After the Atari became old hat, my desire for more electronic diversions led to the Commodore 64, then the NES, then the Sega Genesis, and on and on and on leading to the release of the recent Ouya console. At this point, I can’t imagine my life without the gaming that I so enjoy. So it’s a safe bet that Video Games: The Movie is on your radar. Writer/director Jeremy Snead’s new documentary first garnered attention last year with a successful Kickstarter campaign. Snead was able to enlist a variety of creators, experts, and celebrities (including narrator Sean Astin and Executive Producer Zach Braff) to help bring this valentine to gaming to life. His love for the film’s subject is apparent in every frame of the film, though, as viewers soon find out, that isn’t necessarily a good thing. The film is frontloaded with infodumps that keep repeating the same basic mantra of “video games are awesome, and they are here to stay.” It then jumps around chronologically to discuss topics such as the birth of gaming, the history of consoles, the rise of PC gaming, and the future of gaming…which will apparently include, sigh, a comeback for virtual reality. Despite not having the same entertainment appeal of The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (which is still the definitive documentary on the human aspect of gaming), there is a lot here for gamers and non-gamers alike to enjoy and relate to. Early on, Wil Wheaton perfectly sums up the appeal of gaming by stating how it makes the player “an active participant instead of a passive observer.” Such insights captivate, and they get to the very core of why gaming has become an unstoppable global phenomenon. Extra lives go to Snead for gathering a really impressive roster of speakers, including Nolan Bushnell (arguably the father of video gaming, as you will see in the film), Pitfall creator/Activision legend David Crane, and Nerdist creator Chris Hardwick. Later in the film, much screentime is given to how online gaming helps strangers develop friendships and relationships, and creates an impenetrable bond. This point is illustrated by the movie’s most touching sequence, the story of how gaming helped Gearbox writer Mike Neumann recover from a stroke. These stories of how the pasttime have a tangible impact on people’s lives are much needed, and they really help Snead prove his basic thesis that games enrich our society in often immeasurable ways. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for all news updates related to the world of geek. And Google+, if that’s your thing!
