Video games in movies: Waste of time
Over at the site PWN or Die, there’s a list of 10 movie scenes involving video games and why those scenes matter, according to the list’s author. We’re talking about scenes in which the games star in general — not movies based on games.
Among the titles mentioned are “Terminator 2,” “Back to the Future II” and “Swingers.” With each mention is a brief clip showing the scene.
Nice list. And nice effort on the part of writer nicksmith to explain why he thinks these scenes matter. But as I go back through them, remembering when I saw these movies, I’m struck with another concern: that these scenes did nothing to advance the storyline or plot.
They seem instead to be just fillers, or quick and easy transitions from one point in the movie to another — brief bids made to the genre in an attempt to add contemporary realism or timeliness. I’m not sure though that having the actors do just about anything else as a “bridge” from one scene or plot point to the next wouldn’t have worked just as well.
(The one game-related scene nicksmith fails to mention that, in Game Guy’s opinion, really mattered was in the opening minutes of “Rocky III,” where Rocky’s brother-in-law Paulie smashes a pinball machine featuring the fighter’s image. That dialog-free scene was pretty effective in showing how disgusted Paulie was at having to rely on Rocky for his livelihood.)
But I’ll keep an open mind here. So, as Rachel Maddow likes to say, somebody please talk me down. What game-related movie scenes do you think matter? Does nicksmith have it right? If not, which scenes would you include, and why?
While a lot of the scenes didn’t advance the plot, the scene in Back to the Future 2 is rehashed in Back to the Future 3 (when he does something similar to win a free pistol).
The relation of all of the similarities between 1955, 1985 and 1885 in the three films is there for a reason, and so this scene is useful in its role as another way to show that relationship.
I would say one in which there’s a purpose is the film “Reign Over Me,” in which it can be seen that Adam Sandler’s character uses video games to escape from reality and have to deal with and/or cope with his actual feelings. The game, “Shadow of the Colossus,” was released on PS2 in 2005. Playing video games act as a way to bond for the two men who have so little in common except having, at one point in their lives, been roommates.
video games that i remember i movies… hmmm… in the end of the first TMNT movie i remember the scene when they show the foot clan’s hangout, and there is a kid playing the NARC arcade game (what an awesome game! get those druggies!). i remember in Grosse Pointe Blank there is the infamous shootout at the convenience mart that used to be his childhood home… all the meanwhile the clerk is playing a Doom II arcade game (did those even exist?) and listening to Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades”… let’s not forget Vince Vaugn and some other intolerable schmuck playing NHLPA ‘94 Hockey on Sega Genesis. although i hated this movie, i did love this scene because it’s as if they watched me and my brother play it when we were kids!