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Capone Takes On THE KING OF KONG!!
Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here, fresh off a triumphant screening of this film here in the Windy City this past Tuesday with a packed house and incredibly enthusiastic crowd. Thanks everyone for coming and being so great.
Just the other day, I was trying to explain to someone how truly awesome this film is, and their response surprised me, even though it shouldn't have. "So, why should I care about watching two guys playing video games?" Fair enough, and if this were a film that did nothing more than show us two guys playing video games (the game in question is the classic arcade game Donkey Kong), it's unlikely I wouldn't pay money to see it. But in the case of THE KING OF KONG, the two guys happen to be the two best players the world has ever seen. Even so, why should you care? It's simple. The way this film is structured, the way its subject are portrayed, and the way the rivalry between these two men plays out exemplifies high drama at its finest. It also brings back every memory I ever had as a kid playing these games, the frustration of trying to top whatever the high score was on a given machine, and the run-ins I'd have with guys (and it was always guys, never girls) who took game playing about as seriously as anything in life.
The King of Kong has heroes, villains and those that tread the fine line between lackey and ally. The film begins in the early '80s, the hey-day of video games, when Life magazine took a group photo of some of the top players in the world, including one Billy Mitchell, who was named "Gamer of the Year" thanks to his record high score on Donkey Kong (among others). Mitchell sounds like he's always been a cocky S.O.B., but one who turned his positive self-attitude into a successful hot sauce and restaurant business. He also has a mullet that could destroy worlds.
Cut to 2003, when a kindly family man named Steve Wiebe of Washington state discovered that the world record score for the game he loved and owned was well within his reach. And one fateful day in his garage, he shattered Mitchell's score and videotaped the whole game (a tape of a record-breaking game is permissible by rules established by Twin Galaxies, the keeper of such records). But Wiebe was an unknown to the gaming community, and he was backed by a man who was considered a real shit-stirrer (although Wiebe had no knowledge of this going into the submittal process) and enemy of Mitchell and Twin Galaxies. Ultimately Wiebe's score is disqualified on a technicality, but it inspired him to prove his abilities in an indisputable fashion. Mitchell, his reputation and legacy on the line, instantly began hating Steve Wiebe.
The film tracks Wiebe's journey and Mitchell's plans to thwart his plans and mess with his head. You couldn't write the shit that happens from this point on. Much of the behavior (especially on the part of Mitchell and his cronies) is straight out of high school. That being said, I was surprised how un-villain-like Mitchell really is. He wants you to think of him as a confident, scheming champion, but the guy doesn't have the balls to fill the role of villain or champion. He seems afraid to even be in the same room with Wiebe, and while videotapes are acceptable to some, it is curious that Wiebe goes out of his way to play most of his record-breaking games in front of an audience, while Mitchell silently submits tapes and then calls his people to find out what the reaction is. He's not the kind of bad guy you want to see dead, but you wouldn't mind bitch-slapping him a few dozen times just to wipe the cocky off his face.
There's something of a third lead in THE KING OF KONG, who is certainly worth mentioning. Walter Day, a man who wears a referee's shirt and maintains Twin Galaxies' record books. He's friends with Mitchell, but he knows right from wrong and good gamesmanship from bad. He seems particularly put off that Mitchell refuses to take on Wiebe head to head, and his opinion of Wiebe takes a much-deserved turn during the course of the film. He's just as fascinating a man as the two gamers, and you can't help but get excited for him and his organization when he gets the call from Guinness World Records that they want Twin Galaxies to be the official submitter of record scores to its book.
There isn't a dull moment or person in THE KING OF KONG. The film is as much a tribute to grown men who haven't completely grown up (self included) as it is a salute to families, competitive spirit (or lack thereof), perseverance, dreams and evil mullets. This is a film that honors the geek in all of us and turning our obsessions into careers. I love this movie with all my heart and twisted soul, and would love to one day personally thank director Seth Gordon for finding this story and telling it so well.
Capone
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i can't wait to see this
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Now how about some Superbad reviews?
