MACHINES 26 • Unfriended (2014) + Searching (2018)
Topics discussed
Introduction: Horror, technology, and the digital age
Guest intro and early tech nostalgia (MP3 players)
Digital identities, social media presence, and screen time
Screen life films: Genre conventions and surveillance aesthetics
Why screen life works for horror: Duality and human nature
Director Timur Bekmambetov and the evolution of screen life
Unfriended: Cyberbullying, misogyny, and teenage cruelty
Laura Barnes: Victimhood, villainy, and the digital ghost
Comparing Laura Barnes to Carrie and Blair Witch
Searching: John Cho's performance and emotional interiority
Loneliness, compartmentalization, and modern relevance
Genre blending, craft of editing, and final thoughts
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