[MOVIE][GAME] Top Ten Games in a Movie....

[Guest Emperor]

10. Mallrats, 1995: A Brief Overnight Pause

 

Okay, I admit it: I love "Mallrats." It's considered Kevin Smith's worst movie - wait, check that, I forgot about "Jersey Girl" - but it still makes me laugh continuously every time I watch it. The scene starts at the beginning of the movie where Brodie (a hilarious Jason Lee) is awaked by his disgruntled girlfriend (Shannen Doherty). He begins searching frantically around the bed before picking up a Sega Saturn controller and resuming a game of NHL Hockey 94 that he had left on pause the night before. His girlfriend, in complete disbelief, demands that Brodie take her to breakfast but he resists, committing himself to beating Vancouver Canucks with the Hartford Whalers. She freaks out and dumps him, which leads to the classic line later in the film "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned for Sega." The scene not only highlights a great game but it also sets the tone for Brodie's character for the rest of the movie.

 

 

Real Game: Yes, NHL Hockey '94, arguably the best sports game ever.

 

Primary Message: NHL Hockey '94 is the best sports game ever and worth getting dumped over.

 

Secondary Message: Kevin Smith is a genius, and Brodie is a role model.

 

Trivia: Sega actually planned a "Mallrats" video game but it was cancelled.

 

Quote: "Breakfasts come and go, Rene. Now, Hartford, the whale? Hey, they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime."

 

[Guest Emperor]

9. The Break-Up, 2006: Vince Steals Jen's Date

 

This is a clever scene, though it's highly improbable that a completely heterosexual male would be so in love with Madden NFL that he'd pass up a date with a fine-looking Jennifer Aniston. Nevertheless, this one gets laughs because it effectively illustrates the power that the Madden games hold on many mortal men. Gary (Vince Vaughn) is a bit of a video game fan, and he spends most of his time playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Fight Night: Round 3, and of course, Madden NFL 2006. After he and Brooke (played by Aniston) break up but continue to live together, Brooke invites a new man over to the apartment for their first date. There's just one problem: Gary is playing Madden on his PlayStation 2 and he soon lures Brooke's date into sitting down and playing. Gary continually trash talks to Brooke's date, while she sits there with a bored look on her face reading a magazine, waiting for the frustrating agony to end. Priceless.

 

Real Game?: Yes, Madden NFL 2006.

 

Primary Message: You can't resist Madden NFL.

 

Secondary Message: The game isn't fun unless you can talk some trash.

 

Trivia: The magazine Aniston reads during this scene has Angelina Jolie on the cover. Ouch.

 

Quote: "I can't take credit for it, Mike. I gotta thank these little digital guys with the big hearts."

 

[Guest Emperor]

8. Shaun of the Dead, 2005: Wasting Time with TimeSplitters 2

 

This is a straightforward scene and not nearly the funniest part of the now-classic "Shaun of the Dead." However, it's a clever bit that helps set up the slacker dynamic between Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost). The scene plays at the beginning of the movie, where Shaun wakes up and finds Ed playing TimeSplitters 2 on the PlayStation 2. He sits down to join him, but then Ed reminds him he has to go to work, forcing Ed to promptly leave the game after just a few seconds. Later, after a discussion with their third flat mate Peter, Shaun tries to talk to Ed about his bad habits and messiness. But instead, he finds himself entranced by the game and begins offering Ed tips as he shoots his way through TimeSplitters 2 (which foreshadows events later in the film). Eventually, Pete comes into the living room to lecture Ed, who's still oblivious, leading to a humorous gag. The video game theme is picked up again in the final scene of the movie - which I won't ruin here.

 

Real Game?: Yes, TimeSplitters 2.

 

Primary Message: The PlayStation 2 can really put a dent in one's domestic duties and chores.

 

Secondary Message: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are comedic geniuses.

 

Trivia: When the TimeSplitters: Future Perfect was released following the film, it included a reference to a popular line from "Shaun of the Dead."

 

Quote: "Player 2 has left the game."

 

[Guest Emperor]

7. The Last Starfighter, 1984: Alex Beats the Game

 

"The Last Starfighter" was one of my favorite movies as a kid. And it's easy to see why, with such an irresistible premise: a poor kid from a trailer park becomes an expert at a space simulation arcade game and learns that it's not actually a game but a testing device from an alien planet looking to recruit combat pilots. In this particular scene early in the movie, Alex (Lance Guest) is playing Starfighter late one night and suddenly his girlfriend realizes that he's on the verge of beating the game. Soon, the entire population of the Starlite Starbrite trailer park is crowding around Alex to see him beat the game - even the elderly women residents who have no idea what a command ship is. Ah, the good ole days, when the entire community rallied around a gamer and heralded his mighty achievements. Featuring excellent game footage for the time, this scene sets up the entire movie.

 

Real Game?: No (see trivia for more)

 

Primary Message: You can make a pretty good living playing video games - even in the 80s.

