I haven't been a video game player for quite a number of years. It wasn't really a conscious decision, but my enjoyment at playing video games fell to the wayside thanks to there not being enough hours in the day. From childhood and then through about college years or so, I finished some 250 video games, and played who knows how many others on top of that. One of those games that I played a lot of but didn't finish, because it can't really be finished, was Tetris. I achieved 216 lines on Tetris on four separate occasions, clearly that's where my block-falling-line-making skills top out. I figure that I played Gameboy Tetris for roughy 87 bazzillion hours.

Even though I'm out of the video game world besides for semi-annual Mario Kart-ing or games in which I shoot my friends, I none the less remain fascinated with the video game art-form and culture. The King of Kong, a truth is stranger than fiction documentary about the insane world of competitive Donley Kong-ing is not only a great documentary, but is also without question one of my favourite movies of all time. I was also very impressed with the more recent Indie Game: The Movie, about the trials and tribulations geeks must undertake in the stressful and challenging world of independent video game production.

The latest doc to keep me enthralled about the world of video games is Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters. The movie explores arguably the most successful video game ever produced, and the assembly of the greatest players in the world for a line-making puzzle-piece 8-bit championship playoff. What's amazing about the power of a great documentary, is that no matter the subject matter, it has the power to keep a viewer in rapt attention and on the edge of their cliche seat. I haven't played Tetris in some 16 or 17 years, and yet the climax of the film had me holding my breath and mesmerized. Much like being hungry after seeing a good food themed movie, it also made me want to try my hand at Tetris again.

If you are a Tetris / video game fan, this movie is truly a must for you to see. If you are unfamiliar with or would like to be re-acquainted with the most addictive non-drug thing ever to be created by humans, I dare you to see this movie and I hope it doesn't de-rail and ruin your life too badly. You don't need friends and family and career and hobbies and hopes and dreams...making Tetris lines all day is much more rewarding.

Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters - Friday November the 16th at 9pm, Thursday the 22nd at 9:15pm at the Mayfair Theatre.