As I began watching this documentary, two things were going through my mind. The first, who the hell cares about this? The second, an inflated self-esteem watching and listening to the ludicrous priorities of so many 40-something gamers (i.e....
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As I began watching this documentary, two things were going through my mind. The first, who the hell cares about this? The second, an inflated self-esteem watching and listening to the ludicrous priorities of so many 40-something gamers (i.e. nearly everything Billy Mitchell says and does). But, by the end, I was rooting for the underdog (Steve Wiebe) more than I had in any documentary I've seen (which isn't a vast list, but substantial nonetheless). Wiebe (who appears as the average family man down the block) is rightfully positioned as the heroic everyman while a bizarre, ridiculously serious, and often pathetic world of gamers surrounds him. While it's still disheartening to see so many men trying desperately to hold on to a long-forgotten past, the amount of dedication is admirable. In the end, people will connect with Wiebe, even if they don't understand why.

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The King of Kong is a fascinating look into the world of competitive classic arcade gaming, specifically the quest for the high score in Donkey Kong. What sounds like a mundane and petty quest (and believe me it is) is turned into a very...
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The King of Kong is a fascinating look into the world of competitive classic arcade gaming, specifically the quest for the high score in Donkey Kong. What sounds like a mundane and petty quest (and believe me it is) is turned into a very interesting and funny film that will entertain mainstream audiences. The film follows Steve Wiebe's quest to beat Billy Mitchell's high score at Donkey Kong, a high score that has stood for over twenty years. The documentary makes no qualms about choosing sides. It clearly paints Wiebe's life as a well-adjusted family man who has too often in life come up just short in big situations. He is a very sympathetic everyman, with whom anyone can relate to. Contrasting him is Mitchell who reportedly through the magic of editing is turned into the arrogant, obnoxious villain of the movie- although with some of the things he says, you wonder how he CAN'T be a jerk. He's completely full of himself, but at the same time, completely fearful of losing his record. A record that he set in the eighties and it seems like he's still living in that time period because he sure dresses like it. The film shines showing the underdog status of Wiebe who seemingly has the entire gaming world against him. Billy Mitchell has quirky "disciples" who clearly want Mitchell to retain the high score. It's absolutely hilarious at times how these people act around Wiebe when he's playing the game trying to set a high score. It's as if these people consider themselves the "cool crowd" not letting Wiebe access to their exclusive club, when in reality, they are most likely the freaks and geeks while Wiebe is the most well adjusted of them all.

By the end, you completely feel for Wiebe who looks like he just isn't getting his fair shot. And Mitchell just comes off as a douchebag repeatedly dodging a live head-to-head competition even though he continuously advocates it. It's a shame this film wasn't nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar. This is not just one of the best documentaries I've seen, it's one of the best films I've ever seen. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and highly recommend it.

An excellent documentary following the efforts of Steve Weibe who is chasing the title of Donkey Kong champion up against Billy Mitchell the current world champ. For a gamer like myself it was a treat seeing people taking the old arcade seriously,...
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An excellent documentary following the efforts of Steve Weibe who is chasing the title of Donkey Kong champion up against Billy Mitchell the current world champ. For a gamer like myself it was a treat seeing people taking the old arcade seriously, and then there is the very real effect that this game has on most of the individuals in this film. It can be a tear jerker at times, and then again its really up to how empathetic you are. Many highs and lows keep you fixated to this A grade doco.