Catfish

**WARNING!** Do not read this review until after you have seen the film. The less you know about this film the more enjoyment you'll get out of it. Just know that it is an excellent documentary that you should try to see.

There has been a storm of controversy that has risen up over this film and whether it is real or not. With the number of 'home movie' style films being made such as: 'The Blair Witch Project'; 'Cloverfield' and 'Paranormal Activity' it is easy to see why you may think this film is fake. I went to a Q & A screening with the directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman and the subject Nev Schulman and for me they put forward a convincing argument that the film is real. Despite the coincidences, sometimes all these things can come together. I think that considering the film was first seen almost a year ago that I'm sure someone would have come forward by now to discredit the film and prove it is not real. As far as I'm aware that has no happened.

I do a bit of Internet dating, so in someways I can relate to what goes on in this film. You meet someone online and exchange pictures trusting that when you finally meet up that they look and behave like they do online. I've not had many bad experiences so far. But this film shows how sometimes things can not go as you planned. There is a great deal of tension as Nev, Rel and Henry go on their journey to find Megan. You have this thought in the back of your mind that they are going to die. What they find is quite the opposite. Angela is a perfect example of how the internet can help people reach out in ways they never knew possible. The only thing is that the internet also means you can check up on the veracity of what people say to you. I'm surprised some of things Angela said and tried to pass off as being hers considering how easily it would be to check on what she's said. So while things could have turned out bad for the boys they ended up being good and some good was done. They got to make a friend and their friend had her work recognised by a larger group of people.

Go see this film to decide for yourself if it is real or not. Definitely a film that is the product of our times and one of the many consequences of our social network society.