The recently released documentary, “Catfish,” holds the unofficial title as “The Best Hitchcock Film, That Hitchcock Never Directed.”
The documentary follows the story of Nev Schulman, a photographer living in New York, and his new found love for a teenage dancer named Megan Faccio. Their obsession for each other is so powerful that it became the plot for Nev’s brother and friend, the directors of “Catfish,” Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost. Schulman and Joost began keeping track of the uncontrollable “cyber-love,” between Nev and Megan with just the use of their cameras.
“Catfish” is the story of an 8-year-old girl from Michigan, Abby, who contacts Nev via Faceboook to ask if she could paint one of his photographs. His interest in the child prodigy soon leads to Nev becoming connected to her whole circle of family and friends on Faceboook, including Abby’s mother, Angela, and sister, Megan.
The love between the two soon turns into obsession which forces Nev and his personal film crew to drive to their isolated Michigan farm. Suddenly, a change in mood occurs when we see the movie shift from a romance into a thriller.
“The final forty minutes of the film will take you on an emotion roller-coaster ride that you won’t be able to shake for day,” Chris Bumbray, film critic, said on the official movie trailer.
With the Facebook family starting to seem weirder and weirder as the movie progresses, the entire audience will be asking themselves the same question, who in this movie can we really trust?
With the official release date of “Catfish” being Friday, Sept. 17, it can be still difficult to see the movie on the big screen. “Catfish” has only been released in select theaters around the world. No need to worry though, an option to request the movie was offered and finally “Catfish” was brought to Philadelphia. You can see the movie at the Ritz East Theater located on Second Street in Philadelphia.
To follow the theme of technology, the art of multi-media was used to create a special webpage designed to market the movie. The webpage can be found on the “Catfish” official website when you click on a button that says, “ENTER NEV’S WORLD.” The website allows the viewer to actually tap into what you will believe is Nev’s real computer.
“The graphics are so real; you can actually click on his documents and look at his personal photographs. Honestly, I think this is a great way to let the audience feel like they are a part of the movie,” Rachel Schmid, freshman special education major, said. “A little creepy, but still awesome.”
This Sundance Film Institute movie will prove that documentaries are no longer something that cannot be entertaining, but instead can give opportunities for filmmakers of all ages and skill levels.
The directors of the “Catfish” film said in an interview, “we want the audience to have the same experience we did when making the film, which was knowing nothing at all.”
“Catfish” will leave you on the edge of your seats as you explore this whole intense world that technology has so graciously allowed us to enter.
