Let us take a look at two plot summaries: In the first story, a daughter goes missing and her father tries to crack her social media passwords to find clues and track her down. In the second story, a mother goes missing and her daughter uses the Internet and various search techniques to trace her location across different countries. These two stories seem almost identical, right? They are the plot lines of Searching(2018) and its sequel Missing(2023) respectively. Some say the internet thriller series is just repeating itself after five years.
Critics of Missing have expressed disappointment with the story itself. There are countless plot holes, such as the fact that the villainous father goes to great lengths to have his wife, Grace, kidnapped by his ex-cellmate, but ends up not killing her. Additionally, he has a criminal record for drug use and incarceration, but the police somehow overlook this crucial clue!
Secondly, the plot twists are too frequent, to the point where some seem to exist only for the sake of having one. For example, the final plot twist happens when everything that had previously happened actually turns out to be part of a movie that June directed herself. It is ineffective because it neither expands on the movie's themes nor provides any satisfaction for the audience - the excessive plot twists are "mentally exhausting" and difficult to digest. Imagine being on an overly undulating roller coaster ride that lasts an extremely long time to the point where you are on the verge of vomiting. Will you still have the energy to appreciate its beauty?
Finally, and most importantly, Missing has exhausted all means in its exploration of ways of presenting screenlife movies. It is understandable that its formal innovation may not be as impressive as that of Searching, given that there is only one pioneer. However, we can observe through some details that Missing is clearly not meticulous enough. Who would leave their computer's photo booth open all day, even though they are not talking to anyone? And yet June(played by Storm Reid) does exactly that!
The technical problem of arranging a reasonable appearance of the characters on the screen has led to the persistent question that screenlife movies have been facing since their inception: is their format really viable?
Most of the appreciation for Missing comes from its detailed portrayal of internet search technologies: how to steal someone's Instagram or Google account, how to conduct off-site searches through city courier services, etc. We empathize with the information security and personal privacy issues that June and Grace encounter. Many people feel that they have learned a lot of anti-search techniques and ways to ensure their own online information security after watching the movie. However, such praises make Missing more like an educational film about internet search and anti-search techniques.
People defend Missing by saying that screenlife movies are limited by their specific form and it is difficult for them to break away from themes such as suspense and tracking. They have grasped the gist, that is, the constantly increasing expectations of movie audiences for screenlife movies.
Movie forms have been constantly innovating since their inception more than 100 years ago. However, there have not been many truly groundbreaking explorations since the addition of audio and color. Interactive and screenlife movies that have emerged in recent years can be deemed as positive examples.
Originated from pseudo-documentaries, Screenlife movies relies on enclosed spaces such as the protagonist's computer or phone screens and screen language (such as social media like Facebook, Google, YouTube, and video materials such as mobile filmmaking, computer cameras, surveillance, and online resources) to tell their stories. As a very simple example, they may use the movement of the mouse to shift the audience's visual focus, rather than the "push-pull-shake-move" of the lens.
The emergence of screenlife movies has undoubtedly injected new creativity and vitality into the film industry, but challenges have also started surfacing. Due to the special form of screenlife movies, producers need to put more effort into storytelling and framing. In addition, this movie form that relies on massive media coverage and data has inevitably inherited the shortcoming of online media: it is too complicated, making it easy for audiences to get confused. Screenlife movies must make every effort to regain the audience's attention. Therefore, an easy-to-follow suspense story is the best choice. That is why we see Unfriended (2014), Unfriended: Dark Web (2018), Profile(2018)...You name it.
This is the reason why screenlife movies are closely linked to themes such as suspense, thriller, tracking, and investigation.
But, does it have to be so all the time? Or can you imagine a romantic comedy screenlife movie?
In fact, someone has already tried it. You can go and watch the Japanese movie Double Booking(2020). Believe me, you will be surprised. This movie is very short at only 49 minutes long. It tells the story of the male protagonist, who is a two-timer, shuffling between computers to interact with two different women. Although the main genre of Double Booking is still suspense, its comedic component serves as a plus point.
Personally for me, I think Spike Jonze's Her(2013) can absolutely be made into a screenlife movie! After all, it tells the story of a lonely man who falls in love with a smart system in the digital age, when everyone is addicted to various technologies and media. Its themes and the emotions conveyed are in line with the format of screenlife movies. I look forward to seeing such a movie someday, or should I say, I am willing to crowdfund it!
Screenlife movies are unlikely to be the mainstream of future movies, but they carry the characteristics of the digital age, which is fascinating. In the future, screenlife movies may be redefined or even die out, but the ideas and emotions they present will remain forever. When we or our descendants look back at today's screenlife movies, perhaps we will smile knowingly. They will see how technology has changed our lives in the early days of the digital age, and how it has shaped our ways of communicating with and expressing emotions to others. Behind all these are still the eternal topics discussed among humans.
Just as the common theme shared between Searching and Missing suggests: when all the details of a person's life are uploaded to the cloud system, the massive amount of information ultimately spells out a word when assembled together, and that is love.
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