Cool News
UPDATED! This one's for you readers in San Fran, Boston, Chicago and Minneapolis! See the great KING OF KONG early and for free!
Update #3!!! Boston is now full up. It reached capacity with an 8:47am CST email. I'm working on the lists for Boston and San Fran now and the emails should go out in 24-36 hours! Thanks to all who entered!!!
UPDATE #2! San Francisco is now full up! Chicago and Minneapolis are full up! But there are still about 20 seats left for Boston!
UPDATE! Minneapolis and Chicago are full up! Thanks for entering! Almost full on Boston, too... still have about 60 seats for San Fran! Look for more updates!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. THE KING OF KONG is one of the best films of the year and one of the best documentaries I have ever seen.
It might not illuminate the darkest depths of a corrupt government or uncover vast corporate conspiracies or free a wrongfully imprisoned man, but what it does do is pit the absolute perfect protagonist against an absolutely imperfect antagonist.
You could boil this film about a humble school teacher trying to do one fantastic thing in an otherwise unsuccessful life to a basic good vs. evil story, to an almost biblical allegory or an Aesop morality tale.
Yeah, it's about old school arcade games and the competition over the Guinness Book of World Records spot for top Donkey Kong score, but it could just as easily be about two rival politicians... or Darth Vader and Luke. It really is a classic hero's journey type tale.
Billy Mitchell is this year’s most interesting screen villain. And he’s interesting because he’s real. I have known people like Billy Mitchell… maybe that’s why he gets under my skin so much. He’s a helluva character, a memorable one at that.
So, I won’t go on anymore about my love of the flick. I’ve already reviewed it, so I’d just be forcing the same opinion down your throats one more time…
But what I have done is worked out some AICN screenings of this wonderful film around the US for you fine people. I’m going to list the cities participating in this event now and your instructions on how to get tickets. It’ll be a simple “first people to email me” thing and we’re filling up the entire theater with AICNers, so we should have plenty of seats for each of these screenings.
CHICAGO
7:30pm - Tuesday, August 21st, 2007
Capone is going field the Chicago screening emails. What you need to do is email him with the subject line CHICAGO SCREENING to capone@aintitcoolmail.com with your name and the name of your guest. You can bring one person. If you need more seats, get your friends on the phone and tell ‘em to shoot an email to old Capone as well.
SAN FRANCISCO
7:30pm - Thursday, August 23rd, 2007
Of all the screenings, this one has the biggest house. Lots of seats to fill. I trust you San Francisconians will show up in force.
For a ticket I need you to email me at quint@aintitcool.com with the subject line SAN FRANCISCO. Include your name and the name of your guest in the body of the email. Same deal as Chicago… if you need more than 2 seats, get some buddies on the phone. That goes for all these screenings.
BOSTON
7:30pm - Thursday, August 23rd, 2007
You East-Coasters aren’t forgotten.
I need you to email me at quint@aintitcool.com with the subject line BOSTON. I need your name and the name of your guest in the body of the email.
MINNEAPOLIS
7:30pm - Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007
We got the East, the West and the Central, now we go for the tip top of the North.
Same deal. I need an email to me at quint@aintitcool.com with the subject line MINNEAPOLIS and your name as well as the name of your guest in the body of the email.
That’s it. The winners will be contacted by email with the theater location.
If you live in one of those cities, good luck on grabbing a seat or two! It’s an awesome movie and let me tell you… it’s an even more awesome audience experience movie. I’ve seen it twice and each time the audience goes ape-shit, totally involved in the movie. You'll dig it.
I'll update this as screenings fill up!
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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+ Expand All
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The one by Peter Jackson?
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phew!
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I registered with Capone- but the description doesn't give much
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Especially in championship games....
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"Sicko is the number 2 highest grossing documentary of all time!" Thanks for telling us Moore. We know how important that is to you.
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Damn.
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There is an Austin screening this week... think it's the 16th... but AICN, weirdly, isn't involved with that one.
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that I'm prepared to post about it here and let everyone know that I'd like to see it. I'm basically telling a load of people I'll never meet and who don't even care that I'm interested in seeing a documentary. That's how much I want to see this doc.
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sounds like a good film, but where's all the other news?
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...seriously, it drags the ground.
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Aug 13, 2007 1:09:11 PM CDT
I hope there's a side story about Jimmy and the Black
by bringingsexyback
Man. Cuz that will just rule.
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http://tinyurl.com/yr5ewn
I want to see this movie. -
1. Choose an obscure competition (spelling bee, wheelchair rugby, ballroom dancing, crossword puzzles, girl's high school basketball). 2. Introduce the participants, preferably building a good vs. evil element along the way. 3. Have the whole thing build to a stirring climax at the championship of said obscure event.
