had accepted an option from Warner Bros Pictures to make a new feature film about the heroine – Joss Whedon, creator of the acclaimed TV series, wanted nothing to do with a reboot, both because he’s too busy shooting other things, and because as far as he was concerned he was done with Buffy.

18months later, we fans of the show had hoped that Joss’ disinterest in the project had meant that it had simply slipped off the radar entirely, to be one of those films which just never got made.

Yesterday that hope was shattered; as Warner Brothers officially announced that a Buffy reboot was not only on the way but that the writing of a script was well underway. The woman chosen for the task: complete unknown, former actress Whit Anderson, in her first attempt at a screenplay. Well, doesn’t that just fill you with confidence?!

Even the idea of rebooting Buffy, without it’s great creator, or any of the Scoobie Gang we all loved, it not only doesn’t feel right, honestly it feels outraging!

Ever since 2003, I’ve waited patiently for the day that the Buffyverse would once again come calling.

This was not the call I wanted. It’s not the call that anyone wanted.

Whit Anderson could do a great job, and write a brilliant movie, maybe. But it’s never going to be MY Buffy. And that’s what I’ve spent 7 years longing for.

Joss created a world so complex, so interesting, and Sarah Michelle Gellar et al worked so hard inhabiting every inch of it. James Marsters will always be Spike. Alyson Hannigan will always be Willow.

Noone else will ever be able to fill those roles in the same way.

So I’ll put it simply: without the original Buffy crew involved, and Joss at its head, there is simply no way I’ll be going to see this.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One - A spoilerific exploration

This post will include just about every spoiler imaginable for Part One of the Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows film, so if you haven’t read the book, or don’t want to know how certain things were covered on screen, then go and read my spoiler-free review of the film at: http://platform-online.net/2010/11/review-harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-one/ instead.

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I’m going to look at the film scene by scene, see how it works in comparison to the book, and give any general thoughts on the piece as it goes along. So without further ado, here we are

The Opening Sequence: Making a bold move, they opted not to open at Malfoy Manor as the book does (although that scene does come up very quickly). Instead they open with a montage of the trio, each at their own house. We see the Dursleys leave (unfortunately losing Dudley’s touching goodbye, but ah well), we see Hermione erase her parents memories, and we see Ron, stood in front of the Burrow, realising that soon he will leave it, possibly forever.

This sequence is great, and it really makes us realise that all three of them, not just Harry, are making a huge sacrifice when it comes to going off hunting horcruxes. It’s a bleak beginning, but honestly: it sets the tone for what is certainly the darkest HP film to date.

Malfoy Manor: Now we are back with the scene which should have opened the film, and it’s practically verbatim from the book, minus the bit about the peacocks. Snape swoops in through the huge gates of Malfoy Manor, and arrives at the table, Charity Burbage hung above it, with Death Eaters all around. I’m pretty sure the script is taken straight from the page here, and it’s great to see Lucius tremble in fear as he realises that the Dark Lord no longer needs him.

Seven Potters and the arrival at the Burrow: This is one of the most action packed sequences in this half of the book, and as you’d expect, they’ve taken it even further on screen. The transformation sequence is just as fun – and funny – as we’d want it to be, and once the gang are in the air, the broomstick battle is incredible to behold. Not purely restricted to the skies, Harry and Hagrid race on the motorbike along the M25, with Death Eaters in hot pursuit, flipping cars, caravans and all sorts before the bike manages to get airborne again.

Hedwig’s death is understated, but touching nonetheless, and the arrival at the Burrow is superb. The slightly mad glint in Remus’ eye as he grabs Harry to check if he is an impostor, and the “I’m holy” joke from George both make the cut, in a scene which is as close to the book as anything Kloves has written to date.

So far so good then!!

The Wedding: Following the long awaited arrival of Bill Weasley to the series during the Seven Potter sequence, we’re straight into his and Fleur’s wedding. It’s a lavish and beautiful affair, and there are a couple of great lines for Luna, which will no doubt get a laugh.

Of course the important part here is the moment the Patronus appears, and the moment it does all hell breaks loose. People are apparating in and out all over the place, and the tent catches fire as the Death Eaters descend. Harry’s instincts are to grab his wand and fight, but thankfully Remus grabs him, thrusts him at Hermione and Ron, and the trio disapparate, leaving carnage behind them.

