Fellowship of the Dice (2005) User Reviews

Pokes fun at we RPG gamers (and we deserve every second of it)

[Xithor · 8/10 · 2 April 2007]

I caught this at it's premiere night at the Gamestorm Con in Portland Oregon, and I must say that it was quite the treat.

Essentially a mockumentary focusing on an inexperienced player joining an established group, this enjoyable little film pokes a bit of loving fun at we gamers (and we deserve every second of it).

If you've been playing RPG's (especially D&D) for any length of time, you'll see your self in one or more of the core group of gamers. Interview clips from gamers at various cons add to the feeling "oh crap, I do that don't I?"

Also of note, the production values and editing are well above what one would expect from a low budget film of this type. The producers are gamers, but they're not just a few guys putting together a cheap film with a borrowed cam-corder, they know what they're doing and they do an excellent job.

If you see these guys at your next convention, stop by their booth and give their little film a shot. It's well worth the time, and they're a nice bunch of folks.

fun film

[Sionrel · 8/10 · 7 April 2007]

I got a chance to see an advance screening of "Fellowship of the Dice," and I really liked it. It's sort of a cross between "Best In Show" and "Trekkies," as interspersed with the improvised scenes are interviews with real gamers at a gaming convention. I'm not what most actual gamers would call a gamer, since I only play one game about 2 months out of the year, that game only utilizes a single 10-sided die, and I can't quote rules and statistics at random - I don't even know all the rules for the game I do play - and I really don't embrace the actual role-playing part of RPG, preferring to approach it more as an elaborate board game. The reason that's pertinent is that you don't necessarily have to be any sort of real gamer to enjoy Fellowship of the Dice...though it probably helps if you at least know a few of the hardcore types, because half my enjoyment came from recognizing certain archetypes. The other half came from the inspired lunacy rampant in the film and watching the actors throw themselves into it just to keep up with each other - all without blowing the truth behind their characters. It says something for this movie and its cast that as goofy as it sometimes gets, it almost never rings false, and the few times that it does are obviously meant in the spirit of camaraderie and good-natured ribbing at itself and the community it embraces. This is a movie made by actual gamers, and it shows. It never dips into disparaging territory, preferring instead to embrace the sometimes misfit nuttiness we're all capable of and then take it out for a pizza...with friends. It's the cinematic equivalent of doing something ridiculously goofy or stupid, then realizing what you've done and turning to a stranger who saw you do it to laugh and say, "Can you believe I just did that?!"

Fellowship isn't always perfect, and there wasn't a lot of budget to be had, but its production values are on a par with a lot of low-budget independent films and better than most. You won't see the boom dipping into the picture or people stuttering over lines that should have been re-shot, and no one borrowed their dad's mini-DV recorder and a barn to shoot it in. The sound is solid, it's mixed well, and the music actually fits the scene, rather than sounding canned and tossed in as an afterthought or an effort to score someone the producer knows a record deal. The acting is also better than most independent film; no one in the cast comes off as an old childhood friend of the producers, attempting to break into showbiz through the good graces of their pocketbooks or nepotism. Which is a lot more than I can say about a lot of indie films I've seen that had much bigger budgets. And frankly, I enjoyed it a LOT more than I do most independent films. There's nothing pretentious or overwrought about it, and it doesn't spend any of its time bashing you over the head or dancing in circles, trying to make a point or demonstrate how smart it is. It's just good, clean, goofy fun that wants nothing more than to take you along for the ride. And *maybe* make the point that geeks are people too. :)

Great pizza and a couple of friends movie.

[williambahrbs · 8/10 · 15 April 2016]

I'm not into role playing but my daughter is. She had a DVD of this film. We ordered a pizza and watched it together. I was surprised at how much I liked it. I thought the first half was better than the second but it was pretty solid all the way through. It was well acted and directed and the director got some excellent performances from his cast. He made his characters believable and sympathetic. It also did not hurt that the film was very funny. Defiantly a good relax with some snacks movie. I would not for a minute be concerned with whether you are into RPGs or not. The plot transcends those concerns. Someone into these games may get more of the inside humor. Nevertheless, there is enough material that is funny to anyone and the characters are humorous by themselves even with little context. I hope we can see some more along the same lines in the future.

