The King of Kong: A Fistful of QuartersThe King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

We reviewed this excellent documentary in Episode 11.   As I said then, I got a review copy of the DVD and popped it in thinking it would be cute because of the subject matter, but either documentary-style dull or too self consciously quirky.  Who knew there would be espionage, snivelling toadies and an antagonist worthy of Tolkien?

The story follows Steve Wiebe, a regular guy who seems to have almost succeeded in every endeavor he’s tried, including a 90s grunge band.  After being laid off from Boeing, he starts playing Donkey Kong on a classic arcade machine in his garage.  Not surprisingly, he’s really good and soon beats the world record. Or so he thinks until Billy Mitchell, a record-holding gamer with a very healthy sense of self, comes into the picture to assert his title as Video Game Player of the Century.

As a side note, the South Park episode “More Crap”, in which Stan’s dad battles Bono for the World’s Largest Bowel Movement record, was based on this documentary. Want.

King of Kong Trailer

He’s Not a Sad PandaRanma 1/2 Season 5: Martial Mayhem (2008 Edition)

I love Ranma 1/2, but I had completely forgotten about it until I saw this.  The basic story of this manga-inspired animation begins when Ranma and his father Genma, both martial artists, fall into cursed springs - Ranma into the Spring of the Drowned Girl and his father into the Spring of the Drowned Panda. The curse? When hit with cold water, Ranma becomes a girl and his father, a panda, of course. Transgender and transspecies hilarity ensues.  See the intro here. Want. Read the rest of this entry »