Shaftesbury Avenue and the Café: In the book, the trio end up on Tottenham Court Road, and it always seemed an odd choice to me to be honest. It’s a central road in London sure, but I can’t see why it would be the first to come to mind. The filmmakers clearly had the same idea, and have opted to swap TCR for Piccadilly Circus, with the trio apparating in front of a bus in the middle of the packed square. I was lucky enough to see them film these sequences, so to see them on the big screen particularly excited me.

The fight in the café is well shot, and for the first time we see Ron’s dark side come out, as he wants to kill the two fallen Death Eaters, saying: “What if it was one of them who killed Mad Eye, would you want them to live then?” Up until now in the series Ron has really been the comic relief character, and while he has some comedy moments in this one he also grows SO much as a character, and the credit for portraying that so well really does lie with Rupert Grint

Kreacher’s Tale: Having made their way to Grimmauld Place, and found the name Regulus Arcturus Black on a bedroom door, the gang quickly searches out Kreacher regarding the missing locket.

This is the one part of the film I really didn’t like, as I would have loved to have seen the whole of Kreacher’s Tale included, as it is the redemption of the character, and our chance to find out why he is the screwed up way he is. Instead we just jump straight to the fact that: Yes, there was another locket and that Mundungus stole it. End of. I know why it was done that way, (because it would have cost FAR too much to rebuild that Cave for a 2minute scene when there was another way of doing it), but it still bugged me a little bit.

Ministry: Probably the funniest sequence in the film, the trio take the Polyjuice potion and turn into the 3 ministry representatives. I spoke to David O Hara (who plays the body of Runcorn, Harry’s unsuspecting body double), and he was talking about how difficult it was for the adult counterparts to learn the mannerisms of the way Dan, Rupert and Emma carry themselves, and to sync the audio of the young actors voices to the adult’s lip sync, but honestly: it works superbly on screen.

The Hogwarts Express: A little added scene that’s not in the books, (just to remind us that the rest of the young actors still exist), sees a Death Eater stop the Hogwarts Express on the tracks, and march through it, looking for Harry. We get to see the beginnings of Neville’s growth into the young rebel, and although he only gets one line, it’s enough for me to know that Matt Lewis will do just fine when his big turn comes around next time

Camping: This was where DH Part One was going to be won or lost really. The camping sections in the book are so long, and with not an awful lot happening that these scenes could easily have devolved into boredom. Thankfully they’ve been shot in such a way that one minute we’re looking at a beautiful landscape (and every place they stop really is BEAUTIFUL), and the next we’re met with a great radio montage of Ron listening to the radio, day after day, waiting for news. It’s not perfect, but with the small amount of material they had to build upon, they’ve made a sequence which at least works on screen, which is something anyway.

Ron/Harry fight: Another shining scene for Ron’s character comes as he finally locks horns with Harry over the lack of anything resembling a plan. Jealous of Harry’s close friendship with Hermione (and completely missing the fact that she’s madly in love with him, because lets face it: he’s a dumb teenage boy), he storms out of the tent, leaving a silence behind him which says as much as the entire argument does. Rupert proves once again that he is one of the best actors in the series in this scene, and it really is a shame that the scripts up to now haven’t given him the opportunity to flex his skills this much.

The graveyard: Now alone, Harry and Hermione head for Godric’s Hollow, and head first for the graveyard where James and Lily are buried. Dan’s face when he looks down at the grave is enough to break anyone’s heart.

Bathilda’s House: Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione notices a CREEPY looking old lady stood watching them by the grave, beckoning them to follow her. This of course is Bathilda Bagshot, and man oh man did they get this scene right. It’s TERRIFYING as you see Nagini appear from within the body, and chase Harry through the house. This is one of the best scenes in the film, but also one in which I actually take issue with the 12A rating. This scene is GENUINELY scary, and I can only assume this was right on the boundary of pushing it too far and into a higher certificate. And the scares are not over yet.

Silver Doe and the destruction of the Locket: Back at the campsite, Harry sees an ethereal light through the trees and follows it, as it turns into a magnificent Doe Patronus. Racing down the hill behind it, it soon takes him to a frozen lake, with the sword of Gryffindor at the bottom. As he dives in though, the locket almost comes alive, and starts to strangle him, leaving him to drown.

As Ron makes his return, saving Harry’s life, we witness very simply the best scene Rupert has ever filmed for the franchise to date.

