The film provides a balanced view of the RPG world, portraying a diverse representation of players, with astute commentary and a bold attitude endeavoring to break down stereotypes of the subculture. Several of the people interviewed are so intelligent and fair-minded that the film sometimes comes off as a recruitment video, and considering the cultish appeal of RPGs, that's not entirely inappropriate. What's cool about LWTDB is that it's absolutely fearless in both loud-and-proud proselytizing and playful ribbing at its subject, always done in a loving and honest way. A crude animated intro explains RPGs to hilarious effect, with an overdubbed "Game Master" delineating the basics in a riotously over-the-top "monster truck rally" style, setting the tone for the lighthearted fun that follows. I felt that the opening segment could have used some bed music, but curiously, the subsequent body of the film goes on to employ running music throughout, and it's kinda jam band-y. (?) This certainly dashed my preconception of what RPGers listen to, but at the same time, it feels like the filmmakers were just letting CDs run irrespective of what was happening visually. This gets somewhat irritating during a few interview segments, mainly because the sound (recorded with a cheap microphone visible on screen) is so bad … a couple of scenes even have loud line hum that nearly drowns out the speaker. A couple of pro mics would have made a world of difference. The technical limitations of the film make it feel like a demo cut for what would be a very cool "real" movie if some proper financing could be secured. But the amazing thing is, despite the obvious guerrilla-film flaws, Dice Bag manages to consistently rise above its problems to deliver a uniquely insightful and amusing perspective on a world that deserves to be better understood. Notable moments include a priceless segment that dances around the notion of the "dice bag" as a phallic symbol, and a musical montage about "Gamer Girls" that genuinely had me in stitches. I found myself surprisingly pleased more often than not, and for a movie this underproduced, that's a rare thing indeed. The film builds toward a visit to GenCon, the largest RPG convention in the US, and here it gets a bit too focused, especially in a long digression into the non-drama of GenCon moving from its traditional Milwaukee location to Indiana … this completely bored me, though serious gamers will probably be on board with it. Also, the use of women throughout seems like apologetic sleight-of-hand to provide a more liberal view of the gaming world than is completely true, although to his credit, director Mason Booker includes many male speakers who acknowledge the stinky realities of big-boy gaming, and poses some very thoughtful questions of the "gamer girls" who feature in the film. It's a real underdog achievement, this one. Life With the Dice Bag more than makes up for in moxie what it lacks in "real movie" quality, like a humble Elf who outlasts the powerful Wizard and brutish Orc to return home with the gilded Crown of Dominion. Er, whatever it is I mean by that.
Review by |