On the Internet, Nobody Knows You're a Dog (Or a Catfish)

Yesterday, we watched the movie Catfish and although we did discuss it a little bit, I think it is a movie that deserves a little more looking at.

There's a big debate about whether Catfish is a documentary or a mockumentary.  Did the events in the movie actually happen?  Phillip asked me yesterday whether I believed they did or not, to which I responded that I did.  But I don't think that should be the focus of one's viewing of the movie.  I think regardless of whether or not these events were documented as they were happening has no bearing on the fact that this movie accurately portrays life in our modern-day social networking lifestyle while also making a comment on the very idea of our perception of truth.

I posted on IMDb earlier today about the movie.  You can view my post here.  I'm at the very bottom.  Monsterinabox is my username.

The important thing to me about Catfish is that everything about the movie is inherently false.  Nev's brother Rel and his friend Henry captured hours upon hours of footage of Nev and edited it together into one 87 minute piece.  As I wrote in my post, someone crafted those 87 minutes.  It was crafted into a piece that was supposed to represent the ideas and beliefs of the filmmakers.  On an extra on the DVD, the filmmakers and Nev read off questions they have been emailed about the movie.  One of the questions about the idea of shifting identity read, "The 'you' in everyday life and the 'you' on the internet:  Same person?"  One of the directors, Henry Joost, commented that, "a Facebook profile gives you the ability to present yourself in the way you would like to be seen by other people."  Certainly made evident in the movie.

But, Nev also answered a question about being the subject of a documentary, having his life followed by two guys with a camera.  Nev responded, "The movie was edited in the way your online profile is edited."  That sentence right there is the meat of Catfish.  The entire movie is a representation of reality.  It's important to know that about the movies we watch and about the technologies we use.  Awareness of their effects on our everyday lives helps us understand who we are and how we use, interact with and are moved by them.

As I wrote on IMDb, don't be like Nev and just accept what's in front of you as fact.

Will the real Nev Schulman please stand up?

I'm interested in everyone else's take on the movie.  Not just in depth analysis, but, overall.  What did you think of the movie?  As much as I like to look at this movie with a fine toothed comb, it is a fun movie to just sit back and enjoy.  It's full of intrigue, lust, mystery, suspense and genuine emotion.  I'd just like to see how hoppin' this blog can get so comment and hopefully we'll have a lively internet discussion!

And one more thing!  A good follow-up documentary that deals with the crafting of truth like Catfish, and would make an excellent double feature, is My Kid Could Paint That.  Highly recommended!