Plot
When aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth in the form of the video games.
Release Year: 2015
Rating: 5.8/10 (606 voted)
Critic's Score: /100
Director: Chris Columbus
Stars: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan
Storyline
As kids in the 1980s, Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), Will Cooper (Kevin James), Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad), and Eddie "The Fire Blaster" Plant (Peter Dinklage) saved the world thousands of times - at 25 cents a game in the video arcades. Now, they're going to have to do it for real. In Pixels, when intergalactic aliens discover video feeds of classic arcade games and misinterpret them as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth, using the video games as the models for their assaults -- and now-U.S. President Cooper must call on his old-school arcade friends to save the world from being destroyed by PAC-MAN, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Centipede, and Space Invaders. Joining them is Lt. Col. Violet Van Patten (Michelle Monaghan), a specialist supplying the arcaders with unique weapons to fight the aliens.
Writers: Tim Herlihy, Timothy Dowling
Cast: Adam Sandler -
Brenner
Kevin James -
Cooper
Michelle Monaghan -
Violet
Peter Dinklage -
Eddie
Josh Gad -
Ludlow
Matt Lintz -
Matty
Brian Cox -
Admiral Porter
Sean Bean -
Corporal Hill (SAS Officer)
Jane Krakowski -
First Lady Jane Cooper
Dan Aykroyd -
1982 Championship MC
Affion Crockett -
Sergeant Dylan Cohan
Lainie Kazan -
Mickey Lamonsoff
Ashley Benson -
Lady Lisa
Denis Akiyama -
Professor Iwatani
Tom McCarthy -
Michael the Robot
Trivia:
This film is based on a 2010 short film by French director Patrick Jean and distributed by One More Productions. See more »
Goofs:
Although the movie is titled "Pixels", the attacking aliens are actually composed of voxels. See more »
Quotes:
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User Review
Author:
Rating: 6/10
Nostalgia is a powerful emotion but also the only word that can
entirely describe Pixels - a sci-fi adventure masquerading as a comedy.
While this film has every reason to fail as a comedy, it can still
appeal to a specific audience - kids of the 80s, and the current
generation of pre-teens yet to discover the trappings of social media.
That's a generation gap of 30 years, but the defining moment that
bridges this gap is the mutual love for video games. Back in the day,
the social norm was to get out of the house, walk to the arcade, spend
a few hours with real friends, and vie for social standing as a
champion gamer. It felt real with moments that bring back joyous
memories that not even a thousand friends on Facebook can match today.
On the flip side, gamers are still typecast as nerds, and this is what
the film attempts to say. It's 1982 and gaming prodigy Sam has a shot
at the Guinness Book championship title. Backed by his gaming chums
Will and Ludlow, Sam reaches the finals in a faceoff against narcissist
nemesis Eddie 'The Fire Blaster'. Also present is NASA who records the
competition and sends it into space to contact alien life. Wrong move.
Cut to present day and Will (Kevin James) is the President of the USA
(there's hope for gamers?) while Sam (Adam Sandler) and Ludlow (Josh
Gad) are everyday losers. Turns out, those aliens did get the message
but misinterpreted it as a hostile invitation. Who do you call?
Ghostbusters zapping aliens pretty much sums up the rest of the film.
While the story gets dumber by the minute (inclusive of the clichéd
romance between Sandler's Mr. Fixit and Michelle Monaghan's White House
official), director Chris Columbus alternates flat gags with solid
visuals and iconic characters that wreak havoc on screen. Add to that
some madcap moments from Peter Dinklage as the aforementioned
narcissist, Gad let loose ala Jonah Hill style from the Jump Street
films, and a list of clever cameos, and there's enough reason for
Pixels to generate some offbeat excitement.
The fact that Sandler is still pigeonholed as a sad-sack from his Happy
Madison Productions (from Happy Gilmore to last year's The Cobbler) can
be a typical letdown for many viewers and fans alike. It's the same
reason why most of the amusement comes from the supporting cast. Even
as they deliver with acceptable comic timing, the real fun is in racing
back to the days of Atari or annihilating monsters at the gaming
arcade. And speaking of nostalgia, look no further than Columbus, the
writing genius behind all time classics like The Goonies and Gremlins -
films that are as iconic as the Pac-Man and Donkey Kong games. Kids who
watched those films or played those games are grownups today but for
the most part, Pixels made me feel as invincible as a kid in an arcade.
Game on dude!
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