Mockumentary
Though the term was coined in reference to the groundbreaking 'This is Spinal Tap', Rob Reiner cannot claim ownership of the fake documentary genre. Woody Allen's debut as director 'Take the Money and Run' is an early example, but undoubtedly the number of these satirical slices of life has risen of late, reflecting the popularity (and banality) of reality television. Christopher Guest took the format and ran with it ('Best in Show', 'A MIghty Wind', 'Waiting for Guffman'), and classics include serial killer profile 'Man Bites Dog', Lars von Trier oddity 'The Idiots' and of course the cringingly accurate 'The Office'. Check out Alice's collection below.
JCVD (Blu-ray) (2008)
7.1/10
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Damiens, Zinedine Soualem
Jean-Claude Van Damme plays himself in this unique, existential heist thriller with a dark comic streak. Down and out, with only straight-to-DVD title... Read more
JCVD (2008)
7.2/10
Director: Mabrouk El Mechri
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Damiens, Zinedine Soualem
Jean-Claude Van Damme plays himself in this unique, existential heist thriller with a dark comic streak. Down and out, with only straight-to-DVD title... Read more
Love Live Long (2008)
5.5/10
Director: Mike Figgis
Starring: Daniel Lapaine, Sophie Winkleman
Mike Figgis pushes the boundaries of cinema with this experimental digital feature about a chance encounter in Turkey. Originally approached to make a... Read more
The Office (US): Season 4, Part 1 (2007)
Starring: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, BJ Novak, Melora Hard...
Steve Carell returns as 'The World's Greatest Boss' although he does run over Meredith in the carpark; Jim and Pam bring a little romance to the workp... Read more
My Winnipeg (2007)
7.7/10
Director: Guy Maddin
Starring: Ann Savage, Louis Negin, Amy Stewart, Darcy Fehr
Visionary Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin pays tribute to his beloved hometown with this goodbye letter and self-described 'docu-fantasia' that is equal... Read more
The Office (US): Season 3, Part 2 (2007)
Starring: Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, BJ Novak, Melora Hard...
The second half of season three includes Michael and Jan's first official date as a Dunder Mifflin couple; Andy gets back from anger management traini... Read more
Big Man Japan (2007)
6.4/10
Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto
Starring: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Riki Takeuchi, Claudio Uassouf, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Itsuji Itao
Irresistably hilarious mockumentary about a sad-sack 40-something who is carrying on the family tradition of turning into a superhero, when the need a... Read more
Redacted (2007)
6.1/10
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Rob Devaney, Patrick Carroll, Izzy Diaz, Mike Figueroa, Ty Jones, Kel O'Neill, B...
Brian De Palma makes a strong anti-war statement with this chilling documentary-style drama about a group of soldiers who commit a devastating atrocit... Read more
The Grand (2007)
6/10
Director: Zak Penn
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Cheryl Hines, David Cross, Dennis Farina, Richard Kind, Ray Rom...
A largely improvised mockumentary with Woody Harrelson as a playboy actor who enters a poker tournament in order to save his grandfather's hotel from... Read more
Summer Heights High (2007)
8.4/10
Director: Stuart McDonald
Starring: Chris Lilley
In this hilarious mockumentary series, created and written by Chris Lilley ('We Can Be Heroes'), Chris plays three characters whose lives are document... Read more