Why Watch? In the opening seconds of IRL, a young man starts to list his World of Warcraft character’s achievements. It’s impressive at first, until the audio editing transforms the accolades into an overwhelming mess, descending into a confusing spiral that sets up the tone for this light, yet serious look at the very real inability to disconnect from a game online. The young man is writer/director Anthony Rosner who delivers a fantastic short documentary told primarily with imagery from the game and from pictures of his personal life. It’s sweet and sad at the same time. All that money spent, all that time dedicated to something that failed to make him friends or advance him in the outside world. It also makes sense – accurately explaining how the allure of praise and adulation in the online world can keep someone in a basement even when there’s a beautiful country out there to explore. What will it cost? Only 7 minutes. Skip Work. You’ve Got Time For More Short Films