Is it soon to be nostalgic about something that happened five years ago, a sort of microcosmic example of the way the tech industry functions in the 21st century? This documentary chronicles the brief existence of Trivia HQ, a tech startup that launched in October 2017 and allowed users to participate in a live-broadcast trivia game show. It peaked a few months later and then fizzled out. Director Salima Koroma captures the zeitgeist of this tech phenomenon.
Dream on, dreamers! If not television itself, which they believed would revolutionize game shows, these two individuals had another groundbreaking concept: HQ Trivia following the unfortunate end of Vine. Thank you, documentary talking head! A large number of us now feel incredibly old. And win the Super Bowl with it? Absolutely not. Only to witness TikTok adopt the fundamental idea and Twitter acquiring it for $30 million before discontinuing its operation? How amusing in a fleeting manner that represents the peak of the internet. Numerous videos, many of which were generated by Vine users, were humorous in that fleeting internet way. Do you remember Vine? Rus Yusupov and Colin Kroll were the masterminds behind its creation. So, in summary:
This documentary possibly does not feature a meeting with either of them, possibly because it does not present a particularly flattering portrayal of them, and possibly because Kroll, unfortunately, is no longer alive. However, we do have the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time with Scott Rogowsky, the host of HQ Trivia, who is undeniably the most Scott Rogowsky-looking Scott Rogowsky that has ever existed. He is also quite open and honest in his behind-the-scenes commentary, and without him, this movie would be a dry documentary about yet another thing that experienced both remarkable success and a spectacular failure.
Trivia HQ, the popular game app launched in 2017, experienced a surge in users, peaking at 2.3 million in March 2018. However, the app became unreliable and glitchy, unable to keep up with the influx of traffic. The company faced troubles in finding investors and struggled to lead. Additionally, the CEO, Yusupov, did not handle the public outing of his coworker, Kroll, for his “creepy” behavior well. Behind the scenes, there was significant tension. Despite this, Trivia HQ managed to attract media attention and create a popular phenomenon, with thousands of users vying for the chance to win cash prizes by answering amusingly ad-libbed questions from the host, Rogowsky. The game even featured celebrity guest-hosts like Ice Cube and The Rock, making it a pretty huge hit. In the end, Trivia HQ’s success created a PR boon for Rogowsky and attracted significant scrutiny and media attention, but also sparked a public kerfuffle between Rogowsky and Yusupov.
The downfall of tech-startups is vividly documented in Wirecard’s scandalous collapse. It serves as a reminder of the volatile nature of unicorn companies, such as WeWork, which either make or break with a staggering billion-dollar valuation. This narrative resembles a captivating movie plot.
Performance Worth Watching: Once again, without Rogowsky’s involvement, this movie wouldn’t be as impressive.
“And if there is some incidental harm, then let it be.” Is the mentality of tech-startup firms, summing up their approach to operations as ‘ready, fire, aim.’ Scott Galloway, a professor at NYU, described this in a memorable dialogue.
Gender and Epidermis: None.
It also touches on some aspects of greed and jealousy in the quest for power, borrowing from classics. The story delves into the divisive politics and toxic culture of the tech-bro movement, including the #MeToo issues of the day. It briefly explores a variety of hot-button issues before quickly fizzling out and fading away in 2022, ending the “reign” of Trivia’s HQ, much like the short-lived and destructive nature of Marcy Playground’s Rolling Stones-esque look. If anything, it satirically references the irony of the modern short-attention-span culture of the Information Superhighway, creating and destroying subtextual profiles of anything glitchy. Will it soon be too nostalgic? That is the question Sarah Cooper tackles.
The woman who went viral for losing $11.30 in a Trivia HQ game, which was spawned in a pan-in-the-flash app show game that even spawned a pan-in-the-flashier internet culture, can be so stunningly stupid. It’s something that says good lord of the internet culture. Former HQ employees, journos, tech experts, and Rogowsky, the usual talking heads, deliver engaging soundbitey commentary and deliver a mix of sugary nostalgia and VH1-style journalism. It’s more of a mini-saga than an expose or a deep dive into the subject matter. But Koroma, the director, keeps the proceedings light and drinkable, like a summery beer session. And the story remains relatively small-scale.
You elderly individual, relish the ramifications of all this like a Werther’s candy on your taste buds. The lesson I derived from the movie personally? Perhaps I’m simply blissfully unaware of the younger generation. Or disregard everything beyond our interest, how we excessively select our own popular-cultural (and political, naturally) bubbles, unveiling the extent of fragmented culture. I was previously unaware of the existence of HQ Trivia until I watched Glitch, one noteworthy aspect.
The blend of substance and puffery in this offering is frothy and clever, providing entertainment. However, the appearance is trivial and insignificant. It may seem a bit insignificant, but it is still an entertaining trivia game called “Fall and Rise: Glitch.” You can watch the live stream and call our hotline for more information.