Game On!

Throw yourself back into the heady 80s and feel the fun vibe in Pixels. Comedy comes of age in This smartly written guilty pleasure from Happy Madison and Sony Pictures now firing folks up at Cineplex Odeon entertainment halls across B.C.

Nowadays people of all ages play video games on home computers. Back in The day the true pioneers of gaming were players in Video arcades who took a liking to such popular gems as Donkey Kong and Asteroids. Champions were few and far between but there were scores of pretenders to the throne. Nerds were the toast of the neighbourhoods with three unlikely souls soaring to national fame. Top dogs as teens were Sam Brenner, Ludlow Lamamsoff and Eddie Plant.

Thirty odd years later a slightly older looking though well preserved Adam Sandler, Josh Gad, Kevin James and Peter Dinklage dive into action. Most are still losers but the gang is called back to reunite when an issue of national security develops. Somehow aliens have subverted those old games and are using them as a weapon to destroy the earth .

Far fetched? You bet. Funny? Wholeheartedly. Thanks to the use of some vintage film clips of 80s cultural icons Pixels rocks with light hearted jabs. Directed by ace family comedy director Chris Columbus Pixels is a high spirited romp. Oh, and it also has great casting and Chemistry with Michelle Monaghan particularly appealing.

By Robert Waldman