No Country For Old Donkey Kong Enthusiasts?

So, it seems Oscar time is upon us once again, and short of some eagerly-needed Jon Stewart ripping on the Bush administration and assorted Hollywood phonies, there really is nothing to get overly excited about this year at the movies, it seems - is there?

I fall more into the "semi-intelligent popcorn bunch" than I do the overly-analytical "art house crowd" when it comes to the cinema. In other words, I like most things that George Clooney produces ("Ocean's Thirteen," "Good Night and Good Luck") and despise anything that is too pretentious ("There Will Be Blood") or too mainstream blockbuster ("Transformers") these days.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like my "mindless entertainment" - with a side of grey matter. Matt Damon and "The Bourne Ultimatum" anyone? Classic Hollywood Cool.

That being said, as with most Oscar "crunch times" at this late date, I should probably focus on seeing at least some of these movies before Sunday night, right? No Country For Old Men was brilliant - despite it's whacked-out ending (which made me think about things for many bizarro days and weeks to come, nonetheless).

I should probably go and see Juno - but I won't. Short of attempting to drag disinterested family or friends to see this "buzz factor" machine and glorified "goo fest," I have a shaky feeling that it might be massively overrated (and, hey, if it's not - that's why Buddha created the DVD).

So, that leaves Michael Clayton and The Assassination of Jesse James on my shallow short-list, to be sure! Better get down to Blockbuster Video, I suppose, before the next spring thaw.

In the meantime, I did manage to review a documentary recently: The King of Kong (A Fistful of Quarters). The movie was a recount of two middle-aged guys trying to recapture some "past glory" by besting each other in the high score of the old arcade game, Donkey Kong. At first glance, it sounds like "a natural" for me, you might think, right? Wrong!

Regardless, my critique of The King of Kong was harmless enough (or so I thought) - and you can read more about it HERE.

That is, of course, until the producer of the movie contacted me a few hours later about my review. And it's not what you think...

TO BE CONTINUED.