We Met in Virtual Reality

We Met in Virtual Reality is a documentary (i.e., a movie format that concerns real life) shot entirely within a made-up world. More importantly, it focuses on the connections we discover via the World Wide Web when the physical world fails us -- and no, it's not from the vantage point of a scrutinizing old fart this time.

There's a certain wave of films that seem to be emerging as Millennials (and some of the older Zoomers, depending on which scholar you ask) are growing old enough to tell tales of their own; no longer are these concepts treated with the same out-of-touch Boomerism as an Unfriended sequel or a cartoon based entirely around emojis. With pictures like Feels Good Man, We're All Going to the World's Fair, and now this, we can tell that life in the age of memes and social media is being depicted by those who truly lived it. (I feel similarly about the writing of Millennial dialogue in new shows like Harley Quinn and Tuca & Bertie, but will talk more about that in a future post.)

Obviously, this film is made even more relevant by the fact that it focuses on virtual reality in the post-COVID world. Much like Among Us, Jackbox, and Discord, the game VRChat rose to major popularity during the early days of the pandemic and became the go-to place for many.

For those not in the know, VRChat is essentially a more advanced version of Second Life; the sort of virtual platform that Ready Player One tried and failed to envision -- and the kind that Neal Stephenson "warned" about in his 1991 novel Snow Crash (which Mark Zuckerberg, ominously, also borrowed the term "Metaverse" from), albeit with even zanier avatars than anything he described in that book. The anime girls with questionable jiggle physics are among the most common, but a crudely modeled Kermit the Frog and Ugandan Knuckles aren't out of the question. I called it a "game" before but really, it's a place to just hang out and, in lieu of any strict "gaming" activities, simply interact with people. (One Letterboxd user quipped that even in VR you can't go to a party without some dude whipping out his acoustic guitar.)

The film jumps back and forth between a number of figures, including a person running a VR dance class and another who teaches a group of fellow users sign language -- that is, "to do so with the mobility limitations of their digital incarnations", to quote Carlos Aguilar's summary. Another storyline concerns a romance blossoming between users DragonHeart and IsYourBoy, who have never once met each other in real life, culminating in a wedding where the attendees' avatars visibly weep. It is a surreal movie to behold, and I'm hoping to see a behind-the-scenes special on how they achieved this authentically documentary-esque camera work.

Many essays have been written about virtual reality as a new sort of spiritual experience. Are these strange avatars/personae -- unbound by the expectations/demands of conventional society and even the laws of physics -- a closer representation of who these people "truly" are than their IRL bodies? Is it fair to say this new dimension is more "real" than the transcendence we try to achieve through hallucinogens, meditation, and mumbo-jumbo about "souls" from a religion or New Age blog of your choice? Or is it simply an addictive affirmation of our delusion and escapism? Perhaps both sides are onto something (recall that even Black Mirror occasionally has a hopeful view of VR).

What of the future? How will this film be regarded in terms of prescience in a few decades? What other layers of expression and interaction are there to explore? Will these avatars, in turn, start programming their own virtual realities and make movies within those?

Obviously, not everyone is intrigued by all this. Some critics, including Aguilar, have noted that writer-director Joe Hunting probably needed to focus more on the negative aspects of VRChat and how its creation allowed for a whole new type of bullying and harassment. I feel like we already know of that side of digital-age interaction quite well. Oftentimes, it is represented by those aforementioned skeptical Boomers and out-of-touch "message movies" like Cyberbu//y, but that doesn't mean it's invalid. It's just that we could do with some films that elucidate the positives: the life-saving capacity of online community in an age of isolation.

More than anything else, however, We Met in Virtual Reality is a love story; one that explores how the connections some people make via wires and computer-generated images are more meaningful than the ones they find in reality. It's up to you, then, if you want to find this movie beautiful -- even spiritual -- or horrifying.

This film was created entirely inside the VRChat platform. It's a neat enough gimmick but maybe not for 90 minutes? I've seen other documentaries about virtual worlds so this one didn't feel that new to me. I admit that if I didn't grow up online then I might like this more. But the film does capture something real about this virtual culture.

One thing that's very impressive about this movie is that the filmmaker (Joe Hunting) is only 22 and already showing a feature at Sundance. Looking forward to seeing what his long career brings as he moves beyond the festival scene.

This film was so touching, the care that Joe Hunting had for his subjects is so tangible. This film could of easily portrayed this world as a strange, scary place full of creeps. But instead it lingers on the beauty, love, and tenderness of the space. Each of the subjects speak with so much maturity, openness, and respect. I walked away from the film feeling immersed in a new world, full of amazing new friends.

I can understand why this film may of not landed with some, but I personally felt inspired and uplifted by this documentary. It is definitely on the slow side at times, and does not have a large, overarching story that most films follow. But that was what the film is about, its about just being with these people, in this time, learning about their lives when all of us were struggling IRL.

I would give this a watch, for sure, just keep an open mind.

IN A NUTSHELL: I was excited to watch this movie to learn a little bit more about virtual reality. One of my sons is a 3D computer animation artist for a popular video game company and he is very interested in VR. Every time he comes to visit us from out of state, he brings all of his VR equipment so we can play his fun games. I've even walked the streets of various cities around the world in virtual reality. It's mind-blowing how detailed the technology has gotten. He's currently designing some "characters" that will soon be for sale in virtual reality stores. He's extremely talented and so I know he's going to have a lucrative side hustle. I'll let you know as soon as they're available for sale!

But when it comes to hanging out in a VR chat room, I've never done that, so I was curious to see what it was like. This interesting documentary allows you to experience the environment and understand why it is so appealing to thousands of players around the world.

THINGS I LIKED: How awesome is it that someone can create a movie in their bedroom by filming clips of virtual reality encounters?

The scenes take us to many different kinds of locations in virtual reality. We get to ride in a bumpy car, look out over beautiful landscapes, feel the vibes in a dance club, learn skills in various classes, be there when a guy proposes to a girl, attend a wedding, and more!

There are some very touching moments of honest connection and genuine support as people go through some of life's big experiences.

You really get a sense that people are truly making friends all over the world and meeting people they would have never had the opportunity to get to know in any other way.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: In terms of classic storytelling, the movie doesn't follow the successful pattern at all.

It might have been nice to explain to newbs like me how the virtual reality chat rooms work at the beginning of the movie. The first few scenes can be a bit jarring and confusing for viewers who have never been in VR before.

I wanted to hear more about the first time the featured couple got to meet each other in real life. For example, did they physically look like they had imagined one another?

Sometimes, the technology is glitchy. I'm sure it will just continue to improve every year.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: LOTS of female characters in very sexy clothing with tons of skin and cleavage shown.

Talk of gender identity Talk of suicide and depression Virtual kissing

THEMES: Belonging Connection Romance Sign language Community Self-confidence Depression Suicide Disabilities Gender Trauma

Fresh and tasty... but so is the #3 combo at Wendys... Kinda cool to put on in the background while you get your chores done. Certainly a treat for the VR set and the tweens, but this gum runs out of flavor quickly for the rest of us.