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You Can't Kill Meme

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1:24

You Can't Kill Meme

2021

1h 18m

Documentary

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2 Reviews

30%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

A feature debut by director/cinematographer Hayley Garrigus, YOU CAN'T KILL MEME follows her three-year descent into the anonymous internet underworld to explore the genesis of "memetic magic" and how memes have provided an entirely new way of articulating beliefs. Memes -- a purposefully designed visual framing to deliver a joke, evoke an emotion or create a sense of belonging -- are an entirely new form of political communication and attempts to use them for good and ill are growing rapidly.

Carson Timar

Clapper

You Can't Kill Meme lets the inmates run the asylum and the result is an incoherent mess of insane conspiracy theories and wild characters.

Feb 12, 2022

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Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

It does its subjects the courtesy of letting them speak for themselves, but this often the equivalent of handing them enough rope.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 24, 2021

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Parker F

i like pepe the frog

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/07/23

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Audience Member

This documentary really got me thinking about what it takes to get a piece of media on a major streaming platform like Hulu. I couldn't tell you what the central narrative of the film was supposed to be, and there are multiple interviews where memes, the alt-right, or the internet aren't even mentioned. Critical analysis isn't applied to anything anyone says throughout all the interviews conducted, and there doesn't seem to be any particular reason why anyone besides Kirk Packwood was chosen to appear. Who is "User 666" and why should I lend weight to his perspective? All the audience got to learn about him was that he lives with his mom, browses 4chan, and believes in magic, which isn't exactly what I would call an impressive résumé. If you're looking for nuanced perspectives on how internet culture has influenced the American political landscape, do not watch this documentary. If you want to have a laugh on the other hand, some of the claims taken seriously by the interviewer are simply too ridiculous to keep a straight face.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hard to watch. The willful ignorance of the sycophants on the right in this is just pathetic. The conclusions they make, based solely on belief, lacking any evidence at all, are insights into their complete stupidity.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

bryan b

Another "documentary " that tries to convince you that anyone cares about what happens in message boards.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Ben B

Ridiculous people spewing nonsense. `

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/19/22

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Hayley Garrigus

Director

Billy Brujo

Self

Carole Michaella

Self

R. Kirk Packwood

Self

Sean Bell

Self

Nick Peterson

Self

You Can't Kill Meme: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A feature debut by director/cinematographer Hayley Garrigus, YOU CAN'T KILL MEME follows her three-year descent into the anonymous internet underworld to explore the genesis of "memetic magic" and how memes have provided an entirely new way of articulating beliefs. Memes -- a purposefully designed visual framing to deliver a joke, evoke an emotion or create a sense of belonging -- are an entirely new form of political communication and attempts to use them for good and ill are growing rapidly.

Director: Hayley Garrigus
Producer: Samuel Gursky, Kerry Mack, Hayley Garrigus, Michael Beuttler
Screenwriter: Hayley Garrigus, Hayley Garrigus
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 7, 2021
Runtime: 1h 18m

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