Man vs. Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler - 7 stars out of 10

Man vs. Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler - 7 stars out of 10

“Man vs. Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler” is riveting documentary about a man on a quest for redemption.  The title seems like it should refer to an adventurer like The Crocodile Hunter or Indiana Jones who must face off against a slithery foe; however, this is actually a film that chronicles a video gamer’s journey to reclaim his high score on Nibbler.  Nibbler is not your average video game.  It was notable as being the first game to include a score that went up to 999,999,999, meaning that it provided the ultimate challenge of scoring 1 billion points.  In order to ascertain this score, one would have to potentially play the game for 40 hours.  Through a series of interviews and clever animations (which are much more entertaining than the often lifeless reenactments that we see in documentaries), we learn the story of teenager Tim McVey’s 1984 Nibbler marathon in which he broke the billion point barrier.  Once McVey (not the terrorist) discovers that an Italian gamer claims to have beaten his record but cannot officially verify it, McVey sets off on a quest to settle the debate by achieving a higher score.  Throughout his journey, we learn about the marathon strategy of building up enough extra lives so that he can walk away for several minutes to eat, use the bathroom, or dunk his hands in ice while the game continues to play itself.  The story is full of interesting characters, unexpected twists, and an epic scandal.  You might not expect that a documentary about a simplistic arcade game could hold your attention for an hour and a half but “Man vs. Snake” creates so much suspense that you won’t be able to look away!

[Pictured: The animated segments are a great way to recreate scenes from McVey's climb to the top!]

Sully - 7 stars out of 10

Sully - 7 stars out of 10

“Sully” seems to have everything that you could hope for in an Oscar nominee: a strong performance by Tom Hanks, direction by Clint Eastwood, a topical event in American history, the emotions of a plane full of victims, and a fascinating disaster sequence.  Surprisingly, it hit well below the mark of expectation.  I can’t imagine that anybody would walk out of the theater disappointed, as it satisfies our curiosity about the events surrounding the Hudson River landing.  But it seems like such an obvious Oscar pick on the surface that it simply does not live up to that standard.  The script hits all of the right notes, focusing on the humble yet heroic Sullenberger, serving as an homage to New York’s first responders, and utilizing the vast array of emotions displayed by the passengers on the plan.  The script also hinders the story’s development.  It presents the events from several perspectives including the pilot, the passengers, the ferry boat operators, and air traffic control, but it becomes one too many reenactments of the crash sequence.  We walk into this film wanting to learn more about the events surrounding the Hudson River landing but by the time the last enactment rolls around, it is nearly a direct repetition of the previous one.  I was also disappointed to discover that the film’s portrayal of the NTSB is inaccurate, painting them as a group of prosecutors trying to force guilt upon the captain.  It makes for good drama as it emphasizes the humility of Sully in the face of his detractors, but it also strays from the true events of the hearing.  The film boasts good performances from Aaron Eckhart, Mike O’Malley, Laura Linney, and particularly Hanks.  He is convincing with gray hair and the role fits his likeable personality; however, when you rank this performance within his larger body of work, it comes out as average.  The largest disappointment was some of the airplane special effects that resembled a video game or simulation, while other moments would easily be confused with live footage of this catastrophic event.  If some of the special effects can be realistic, they all should be realistic.  "Sully" will not live up to your Oscar expectations but if you can view it outside of that lens, it successfully delivers a heroic story about a selfless man who saved a plane full of people.

[Pictured: Hanks rocks the gray hair, Eckhart's mustache is off the cuff, and then something happens involving an airplane]