Internet Fish - Part Of Documentary Day... Or Is It?

Advertised cunningly as, "Forget The Social Network - This is the Real Facebook Film." Sneaky considering both movies tell incredibly different stories that involve Facebook. However, this is a documentary. Or is it? This is Catfish.

The trailer suggested something Blair-Witch-ish. Admittedly, the marketing campaign for this movie was extremely misleading. The movie is about a photographer Nev (pronounced Neev - Get it right Channel 4) and his relationship with a family in Michigan. Trouble is, he lives in New York. This means Nev's only forms of communication are online and through the telephone. His brother, Ariel, and friend, Henry, decide to document Nev's friendship with the youngest daughter, Abby, who is a child prodigy in art. However, as Nev starts getting friendly with the rest of the family, he becomes rather attracted to Abby's half sister, Megan. As the friendship develops and infatuation begins, the trio discover a few of Megan's deepest secrets.

Hidden cameras provide fairly useful in the final third of the movie.

Having never reviewed a documentary, I'm not sure where to start. I guess with the movie as a whole. I'll try to keep it spoiler free. It's great. It's suspenseful, fun and super unnerving. Nev is a great person to follow. He's normal, friendly and most importantly, he's easy to relate to. What's great about this self classed 'Reality Thriller' is the reality of the emotions. What is on screen is real and the audience are drawn in. But wait, is it real? The authenticity of the film has been question by many viewers including celebrities such as Zach Galifianakis. The film makers stand by their statement that it's 100% true. Ariel said that it all felt too perfect to them too. However, both himself and Henry are use to filming plenty of everyday life and it finally paid off. Supposedly. The mystery surrounding how real the film is only adds to it intrigue. Whether or not it's a hoax, it still raises real issues that are out there relating to social networking sites like Facebook.

Photoshop - As crucial to distance lovers as attention seeking teenage girls.

It's not impossible to guess what happens in the film without even seeing it. That's not important. Even if you know how it's going to end, which as the film develops you're likely to do, it's still the extent of the conclusion that makes the reality of the situation so shocking. Once the trio reach Michigan to meet the family, we are left squirming at particular moments. There are bits that are hard to watch and there are bits that border on disturbing. That reality may be too much for a movie that starts off fairly light. If you're a fan of something a bit more real and are welcome to see a darker side of the internet, this movie isfor you.

Despite the questions regarding it's authenticity, it's a gripping documentary. You grow to like the characters, you react when they react, and you feel just as uncomfortable as Ariel when he states, 'I just want to leave.' it encompasses a whole range of emotions as well as nailing the Facebook Zeitgeist right on the head. Enjoyable as well as unsettling.

Best Bit? It's tricky. Two moments stand out for me. The song discovery scene and the Painting of Nev scene near the end. Note: I have given these scenes these names. You'll understand if you watch the movie.

Facebook.

If movies could win Best Picture on their ability to tune into a zeitgeist alone, films such as Twilight and Harry Potter would leave the Oscar's very pleased. But they didn't. When a film manages to dissolve a zeitgeist and shows every aspect of it from the nerdy to the awesome, we get something special. So here we have a movie for the internet age. A movie made for everyone who has used a particular website. Anyone who has used The Social Network.


Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) wants to be cool. After being dumped and a host of blog posts later, he creates a website known as Face Mash. It turns out to be a hit and crashes Harvard's servers. This serves as insperation. It also catches the attention of Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss (Josh Pence and Armie Hammer respectively) and Divya Narendra (Max Minghella) who wish Mark to work on their new site, Harvard Connection. A social network site exclusively for Harvard students. More insperation. Mark builds on this idea with his best friend Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garefield) and they create 'Thefacebook.' Believing that their idea was stolen, the Winklevoss twins (or Winklevii) begin taking action, first as 'Harvard Gentlemen' and then they take legal action. Court case number 1. As Facebook grows, now outside of Harvard, Mark and Eduardo begin to drift apart especially when Sean Parker (Justin Timbelake) gets involved. Slowly, Eduardo is pushed out of Facebook and, after his name is removed as co-creator, he takes legal action of his own. Court case number 2. Poor Mark. He never even wanted a profit. He just wanted to be cool.

As the world's youngest billionaire, Mark decided he'd try out his 'early retirement look.'

The film blends perfectly from the 'present day' court cases to the past and history of the famous website. But more on that later. For now, the performances. Only one nominated. Jesse Eisenberg is up for the Best Actor gong but does he deserve it? In a weaker year he may stand a better chance. While his turn as the world's youngest billionaire may, if you're like me, become one of your favourite on screen personas, he lacks something that the other nominated actors have. However, it's still a brilliant show. The fast talking character is a brilliant hybrid of arrogance and self consciousness. His sarcasm and wit give the movie pace and a a level of intelligent humor that so many films lack nowadays. Both Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake throw in brilliant supporting performances. Garfield excels as the angry, hurt and probably very jealous best friend. When you consider how close Eisenberg and Garfield are, their dramatic and tension filled, onscreen relationship becomes all the more impressive. Also, if you're not one to think of Timberlake as a serious actor, prepare to be proved wrong. As the super cool Sean Parker, he shows how awesome the world of nerdy computer logistics can be starting with the simple suggestion of one billion dollars.

When one of my favourite directors is behind a film, you can be assured that it'll be a damn good movie. So from the man who made Fight Club and Se7en, what can we expect? Something excellent. That's what. David Fincher provides another excellent film and his most contemporary to date. Before he's dabbled in horror, (Se7en) Dark comedy and thriller (Fight Club) and psychological thriller (the Game) but yet here we are with the always exciting concept of... The Internet! But seriously, this character drama is truly brilliant and it's probably likely to be down to David Fincher's perfectionism. The opening scene alone took 99 takes. Fincher certainly deserves an Oscar. Maybe not for this film but it's now a famous quote that, 'the right people win Oscars for the wrong films.' If Fight Club and Se7en didn't win, surely it's about time Fincher was recognised. We don't want another Stanley Kubrick or Alfred Hitchcock do we?

At Harvard, even the writing paper is glass.

The techno score may not be for all but it suits the technological subject matter that the whole movie is based around. But being modern and techno it may not appeal to a lot of Oscar voters out there but the mixing is excellent. (Oscar perhaps?) The cinematography is good but I wouldn't say it's to the standard of, Inception, Kings Speech or True Grit (Review coming soon) so probably not likely to get the Oscar there. The editing, however is a different matter. As already mentioned, the film easily blends from one time zone to another. Often it manages it perfectly within a conversation. My vote is certainly between The Kings Speech and this for the editing Oscar. The editing Oscar is a famous sign of a best picture winner... Coincidence?

A really excellent film. Funny, emotional and exciting. The characters are compelling and the dialogue is pacy. It has everything a Best Picture winner needs: brains, strong characters, emotion, humour and, of course, an I-can -overcome-all-obstacles story - though not a traditional one. It's such a difficult year to pick a winner. Predictions coming soon. But for the meantime, see this.

Best bit? The sarcasm. The movie drips sarcasm. See below for David Fincher's favourite example.

Gretchen: 18,000 dollars?
Eduardo Saverin: Yes.
Gretchen: In addition to the $1,000 you'd already put up?
Eduardo Saverin: Yes.
Gretchen: A total of $19,000 now?
Eduardo Saverin: Yes.
Mark Zuckerberg: Hang on. [Mark sarcastically adds up the 2 amounts on his notepad]
Mark Zuckerberg: I'm just checking your math on that. Yes, I got the same thing.