He takes up the sword, and Harry opens the locket, causing a huge explosion of a dark phantom like force, showing him his worst fears, one by one, first spiders, and then a Harry and Hermione who love each other. Rupert’s resolve as he finally takes control back, smashing the sword against the horcrux and ending it is wonderful, and his reunion with Hermione moments later is simply beautiful.

Xeno and The Tale of the Three Brothers: Rhys Ifans’ portrayal of Xenophilius Lovegood was always going to be an important one, as he would get to explain once and for all the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. He is an incredible actor, and brings out the on-edge feeling of the man who has lost his daughter very well.

The scene at his house is really dominated by the Tale of the Three Brothers though. An AMAZING animated sequence, with Emma reading the tale in voice-over over the top, the story is brought to life on screen in a way I hadn’t expected, and the sequence really stands out in my mind as one of the best in the film.

Malfoy Manor Again: Captured by Snatcher’s as they flee Xeno’s place, the trio find themselves at Malfoy Manor. Helena Bonham Carter’s Bellatrix eclipses everyone else on screen here, her complete insanity outshining everything. As she tortures Hermione, it feels truly real, both from Emma’s portrayal and her own.

Then of course everyone’s favourite House Elf returns, as Dobby appears to rescue the trio. As he singlehandedly thwarts Bella, Narcissa and Lucius, he gives his empassioned “Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf.” speech, and I honestly felt like standing up and applauding/cheering right there in the middle of the screening (I didn’t but I wanted to)

Dobby: Unfortunately, just seconds later elation became tears. I sobbed when Dobby died in the book, and I’ll admit I shed a tear here too. Dan’s reaction as he holds the lifeless elf in his arms pushed me right over the edge, as you can see the anguish and heartbreak in his own eyes, as Dobby tells him that “[He] is glad to have been with [his] best friend Harry Potter” as he died. Fading to black as Harry finishes digging the grave, it looks like we’re done. But no: there is one final scene leading into the split between the movies.

The Split: Voldemort has spent the entire film (in a sequences of glimpses through Harry’s scar-vision which perfectly replicate the equivalent sequences for the book) searching for the Elder Wand, and as the film ends, we see the White Tomb open, and Riddle taking the Wand, firing a beam of light into the air and laughing maniacally. This was the perfect end for part one. The balance of power has shifted. Harry and the others have lost one of their best friends, their resolve is trembling, and Voldemort is suddenly at his most powerful. THAT is how you get an audience back for the conclusion.

And what a conclusion it promises to be. With rumours of a LONGER second half, and pretty much only Gringotts and the Battle to go, the vast majority of the second movie will take place during the battle, which is as it should be. Is it July yet?!?

Review: Jackass 3D

About 10 years ago, a group of guys, led by Johnny Knoxville, united in the name of pulling pranks and doing dumbass stunts on camera, for the amusement of...well everyone else. In that vein, Jackass was born, spawning a successful MTV show, as well as 2 movies.

Of course, all these years later, and with the addition of an entire extra dimension, the boys (ok: men, Knoxville is 39 now, he's not a boy anymore) are back.

I'm going to be very honest: I went into this movie expecting to hate it. I literally just sat there as the trailers ran thinking "Come on, this was funny 10 years ago, but these guys just need to grow the fuck up..."

Oh how wrong I was. Not only have the Jackasses still got it, but they're better than ever.

Nothing – and I mean nothing – is off limits this time around, and the pure shock value of some of the stunts is crazy. I literally don’t want to mention any of the stunts in detail, because honestly: half the brilliance of this is just the surprise of the lengths they are willing to go to for the ultimate slapstick comedy.

Thankfully, this is also in no way a trailer movie. Most of the stunts which you’ll have seen in the trailer – most notably The High Five - are gotten out of the way relatively early on, and from there on out it’s entirely new content, pushing the barriers of acceptability to their very boundaries.

While it’s fair to say there is a definite warning on this one that it’s not for the faint of heart – or the squeamish – otherwise anybody with even a remote funny bone will laugh at this. Even I, who started out intent on hating it, have to admit: I’ve never laughed so hard, and so consistently at any film in the cinema EVER.

Review: Chuck Vs The First Fight

This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of Chuck to air stateside (Chuck Vs The First Fight), so look away now if you haven't seen it.

Every once in a while a TV show airs and I feel the need to blog about it once I've watched it. This weeks episode of Chuck definitely was one of those occasions. It was so damn good!!

