With the new kid that showed up weeks before we graduated (I think his name was Ivan), my graduating class was thirty three kids strong. And while I think that's generally considered a small senior class, I feel that it was typical in every other way. We had the attractive people, the locals, the nerds (back when that was sadly frowned upon), the drama kids, the jocks, the stoners and any other group you can dream up.
And when people didn't like each other, or had some major drama to deal with, we all handled it the same honrable way: we found some third-party, and we said some horrible shit.
Maybe it would get back to them, maybe it wouldn't. It all kind of floated away after awhile, you know? I mean, it's not like we took our (likely temporary) hate, attached a picture of our own face...
...and made a f--king billboard out of it, for everyone to see.
Unfriended, like many a horror movie before it, is a pretty straightforward revenge story. But instead of negligent camp counselors, kidnappers, or home-invading rapists, cool kids are the ones due for some bloody comeuppance. We've all seen the movie where the popular kids are going to get it, we've just never seen it like this.
While it's not quite first-person POV, Unfriended is presented in an impossibly straightforward style. The audience is shown one computer screen the entire duration of the film. No cuts, no thinly-veiled edits. Just the screen of a young girl's computer as she attempts a normal group chat with her friends. Or should I say...para...normal?
As you likely know, these pretty young things are in for it, as the ghost of a girl who recently committed suicide has returned to exact revenge. Initially, everyone thinks the mysterious comments and messages are someone playing a joke, but it doesn't take long before shit gets real.
Honestly, I had zero intention of ever seeing this movie, but after the projector broke during Avengers: Age of Ultron, my hand was forced. While I would have preferred seeing Hulk smash, I was super stoked to be in a theater where everything actually worked as it should (consider this when weighing my joy). Though it was a bit of kick in the nuts when the last trailer before Unfriended started was for motherf--king Age of Ultron...
Convincing representations of the subtleties of the human condition may have been in short supply, but overall I was pretty impressed with director Levan Gabriadze's foray into horror. For an 82-minute flick with a million dollar budget, Unfriended is, at least technically, very impressive. With the creepy events unfolding in real-time, I was engaged from start to finish. Sure, the film succumbs to four-fifths of all horror movie conventions (Annoying Fat Guy? Oh, he gon' die), but it sure is nice to see a Part One, you know? Here, even contrived things feel fresh.
Speaking of awful things we've seen too many times, here are the Yays and Boos. The fact that I almost pissed myself during this movie, oddly, is one of each.
Only because I'm not entirely stupid, can I understand how people will willingly sign their name to vitriolic bullshit. It's bad enough that teenagers (and adults, to an extent) give a f--k about what others think about them in the first place, but allowing someone to ruin your life from a hotspot is beyond me.
Oh shit.
I'm doing that right now, huh?
And when people didn't like each other, or had some major drama to deal with, we all handled it the same honrable way: we found some third-party, and we said some horrible shit.
Maybe it would get back to them, maybe it wouldn't. It all kind of floated away after awhile, you know? I mean, it's not like we took our (likely temporary) hate, attached a picture of our own face...
...and made a f--king billboard out of it, for everyone to see.
While it's not quite first-person POV, Unfriended is presented in an impossibly straightforward style. The audience is shown one computer screen the entire duration of the film. No cuts, no thinly-veiled edits. Just the screen of a young girl's computer as she attempts a normal group chat with her friends. Or should I say...para...normal?
As you likely know, these pretty young things are in for it, as the ghost of a girl who recently committed suicide has returned to exact revenge. Initially, everyone thinks the mysterious comments and messages are someone playing a joke, but it doesn't take long before shit gets real.
Honestly, I had zero intention of ever seeing this movie, but after the projector broke during Avengers: Age of Ultron, my hand was forced. While I would have preferred seeing Hulk smash, I was super stoked to be in a theater where everything actually worked as it should (consider this when weighing my joy). Though it was a bit of kick in the nuts when the last trailer before Unfriended started was for motherf--king Age of Ultron...
Convincing representations of the subtleties of the human condition may have been in short supply, but overall I was pretty impressed with director Levan Gabriadze's foray into horror. For an 82-minute flick with a million dollar budget, Unfriended is, at least technically, very impressive. With the creepy events unfolding in real-time, I was engaged from start to finish. Sure, the film succumbs to four-fifths of all horror movie conventions (Annoying Fat Guy? Oh, he gon' die), but it sure is nice to see a Part One, you know? Here, even contrived things feel fresh.
Speaking of awful things we've seen too many times, here are the Yays and Boos. The fact that I almost pissed myself during this movie, oddly, is one of each.
Yaaaaaaay!
- Motherf--ker that was an intense opening. I'm still making sure the frank is above the beans and that happens? Holy shit, bro. Give a dude a minute, huh?
- At one point the alleged hacker is called out for doing research on farts and boners. Sign me up for that study, asap. Providing, not...analyzing.
- I didn't know anything about memorializing a Facebook account, but that scene was pretty f--king cool regardless.
- Buffering, usually proof that Satan exists, is used so brilliantly here, it might prove the opposite.
- That phone ringing on the table bit? I don't care if it's unintentionally hilarious...I loved it.
- Where the f--k did that blender come from?
- And finally, let me put my hands together for shit hitting the fan. The whole movie is kind of a steady barrel roll right down the shitter, but eventually it reaches a rather impressive level of madness.
Booooooooo!
- A real startling lack of Ultron, no?
- When we were denied some early boobage, I chalked it up to the fact that this movie was probably PG-13. Um, it f--king wasn't.
- Who keeps a butcher knife next to their computer? I mean, besides anyone reading ...
- You know what, Val? You's a real bitch. Honestly, Jess too. And Blaire? Well...
- Considering how most teenagers react the slightest semblance of conflict like it's truly the f--king end of humanity, these kids are pretty f--king relaxed about 99% of what happens.
- But don't cheat on any of them okay? 'Cause then it's time to FREAK THE F--K OUT!
- C'mon. Who shits their pants anymore?
- Everybody in the Random Chat can eat shit and die. Honestly. Someone send them a YouTube link to that video from The Ring, asap.
- And finally, does anyone have a f--king parent? Damn near every one of these f--kers has a total psychotic meltdown and not one time do we hear a random keep it down up there! Damn. When I was in high school, my TV was too loud before I plugged it in.
Only because I'm not entirely stupid, can I understand how people will willingly sign their name to vitriolic bullshit. It's bad enough that teenagers (and adults, to an extent) give a f--k about what others think about them in the first place, but allowing someone to ruin your life from a hotspot is beyond me.
Oh shit.
I'm doing that right now, huh?