"WiFi," a short film about what happens to a couple of guys when the Internet goes down, has been making the rounds this week. The video, written, produced and directed by Julian Smith, pokes fun at how people, with the loss of things like Instagram and Snapchat, become listless and lost.
Though the short doesn't cover any material we haven't seen before, the video is still a humorous two-minute clip. It got us thinking about our favorite films that explore how the Internet shapes our lives and relationships.
Her (2013)
Taking place in the not-too-distant future where men wear extremely high waisted pants, Her tells the story of a man who falls in love with his computer's extremely advanced operating system. The movie is at once eerily believable and unbelievable. Though it may be hard to imagine a computer with a personality, it is not hard to imagine a person becoming emotionally dependent on their devices, given the fact that we live in a world where we sleep next to our phones, rely on Facebook to feel connected and take Instagrams to boost our self-esteem. The movie beautifully portrays how technology may evolve in the near future but more importantly, it shows, however uncomfortably, how we as a human race, may evolve as well.
You've Got Mail (1998)
Directed by Nora Ephron with the tagline "Someone you pass on the street may already be the love of your life," You've Got Mail takes a warm and fuzzy approach to Internet relationships. You won't find any creepy Catfish situation here, only two seemingly opposite adults who fall in love with the help of the Internet. Also, dial-up? AOL? Hearing the phrase "you've got mail? These 90s fixtures make this movie a quaint trip down tech nostalgia.
Catfish (2010)
On the other side of the spectrum, the documentary Catfish does not portray Internet relationships as saccharine and harmless. The documentary, which has inspired an MTV series of the same name, follows Nev Schulman and his Internet relationship with a woman who isn't what she claims to be. But the documentary delves further than a classic plot twist. It goads us to examine humans' desire for intimacy and all the humanity that comes with it.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
Directed by one of the Indie circuit's favorite directors, Miranda July, Me and You and Everyone We Know is a drama exploring the interconnected stories of lonely Californians. In one plotline, a 14-year-old Peter and his six-year-old brother Robby have a conversation with an older woman in an online chat room. When six-year-old Robby meets the woman in person, the result is an unsettling and touching rumination of how we connect with people.
The Social Network (2010)
A film about a phenomenon that changed our lives and shaped the global community, The Social Network goes beyond the simple "geek overcomes all odds" narrative. It is a tale of betrayal, ambition and the consequences that come with creating something groundbreaking.
