(hello welcome to what happens when I do not have a character limit!!)
I've been making a list of fictional games that are depicted in film & tv, with at least some footage of the game being played. Here it is I gift it to you for whatever interest you may or may not have in this.
It covers video games, board games, sports, virtual reality, physical games, folk games, etc. I categorized them by the main way the game is used in the film/show, such as "Trapped in the Game" and "Win or Die" (my personal favorite, as you can probably see from all the ones I marked as already seen). Categorization is a bit inaccurate at times, but I expect to update them and I watch more. I have seen 65 of the 169 (nice) entries. Note, there are spoilers in this list that you can filter out with the last column, and recommend being careful unless you are okay with some huge surprises.
There's some really fun ones in here, but I'm going to skip the obvious ones in favor of the outliers I hadn't heard of before.
There's some real great "lmao Hollywood does video games" classics in here that I cannot believe I missed:
"A demonic wizard challenges a modern-day computer programmer to a battle of technology vs. sorcery, with the programmer's girlfriend as the prize." The Dungeonmaster (1984)
This one I will probably love, and is the only one with the style of "Borgesian" because I couldn't find a better phrase:
"A man awakens to find himself immersed in a real-life scenario of a board game with an ever expanding cartography." Snakes & Ladders (1980)
This one is a drama filmed like a documentary, about finishing a loved one's creative work:
"The French computer programmer Laura inherits the task of making a computer game of the Battle of Okinawa during World War II." Level Five (1997)
Here's a mockumentary from 2013 that is incredibly prescient. I hate it. I can't wait to watch it:
"The Berlin city goes crazy for a new smart phone app which allows users to play the Super Mario Bros game in Augmented reality and win Bitcoins by playing." The 1Up Fever (2013)
And an actual documentary, or so I assume:
"An evil video game comes to life and hunts the group of developers." How to Make a Monster (2001)
I cannot get enough of films that depict game developers and not just video games:
"Three friends are on the verge of getting their video game financed when their benefactor is taken hostage by terrorists." Game Over, Man! (2018)
And this one is the future liberals want:
"Spain. Year 2017. Video games are forbidden. Some insurgents are fighting to achieve their liberty. But in a oppressed world, everything is harder. But they are their own cause. They are gamers." Game Over (2017)
An amazing collection!
One day soon, I'll post my 'bloodsports of the future' article I wrote for Cinema Sewer, which includes some of these games.