Opening where last week's shock cliffhanger left off, Chuck visits mummy dearest while she's imprisoned inside Castle. She tells him that she really is undercover, and that there is only one man who can clear her name- her MI6 handler (a bumbling would-be spy superbly portrayed by Timothy Dalton)

As Chuck races against time to prove his mothers innocence - while battling with Volkoff's henchmen (who're also looking for Chuck's Mum). All of this is taking place while Chuck is also fighting (in a much more metaphorical sense) with Sarah, over the fundamental disagreement over Sarah's arresting Frost to begin with.

This episode saw everything which is great about Chuck combine into one.

It had some of the best comedic moments the show has displayed in a long time (from Sarah's annoyance in Chuck having spoken to literally everyone else but her, to Morgan's escalating fight with Casey), as well as some superb action and fighting sequences.

One of the best sequences takes place when Elly and her mother finally sit down to talk. It's such a beautiful moment, and so perfectly balanced - it's clear that neither knows exactly how to react, and yet that they both love eachother more than they can possibly express.

Everything comes to a head though in the final few minutes. As the great reveal takes place, and Dalton shows his true colours as Volkoff himself, a real shiver goes up the back of your spine. I had sort of called it, but that didn't take anything away from it actually happening - indeed it just made me more elated, as it means we'll have to see Dalton at least once more in the show.

All in all, this was just an utterly and completely brilliant episode.

It'll be really interesting to see how the whole thing plays out now that Elly has the intersect - how quickly she will realise to give it to Chuck, and how Chuck will react to his mother's betrayal (she may have saved his life, but she's still clearly working with Volkoff after all, and that's going to be a tough pill to swallow)

Next week cannot come soon enough, but for now I just need to see this one all over again - because it might just be the best episode that this show has ever thrown forward.

The Social Network

If anything will define the last decade, the explosion of social networking media would be very close to the top of the list. The biggest hitter of them all of course - Harvard undergrad Mark Zuckerberg’s behemoth: Facebook

Set primarily inside two court deposition rooms, “The Social Network” tells in flashback the sequence of events surrounding the inception and foundation of Facebook, as told through the eyes of Zuckerberg himself (in a performance unlike any other which Jesse Eisenberg has ever delivered); Eduardo Saverin (his business partner portrayed by Andrew Garfield); and Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (two other Harvard students, who sued Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing the idea for Facebook)

Aaron Sorkin’s script is superb, not coming down on any side of the legal wrangling, but instead – having chosen to set the film during the disputes – using the 3 different versions of events to present different scenes to the viewer, and allow them to try and piece together an opinion of their own regarding who’s right and who’s wrong.

There are some great laughs too, clearly poking fun at the mania of the modern system, which has become so dependent on Facebook. When Saverin’s girlfriend berates him about his relationship status remaining as “Single” rather than “in a relationship”, it feels like every single member of the audience knows that this is far more than the triviality which it should be – in this day and age this is a serious issue.

At the centre of it all of course is the Zuckerberg character itself. An insanely bright, witty and yet incredible dark individual, Mark Zuckerberg is a certifiable genius, but at the same time a certifiable jackass to boot. He is not a likeable man, and indeed his (very quickly to become ex) girlfriend at the start of the movie sums him up saying: “You’ll grow old thinking that everyone hates you because you’re a nerd. It’s not that at all Mark, it’s just that you’re an arrogant asshole.” (or words to that effect). How ironic that someone who has such complete trouble with social interaction should ultimately be the one to create the greatest social tool mankind has ever seen.

This is very different to the role you’d traditionally expect to find Jesse Eisenberg in. In the past he’s been described as taking the roles which Michael Cera would pass off, but here he more than out shines that particular shadow, bringing nuance to the genius on screen.

Justin Timberlake also stars, in the role of Sean Parker, founder of Napster, and in many ways the man Mark Zuckerberg wishes he could be. Parker is savvy, cool, and you get the feeling he can (and does) get any girl he wants, whenever he wants her. He almost presents the cautionary tale though, in that you feel like he’s a loose cannon ready to go off at any moment – something which clearly worries the Andrew Garfield character, who is very much the ethical barometer of the film, far more able to read into people than Mark is.

Ulitmately of course there is only one way I can really sum up my opinions on what may as well have been titled “Facebook: The Movie” – James Gordon Likes This.