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.
Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)
6.6/10
Director: Michael Patrick Jann
Starring: Brittany Murphy, Denise Richards, Ellen Barkin, Kirsten Dunst, Kirstie Alley, Am...
Welcome to the annual Mount Rose American Teen Princess Pagent. This is going to be one wild competition, complete with slander, theft, bribery, arson... Read more
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
6.4/10
Director: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez
Starring: Heather Donahue, Michael C Williams, Joshua Leonard
On October 21, 1994, Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams hiked into Maryland's Black Hills Forest to shoot a documentary film on the... Read more
The Idiots (1998)
6.8/10
Director: Lars von Trier
Starring: Bodil Jorgensen, Jens Albinus, Louise Hassing
Concerns a group of people who live in a villa in a small Danish town who share one interest: idiocy. Civilised and intelligent they pretend otherwise... Read more
Forgotten Silver (1996)
7.6/10
Director: Costa Botes, Peter Jackson
Starring: Peter Jackson, Sam Neill, Costa Botes, Leonard Maltin, Harvey Weinstein, Colin M...
When local Wellington filmmaker Peter Jackson discovers a cache of ancient nitrate in a neighbour's shed, he uncovers the work of Colin McKenzie, earl... Read more
Waiting For Guffman (1996)
7.6/10
Director: Christopher Guest
Starring: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Bob Balaban, Catherine O'Hara, Par...
This deadpan mockumentary spoofs amateur theatre productions, Middle American values and celebrates tackiness; all centered around the mounting of a m... Read more
Wim Wenders on Film: Lightning Over Water / The State of Things / A Trick of the Light (1995)
Director: Wim Wenders
Three overlooked gems from the iconic German filmmaker. 'Lightning Over Water (Nick's Movie)' is a heart-wrenching document of the last days of Wende... Read more
Knowing Me, Knowing You, with Alan Partridge (1994)
8.2/10
Director: Dominic Brigstocke
Starring: Steve Coogan, Rebecca Front, Patrick Marber, Doon Mackinchan, John Thomson, Davi...
What is "Knowing Me, Knowing You, with Alan Partridge?" Well, how long is a piece of string? How many people can you fit in a mini? - four, possibly f... Read more
CB4 (1993)
6.2/10
Director: Tamra Davis
Starring: Deezer D, Chris Elliott, Allen Payne, Chris Rock, Phil Hartman
A satirical mockumentary look at Gangsta Rap in the spirit of 'This is Spinal Tap', co-written by Chris Rock who also stars. 'Cell Block 4' are three... Read more
The Larry Sanders Show: Season 1 (1992)
8.3/10
Director: Judd Apatow, Brent Carpenter
Starring: Megan Gallagher, Janeane Garofalo, Garry Shandling, Jeffrey Tambor, Rip Torn, Pe...
A landmark in '90s TV comedy, Garry Shandling is the eponymous Larry Sanders, a neuroses-laden, late-night chat show host. Along with loads of hilari... Read more
Man Bites Dog (1992)
7.6/10
Director: Andre Bonzel, Benoit Poelvoorde, Remy Belvaux
Starring: Benoit Poelvoorde, Jacqueline Poelvoorde Pappaert
A no-holds-barred portrait of an unashamedly brutal serial killer (played by co-director Benot Poelvoorde). This unique black comedy, shot in document... Read more