I am a sucker for documentaries. Anything from the tsars of Russia to how a paperclip is made. I’ll watch deep thinking and downright stupid. My favorites are those without agenda bent on sharing a narrative for the sake of that narrative. This film did that better than any I have seen in quite some time and could easily be a front runner for on my favorite documentaries of all time.
Very much in the vein of King of Kong or Chasing Ghosts, Man Vs Snake delves into the world of vintage arcade game competition. It follows Tim Mcvey, who set a record score on Nibbler in his youth. When his score is beaten he comes out of retirement to reclaim his record. Throughout the course of the flick, you find yourself really pulling for Tim. He seems like such a genuinely nice person, you really want him to taste success and reconquer his record score.
I’m not much into team sports movies that tell the tale of a miscreant group getting it together in the end.I am; however, a sucker for stories of people overcoming themselves and becoming victorious. So if you need a nerdy, inspiring documentary this is the one for you.This movie hit me at a really good time. I needed motivation and it was delivered in spades. I related with Tim as he struggled to become a better person and it ended in a very uplifting way. Well directed and laced with little flourishes that really make it stand out, I highly encourage you to give Man Vs Snake a watch.
Cody Jemes is the co-host of the Bored Shenanigans podcast available via iTunes and Stitcher. See more of his articles here. Also enjoy his poetry by downloading his latest e-book here. Be sure to follow Bored Shenanigans on Twitter or Facebook.