noiseredux's Monthly VG Movie: Once Upon Atari

[noiseredux]

I don't really see why. Video game movies are quite often terrible, even when we have a soft spot for them. This group will be full of things like this, where we rip into a movie, even if we genuinely like it.

I understand that. The part I'm baffled by is I didn't realize it was some majority opinion that The Wizard was a bad movie. I seriously figured every gamer that's around 30 yrs old probably loves that movie. I guess I'm just shocked to find out I'm in the minority on this one.

I've already given my thoughts on The Wizard. How about yours?

For the most part, I was going to wait until I re-watch it to really comment heavily. It's been like 2 or 3 years since my last viewing, but...

Was it a good way to unveil Super Mario Bros. 3 in your opinion?

It was absolutely brilliant. I feel like every kid who saw that movie had their minds blown at the same moment. I don't think there could have been a more gotta-have-it game that year, thanks very much to The Wizard.

I also agree with Luke that the warp whistle part was totally 'Fuck. That.'

And how does it fit in with both American culture at the time

One thing I've thought about is that there is maybe an inkling of Rainman influence in there? Older dickish brother exploits his younger autistic brother's skills at a game via roadtrip. Instead of casinos we get the Nintendo Championship.

[Luke]

I'm genuinely baffled by this thread.

I'd probably give both Rad and The Wizard a 7 or 8.

Now I'm baffled. I was generous with a 4 out of 10.

The Wizard is a chore to watch as it constantly drags, the actors all give lousy performances, the plot is completely unbelievable, and for a movie that was all product placement there wasn't enough product placement. The trailer for the movie is better than the actual movie.

[noiseredux]

I'd say the acting is so-so, yeah. And of course the plot is unbelievable... it's an 80's kids movie. But a chore to watch? Not in the least.

Rad is cool, but I wasn't a BMX kid. I was more a Gleaming The Cube kind of guy.

[Ack]

I'd say the acting is so-so, yeah. And of course the plot is unbelievable... it's an 80's kids movie. But a chore to watch? Not in the least.

Rad is cool, but I wasn't a BMX kid. I was more a Gleaming The Cube kind of guy.

Yeah, a Thrashin' Grind Lords of Dogtown kind of guy, on The Search for the Animal Chin in Paranoid Park kind of guy, one of the Stoked Deck Dogz living your Street Dreams of being the Most Valuable Primate kind of guy?

I need to stop watching movies.

[Luke]

Even as a kid I was checking my jelly swatch watch to see how much longer I had to watch THE WIZARD. "When are they going to show Super Mario Bros. 3?" was probably on most kid's minds too. It has LOTR Director's Cut amounts of walking around.

GLEAMING THE CUBE is near perfection, but I was more into the Bones Brigade movie during that time. Oh dear God the skater hair cut I sported those days. I remember being able to put my bangs in my mouth. And then Eddie freaking Furlong came around and made it mainstream look.

[ExedExes]

I previously said I probably wore a video copy of that movie out. I liked it. I did not like all the video game inaccuracies and errors that they just let fly, but to be fair, nobody knew what was in SMB 3 at the time.

[samsonlonghair]

The wizard is a movie I watched a thousand times on tbs, tnt, or tnn as a child. I never owned a vhs cassette of this movie because it was constantly on tv.

[Nemoide]

I've actually never seen The Wizard.

WTF? Really? Aren't you in your late 20's? How did you let this happen?

Anyway, I really look forward to hearing someone's take on this movie who lived was a kid in the NES era but managed to not see the movie until now.

I was only 3 when it came out and when I got into video games I was into Sega. But I also don't remember people even talking about it until I went to college where it was mostly referenced as being ridiculous and having the Power Glove?

ANYWAY the disc arrived from Netflix today so I finally watched it. Let me say: it stinks.
Clearly I'm too much of a bitter old man for this movie. I was hoping for more ridiculous Nintendo promotion but that was really only maybe 30 minutes of the movie, during the competition. That was the only part which I'd consider "cheesy fun" and even then, not enough was actually happening to keep me invested in what's happening. They didn't even *say* Nintendo until about halfway through the movie, even though there are scenes with video games.
The movie really didn't make much sense. All of the character motivations felt like bad kids movie stereotypes. (Yes, I know it's a bad kids movie, that doesn't justify it.) The dude hired to find the runaway kid is mean because he's a bad guy! The girl is interested in following two kids around because she's the spunky sidekick!
I couldn't keep the timing straight in the movie. It seems like all the places characters stopped at must have been in a straight line or something because they all stop at exactly the same places, often at the same times? And even though the "runaway catcher" (private eye? bounty hunter?) dude is clearly a jerk who nobody helps, he somehow learns exactly where the kids went?
I mean, I know this is a kids movie, but I just couldn't get into it.

Also: Ben Savage was a way better Cory in Boy Meets World.

[noiseredux]

hahaha. Nemoide. Well, you gave me what I asked for. Honest opinion from a guy with no nostalgia. So thank you. But more importantly, you also participated in watching something that (I guess) sucks, for the sake of participation. Do you at least feel like "well, now I can say I've seen this movie!" ?

[Nemoide]

(Yeah, I now have a surplus of 80s movies bragging rights!)