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6

Gaming not only as an escape, but as a conduit for friendship, love, and community. Adored the decision to have some of the documentary told through the World of Warcraft animation, adds a layer of intimacy that otherwise could not be accessed. 

Anyways, I sobbed for 106 straight minutes.

5

I kept thinking about that viral video of the young man screaming in anguish as his father destroyed his PlayStation and how so many people cheered. 

There are many reasons why some people are unable to “touch grass.” We should be grateful, those of us who can, for however long we’re allowed. 

We are all of us finding brief sparks of joy wherever we can with the tools we have.

14

Guys I am going to break my habitual longwindedness and just say: if you only watch one film from Sundance this year, make it Ibelin. There is so much here. It's beautiful.

If you grew up on the internet, or if you didn't—basically, if you exist and sometimes like other humans—this film is for you. Strongest recommendation to everyone.

🎟️ Tickets! Buy one. Watch this. I don't think you'll regret it.

When my eyes stop this inconvenient watering of my surroundings I will write up this film properly. In the meantime, if you do watch it, I hope you love it. I certainly did.

4

Not joking when I say this is a must watch documentary, it’s guaranteed an Oscar nomination if not the win  

I knew for a fact this doc was going to hit me hard but fuck me I didn’t expect this I sobbed uncontrollably from 10m in. 

R.I.P Mats Steen A.K.A Ibelin

Edit; Genuinely is an absolute disgrace that this has not been nominated for an Oscar they rather pander yet again and only nominate war docs that are basically remakes of the same ones that have been done for the past 4 years. 

R.I.P Mats Steen. You deserved more.

Review by KMeeks ★★★★ Liked

I can't express how grateful I am that something like this exists. Were it not for the friends I made online and in gaming communities as a child I wouldn't be alive today. I won't share all of the details, nor do I ever really speak about stuff like this in any form publicly, but I often think about a friend I had online as a young teenager who was suicidal. One night, we stayed up until 6 am crying together and he told me that only two people in the world were keeping him alive- his father, and me. That night I talked him away from doing the worst, and while we don't exactly keep in touch anymore, years…

Review by davidehrlich ★★★

Norwegian director Benjamin Ree makes compelling (if occasionally airless) documentaries about men who discovered unusual ways of expressing themselves, and by doing so managed to defy the assumptions of a modern world that’s quicker than ever to judge people on a single detail. First came “Magnus,” the portrait of an eccentric chess prodigy who learned to channel his charisma through the genius of his play. That was followed by “The Painter and the Thief,” which tells the story of a lifelong criminal who came to see himself in a new light after stealing a piece of art from Oslo’s Galleri Nobel.

Now arrives “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin,” a clever and heartfelt tribute to someone Ree knew as a child…

3

Just want to give this one a shout out. It was one of my favorites at Sundance this year and it just dropped on Netflix but it’s not really being promoted very prominently. A doc that serves as a moving portrait of disability, and testament to digital/virtual communities (like this one🤩), and their ability to forge real connections (particularly for those where physical or other limitations make meaningful social interaction inhibited. Original review.

2

When I was a freshman in high school I was diagnosed with heart block and almost fell into a coma. My pulse got down to 27 bmp and I could barely walk to the bathroom unaided. I was scheduled for pacemaker surgery but I didn't know if I was going to make it. So one night I wrote out a will that included the to my Yahoo! and the names and emails of several friends and communities that I wanted my parents to notify if I died. This was long before social media, so this was the only way I could ensure my friends would know what happened to me. The pacemaker surgery worked (I'm on pacer number…

Review by Ella Kemp ★★★★ Liked

So special, what a joy and privilege for so many folks to open up their lives to the world in this way. I don’t think we’ll ever get so lucky again to find these entirely secret, safe worlds like this.

But it’s also a testament to the immense hope and good that we can find in these online communities we all want to believe can indeed be real. That maybe our parents don’t see; that all of the hate and fast-changing dangers of what the world is becoming keep trying to destroy. These sanctuaries are real, and they can be everything. I really hope this film can extend a hand to anyone who’s ever worried that there isn’t one for them.

5

IBELIN reduced me to a mess. 

A moving tribute to a remarkable individual and a meditation on the transformative power of shared video games, and the special lives we can lead within them.

5

Sundance 2024
Loved this one. Beautiful story of a man with degenerative disease that finds friendship, community and love in a digital space where his physical condition isn’t a limitation. It’s moving to see Mats Steen’s parents discover all of the people that Mats’ life touched over the years particularly since it was one of their greatest fears/regrets that Mats wouldn’t have a relationship filled existence. It’s simultaneously sad Mats kept so much secret even from the people he loved most. 
Very cool concept for a documentary, though, that recreates moments from Mats’ digital life from the tens of thousands of hours of his “gameplay” log. Worth checking out. 
Personal note: If I died and my family logged into my…

Review by Matt Neglia ★★★★ Liked

IBELIN boldly uses World of Warcraft graphics to depict a young man's positive impact on the gaming community. While the family’s revelation of their son’s online existence is far more effective, this tearjerker's heart is in the right place. A moving tribute to a life cut short.