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| Features > The Escapist Video Movie Review Report > Über Goober
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ÜBER
GOOBER | Rating
System  1
die - Very poor 2
dice - Not so bad 3
dice - Good 4
dice - Very good 5
dice - Excellent
Total
Score |
STORY
- Since Über Goober is a documentary, there is no
real plot to follow, but it is still organized well and doesn't
seem to wander much. The film is divided into three different
sections - Miniatures, Roleplaying, and LARP. There is a little
bit of "bleed through" here and there, such as when
Stackpole starts talking about the origins of role-playing urban
myths during the miniatures segment, when that seems like it should
be in the roleplaying segment.
Über Goober earns four dice for keeping things orderly and interesting.
CHARACTERS
- Über Goober boasts interviews with some
pretty big names in gaming - Gary Gygax, John Kovalic, Peter Adkison,
and even outspoken gaming advocate Mike Stackpole, plus a large
selection of average, everyday gamers (including a police officer
and a lawyer) at a convention and in their natural habitats. A
few of the interviews are anonymous - their faces are hidden in
silhouette, since they do not wish to be 'outed' as gamers.
The chapters of the
film are interspersed with on-the-street interviews where people
are asked what they think of Dungeons & Dragons players. Most
have contempt or general displeasure for 
anyone
who is a gamer. In one interview, a group of men who are asked
if they would date a selection of women with different hobbies
choose the D&D player over the others because they feel she
will be "freaky."
For the counter-gaming arguments, the film brings in interviews with Bob Larson, William Schnoebelen, and others who express their concerns that gaming is dangerous and evil. There are even a couple interviews with practicing pagans, who testify that the magic used in D&D and other role-playing games is nothing like the rituals that they practice.
For this wide selection of interviewees from many different angles, Über Goober earns five dice.
LAUGHS
& GASPS - There are lots of opportunities to laugh
- either with or at (and sometimes both)
- the people interviewed in Über Goober.
The biggest laugh, for me, came during the telephone interview with Bill Schnoebelen, and his account of how he and his wife have been attacked by opponents who astrally projected themselves into his home. (You can read some more of his outrageous claims here). There were also some good chuckles to be had at evangelist Bob Larson's story of exorcising a D&D character out of a woman (Fun fact: Larson apparently does his exorcisms before a live studio audience!).
The
biggest gasp would have to be the interview with former gamer
Larry Wessels from Christian Answers, in which he explains
the evils and spiritual dangers of gaming by giving examples of
his own perverted playing style, all of it delivered in his gawky,
chuckling manner:
"Over time, it starts to take effect in the sense that you become obsessed with always needing more. Uh, okay, we had a, we had a... we raped the princess over here in this palace, but uh, that's not good enough, a month later let's spice it up, now they're going to capture a caravan on a highway, and there's fifty virgin women. And, uh, instead of just one woman over here, let's move it up to fifty. And then let's start talking about all the stuff we can do to each one of 'em, and then what we're going to do to them afterwards..."
It was easily the most disturbing part of the film. Four dice for letting us laugh at ourselves, and showing just how scary the opposition can really be.
REFERENCES
& REALITY - Über Goober easily scores
five dice here, for giving solid examples of what happens during
a game, showing first-hand experiences with gaming and game conventions,
explaining the origins of the myths about gaming, and giving anti-gamers
an opportunity to look foolish all on their own. Best of all,
the
film dispels the "loner myth," one of the most persistent
(and illogical) myths about gamers. There are very many scenes
of 'loner' gamers having a great time together and enjoying each
other's company at home, at a convention, and on the LARP battlefield.
It's an example you could easily show someone the next time they
try to tell you that gamers are loners.
BONUS
DICE - Über Goober earns one bonus die
right out of the gate for including Schnobelen's comments about
astral projection attacks. It's obvious that it had nothing to
do with the subject at hand, but was included to make a point
about how ridiculous his claims can get. This sort of critical
scrutiny should happen much more often than it does when people
make claims like these.
The special features on the DVD include a trailer, the complete Gygax interview and a short tour of Lake Geneva (guided by Gygax himself) titled "D&D Beginnings", more of the street interviews, and a great short about the crew and their experiences making the film. The Gygax bits are interesting (but a little dry), the street interviews are painful to watch and listen to, and the crew short was fun. I'll toss in three bonus dice for the extras, bringing the total to four dice.
DICE BAG - Über Goober has earned a bag of 22 dice. It's an enjoyable film that covers many aspects of hobby games and the people who play them.
"He's prowling like a lying, devouring people..."
This review
is pure, 100% opinion, and could be completely wrong. Agree? Disagree?
Just want to add your two coppers? Email me at 
