The King of Kong

I just watched the movie, "The King of Kong - A Fistful of Quarters, which came out on DVD yesterday."

I watched it with my wife, Denise. I don't know if she was into it for the first 20 minutes or so, I don't know if I was into for those same 20 minutes. After all, it's a movie about middle aged guys playing video games. But it took on an incredible life once you got to the meat of the story.

Wow. Truly amazing.

From a distant vantage point, it's a story about two guys each trying to achieve, and then maintain, the world record for the highest score on Donkey Kong. (That's the legendary Billy Mitchell to the right, considered to be the greatest video game player ever.) But it is so much more than that. It is really a metaphor for our own lives, each of us trying to find something that defines us; one accomplishment that makes us feel like we're the best at something.

I don't want to over-hype this movie. It is not a Michael Moore film, it is a simple film with incredible footage, about a topic that most would find torturously boring. But it is a special film, one that I think every guy over 30 can appreciate. I believe women will love it too, but there is something about this film that hits home for me from a male perspective.

That and the fact that Donkey Kong was my game when I was younger!