Labor Day 2007: Donkey Kong and Kyle XY

King Of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. I finally got to catch this much praised documentary which in way was like a MOC-umentary except unlike 2005's classic NEVER BEEN THAWED and more like TREKKIES, it was from what I could tell purely non-fiction and just cleverly edited. A few segments here and there seemed doctored, namely some of the scenes with Billy Mitchell and the footage at the Funspot not necessarily being in chronological time.

But overall this (and the people involved) was a funny, geek-exposing (in a good way hopefully) docudrama that like some of the past kinds like TREKKIES, didn't take itself too seriously. Even the colorful and likeable referee Walter Day was entertaining enough throughout. I understand a lot of the portrayal was edited in a Michael Moore-like way in making Billy Mitchell seem like the bad guy intentionally. The 1st half of the film I wouldn't necessarily say that is clear, but when the film leads to what the viewer wants to see, I can follow that. I'm not clear if Mitchell, Day, or Wiebe really minded that much since they probably were just excited to see themselves in something they presumably have a passion for and now the world is able to see as well. Or in other words, getting famous/being a star so-to-speak in a movie trumps any issue with how the film told the story for the most part.

But the way they showed the backgrounds of the guys, mostly Steve and Billy of course, made it more doc-like anyway. Steve's little girl may have had the best line in the film when she says to him about getting his name in the Guinness Book of World Records, "I think a lot of people ruin their lives to get in that book."


The 2nd endeavour today for me was the 1/2-season finale (yes not THEE season finale contrary to what ABC Family's ads were saying, quite blatantly to hype and keep viewer-ship up) of the Scifi Family Dramedy KYLE XY.

My thoughts on this 2.0 finale, this season, and the show as a whole; Everything surrounding where Jessi and Kyle were seemed like a very good spot to put a cliffhanger with her jumping off a ledge and leading to Season 2.5 Kyle hunting for her and reviving her. The whole getting in his head on accident seemed like a good angle, but a bit limited in detail. The questions now have to be, what he exactly tells the Tragers when he gets back to their place about Foss and Zzyxx and Madacorp and Baylin especially. The problem they are facing is that info in his head and how much the Tragers want to know and will find out. The only thing is with Foss; I gotta believe there is a lot of stuff he knows about both and Baylin that he hasn't told Kyle. They will likely have to tell more about what Madacorp got from his head, because presumably, everything he knew they have, thus what background he tells Kyle doesn't necessarily help that much anymore.

Also the Emily character and her family; she seems really close to burning Madacorp one of these times. The whole blackmailing her family needs to be emphasized more. There also very easily is a genetic connection to her and Jessi. Very easily the writers will introduce Jessi's mother as her sister or something like that.

While this 1/2 season didn't have quite as much mystery as the 1st season, I think the show has gotten better in a lot of respects. More characters, more complicated, and more questions. Although like Clark on Smallville, the secrets are inevitably going to leak out, but it seems the writers are doing a reasonable enough job adding more intrigue. The Josh character in this finale, without Andy around, seemed to be back to his old comic-relief self which I think was missed this season to an extent. I read a rumor about the Andy character being killed off with the Cancer, but that remains unclear still. I personally really like her, but also like Josh in Kyle-is-an-Alien mode. If the writers kept Andy around, they could try and have her be Josh's partner-in-crime so-to-speak. I'm not sure that's happening, as well as where the Amanda character will be as I recall seeing a quote from her not appearing much in the Winter episodes. I understand that, but that also is a bit of a downer as she is a reason to watch the show alone for. Call me a sucker for the sensitive-type girls, but it's without a question one reason I like this show. Well, and the fact my name is Kyle doesn't hurt, hehe.



I also did catch another film this afternoon, CHALK. Maybe not as hard-to-stomach for long periods as NBC's THE OFFICE, but it was similar in a lot of ways. The jokes were hit and miss. I imagine more folks could find this as a potential classic; that's fine and it's hardly the worst film I saw this year. The History teacher who runs for Teacher of the Year was good for a percentage of the scenes he did at least.