Alien life forms have interpreted 1980s messages sent into space as a challenge. Now, they have arrived on Earth to ‘play’ through three rounds of attacks to decide whether or not the Earth will be destroyed. Only a group of video game-playing thirty- and forty-year-old slackers can stop them.
If that sounds wildly entertaining – and you love Adam Sandler movies – then rush out right now to buy Pixels on Blu-ray, DVD, or Digital HD. If it doesn’t – or you hated Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, and Grownups… well, stop reading.
For me, there’s something endearing about a bunch of lovable losers putting it all on the line to save the world. It’s what I’d hope that I would do if it came down to it.
And yes, I love video games, films like The Last Starfighter, and ’80s icons.
Sandler plays Sam Brenner, one-time arcade champ, while Kevin James plays William Cooper, the President of the United States and Brenner’s best friend. Mix in Peter Dinklage as Brenner’s childhood nemesis, Eddie Plant, Josh Gad as Ludlow Lamonsoff, and Michelle Monaghan as the only real soldier on the team, and you have some seriously funny (and stupid) hijinks about how the fate of the world might come down to a duel over Pac-Man, or Donkey Kong.
Special features here on the DVD include a look at Q’Bert, Dojo Quest, and the “Game On” music video by Waka Flocka Flame featuring Good Charlotte. The Blu-ray actually comes with a look at Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Centipede. (For the record, Centipede was my favorite one of the bunch!)
While there might not be much to speak of besides the humor here, I still find myself considering that there’s a parable here about what it means to identify your gifts, and use them for the good of humanity. Sooner of later, one of these movies has to prove my mom wrong: video game skills WILL come in handy!
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