Exploring Authenticity in a World of Facades

Read Time:3 Minute, 43 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Girl Internet Show: A Kati Kelli Mixtape
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Genre: Documentary, Experimental, Feature, Comedy
Year Released: 2024
Runtime: 1h 20m
Director(s): Kati Kelli
Curated by: Jane Schoebrun, Jordan Wippell
Where To Watch: shown at Fantastic Fest 2024

RAVING REVIEW: Take a step back in time into the digital landscape of GIRL INTERNET SHOW: A KATI KELLI MIXTAPE. This revealing and intricate narrative is as compelling as it is complex. The film, curated by Jane Schoenbrun and Jordan Whipple, ventures beyond traditional documentary confines to offer a deep dive into the authenticity and fabrication that plagues our online personas. Through a compelling maze of YouTube clips, unreleased footage, and the narrative of *Total Body Removal Surgery*, the mixtape sketches the dual image of Kati Kelli—both veiled and vulnerably exposed.

Kelli’s digital history serves as the pulse of this film, casting a wide net over themes of identity and self-perception. By donning various digital masks—from a high-rolling socialite to a beleaguered Beverly Hills homemaker—Kelli reflects societal fixations with glamour and success while subtly unmasking the fragility lurking beneath. Even as she striped away her external veneers in more personal vignettes, Kelli kept her true essence enigmatic, shielded by the very medium she used to communicate her narrative.

GIRL INTERNET SHOW: A KATI KELLI MIXTAPE disrupts the conventional cinematic experience, opting for a mosaic-like structure that mirrors the piecemeal construction of online identities. This technique enhances the film’s depth and actively engages viewers, making them piece together the puzzle of Kelli's extensive digital persona from the presented fragments.

Within the digital chaos, Kelli's craftsmanship shined as brightly as she did. Her work—laden with sharp satire that stands among the best—shines for its introspective depth. Kelli exerted humor and hyperbole not just for entertainment but to probe the often-overlooked crevices of online existence, exploring personal themes such as body image, the performance of the self, and the dichotomy between public display and private reality.

The film’s climax, *Total Body Removal Surgery,* encapsulated Kelli's exploratory narrative about the disconnection between physical and digital identities. Created shortly before her passing in 2019 from a severe asthma attack, this piece serves as a thematic crescendo and a poignant conclusion to her work, offering a critical commentary on the ultimate separation between the human and the conceptual selves in the digital age.

Schoenbrun and Whipple's curation elevates the collection from a mere compilation of works to a profound homage to Kelli’s trailblazing spirit. More than a retrospective, the mixtape is a forward-thinking examination of the impact of our digital footprint. As a cultural journey, GIRL INTERNET SHOW: A KATI KELLI MIXTAPE is transformative, challenging viewers to reconsider the relationship between their digital personas and their true selves.

Engagement with this mixtape is not merely passive viewership but an interactive dialogue with Kelli’s enduring legacy. The film invites audiences to reflect on the art and the artist’s deep-seated interaction with the digital milieu. Marked by light-heartedness, Kelli’s journey through the digital world offers a unique perspective on managing our online lives. This mixtape does more than showcase Kelli's works; it explores the dynamics between reality and performance, blurring the lines between life and art in our increasingly digital world.

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