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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Crothian" data-source="post: 3492241" data-attributes="member: 232">Fellowship of the Dice    This is a bit of a change from reviewing RPG books.  This is an RPG movie.  I have a positive opinion of the film as it is entertaining and informative but it does have some problems with the plot and the characters.  I am also not sure who the audience is for the movie.  The topic makes it so it will not be of much interest to people who are not interested in or no nothing of gaming.  Yet the topics in the movie are pretty much things all gamers have dealt with.  It almost makes a good way to explain what gaming is to people that are not familiar with role playing games.  And the picture it paints while over all positive is in some aspects a little too dead on and accurate in a not so good way.    Fellowship of the Dice follows the Elizabeth (Aimee Graham) as she tries to find something to do.  She was a party girl and got in trouble for drug dealing with the police and is on house arrest.  She wonders around her someplace and walks into a gaming store and meets a gamer and is invited to play in his game.  Most of the movie is that group around the gaming table and how they deal with some common problems.  It is a mocumentary in that way.  The movie does feature real gamers filmed at a few different conventions.  These people are asked questions that deal with the topics the fake gaming group goes through.  I did find it odd that all the real gamers they speak to are in full costume.  Costumes are never discussed in the movie and I think people not familiar with conventions will really see this in a negative light.  It would have been useful to have some commentary on why these people are dressed in garb.    The gaming group consists of character types that most gamers will either know or at least be aware of.  There is the laid back DM who is just trying to run a good game.  His wife plays but her character is more the quiet gamer that rarely speaks up or does anything.  There is the actor who really enjoys his character and being in character and makes songs up for his bard.  There is a guy with Tourette’s syndrome though it seems like that was just a little too much for the character.  He does turn out to be a little creepy that I will get into later.  The last regular member is a loud talker who really does not deal with change well and argues with the DM.  Lastly is the new girl and she is just trying to understand what is going on but does reach a good understanding and enjoys here time.    The movie is a bit slow at times and does have a better beginning in the extras on the DVD.  There are moments when you are happy for the characters and parts I honestly laughed out loud about.  But there are also those parts that are just uncomfortable like when one of the character just acts improperly toward the new girl.  It just reminds me of many times I have seen similar bad behavior at conventions and it just needs to leave the hobby.  The movie does show the good and the bad about gaming.    Elizabeth is seen at times talking to her parole officer about her role playing experience.  She has difficulty with it and the actress does a good job of playing someone who is obvious found something she likes and enjoys though she does not fully understand it.      Fellowship of the Dice is an entertaining movie about gamers.  It is a good movie to watch especially without someone who might not understand what a gamer is or does.  There are some slow parts that one just has to get through and the plot is a little odd with Elizabeth and her situation.  While this group is not going to be a perfect example for all type of role players out there I think it does a good job of presenting an honest look at a gaming session.</blockquote>

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