Menu
  • Podcast
      • Slice of SciFi 1048: New York Sci-Fi and Horror Film FestivalNew York Sci-Fi and Horror Film Festival 2023
      • Slice of SciFi 1047: The LakeIndie Creature Feature: Director Lee Thongkham on “The Lake”
      • Slice of SciFi 1046: Children of the Corn (2023)Indie Horror: Discussing “Children of the Corn”
      • Slice of SciFi 1045: Discussing "The Reading"TV Horror: Discussing “The Reading”
    • View all
  • Movie Reviews
      • Review: Missing (2023)“Missing” is an engaging, taut, twisty mystery
      • Review: Plane (2023)“Plane” is a non-stop ride perfect for action fans
      • Review: M3GAN (2023)“M3GAN” deftly mixes genuine scares and comedy
      • Review: Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)“Avatar: The Way of Water”: Breathtaking Visuals cannot overcome story shortfalls
    • View all
  • TV Reviews
      • "Project Blue Book"“Project Blue Book” explores the threads of UFO reports
      • Manifest Season 1: 5 Episodes In5 Episodes In: “Manifest”
      • 5 Episodes In: Reverie5 Episodes In: “Reverie”
      • 5 Episodes In: Marvel's Cloak and Dagger5 Episodes In: “Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger”
    • View all
  • DVD Reviews
      • DVD Review: Dual (2022)DVD Review: “Dual” (2022)
      • Discussion: The Spine Of Night (2021)Indie Talk: Another Look at “The Spine of Night”
      • Review: Creepshow S2 Blu-rayBlu-ray Review: “Creepshow Season 2”
      • Batman: The Long Halloween (2021)“Batman: The Long Halloween”: an effective if over-long story
    • View all
  • Columns
  • News
      • TV News
      • Film News
      • DVD News
      • Interviews
      • Events
      • Geeky, Funny & Weird
      • Online Entertainment News
      • Music News
      • On Stage
      • Space News

Slice of SciFi

This is How We Geek Out: Interviews, Reviews & More

  • Writers, After Dark
  • The Babylon Podcast
  • Slice of SciFi TV
  • Horror Happenings
  • SciFi Shop Talk
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
Reviewing “Pixels” Fans of old school arcade games may leave in tears... of disappointment and despair

Reviewing “Pixels” Fans of old school arcade games may leave in tears... of disappointment and despair

July 24, 2015 By Daren Gulsvig Leave a Comment

Watching an Adam Sandler movie is akin to having garlic salt mixed into your morning Joe. Yep, his movies are that bad. Well, maybe not all of them. I did enjoy Happy Gilmore and 50 First Dates (in a guilty pleasure late night cable viewing kind of way) but let’s not get hasty. The majority of his movies really stink. So, before viewing Pixels, you can understand my expectations were pretty low.

Before the first credit started, I was already checking the time and figuring out when I’d be home. Based on approximates, the running time was 106 min which meant there was still hope for the night.

As an avid gamer, the concept for Pixels seemed interesting.

While the story of aliens invading earth and a skilled gamer defending it had been told before (The Last Starfighter) this version had a fresh approach. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy watching a giant size Pac-Man chomping up cars and eating people?

Pixels
Inky, Blinky, Clyde and Pinky in Columbia Pictures’ PIXELS

Alas, Pixels would start and within the first ten minutes it was painfully clear this film wasn’t good. From the cookie cutter jokes to painful dialogue, everything was bad save for the 8-bit arcade visuals. The movies plot is simple enough. Sandler plays a 40-something cable installer by the name of Brenner who happens to be best friends with the President of the United States named President Cooper (Kevin James).

After Earth is attacked by Galaga-like spaceships President Cooper asks his friend Brenner (who was something of a video game genius) to help battle the 8-bit aliens. Along the way, Brenner enlists the aid of two gaming champions from the 1980’s. Peter Dinklage plays a cocky gaming nerd named Eddie who bested Brenner (Sandler) at Donkey Kong and Josh Gad plays a neurotic loner named Ludlow. I must say both actors were overly irritating in their performances. In particular, Peter Dinklage’s Eddie was over the top bad. The one bright spot is Michelle Monaghan’s Violet but that’s about it.

Pixels
President Cooper (Kevin James) addresses the press on the White House lawn as Violet (Michelle Monaghan), Brenner (Adam Sandler), Ludlow (Josh Gad) and Eddie (Peter Dinklage) look on in Columbia Pictures’ PIXELS

So, unless you’re a diehard Sandler fan, avoid this film and save your quarter for another day. Heck, that quarter might be better served at an actual arcade.

Pixels
1.5

Summary

Unless you’re a diehard Sandler fan, avoid this film and save your quarter for another day. Heck, that quarter might be better served at an actual arcade.

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on Email

Filed Under: Film Reviews Tagged With: Videos

About Daren Gulsvig

Related Posts You Might Like

Reviewing "Inside Out"
August 2015 Skywatch: Video Guide
July 2015 Skywatch: Video Guide
Shatner Will Answer Fan Questions about "Chaos on the Bridge"

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Filter by Categories
Audio Productions
Awards News
Book News
Book Reviews
Columns
Comics News
DVD News
DVD Reviews
Entertainment Business News
Events
Fan Films
Fan Productions
Film News
Film Reviews
Gaming News
Geeky, Funny & Weird
Human Interest
Interviews
Music News
On Stage
Online Entertainment News
Science News
Slice of SciFi
Slice Video News
Space News
Specials
Technology News
TV News
TV Reviews

Subscribe to Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsiHeartRadioStitcherPodchaserTuneInRSS

Listen to Slice of SciFi

iTunes
iHeart Radio
Player.FM
RSS
 
  • Movie & TV Reviews

Recent Comments

  • janet p on “The Equalizer 2” explores retribution and consequences: “hope for equalizer 3”
  • Bb on Reviewing “Return to Sender”: “I HATED she killed Bennie the dog. Bennie recognized that Miranda is off kilter. Both Miranda and Finn are serious…”
  • Neil Ottenstein on Rom-Com Horror: “Reginald the Vampire”: “Renewed! https://deadline.com/2023/01/reginald-the-vampire-renewed-for-season-2-at-syfy-1235222353/”
  • DanVzare on “Halloween Ends” Wraps Up the Franchise Well: “Did we watch the same movie? Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. But I enjoyed it because it…”
  • DS9 Forever on Ira Steven Behr talks “Deep Space Nine” at SDCC: “I really miss DS9. Everything that Picard is doing now, DS9 did 25 years ago. And better.”
Tweets by Slice of SciFi
death to humans 160x600
Save 10-50% on in-stock toys at TFAW.com.

Slice of SciFi
415 Pisgah Church Rd #302
Greensboro NC 27455
602-635-6976

Artwork:
Slice of SciFi spiral logo designed by Tim Callender

Theme Music:
Slice of SciFi music and themes
courtesy of Sci-Fried

Sister Sites:
Writers, After Dark
Horror Happenings
SciFi Shop Talk
Slice of SciFi TV

Copyright © 2005–2023 · Magazine Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in