Best of the Best: Mocumentaries of 2010

Welp, this year in film is almost at a close and is the time when critics are formulating lists of their favorite movies of the year. Undoubtedly Social Network, King's Speech, and Black Swan will take most of their top spots. While Firth, Bale and Portman are almost shoe-ins for acting awards. But the more important story of 2010 were the documentaries. I didn't see any of the batshit, same song and dance ones like Gasland or Inside Job. But I did have the pleasure of seeing three films that blurred the lines between fiction and 'reality.' Ones that satirized the inane notion of depicting truth while the cameras rolled and played tricks on the entertainment industry. So here it is, to all 2 of my readers: Catfish, Exit Through the Gift Shop and I'm Still Here are my favorite documentaries of 2010! Packaged as pure 'documentaries' these films show the brilliance of deception. The writer/directors/actors do such a good job fooling the public, that people still don't know that they are indeed "mockumentaries."

I'm Still Here

 Or: Joaquin Phoenix plays Joaquin Phoenix in a Movie about Joaquin Phoenix Written by 
 Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck

Probably the most overt attempt at satire of the three,  Here chronicles Joaquin Phoenix's "retirement" from acting and subsequent pursuit of being a rapper. Complete with bag hygiene, coke, poop, hookers, chain smoking and Ben Stiller, Phoenix attempts to become a rapper with the help of Puff Daddy (who obviously sees Joaquin as a narcissistic fuck-shit). In meta-fictitious brilliance, Joaquin portrays himself as a strung out badass, bent on showing the world his ability to rhyme. At the time Two Lovers came out, Joaquin was in the height of playing this role and I remember Boomer and I knowing something was up. Well something was, and it's a shame Joaquin's performance of his self didn't get more notoriety, because it was brilliant. He went for Andy Kaufman and all he got was Micheal Richards. 

Catfish

Or: NYC Jew has Long Distance Relationship with Girl Who Turns Out to be a Lonely Hag with Retarded Children 

Known to some as "The Other Facebook Movie", this mocumentary has divided critics as to its authenticity. But as Bernie Madoff says: "It's too good to be true!" This NYC photographer/Jew (Nev) somehow becomes infatuated with a girl (Megan) and her family from Michigan who evidently is full of virtuosos. Megan is a singer-songwriter, her sister is an 8 year old prodigy painter and her mother a model. Megan and Nev start a relationship and jack off to each others' voices on the phone. When Nev finds inconsistencies in the families stories, he decides to drive to Michigan to meet them. When he gets to the front door he sees a hefty-middle aged hag and a bevy of retarded children frolicking about the house. As it turns out, The Hag was "Megan" who took random people's facebook pictures/songs passed them off as "her" and her "kids'" own. Catfish is an interesting portrait of modern day loneliness and technological deception, just don't see it with Jordan Perez and a girlfriend who laughs at retarded children.

Exit Through The Gift Shop
Or: Banksy is Broke and Needs Money for Art Supplies

Banksy is the world's most famous street artist whose murals can be seen throughout the world. The only mocumentary nominated for "Best Documentary" at the Academy Awards, Exit starts off with a Frenchman named Thierry chronicling the underground street art scene in hopes of shooting Banksy in action. Banksy ends up contacting Thierry and the two prowl the night tagging buildings from LA to London, Israel to Disneyland. Not satisfied with Thierry's final cut of the film (which is an orgy of quick cuts) Banksy decides to take creative control. At the same time, Thierry (aka Mr. Brainwash) has been inspired to make street art himself, this is where ambiguity arises. At his exhibitions Thierry is selling pieces (almost the exact subject matter/style as Banksy) to collectors for prices that range up to a half million bucks. It is well documented that Banksy does not sell his art and people outside of the film suspect Thierry acting as a dummy for Banksy to make a profit off of it without "selling out". Probably the best made mockumentary of the three, Exit shows how art and life are interchangeable. Gotta go sell hot dogs now.