Watch The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters For Free

Best movie of this year hands down!

Simply Perfect

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This film is as much of an editing feat as it is validation of the instincts of the director and producers. Casting and rolling on theses characters was their biggest triumph.

From the bad hair to the political machinations around something that virtually no one cares about, this is definitely a case of truth being stranger than fiction. A fascinating look into a community that most would think no longer existed. It is like going back in a time machine. This is an anthropological study that puts Margaret Mead to shame.The story is pitted as a classic tale of Good vs. Evil, and it holds up for the most part except Mr. Good is some guy who's ignoring his kids so he can sit in front of an arcade game in his garage for hours on end. And he's the most normal person in the film! (with the exception of his poor wife).Highly entertaining, highly recommended.

I couldn't believe my eyes watching Billy Mitchell act so arrogantly. It was shocking to me! He seemed to hate his opponent--especially the final one--and that disturbed me to observe.He comes off as an absolute narcissist. That part is aggravating to behold; but the end is refreshing. Felt good to see a hardworking husband and father get some vindication.Someone wrote that this film is great even for non-video game lovers. I disagree to some extent. If you don't have any appreciation at all for why someone would sit and play a computer game for hours on end, it doesn't seem to me that you will enjoy this.

Two men face off for the Donkey Kong world record. That doesn't sound like the subject matter of a thoroughly engrossing documentary, to be sure. But thanks to a clear good-vs-evil narrative, a cast of fascinating players and some terrific editing, "The King of Kong" is undoubtedly the most watchable (not to mention rewatchable) documentary I've ever seen. The world record for arguably the most difficult arcade game in existence belongs to (as of this doc's filming) Billy Mitchell. Mitchell has been a superstar in the world of competitive gaming for many years; and thanks to this film, he's now known to us non-gamers, as well. Armed with his lustrous mullet and neverending stream of motivational bromides, Mitchell moves with alpha-male swagger, an unlikely center of adulation among the rather geeky crowd of competitive gamers. Enter Steve Wiebe, a family man from Washington state who accepts the challenge of besting Mitchell and claiming the ultimate record. Wiebe possesses in himself a near-OCD need to succeed, albeit without all of the bumper-sticker philosophizing. Standing between the two is Walter Day, acting as referee in the battle for supremacy. Day is the figurehead of Twin Galaxies, the foremost record- keeper in arcade gaming. It is essentially the story of the newcomer vs. the grizzled veteran, with Wiebe's record-breaking videotape submission being denied (out of suspicion of cheating) by Twin Galaxies in favor of performing live in a sanctioned arcade. It's here where we see the film's cast of oddities really come to life, from nerdish Mitchell devotees to downright conspiratorial backroom dealings. Everyone here elicits a reaction, whether it's jeering or just pitying some schmoe who devotes his every free minute to playing video games. But it's Wiebe's central underdog story that keeps the film dramatic and interesting. We go through the journey with him, from triumph to heartache, from rationalizing to getting back on that horse for another go. It's a deeply personal story, and it's one that many of us can relate to. What's impressive about "The King of Kong" is that it's a highly-entertaining movie about a niche subject; but the way in which the movie approaches that material makes it accessible to the rest of us who don't play Donkey Kong. That Seth Gordon and Co. are able to make us care about (some of) these people and get fired up is remarkable, indeed. And it's a movie I can't get enough of.9/10