Movie 2011.05.07 - The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Movie is about a bunch of nerds trying to set world records for arcade games. Wife got bored during the first few minutes, but I quite liked the movie. Sure, it's a low-budget film, but it's got heart.

There's this Billy, who has been the godfather of Donkey Kong for almost 25 years. Heck, he even has goons working for him. Then, this new guy Steve practices on his personal arcade machine in his basement garage while unemployed. He breaks Billy's record, but the authorities (Twin Galaxies) is unwilling to acknowledge it, insinuating that the circuit boards might have been tampered with. So Steve goes to the annual Funspot tournament. Despite repeated request, Billy doesn't show up. Steve goes on to break the record with a live score. Billy then furnishes Twin Galaxies with a scratchy VHS tape showing him going beyond the new record set by Steve. Twin Galaxies declares Billy as the record holder. How's that for hypocrisy?

I won't tell you how the movie ends. It's not really about some arcade game, it's actually about life. It's about righting a wrong. It's about setting a goal, and achieving it against all odds. It's about knowing when to admit you're wrong and take it like a man.