Not A Shocking Thriller----"Catfish" Suffers From An Overzealous and Expectation Setting Ad Campaign
As many others, I distinctly recall the marketing campaign for "Catfish" that spoke of this quasi-documentary in thriller-like terminology. I was actually surprised by how wide this movie dropped in its initial theatrical release--most current documentaries don't get a full scale media blitz but instead are relegated to the art house circuit. In many ways, I can already see the negative backlash that this approach has caused by setting up expectations that the actual film had little intentions of fulfilling. It's disappointing, really, in reaching for a broader appeal--perhaps "Catfish" was a bit oversold for mass consumption. "Catfish" is actually a very compelling and entertaining character driven piece and I think that the people who approach it with no pre-conceived notions might find this film has a lot to offer about our media obsession. Where David Fincher's "The Social Network" was the great fictional Facebook movie of 2010, I think "Catfish" stands as an interesting...
Unforgettable
Having lived near Ishpeming Michigan for many years before moving out east, I knew immediately that something was awry with the photos of the characters. But this movie is so full of interesting and sensitive twists and turns that it is absolutely gripping. I don't for a minute think this was faked ala Blair Witch. It is just too true to be comfortable for most people. Bravo to the filmmakers for following it to the difficult end.
So where does the truth end and the film begin?
In 2007, a photographer in New York City, Nev Schulman, was surprised to receive a parcel in the post containing a painting. It was a painting of a picture of his that had been published in The New York Sun some weeks earlier, and the artist was apparently only eight years old. Intrigued, Schulman began corresponding with Abby, the artist, online under her mother Angela's supervision. His brother Ariel and friend Henry, amateur film-makers, smell a potential good story here and begin filming Nev's interactions with Abby's family by phone and computer. Nev also comes into contact with Abby's family members via Facebook, particularly her 19-year-old sister Megan, whom he starts 'Internet dating'. Since the family live many hundreds of miles away in Michigan, the chances of meeting them soon do not appear to be likely.
Whilst working on a project in Colorado, the trio start to find holes in the story presented to them. Megan, who sings and plays guitar and piano, sends Nev...
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