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Was there a review site for found footage films?

Started by neveragain, October 07, 2021, 09:08:34 PM

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neveragain

Which, for each film, asked "Why are they still filming?" and judged whether or not the continued filming was believable... Or did I dream that?

To add a bit more discussion into this, I've just watched Exhibit A (2007) and, through consisting of family home videos, it's one of the few films of that type where I never once questioned why a person was filming. It's quite masterfully put together with great acting and a lot of intrigue. Bloody grim though.

Avril Lavigne

Quote from: neveragain on October 07, 2021, 09:08:34 PM
Which, for each film, asked "Why are they still filming?" and judged whether or not the continued filming was believable... Or did I dream that?

I thought that was an old thread on this very website. Good topic though, I always think back to Harry Shearer criticising 'The-Office'-influenced 2000s mockumentary-aesthetic sitcoms with a similar question along the lines of "why is this being filmed and where is it going to be shown?"

bgmnts

What is the worst culprit of "why the fuck are they still filming?" then?

Cloverfield is pretty ridiculous I suppose.

purlieu

Quote from: Avril Lavigne on October 07, 2021, 10:02:47 PM
I thought that was an old thread on this very website. Good topic though, I always think back to Harry Shearer criticising 'The-Office'-influenced 2000s mockumentary-aesthetic sitcoms with a similar question along the lines of "why is this being filmed and where is it going to be shown?"
It's one of my biggest issues with mockumentary sitcoms, in that the majority of the stuff you see would never make it to actual broadcast, thus making it hard to suspend one's disbelief. Was watching Operation Good Guys recently, and the number of times one of the characters tells them to turn the camera off, or asks them to not broadcast this bit, you'd think they'd at least cut those requests out if nothing else.

I think The Borderlands does a pretty good job of giving a reason for the cameras being on, in a way that feeds into the film as well. Dispensing with the issue of them not having to physically carry them all the time really helps in itself.

touchingcloth

Quote from: bgmnts on October 07, 2021, 10:04:17 PM
What is the worst culprit of "why the fuck are they still filming?" then?

Parks and Rec is particularly bad. They seem to forget they are making something in the mockumentary format for long stretches at a time, and then crowbar something in, not to provide exposition for the audience, but to remind them that they're watching a mockumentary.

phantom_power

Quote from: bgmnts on October 07, 2021, 10:04:17 PM
What is the worst culprit of "why the fuck are they still filming?" then?

Cloverfield is pretty ridiculous I suppose.

Doesn't it at least have the character making some lame justification for continuing to film?

With the sitcom mockumentaries it is clearly just a way to get more jokes out of the characters thoughts so I don't really care that much how realistic it is. Modern Family must surely be the most egregious of these

Yussef Dent

Quote from: bgmnts on October 07, 2021, 10:04:17 PM
What is the worst culprit of "why the fuck are they still filming?" then?

Cloverfield is pretty ridiculous I suppose.

Brilliantly summed up in the South Park Cloverfield piss take episode where Randy is going up close in to people talking and shoving the camera in their face before filming himself going "what are we gonna do?!"


Famous Mortimer

Quote from: bgmnts on October 07, 2021, 10:04:17 PM
What is the worst culprit of "why the fuck are they still filming?" then?

Cloverfield is pretty ridiculous I suppose.
What's the "...Of The Dead" series movie where they're in a hospital for a bit? Diary? Anyway, that one. Wielding a camera as opposed to any sort of weapon or protective device puts the camera-person in danger over and over again, and their justification for doing so is pretty weak.