A movie filmed *entirely* on computer screens

Twenty years ago, the 2018 movie Searching couldn’t have been even imagined, let alone filmed.

We tripped over the movie recently and were intrigued enough by the trailer to rent it.  The trailer, by the way, doesn’t hint about the true nature of the movie, unless you’re really paying attention.

Five minutes in the movie, I got it.

The entire movie–everything–is seen through computer screens.  From live feed, security footage, and video phone chats, and everything in-between, the whole story is told via the elements of our always-on, ever-connected on-line world.

That such a form of coherent, no-missing-bits story-telling is even possible is a little bit scary, when you think about it.

Even the opening flashback to decades before the story starts is told via “quaint” 1990’s computer themes that will make you chuckle when you recognize them.

Ten minutes into the movie, Mark said to me:  “I really hope they get away from the computer crap soon.”  It was the last time he said it, though, for despite the novelty of telling a story via computer feeds, the story still works–and as you get into the story, you forget that it’s being told in this very novel way.  (Which is a good thing.  If the story was weak and merely a vehicle for the oh-look-at-how-we’re-telling-it special effects, I wouldn’t be writing this post). It’s a high tension thriller, showing John Cho (from the Star Trek reboot) desperately looking for his missing daughter.

The story also raises the question:  How well do we really know those closest to us?  Or do we just think we know them?

If you don’t mind experimental story-telling, you’ll probably like this one.  Give it a try.

Cheers,

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