Tech movies have been around for longer than you might think. From Matthew Broderick almost starting World War III in 1983’s War Games to Sandra Bullock having her identity wiped in The Net, computers and the Internet are not new topics. Social media, however, is a newer concept and has not been incorporated quite as often…yet. We take a look at a few of the films below.
1. The Social Network (2010)
A somewhat fictionalised account of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, it’s fronted by a strong performance from Jesse Eisenberg. While there is a prevailing tone of caution about the pervasive influence modern technology can have in our lives, it’s not the jump-out-your skin type horror that many social media movies are.
2. Disconnect (2012)
Featuring cyberbullying and stolen identities, this film follows three interconnected stories that underscore the dark side of modern technology.
3. Unfriended (2014)
Social media gets supernatural in this horror about a teenager who haunts a group of her former so-called friends. Having committed suicide after one of them uploaded her drunken debauch onto YouTube, she returns to wreak vengeance via the very medium that destroyed her life.
Watch Unfriended on Monday 11 July at 21:18 on M-Net Movies Premiere channel 104.
4. Chef (2014)
This film may be more about family and food, but it also highlights a more positive side to social media. Although the film’s title character initially gets involved in a string of twars with a food critic, the social media platform also enables him to promote his new food truck, thanks to his tech-savvy son.
Watch Chef on 26 July at 16:20 on M-Net Movies Showcase channel 107.
5. Smosh: The Movie (2015)
The premise of the films may revolve around a YouTuber trying to remove a highly embarrassing video from the platform, but it’s told with a lot of laughs. Starring actual YouTube stars, the comedy is accompanied by a fantastical vein that sees the main characters travel into YouTube to alter the incriminating video.