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Neeeeeeeeeeeerds!
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Wrong movie?
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But seriously, haven't these records been broken since this was filmed?
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Saw this for free with a bunch of other AICN-ers. I brought my highly sceptical wife, who loved it! YOu don't need to give a rats ass about videogamers to enjoy this very human story about a slightly obsessed odd family man and a group of much odder child-men who try and stop him. Billy isn't a evil villan as much of a sad has-been, trying to hold onto old glory. It's kind of like Al Bundy always talking about his high school football days, but instead it's donkey kong, and they're still playing it.
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King of Kong and post them on the sight! I could really use 1000 more plot synopses and people saying how they didn't think they would like it but found the characters compelling.
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Really, I didn't expect much going in to the film; but wow, what a curiously engrossing story. I really appreciate the time and effort it must have taken you to put together that event. Thank you so much. I loved the film and have been chatting it up with all my friends from back in the '80s who used to be transfixed by the high score rankings on our local Donkey Kong game. Thanks again, Capone.
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Please point me in the direction of your superior movie review site, which only posts a single perfect review that will be well-received by all audiences for each movie. Also, you guys do realize that you're not required to click on every link you see, right? Life's too short, edit yourself.
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Soon we'll have people bashing the bashing of the bashing of multiple King of Kong reviews.
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The story is about the journey of these two guys, not the video game.
How many times on this site has the reviewer said something along the lines, "The compitition could have been about anything, the people are the heart of this documentary."
Did you actually read the review? -
I am too lazy to click a new tab open to look myself
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Spellbound. Murderball. Mad Hot Ballroom. Word Wars. Wordplay. The Heart of the Game. Air Guitar Nation. King of Kong. They all have essentially the same setup. Take one obscure activity. Introduce the quirky participants in said activity (preferably setting up a hero and a villain along the way). Have them all come together at a big competition.
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The room wasn't packed at all, but I think that has more to do with the fact that there was apparently another free screening the night before. But anyway, the movie was great, and if I EVER see that Billy Mitchell guy I'm going right for the Balls. That fucker. I'm actually going to check out Twin Galaxies (site) right now to see who's the tops.... Unfortunately, I hear it's Billy again. God what a douche.
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Jesus, what a Douche.
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for me, at least. Only film I've given a 10/10.
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8/23/07 "Billy Mitchell joins Make-A-Wish Foundation in honoring Sick Youth" -- yeah, sounds like a real douche bag to me, too...
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I saw that as well, and yeah, it's a nice gesture... but with Mitchell it's likely just politicing-- now he can walk around talking about how he helped some kid's Make-a-Wish come true. It just seems like everything in the guy's life is very planned and manipulated for personal gain. I wouldn't be surprised if he cared less about visiting the kid than he did taking credit for visiting the kid. On the flip side, no where is it written that a manipulative douchbag can't also do nice things now and again. Perhaps he's trying to prove to himself that he's not all bad.
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Yep, I hear ya. I just wonder how this poor kid got stuck with this schmuck for his wish. Hell, I'd even take Fran Drescher over Mitchell if it were my wish!
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I don't think they will amend the film, as they shouldn't. The real winners and losers moving forward are those whose true colors were shown for better and worse in the movie. Wiebe could be surpassed time and again, but anyone who knows him from the film would buy him a drink if they ran into him. Anyone running into Mitchell will more likely than not point him out to a friend, whisper something about him, and then laugh. The most sublime aspect of the film: Brian Kuh, that sycophant, is going to get crap for the rest of his life from every person who has seen the film and makes a pilgrimage to Fun Spot. He probably thought it would be cool to be in a film with all his Twin Galaxies pals, but in the end he's done nothing but make himself a source of scorn. Sucker.
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...regarding Billy Mitchell's new record...having seen the film, seen the hold he has over these Twin Galaxies types and they way they go to bat for him, and so on...does anyone really trust that score he just pulled off? After refusing to man up and play Steve when it counted, this public display seems more like hiding in plain sight to me. I would believe the fix is in before I believe his July score is legitimate.
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