 

Secondary Message: Catherine Mary Stewart is still hot.

 

Trivia: Atari teased a real arcade version of "The Last Starfighter" at the end of the movie's credits but it never materialized.

 

Quote: "900,000! You're gonna bust the record!"

 

[Guest Emperor]

6. The Wizard, 1989: Super Mario Showdown

 

In terms of milestones in the portrayal of video games, "The Wizard" owns a crucial piece of history because it features an actual video game tournament. The story deals with Jimmy (Luke Edwards), a nine-year-old video game prodigy who nonetheless is catatonic after witnessing the tragic drowning of his sister. Jimmy's older half-brother Corey (played by Fred Savage) kidnaps Jimmy to prevent his stepfather and mother from putting him in a psychiatric hospital. Corey and Jimmy runaway to Los Angeles with another runaway Haley (Jenny Lewis), and Corey hatches a ridiculous plan: he'll enroll Jimmy in the Video Armageddon gaming tournament to win the prize money and also prove that Jimmy doesn't belong in a mental institution. Meanwhile, Corey's father (Beau Bridges) and older brother (Christian Slater, paying the bills in between "Heathers" and "Pump Up the Volume"), as well as a bounty hunter hired by the stepfather, try to chase down the trio of hitch-hiking youngsters. The movie culminates with the little Pinball Wizard Jimmy playing in the Super Mario Bros. 3 championship and beating hated rival and reigning champ Lucas Barton

 

Real Game?: Yes, Super Mario Bros. 3.

 

Primary Message: Video game tournaments are fun for the whole dysfunctional, mentally disabled family.

 

Secondary Message: If you're on the verge of being institutionalized as a child, the best bet is to runaway to L.A.

 

Trivia: "The Wizard" is also noted for prominently featuring the Nintendo Power Glove, which never caught on despite heavy marketing.

 

Quote: "Come on shorty, I love ya!"

 

[Guest Emperor]

5. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005): Male-bonding over Mortal Kombat

 

First of all, this is one of the funniest movies I've seen in years. Judd Apatow is the Joss Whedon of comedy - he can do no wrong. Second, one of the best scenes in "The 40-year-old Virgin" is the trash-talking over Mortal Kombat: Deception between David (Paul Rudd) and Cal (Seth Rogen). The dialogue is hilarious, as the two characters engage in trash-talking banter as they duel each other in the popular fighting game. David, who's playing Baraka, tells Cal, who's using Sub-Zero, he's sworn off women and soon the buddies begin hurling insults at one another about their sexual orientation. During the comedic exchange, both players pull a fatality on one another - David chops up Cal with Baraka's Tarkatan Blades while Cal freezes David with Sub-Zero's Deep Freeze, rips of his head and then throws it at him, shattering David's frozen body. Sweet.

 

Real Game?: Yes, Mortal Kombat: Deception

 

Primary Message: There's nothing like engaging in homoerotic bonding with a friend over an ultra-violent video game.

 

Secondary Message: Coldplay undermines one's masculinity.

 

Trivia: The actors were using Nintendo 64 controllers during the film, even though the game was designed for the GameCube, Xbox and PlayStation 2.

 

Quote: "You know how I know you're gay? I saw you make a spinach dip in a loaf of sourdough bread once."

 

[Guest Emperor]

4. Grandma's Boy (2006): Dance Dance Beat Down

 

This underrated flick won me over pretty quickly, even though I initially thought it looked ridiculously bad and held out months before finally caving in and seeing it with a friend. One of the best scenes of the movie involves Jeff (played by a very funny Nick Swardson), a top gamer at the company, being challenged by his co-worker Bobby to a Dance Dance Revolution competition. Jeff initially feigns apprehension but proceeds to completely dominate Bobby with a variety of ridiculous, hyperactive and over-the-top dance moves. Doris Roberts ("Everybody Loves Raymond") playing Demonik while stoned is a close second to this scene.

 

Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi5NliL2eUg

 

Real Game?: Yes, Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix 2

 

Primary Message: A true gaming master will own you at pretty much everything.

 

Secondary Message: Dancing is stupid fun.

 

Trivia: Demonik was an actual game that was being developed by Majesco but the title was canceled last year.

 

Quote: "New high score? Is that bad? What's that mean? Did I break it?"

 

[Guest Emperor]

3. Swingers (1996): Make somebody's head bleed.

 

It may not be the best clip, but this one is probably my favorite. Why? Because I, like many other guys, lived this scene many times. We've all been there and experienced the frustration of Sue (played by Patrick Van Horn) as his L.A. Kings gets beat down by Trent's (Vince Vaughn, in his second appearance on the list) Chicago Blackhawks. In the clip, Trent un-pauses the game behind Sue's back and cheap shots Gretzky to show Mike (Jon Favreau) the game's new head bleeding feature. The scene is played perfectly, from the jokes about the offsides rules and Wayne Gretzky's finesse play to the instant replay taunting - which is one of the most ingenious features ever created in the history of sports games. As for the scene itself, it's one of the highlight reels of a classic comedy.

