Cam
There’s not a lot of horror films that grip me today, maybe because the horrors of reality are so pervasive. Hereditary shows us the frights associated with family; Netflix’s Cam shows us the horrors of being on social media.
Alice (Madeline Brewer) is a popular cam girl working her way up the ranks. When she discovers that her channel has been hijacked by a woman who looks and acts just like her, Alice goes down the rabbit hole, wondering just what is going on.
Numerous articles have been written on Cam and its positive portrayal of sex workers. Rewatching the movie on Netflix recently, it’s amazing to watch director Daniel Goldhaber’s camera take in Alice’s world.
Though she is peddling her body for male consumption, there’s an innocence and fun to everything. Alice’s world is equal parts sex party and Barbie dreamhouse, filled with glitter and pastels in a way that’s non-threatening and downright inviting. At times Alice is tastefully covered, with the emphasis placed on providing friendship than anything sexual.
It’s fascinating to watch, and that’s even before the weirdness creeps in with her doppelganger. Cam is a creepy film, showing how our digital lives end up overpowering us, but it’s also a feminist film about owning one’s sexuality in the world of social media.