MoviesThe film is called "The Social Network," but everyone just calls it "The Facebook movie." And even those who think the history of a company — a tech company, nonetheless — sounds hella dull needs to give this one a chance. It fascinates from the start, thanks to the rapid-fire Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing") dialogue and hypnotizing performance of Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Two hours go by in a blink, and you won't once think of surreptitiously checking your friends list while you're watching. Not to be missed, whether you have five friends or 5,000. (Opens Oct. 1.)
Related: Newsweek on the Facebook movie's dark message
As readers of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel know, Hailsham boarding school in "Never Let Me Go" is not your ordinary educational institution, and the children enrolled there are not ordinary kids. They have a horrible fate awaiting them, and part of the horror is in how calmly that fate is accepted by all the people in their world — themselves included. Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and hot new face Andrew Garfield (who also co-stars in "The Social Network") lead a cast that looks worthy of this chilling book. (Opens Oct. 1)
Andrew Garfield has prepped for Spidey role his whole life
October is filled with horror flicks, and "Let Me In" starts things off right away. The film is based on the Swedish novel about a vampire child "Let The Right One In," which was already made into a film in Sweden. The scares have been reportedly heightened for the American version — we hope that doesn't translate as "dumbed down." Because vampires are already scary, and little kid vampires are already extra-scary. (Opens Oct. 1)
TVMany viewers call "The Good Wife" the best new show of last season. Julianna Margulies stars as Alicia Florrick, whose husband was jailed after a sex and corruption scandal. Marguilies' Alicia is more than just a wronged wife — she's a mother, a lawyer, a woman, a daughter-in-law and a work colleague, and it seems one of those titles is always giving her trouble. The second season will include Dallas Roberts as Alicia's gay brother and Michael J. Fox as a lawyer who goes up against Alicia in court (Second season premieres Sept. 28, 10 p.m., CBS.)
Michael Chiklis has played a superpowered being before — he was The Thing in "Fantastic Four." In the new ABC show "No Ordinary Family," he plays the patriarch of a family whose members all gain special powers after a plane crash. Julie Benz, formerly of "Dexter," plays his wife. Is it "The Incredibles" come to life? (Premieres Sept. 28, 8 p.m., ABC.)
DVDSome viewers didn't feel "Iron Man 2" lived up to the first film, others loved it for star Robert Downey Jr.'s wit and humor, and the introduction of Mickey Rourke as Russian villain Whiplash. The New York Daily News raved that it set a "gold standard for sequels." Gwyneth Paltrow , Don Cheadle, and Scarlett Johansson help fill out the blockbuster. (Out on DVD Sept. 28.
Aw, "Babies." In this documentary, cameras follow four children from birth through the first year of their life. There's an American baby of course, but the others, from Japan, Mongolia, and Namibia, are more fascinating for the very different ways they're raised. The Toronto Globe and Mail calls it "observant and funny and thoughtful too." (Out on DVD Sept. 28.)
Another DVD release this week goes straight for our nostalgia button. You may remember 1980s animated superhero He-Man, but his underrated twin sister, She-Ra, also had her own show. She was a female superhero when few but Wonder Woman existed, and kids of the 1980s can now pick up the first season of the TV series "She-Ra: Princess of Power" on DVD. (The entire series will be out next year.) For the honor of Greyskull! (Out on DVD Sept. 28.)