 

Clip:

 

Real Game: Yes, NHLPA Hockey 93 on Sega Genesis.

 

Primary Message: They should never have gotten rid of fighting in the NHL games.

 

Secondary Message: The Kings really were a b*tch team.

 

Trivia: The game the characters were supposed to be playing was NHLPA 94, which didn't have fighting. NHLPA 93 did have limited fighting.

 

Quote: "I'm going to make Wayne Gretzky's head bleed for super fan No. 99 over here."

 

[Guest Emperor]

2. WarGames (1983): Global Thermonuclear War!

 

The perennial hacker movie, "WarGames" stars Matthew Broderick as a high school computer genius who accidentally hacks into the central U.S. Military's North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Broderick thinks he's broken into a video game company when in fact he has hacked into WOPR (War Operation Plan Response), a supercomputer designed to control the launch of the U.S. military's nuclear arsenal during the 80s Cold War era. He begins to play WOPR in what he thinks is a game of "global thermonuclear war" but soon learns it's the real thing. The movie culminates in a stunning climax inside NORAD where Broderick's character and the WOPR's original programmer try to stop the computer from launching missiles at the Soviet Union by teaching WOPR - through the game tic-tac-toe - that a nuclear war will only destroy both sides and is therefore futile. It's improbable, sure, but it's also an amazing, show-stopping scene and the best part of a classic thriller.

 

Real Game?: No, not unless the "WarGames"-inspired DEFCON counts.

 

Primary Message: Hacking is cool and computers are totally awesome.

 

Secondary Message: Nukes are bad and government bureaucrats are idiots.

 

Trivia: Part of the WOPR's onscreen functions was reportedly powered by an Apple II computer behind the scenes.

 

Quote: "Strange game. The only winning move is not to play."

 

[Guest Emperor]

1. Tron (1982): The Light Cycle Battle

 

It was a tough decision, but ultimately only one film can top the amazing climax of "WarGames." And that film is "Tron," the original video game movie. "Tron" is one of my all-time favorite movies, and this scene is probably the biggest reason why. Along with being a great chase scene, the "Tron" light cycle battle is a fantastic example of early computer-generated special effects. After being sucked into the digital world by a malevolent program, Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is forced to face off against enemy programs in actual video games. In this scene, Flynn teams up with Tron (Bruce Boxleitner) and Ram (Dan Shor) to fend off three challengers in the light cycle arena. While technically speaking, this scene doesn't have actual video game footage, the special effects and live action combination were designed to replicate a video game in the movie. And it's about as close as you can get to seeing what it would be like to live in a game. This movie is 25 years old and yet this scene looks as brilliant as ever. And it's also the greatest video game scene ever made.

 

Real Game?: Technically, no, though a Tron arcade game as well as other iterations were developed following the release of the film.

 

Primary Message: Speed racing games can be fatal.

 

Secondary Message: CGI effects used to be really cool.

 

Trivia: the movie's CGI effects were developed in part through the use of the rare Super Foonly F-1 supercomputer, the fastest PDP-10 ever built.

 

Quote: "Gold Three to Gold Two and One: I'm getting out of here right now and you guys are invited..."

 

[Guest Emperor]

Shew, do you guys agree with this? Can you think of any more games in movies? Any that top this list?

[Guest Karana Majin]

There's the Scooby Doo Movie (Cyber Chase, I think) where the gang gets sucked into a video game and they have to win the game to get out.

 

Also, one of the Spy Kids movies is all about beating a video game.

 

You would know this if you had kids, unfortunately.

 

I have seen most of those and loved the scenes, as well. The ones I haven't seen I just added to my blockbuster queue.

[Guest Emperor]

I thought you had netflix?

 

Which ones haven't you seen?

[Guest Karana Majin]

Nah, we do Blockbuster because there is a store like 200 yards from our house. We probably watch 7-10 movies a week because Marshall will return them to the store every day and bring something home. Lots of times its UFC or Pride stuff I don't want to watch, though, lol.

 

I haven't seen Tron, Swingers or Wizard.

[Guest Emperor]

Swingers is a dialogue driven man flick.... and it's awesome. If you like Vince Vaughn you will love this film. It has some very quotable lines.

 

Tron is just awesome... and will help you relive the 80's.

 

The Wizard was my favorite as a kid because I loved Supermario 3... and I wanted to be in a video game tourney. However, watching it today does not appeal to me.

 

I just rewatched the clip from Grandma's boy and man was that funny.

[Guest Karana Majin]

Me too, and then it had a link on the side to the one called "Sh!t's weak" and I watched that one and died laughing, too. That movie is underappreciated.

[Guest Haxorsist]

I love that creepy game designer with the Matrix jacket from Grandma's Boy. And that clip is hilarious.

 

"High Score? What? Is - is that bad?"