A few weeks ago I happened to catch an ad in the paper for a film that was showing at one of our local theatres that caters to Independent Films (ie; films that are generally better than most that come out of Hollywood, but only the few of us literate enough to appreciate them, see.) It was called “Uber Goober”, and if the title alone wasn’t enough to grab my attention, the picture of a large multi-sided die really made me take notice.

You see, as soon as I saw that die, I know the film had to have something to do with gaming. And by gaming, I don’t mean the ‘vidiots’ that sit in front of their PS2’s and Xbox’s for hour on end, oh no. I mean the gamers who sit around tables and imagine themselves to be all sorts of heroes (or villains) fighting in some grand adventure, letting the roll of the dice take them where they may. My main interest in seeing the film came out of my own experiences as a gamer several years ago, where I spent many an hour sitting around a table and pictured myself as a Ranger fighting orcs or a Spiritual Adventurer fighting ghosts and demons (depending on the game). It was a time that was enlightening to me, because I used to make fun of people who ‘gamed’, until I actually did it and saw they were no different from anyone else who enjoys a hobby… well mostly.

“Uber Goober” is a highly entertaining documentary about the world of gaming. But before you think it only shows people sitting around tables rolling dice, let me mention that it is decidedly not. You see, there are several forms of ‘gaming’ in the RPG (Role Playing Game) world. While I was and am familiar with all of them, I only sat around a table, rolled dice and occasionally ‘role-played’ a situation. Others sometimes sit around tables and use miniature figures and a game board to live their adventure, while some of the more… ‘colorful’… gamers actually dress up and spend time in the hills actually acting out their quest and fighting with real swords.

This new documentary sheds quite a bit of light on the lifestyle, and it’s about time someone did. For years people in the RPG community have been maligned by the average citizen as being fanatical or weird. As I mentioned, I used to do the same. Even worse are those amongst the Religious community who brand RPG players as violent Satanists, bent on destruction. Neither could be farther from the truth. For the most part, ‘Gamers’ are just people who have a hobby that takes them out of their humdrum lives (and face it, EVERYONE’S life is pretty humdrum…) and gives them the chance to play and have fun.

What used to drive me crazy, once I understood what RPG-ers actually did, were all of the people who made the most fun. They were generally fanatics in their own right. Take sports fanatics for example. They have the audacity to make fun of someone who dressed up as their favorite Fantasy character, then go home to put on their favorites team’s jersey and hat, grab a banner and in the most extreme cases… paint their faces. And they call RPG players weird? Please.

Anyhow, “Uber Goober”, directed by Steve Metze offers a fairly objective look at those who live and breath RPG games, while giving equal time to those who have a negative (though mostly misconstrued) view of their world. It is equal parts funny and enlightening.

The film itself has been showing up in theatres around the country, but if you go to the official website (see below), you can order a copy of the DVD. I didn’t get the chance to see it on the big screen, but thoroughly enjoyed the DVD. Plus, it comes with approximately 20 minutes of worthwhile extra features.

By the way, as I understand it Metze was sent on a tour of duty in Iraq earlier this year. All of us at The City Web and Lethal Death wish him a safe and speedy return home.

Directed by: Steve Metze
Extras: Trailer, Additional Interview with E. Gary Gygax, E. Gary Gygax Tour of D&D History, Cast and Crew Footage, Uncensored Additional 6th Street Interviews
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Scum Crew Pictures
Release Date: Available
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Uber Goober a B+.