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saw the preview a month ago while browsing the trailers over at apple/quicktime. This movie looks great
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'Air Guitar Nation', yet another obscure competition given the Spellbound treatment.
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no shit. it is a competition documentary.
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Doesn't mean they have to do it the same way everyone else does. The Searchers and Blazing Saddles are both Westerns. Does that make them the same movie?
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A large number of recent documentries do seem to center around a competition. But that added drama does make for interesting viewing. The fact that the competition is obscure should be expected, the whole point of a documentry is inform people of something they may not know much about.
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WE GET THE SHAWN OF THE DEAD THING AND THEN PPFFFT. NATHAN.
COME ON WE GOT DREW MCWEENY IN LA, CANT WE GET SOME MORE AICN ACTION FOR LA? -
Billy Mitchell has been mis-represented in KoK so they could use him as the bad guy for the film.
While I understand the film makers wanted to create a compelling story, it seems they've done this at the cost of the truth. So while the film may tell an engaging story where Mitchell is the villain, it should be remembered that in real life he's actually an OK guy. -
thanks quint!
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You're right, I don't know the guy, but I have seen him in 2 documentaries now and he comes off as a self-righteous pompous ass in both. Are you telling me that both King of Kong and Chasing Ghosts fabricated this persona? It should be noted that in Chasing Ghosts there really is no villain, it's about that early group of arcade superstars. I got that impression of Billy Mitchell when I saw it at Sundance and then it was only strengthened when I saw King of Kong a couple months later.
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Just curious...
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Seats are still available in all cities, but Minneapolis is about 45 seats away from selling out. San Francisco still has 170 seats (largest auditorium of all the cities) and Boston is 115 away from filling up. Keep 'em coming in. I'll be away from the computer for a few hours, but I'll update you guys when I get back. Be sure to include your name and the name of your guest so you don't get boned out of your seats.
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you couldn't write a better villain than billy mitchell. he is quite possibly the coolest guy on the face of the planet. and by coolest I mean worst.go and see this film if you get the chance
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Boston, 115 seats left still? Are you guys shitting me? The King of Kong rules! You guys should be eating these passes up. As a Boston boy myself, it's my duty to implore you guys to see this film. One of the most entertaining documentaries I've ever seen, and I'd include Air Guitar Nation on that list. You have to see the people in this film to believe they could actually exist. Do yourselves a favor, sign up for a bunch of random email accounts and get as many tickets as you can. This one will not disappoint.
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I can't wait to see this movie!
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I'm glad were getting an AICN event up here. Now I can only hope I actually win a ticket. Otherwise I may just have to stand outside the theater yelling, "AICN raped my something-something!!!!"
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Well, I'm probably too late for a ticket in Minneapolis, but I sent in my request.
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It was one of the first movies I saw at the film festival, and it was my favorite. I could go on and on about how excellent it was, but it would all just be an understatement. This is gold. Solid gold.
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WTF? Lexington has over 120 screens, and had one of the best arcades ever, Bally's Aladdin's Castle in Fayette Mall. Come on! Show it in Lex and I'll see it!!
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First 911, now this.
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To see it, 'cause the market I live in is horrible for movie releases.I had to drive two hours in order to see Aqua Teen.
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http://tinyurl.com/2kvjwe
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that Billy Mitchell reclaimed his top score in this game and did it with class.
http://tinyurl.com/yplpr3
Seems like a nice guy to me... -
Billy Mitchell is a still a dick. Here comes the sequel.
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...to cry "PLANT!" on this site, specifically because it's done far too often by so many unbelievable douchebags, but it looks like Billy's disciples are working overtime here on these boards. You cannot watch this movie and think that Billy Mitchell is a "nice guy" or "classy" or anything but trailer trash who thinks he's a demigod. Even if you think the director totally worked over the raw footage to make this guy look as bad as possible...you can still tell he's as bad as possible.
Let's put it this way: I think just about everything in life is subjective, but not the idea of Billy Mitchell. Though the notion remains beyond inexplicable to me, there are all these fantastic nerds out there who regard him as something on the level of Jim Jones. There are only two ways you like Billy Mitchell: if you're one of his brainwashed henchmen or you're a complete fucking lunatic.
My prediction: once this doc gets around a bit - and ESPECIALLY when it hits DVD - Billy Mitchell will become one of the most hated men in America. And that the filmmakers could pull off such a feat in a movie about DONKEY KONG...this is not only going to go down as a cult classic, it's going to go down as an Oscar contender. -
is very excited about the Arclight showing in L.A. Anybody from AICN gonna be there?
