One of the newest sub-genres of the found footage horror/thriller genre is what I’d call computer screen POV. It utilizes a first-person view of a character’s computer screen including video chats, websites, and clips. It’s so much fun following along with the characters as they experience events, and the POV it feels like you’re right there with them.
Since it’s one of my favorites, I’ve seen lots of these types of movies. So I wanted to share some of my picks in this unique sub-genre.
1. Searching (2018)
Searching is one of the best computer screen thriller movies by far. It stars John Cho as a father desperately searching for his daughter after she goes missing. We follow his research on the computer as he goes through lots of information, including videos, social media profiles, and websites looking for any clues while working closely with a detective on his daughter’s case. The movie does a good job of making you feel invested in the story as well as building tension because it gives you just enough clues to make you feel like you’re so close to finding out the truth.
2. Unfriended (2014)
Unfriended is one of the first films in this subgenre, using found footage of the POV of its characters to tell the story. The story centers on a group of friends in a group video chat who find themselves being terrorized by a supernatural entity using the account of their dead friend.
3. Unfriended: Dark Web (2018)
I personally enjoyed Dark Web much more than the original movie because it was so much more twisted. The story shows us what happens after a young man finds a laptop and brings it on a video chat with his friends. After discovering some disturbing videos, their night quickly turns turns deadly.
4. The Den (2013)
The Den follows a young woman studying the behaviors of web cam chat users for a grad project. After witnessing a murder on one of the cams, she unknowingly becomes the killer’s next target. This movie gets very dark and has some very disturbing scenes, but it’s probably the best on this list if you’re looking for more of a horror film.
5. Host (2020)
Host was one of the first pandemic-related movies, as it centered on characters who were quarantining at home during lockdown. A group of friends hire a medium to hold a seance via Zoom, but things go wrong as frightening events start to occur.
6. Profile (2018)
Profile is a unique story, which makes it stand apart from the others on this list. While the others mostly deal with murder and supernatural events, Profile is more of a political thriller. It follows an undercover British journalist as she infiltrates the online propaganda channels of the so-called Islamic State, only to be sucked in by her recruiter. Watching her fall down this rabbit hole is very tense but the story takes an interesting turn that makes it worth the ride.
7. Dashcam (2021)
There are two movies with the title Dashcam, but in this case I’m referring to the 2021 film directed by Christian Nilsson. The story follows a news video editor named Jake as he inadvertently stumbles upon video footage of a possible conspiracy and cover-up involving high-ranking government officials. It’s not as strong as the other movies on this list, as it builds up tension that never really pays off. However, I still think it’s worth a watch if you’re a big fan of the genre.
8. Missing (2023)
The latest movie on the list, Missing, is the sequel to the 2018 movie Searching. It stars Storm Reid as June, a teenager desperately looking for answers after her mom (played by Nia Long) goes missing. Just like the first movie, Missing will have you on the edge of your seat as you follow along with June to solve the mystery. There are lots of twists and turns in this one and it’s so much fun to watch!
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