The Institute

A documentary on the Jejune Institute, a mind-bending San Francisco phenomenon where 10,000 people became "inducted" without ever quite realizing what they'd signed up for. What is this? We have people checking in to a place for reasons unknown based on flyers that suggested products like the "time camera", a bizarre "cryptic" radio that preaches "nonchalance", somewhat like Art Bell but completely different, coming from the Elsewhere Public Works Agency. The radio rallies against Octavio Coleman, Esq a saboteur, former CIA operative, who allegedly heads the Jejune Institute and preaches false nonchalance. The man behind all this, Jeff Hull, wondered why "play" could only be within a certain defined area. So, what does he do? He creates a blurred reality where people can break dance with a Sasquatch. Is the documentary also a clever game? One man interviewed, Kelvin Williams, is actually a man named Daniel Shoup. Is his part in this thing a ruse? We clearly see he is connected to the game somehow, but how much of what he says is true? Is any of it? We are left to question, with the final frame directing us to what seems like the next phase... the Latitude Society.

Other's have described the premise so i won't waste time on doing that. I appreciate what they tried to do with this film and I am very sympathetic to the idea. The "documentary" is clearly a continuation of the game / performance art piece itself. The film makers mix actual people who are themselves and who were involved with this game / art piece, with actors and "faked" material, attempting to create the same sort of illusion of mystery that the game / art project did. The problem is that the acted / constructed parts are too obvious, to anyone who is reasonably observant, I think. I had no problem picking out the actors, and the constructed material (for example, there is no missing girl, the supposed police interrogation tape that is played is obviously faked/acted etc). The same with some events that some of the people explain, that just don't quite sound plausible. I'm not necessarily criticizing the film makers for these flaws, I think that this is an exceptionally difficult stunt to pull off. If this proves anything it's that reality is really, really difficult to recreate or fake. It's a pity, to be honest, I would have loved this film/project, if it had done a better job at fooling me. It's possible that ALL of it is "constructed" or faked and that I only picked out some of the acted parts, and that what I do believe are actual people are also acted, but the critique still stands because I too easily saw through way too much to keep the illusion going. So... watch it if you find the concept interesting. The film is not a complete waste of time, but ultimately I think it fails in its goals.

The documentary that inspired DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE, is a bit of a trip itself where the lines of reality and fantasy blurred for the participants of an alternative reality game. I give this documentary a 7 (thought provoking) out of 10. {Documentary}

Prepare to dive into an interactive new form of art. The creators describes it as an "urban playground movement" or "alternate reality game". It's essentially a mix of art, video, and elaborate clues that lead curious citizens of San Fransisco to explore their city all the while immersing themselves into a bizarre story. It's all created by Jeff Hull who's main theme is on seeing things in a nonchalant way. By nonchalance, it's described as a cartoon where the unconscious character goes around a city and seemingly avoids dangerous situations through extraordinary luck; a way of exploring using your unconscious mind. The goal is to go elsewhere, to go somewhere between here and there. Basically a place you may or may not have gone before and enter a storybook world of imagination that exists hidden in the world around us. It sounds crazy typing it out and reading it back to myself, so no doubt it must sound absurd to you the reader. Nevertheless, the movie gave me a sense of awe and joy as I followed each participant down the rabbit hole, all the while, surrounded by these all immersing elaborate clues that create this tension between reality and fiction. Watching how each participant was effected by these clues and how it changed them is what makes this a great film. This movie and the artist transformed the ordinary world into a place full of potential and mystery. And isn't that what makes art, isn't that what makes a movie a magical experience. And as such, I humbly recommend you watch this film and take a glimpse into the elsewhere.

After watching dispatches from elsewhere I had to see this. It's just as interesting except there's a point where you see the director at the check in table and that's when you know this isn't just a documentary it's heavily manipulated and he was in on it. Still an interesting watch though.

I'm not huge documentary guy, but this was great. I feel like everyone should know about it. I wish I could have actually been a part of it. It reminds me of the Darma Initiative or something, but real. I'm quite surprised by the negative reviews. I highly recommend this documentary.

I didn't know what to expect and that helped a lot. Everyone is part of the game, I suspect even us viewers. Those moments when you are not sure what is real and what is not, happens to the viewer as well and boom... THEY GOTCHA... The idea of the art game project is wonderful and what stuck with me is the idea that the world can be a fun and interesting place, if you look at it through the right eyes, the eye of wonder and mystery. I laughed and smiled a lot while watch. That is a good sign. So if you want to see a documentary about something that happened and didn't happen and happened, this is the doc for you.

NOT ! I have no idea what I just saw exactly, but I was glued to the screen the whole time. Should there be some definitive resolution to art? This was a unique viewing experience. I give it a high score. Why? No idea, but that seems like the right thing to do for some reason. Maybe somebody else will get it and then explain what in heck just happened. Meanwhile, there is plenty of stuff to wrack your brain on. Human psychology, belief, art, what kind of life are we living, would I participate in such a thing? Is modern society missing something like this? Should we ask for more? What kinds of "stone soup" have we created in the past, and is that a bad thing to do or a good thing... Too many chefs... at least bring ingredients !

Is the world we see around us reality or is it a series of layered perceptions? Who really runs the show and what is it all about. In The Institute, the viewer is taken as a few chosen ones are taken on a riddled filled adventure full of twist and turns. They are lead on a wild goose chase and their perceptions changed as the secrets of a whole unseen underworld is presented in front of them. This fictional narrative blends in true settings to where the lines between fiction and reality blur. The journey takes you in and out all type of locations, a busy street, a serene park, and the final resting place for some bookish type. The end is at a bringing together of these adventurous souls. I saw this film as part of the Atlanta Film Festival