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I still think Billy Mitchell is a complete scumbag waste of sperm self-righteous shithead (with a mullet). But I don't know, I gotta admit, pulling this- right before the premiere of the movie... well that is really awesome. As much of a cocksucker as he may be, I just gotta say: That is a pretty god damn slick move. And even though I was so glad to see Steve Wiebe finally succeed, this really just makes it all the more interesting. You can't blame Billy for wanting to come out on top either. But whatever- I don't think this story will be going away anytime soon, and I am very glad of that.
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this is an update i am of truly and utmost of profoundly in ashamement of. this is a glorification of that which is known as only a remake. remakes are a sad stories unto themselves and a clearly indicative that hollywood is bound to ruin film in the end of it all. remakes are bad in a way in which is automatic because by definition, they are new incantations of old films. they all have cgi, which is a destruction of film unto itself. king kong is a bad enough remake because it is a reincantation of a film that wasn't even good in the first place. what are yours guys's thoughts?
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In a scumbag sneaky I'll-take-the-wind-out-of-your-sails by finding the perfect moment to lay it down just before your premiere way. It's a slick stunt all right in a supremely oily fashion!
Obviously it's still on! -
Yours is so funny with the imaginationings of you're languageing! Are you the relationship of Borat? Or maybe INGRID Bergman?!
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As of right this minute, I have 22 seats for San Francisco and 16 seats left for Boston. Keep the emails coming in. I'll update the story again to let you know everything is full up. Chicago and Minneapolis are locked. Thanks guys!
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It's like Ali Vs. Frazier... for Dorks.
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e who would've paid to see this?! Just joking. No free screenings for Sydney Australia then Quint? Dang.
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Are you sending out confirmation emails? I didn't get one for my SF screening with my plus 1.
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I sent in an email this morning (San Francisco) and still haven't received conformation of any kind.
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Even with Capone's help, I'm dealing with nearly 1000 seats and 500 emails. I'll send out confirmation emails in the next couple of days with the theater information. If you sent in your emails for San Fran anytime before 2:30am CST you made it. I'll try to get those emails out very shortly.
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but unfortunately I live in Ye Olde Europe :-(
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I sent in my email for Chicago an hour after the story was posted. Course, I also insulted Capone for his review of 'Hot Rod'. So we'll have to wait and see how spiteful he is.
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I received about 300 entries in the first 16 hours of this contest, for less than 200 seats. And most of those entries are for the winner plus a guest. I will try my hardest to get the winners their confirmation emails by Friday, Saturday at the latest.
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"World record headquarters, may I help you?" Genius.
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why don't you bring any of this out to the midwest, and I'm not talking Chiago or Oio Midwest, I'm talking KS, NE, CO...I'd drive to Kansas City, Denver, Wichita, or Omaha to see a screening like this, so why no love
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Can we get an idea on the "cut-off" times on teh e-mails for the other cities? I mailed in for Mpls at 2:45p CST (yesterday obviously).
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*fingers crossed*!
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with the Slack jawed Yokels comment and while there are quite a few of those around here, I can't even begin to comment on the number of people I saw walk out of Eyes Wide Shut, Hithchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Life is Beautiful, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, those are mainly from small towns that just happened to get those movies. Like I said, if Denver got a showing like this or even Kansas City, I would drive to see it and I think there would be others as well. I don't know maybe I'm the only person in this area that cares about this so I'll just shut up now
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In fact, I drove by the Arbor theater in North Austin to see if it was playing today. The article I read about it makes it look extremely entertaining...Unbeknownst to me (and practically everyone else), high scores on games like Donkey Kong are kept, and there is this one guy who apparently blew everyone away with a high score back when he was a kid in the 80s. In fact his score is so high its basically considered the 4 minute mile, from what I understand. Its simply an unattainable score. Well along comes this one guy who claims to have beaten the hell out of the old record, which infuriates many who worship at the altar of that world record holder. Some gaming commission comes down to his house to check his score, and they discover that there are some oddities that exist.. things wrong with the board, etc, so the record is deemed invalid. This sets the guy off, and its suggested to him that he play in a public place. So they go looking around and find a donkey kong arcade game.. and that's all I know. I don't know why that sounds so interesting to me but it really does.
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If the guest i got a ticket for cant come is it cool if i bring someone in place? Or is it whos on the list and thats it?
Cause i know a couple of +1s that want to Thunderdome for the position. -
Can we get the time that the Chicago screening filled up? Just want to be sure I got in
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