Saturday January 10, 2025
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters | 2007 | 79 mins.
This entertaining documentary follows the weird twists and turns in a grudge match between two top Donkey Kong aces. One is Billy Mitchell, the “villain” here with long, slicked-back hair, snazzy clothes, and high-profile chicken BBQ sauce and restaurant. Not as famous as Billy is the unassertive, usually unsuccessful Steve Wiebe, quietly beating Mitchell’s 874,000 record score. His achievement makes him a hero and celebrity even outside of the gamer world. But poor Steve can’t get a break. Close scrutiny into his game console casts a shadow on his Donkey Kong score, raising the possibility Steve was unwittingly set up by Mitchell’s old foes as a false champion. Steve and his family journey to a monitored tournament to prove he really can play the game that well, in front of witnesses (commonsensemedia.org).
Saturday January 18, 2025
The Edge of the World: BC’s Early Years | 2010 | 50 mins.
The Edge of the World: BC’s Early Years (2010) Vancouver filmmaker Erik Paulsson chronicles the events, people and places that shaped British Columbia’s early history from its beginnings until the turn of the 20th century (Knowledge Network)
No Vacancy: Vancouver’s Housing Crisis | 2019 | 58 mins.
In No Vacancy: Vancouver’s Housing Crisis, AMI’s Grant Hardy investigates the impact of Metro Vancouver’s housing crisis on people with disabilities, and how the crisis is challenging city planners, architects and governments alike. The documentary also reveals some solutions being tested to help address the crisis (Accessible Media Inc.)
