If 2010's Movie Characters Were on Facebook: Connecting the Year in Film via the Social Network

If there was one movie in 2010 that had everyone talking it's "The Social Network." It may not have been the most popular (it is only the 29th highest-grossing movie of the year) or the best reviewed (it's the 7th, according to Rotten Tomatoes), but it does have the best showing on year-end Top Ten lists and critics group awards (see indieWIRE's tracking here, and see MCN scorecards here and here). And of course that Time magazine honor for the real Mark Zuckerberg. It will also very likely win Best Picture at the Oscars.

So what better movie to use as a starting point to look at the year in film? And because of the subject of the film, we can have a little fun this year by pointing to narrative trends and favorite characters by way of connecting them through fictional links (and actually existing groups and features) on Facebook. It's kind of like the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, only easier because it's all made up. I invite you to add to the networked connections in the comments. Here's how it works:

Mark Zuckerberg ("The Social Network") created Facebook

Yaniv Schulman ("Catfish") posted a photograph he took of dancer Nina Sayers ("Black Swan") to Facebook; Abby Pierce ("Catfish") painted a picture from the photo and posted that on "her" wall.

Nina Sayers ("Black Swan") is friends with Erica Sayers ("Black Swan"). Erica has Nina featured under the family status of 'daughter.'

Erica Sayers ("Black Swan") is a member of the group 'I am a paranoid overprotective parent and proud of it' along with Janine Cody ("Animal Kingdom"), Alice Eklund ("The Fighter") and Molly ("Cyrus").

Erica Sayers ("Black Swan") and Gru ("Despicable Me") both 'like' the interest 'Swan Lake.'

Gru ("Despicable Me") is a member of the group 'Supervillain's Co-Op,' along with Megamind ("Megamind").

Johnny Marco ("Somewhere") and J.P. ("I'm Still Here") are members of the group 'I Hate Hollywood.'

J.P. ("I'm Still Here") is a member of the group 'I live in a world of fantasy, so move your reality away from me!!!,' along with The Mad Hatter ("Alice in Wonderland"), Angela Wesselman ("Catfish"), Kevin Flynn ("TRON: Legacy"), Freddy Krueger ("A Nighmare on Elm Street"), Teddy Daniels ("Shutter Island") and Cobb ("Inception").

Cobb ("Inception") is a member of the group 'Getting with the girl of your dreams,' along with Kirk Kettner ("She's Out of My League"), Teddy Daniels ("Shutter Island"), Nick Twisp ("Youth in Revolt") and Scott Pilgrim ("Scott Pilgrim vs. the World").

Scott Pilgrim ("Scott Pilgrim vs. the World") is a member of the group 'I'm not gay but my roommate is...,' along with Jules ("The Kids Are All Right").

Jules ("The Kids Are All Right") is friends with Paul ("The Kids Are All Right"). Jules has Paul featured under the relationship status 'it's complicated.'

Paul ("The Kids Are All Right") is ironically a member of the group 'absent fathers,' along with Lenny Sokol ("Daddy Longlegs'), Rob Hilliard ("Grown Ups"), Howard Stark ("Iron Man 2"), Gordon Gekko ("Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps"), Kevin Flynn ("TRON: Legacy"), Jessup Dolly ("Winter's Bone") and Changhua Zhang ("Last Train Home").

Changhua Zhang ("Last Train Home") is a member of the group 'Travelling by Train,' [sic] along with Frank Barnes ('Unstoppable').

Gordon Gekko ("Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps") is a member of the group 'I Miss the 80's,' [sic] along with Olive ("Easy A"), Lou Dorchen ("Hot Tub Time Machine"), Barney Ross ("The Expendables") and MacGruber ("MacGruber").

Lou Dorchen ("Hot Tub Time Machine") is a member of the group 'I'm on a boat,' along with Charlie St. Cloud ("Charlie St. Cloud").

Charlie St. Cloud ("Charlie St. Cloud") is a member of the group 'I thought I saw a ghost last night, but it was just my brother,' along with Marcus ("Hereafter").

Robin Hood ("Robin Hood") is a member of the group 'All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG! And KA-CHING! And take your money,' along with James Coughlin ("The Town"), Jack Abramoff ("Casino Jack" and "Casino Jack and the United States of Money"), Ghost ("Takers") and Bretton James ("Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps").

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