Nessieldwi
Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.
StyleSk8r
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
Kayden
This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama
zkonedog
When it comes to documentaries about old-time video gaming, "King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters" is still the standard against which all others are measured. However, "Chasing Ghosts" serves as a nice little companion piece to "Kong" by explaining more of the history behind how the "Twin Galaxies" arcade helped video games "go national".For a basic plot summary, "Chasing Ghosts" gives some background information on Twin Galaxies arcade by primarily focusing on the participants in the big video game championship in Iowa in 1982. Billy Mitchell (the "villain" from "King of Kong") is (of course) in on the action again, but this time surrounded by many other formidable arcade-style gaming champions who were truly the first of their kind back in the early 1980s.For anyone who has ever experienced the thrill of playing a video game, this documentary gives some history as to how the industry became the billion-dollar mega-giant it has morphed into today. The arcades were a HUGE part of that success, with Twin Galaxies being the first arcade to recognize national champions, and "Chasing Ghosts" tells that story.Be warned, however, that if you aren't "into" gaming at all then this is one you should probably stay away from, as without an appreciation of the industry all these guys will seem like complete losers, idiots, selfish jerks, or worse. Some of them may very well fit those descriptions, but only gamers can appreciate their extreme skill in such a specific area.Overall, then, "Chasing Ghosts" should be watched right after "King of Kong" for some more background information on the "Arcade Wars" of the early 1980s. It doesn't have the gripping drama of "Kong", but it is at times informative, funny, and interesting.
bubblegum_brainiac
This movie made me laugh, sad, and look away in disgust. You all know the plot by now. Some of the people in this documentary are so over the top, it's hard to believe their real people. One guy has a mullet. A mullet! Who has a mullet in 2007? If you've seen King of Kong, you know who I'm talking about, and he's just as unlikable in this film as he is in King of Kong if you ask me. It could be the mullet that just makes me hate him though. Anyway, back to the movie, a few others have very, um, odd collections, to put it nicely. I won't ruin what they are, but they aren't things I would ever invest it. But don't get me wrong. Some of these guys seem to be normal people you would meet on the street and think nothing of. They all took their arcade gaming experience and made it either the high point of their life, their entire life, or just one thing they did in the past that it isn't really who they are now. You'll feel horrible for some of them, laugh at others, and see yourself being best friends with one or two of them. They may have been famous for similar things, but they are extremely different people.Of course, a comparison to King of Kong is necessary, and while King of Kong is better, I still enjoyed this documentary all the same. 8/10 may be pushing it, it's probably more a 7.5. If you like documentaries, this is one to check out. If you like video games, this is one to check out. If you're really bored and want to watch a movie, this is one to check out. If none of the above apply to you, then. . . go on with your bad self.
jfgibson73
I have seen a number of docs in the past year about different forms of gaming, and they have generally been pretty interesting. Part of the fascination is to look into someone else's life and compare it to yours, hopefully making you feel better about yourself. Most of the docs that I've seen don't go out of their way to emphasize how silly or odd some of their subjects may be--they are usually pretty respectful about presenting things objectively, although I am sure they edit the footage to show us the most ridiculous moments. King of Kong was the most successful of these because, I think, it was able to tell a linear story. It had some of the same story elements we are familiar with in fiction, such as exposition, and a climax. Chasing Ghosts is somewhat less satisfying because it just talks to several of the people who participated in a group photo back in the early 80's. Everyone in the picture was a "world champion" of one video game or another. Some of them still take gaming and their accomplishments pretty seriously. The movie seems content to just get by on showing us how geeky the kids grew up to be. I'm not sure what else I could have wanted; I just didn't think it was especially interesting.
ElijahCSkuggs
I don't know what it is about these Video Game docs, but they entertain at really high levels. The King of Kong was a fantastic one driven by two amazing characters who excel at Donkey Kong. And with Chasing Ghosts it gives us a closer look into the lives of the past arcade champions.In Chasing Ghosts you get to understand the intricacies of attaining a perfect game in Pac-Man, "realizing" that Missile Command was the manliest arcade around, discovering that some high scores are folly when it comes down to playing a certain game fairly, and even that Arnold Schwarzeneggar attained all his money by being a drug-dealin whore....I kinda had hunch about that one though.Chasing Ghosts succeeds in many fashions, but the two that spoke to me most was seeing how good they actually were. There was one guy who was just flat out sick at Centipede. If you've played that game, you know how simple it seems to be, but when watching this dude play it's utterly jaw-dropping. And the other aspect that was truly memorable was hearing the background story to each of these gamers lives. Some had very tough roads, some didn't. Friendships were made, and some were lost. Celebrities on TV shows one day, nothing the next.With a combination of great footage of the classic era and the portrayal of a plethora of unique personalities, this is yet another fantastic documentary on video gaming. Definitely see it if you enjoyed The King of Kong or if you have any interest in gaming at all.
