On this page: FIRE OF LOVE | FREE CHOL SOO LEE | WE MET IN VIRTUAL REALITY

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July's sleepy narration is mildly irritating, especially when it meanders into indulgent conjecture. But it does put the glorious imagery into context, connecting the Kraffts meaningfully with various mountains and each other. But it's what they say in their own voices that takes us beneath the surface, revealing their memories, thoughts and feelings. This is especially powerful as they question their careers after eruption warnings are ignored in Colombia, resulting in some 25,000 deaths. Indeed, their studies have subsequently saved hundreds of thousands.

While this doc explores the destructive majesty of volcanoes, it's most impressive as a lovely portrait of a couple who spent their life furthering knowledge of the planet's most untamed elements. So we understand why Katia says that their curiosity is greater than their fear. And Maurice notes that he prefers an intense short life to a long safe one. It's both fascinating and thrilling to watch them climb atop what they call thousand-year-old beasts to discover their secrets. Their work changed science, and their life together reminds us what it means to be human.

themes

9.Jun.22

Filmmakers Ha and Yi know this is a compelling story, so they allow the narrative to unfold in chronological order. And perhaps the biggest shock is that these events aren't more widely known beyond the Asian community, as it conveys such a staggering sense of how society is tilted against equal treatment under the law. Chol Soo's experiences carry ripples of meaning that often feel desperate, so it helps that the film sticks to the facts and continually makes him fully human, a flawed man who never deserved to be a hero, but still became one.

This is a remarkable story of redemption, as Chol Soo found purpose in his final years speaking out about the devastation caused by unjust policing and imprisonment. While his life may seem to have been lived in mere fragments of time between prison stints, he has had a huge impact on the people who helped defend him, and on the community he came to represent. This gives the film a vital impact, a powerfully moving personal account that should help change the society for good.

themes, language

7.Jun.22 slf

In many ways, creating and dressing an avatar (often with the help of a designer) is like doing drag, as it's likely to reveal rather than conceal the true you. The figures here speak repeatedly about how meeting in these spaces eliminates the superficiality of the real world, forcing people to engage on a deeper, more honest level. Indeed, anecdotes that are shared disclose intense connections between these people that extend far beyond the virtual environment.

Because the film remains fully immersed in this digital realm, it's not always easy to engage with, especially with the wildly varied styles of avatars and the oddly weightless way the figures move right through each other. But once we get used to this, the personalities of the key figures begin to shine through, making them engaging on a rather unusual level, because we never actually see the people behind their online persona. This limits the emotional connection we can have with the film, but it's still bracingly intriguing.

themes, language

8.Jun.22 slf