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The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters -
It's too bad DodgeBall already claimed the "A True Underdog Story" subtitle, isn't it? Anyways, I love this documentary's nostalgia about arcade culture and its reassurance that it's still alive. Also, while they mostly speak for themselves, I love how colorful the movie makes the characters who are keeping it alive. With that said, the documentary is just as fascinating when it's about arcade game enthusiasts as it is one about how even institutions as harmless as Twin Galaxies are not immune to corruption. On one end, we see how quick its operators are to abandon their standards while reviewing contributions from someone with a stake in them and/or who they fear. It's amusing how much Robert Mruczek's segment about how conscientious he is or the ones revealing how serious Walter Day takes his job contrast with the pivotal Funspot scene, whether it's Billy Mitchell's obviously fraudulent video, Walter Day submissively kneeling on a skee-ball table during their phone call or that oh-so thorough 10-minute review period. On the other end, we see how suspicious and unwelcoming tainted organizations can be to outsiders, i.e., Steve Wiebe. While Twin Galaxies had reasons to question his association with Mr. Awesome, they obviously do not apply the same scrutiny to longtime members, and has there ever been a more obvious toadie in a documentary than Brian Kuh? As for the villain, it's hard to think of a more "love to hate" one in a movie - fictional or otherwise - than Billy Mitchell. As good as the Funspot scene is at presenting contrasts, it gets no better than when the movie weighs Billy's insistence that record seekers play in person against Wiebe's willingness to do just that and Billy's predilection for VHS tapes, not to mention the not-so-climactic moment when they're finally in the same room.
Whether you find the race to achieve the highest score in Donkey Kong or the drama within Twin Galaxies more interesting, you can't deny how entertaining the documentary is on the whole. If it's not the thrilling and funny ways it plays up its "underdog challenging the system" dynamic, it's how it uses classic motivational songs like "Eye of the Tiger," which rivals how Cobra Kai does this. I also like how it rides a fine line at poking fun at these enthusiasts while honoring them at the same time, such as how it reveals how their passion improved their professional lives. In sum, I doubt there will ever be a better documentary about competitive video gaming. Oh, and of all the gaming advice and inspiration Mitchell and Wiebe provide, I'm glad the movie provides what may be the best advice of all: make sure your child or pet goes to the bathroom before you start playing.
It's too bad DodgeBall already claimed the "A True Underdog Story" subtitle, isn't it? Anyways, I love this documentary's nostalgia about arcade culture and its reassurance that it's still alive. Also, while they mostly speak for themselves, I love how colorful the movie makes the characters who are keeping it alive. With that said, the documentary is just as fascinating when it's about arcade game enthusiasts as it is one about how even institutions as harmless as Twin Galaxies are not immune to corruption. On one end, we see how quick its operators are to abandon their standards while reviewing contributions from someone with a stake in them and/or who they fear. It's amusing how much Robert Mruczek's segment about how conscientious he is or the ones revealing how serious Walter Day takes his job contrast with the pivotal Funspot scene, whether it's Billy Mitchell's obviously fraudulent video, Walter Day submissively kneeling on a skee-ball table during their phone call or that oh-so thorough 10-minute review period. On the other end, we see how suspicious and unwelcoming tainted organizations can be to outsiders, i.e., Steve Wiebe. While Twin Galaxies had reasons to question his association with Mr. Awesome, they obviously do not apply the same scrutiny to longtime members, and has there ever been a more obvious toadie in a documentary than Brian Kuh? As for the villain, it's hard to think of a more "love to hate" one in a movie - fictional or otherwise - than Billy Mitchell. As good as the Funspot scene is at presenting contrasts, it gets no better than when the movie weighs Billy's insistence that record seekers play in person against Wiebe's willingness to do just that and Billy's predilection for VHS tapes, not to mention the not-so-climactic moment when they're finally in the same room.
Whether you find the race to achieve the highest score in Donkey Kong or the drama within Twin Galaxies more interesting, you can't deny how entertaining the documentary is on the whole. If it's not the thrilling and funny ways it plays up its "underdog challenging the system" dynamic, it's how it uses classic motivational songs like "Eye of the Tiger," which rivals how Cobra Kai does this. I also like how it rides a fine line at poking fun at these enthusiasts while honoring them at the same time, such as how it reveals how their passion improved their professional lives. In sum, I doubt there will ever be a better documentary about competitive video gaming. Oh, and of all the gaming advice and inspiration Mitchell and Wiebe provide, I'm glad the movie provides what may be the best advice of all: make sure your child or pet goes to the bathroom before you start playing.