Catfish

[superhero]

I would actually be wary of the fact that there will be no screening on Thursday! Did the manager sign your tickets? take down names? Otherwise he might not even be the manager on duty on Thursday

[soonforgotten]

Caught this at the very lightly attended Screen on the Green in Islington. If this is fake, they really did a helluva job with it. I know it would have been too obvious to just starting with meeting a girl he fancied online, but the way it progressed was ingenius. I'm gonna be simpleminded and say that I think it's legit. If it's not, again they're doing an amazing job pushing it as real if that Q&A is any indication. The bits about how angry his mum got when she found out and how he found out the real truth about Megan a few weeks after they left Michigan and doing so with a total straight face is definitely a commitment to selling it, if it's all fake. There are a lot of crazy people doing a lot of crazy shit out there and the internet allows them all to come that much closer to involving other, unsuspecting people in that. I don't think this is that farfetched. Either way, it's brilliant film-making and I really enjoyed watcing this, even if it was really hard to watch at times. 8.5/10 for me, but 9.5/10 if it's actually fiction.

[Beate]

I wasn't even aware of the fact that there was supposed to be at Catfish screening at WIQ tonight and that they had mixed people from both previews in one screening room - some of which promptly upped and left, trying to see another film I guess.

[superhero]

I think whats telling in the interview was when he said Angela started off selling paintings but no one was interested, but when she said it's by her daughter who is 8 yrs old, then people took notice (stealing an idea from another doc??? anyone )
By the same token it applies to the film, if it was a "love" story made by a Hollywood Studio no one would care, but hey it's all real, its a "documentary" then the spotlights on the film...
Shame no one asked these questions during the Q&A unlike when the film was shown at Sundance

[opas]

Well, there was about 10 of us at Stratford Picture House tonight! Couldn't believe it, haven't been to such a poorly attended screening in a long time. It was made even more noticeable as they seemed to put us in one of their larger screens.

I don't know if it is fake or not but I thought it was well made and a well told story. I don't think it was too far fetched but I did feel sorry for Nev - while the situation was embarrassing for both parties (I did have a good laugh as it all appeared to unravel), it must also have been quite scary.

[spoiler]Angela's motives did not seem clear at the beginning but if they had been more malicious or she had been an individual with more serious mental health issues then the ease in which she 'infiltrated' his life was alarming but very possible in this age of social networking. She did put in a lot of effort setting up this virtual family/friendship group through facebook though.

I must say, I thought something was up when I saw the paintings an 8 year old was meant to have done.[/spoiler]

Overall I'd give it 8.5/10. I couldn't stay for the Q and A as my friend had to leave but I would have liked to hear what was said. Did it go on for long? I'm not sure anyone stayed at Stratford, the manager must have wondered what was going on but there was a lot of free preview competition today.

On the flip side, the low attendance meant that Stratford's long winded ticket allocation process was not an issue at all today, there was probably the same amount of customers as there was staff. If they open a Vue cinema in the new Westfield complex then I wonder if the Picture House will survive.

[superhero]

An 8 year old doing paintings that sell for lots of money?? Wonder where they got that idea from.....hmmm

"My Kid could paint that"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0912592/

Well it's a 4 yrs old in that doc

Still it's a good way to start a film...

[baty]

Not many in Cardiff either. I think we could have filled 2 rows. Still warmer than the Odeon the previous night.
OH fell asleep after 10 mins and 2 walked out. I am not a fan of the hand held camera the jerky motion drives me crazy.

Having tried, to warn students of online chatting to people they don't know, it was just like watching a car crash to me, you know it's going to end in tears but are unable to do anything about it. Unsure as to how 'real' it all was [spoiler]and found the confrontational part with Angela et al a bit disturbing. How could the 2 'boys' give consent to being filmed?[/spoiler]

Not one I would want to see again - but maybe I could show it as a salutary tale in the use of online chatting

Of course everyone here are 'nice' people................aren't you or am I typing to one person with multiple personalities???????
5/10

[LucindaG]

Went to the screening at the Prince Charles Cinema last night-- there as a good (70% maybe?) turnout, possibly because it was where the Q&A was taking place physically.
There were quite a few laughs and a nice energy... like the french, we all clapped at the end : )
I knew the plot twist so it wasn't as gripping for me as it should have been. Also I'm cynical about its authenticity (although an upcoming court case will reveal all : )
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed it. Nev is pretty to look at, which helps ; ) it gets quite moving at the end, and it is put together in a nicely paced way.
7/10

[LucindaG]

I couldn't stay for the Q and A as my friend had to leave but I would have liked to hear what was said. Did it go on for long?

About 30mins I believe; I'm sure it'll be findable online : ) The highlight was a twitter Q: "have you improved your sexting?" hahaha

[Nicers]

hmmm... not sure what to do.

I got complementary tickets to see something else... either Catfish when it's released (I can't make Thursday assuming it goes ahead!) or something else.... do I stick with Catfish or go watch Burlesque?!!