Very Funny

[Squeaky8888 · 10/10 · 29 April 2007]

This is a very funny and insightful film that exposes the more humorous aspects of role playing games. When a woman on house arrest is drawn into a game hosted by a group of strangers, she quickly learns what a serious business gaming can be. Intercut with the narrative are interviews with actual gamers that are funny without knowing it. Like the characters in the film, they take role-playing games verrrrry seriously, which only adds to the laughs. The characters are quirky, the acting is honest and the the pace is rapid. "Fellowship of the Dice" is just the right length for a subject like this and should not be missed by anyone that has ever had an interest in elves, warlocks, mystical beings and dice.

Best Gaming Movie for a general audience.

[sebastienb · 10/10 · 20 July 2007]

Best Gaming Movie for a general audience. Fellowship of the Dice is by far the best "Gaming" movie out there. It doesn't fall into the pitfall of being for "Gamers only" and spares the audience the many inside jokes that only gamers can get. It is funny, smart and accessible to everyone. The main character, Elizabeth, is touching and has to deal with a very a serious situation on a not so serious backdrop of gaming silliness. Check it out whether you are an experience gamer or don't even know what gaming is, you won't be disappointed. Fellowship of the Dice shows us what is truly important about gaming, which is the friendship that you develop along the way.

Seb

This movie does a good job advocating for role playing games

[jfgibson73 · 5/10 · 4 June 2011]

Since I am not a gamer, I was thinking about why I seek out movies about role playing and why they hold a strange interest, even when the story isn't that good. I think it's because I like placing myself in the situation of being with a group of friends staying up all night, eating junk food, and just hanging out. So I guess the setting plays a big role. Anyways, this story had a nice dimension to it: it is mostly told from the point of view of a woman who is having her first gaming experience while under house arrest. We learn that drugs were a part of her past, and we see scenes interspersed throughout the movie where she meets with a very hard-nosed parole officer. The point is that she is one screw up away from going to jail. When she begins playing the game, most of the men in the group are happy to have a new player, and a female one at that. However, one player (I think his name was Kevin) does not respond well to change and becomes frustrated at having to slow the game down for Elizabeth. I felt like not a lot happened during much of the game play, other than Kevin whining. The tension comes to a head when Kevin's character is killed and he flips out, accidentally spilling a drink on Elizabeth's ankle bracelet. She then flips out because damaging the bracelet could get her sent to jail. What I thought made this movie worth watching was the way everything got resolved: 1) Kevin calmed down and apologized. I won't exactly say the guy playing him is a good actor, but for most of the movie, I totally thought of him as a his character rather than a guy playing a role. 2) Elizabeth irons things out with her parole officer by explaining what was going on at the game, and we find out that this is actually a healthy alternative for her while she recovers from the problems that got her in trouble. 3) At the end of the game, everyone is geeked at how well it went, and ask Elizabeth is she will play again. She is hesitant, pointing out how much arguing and conflict the group went through, and asks them if their games are always like that. "Do you even like each other?" she wonders at what must be called the climax of the film. And then, another character, who has said almost nothing for the whole movie, gets a nice little Silent Bob-like moment where she gives a speech about how the real point is not the game, but the friendship the group shares, and how it can overcome any conflict. In the end, the filmmakers have made a case for why gaming matters to those who play and what they get out of it. It is done with a kind of sweetness, and I could even imagine that the parole officer wonders, listening to Elizabeths's story, if he would like to play. Score one for the gamers.

Funnyass movie!

[DetectiveBurst · 10/10 · 24 May 2007]

I laughed my ass of at this movie! It's a really funny film that pokes honest fun at role playing gamers and RPG in general. During the course of the film, the filmmakers oscillate between actors playing games in a scene and actual gamers at a convention. What's so funny is that you can't really tell them apart. It's a testament to the acting and a very clever device that is not overused. Aimee Graham is likable as the novice game player brought to the gamer's den by a player. She quickly finds out this is no ordinary game by any stretch of the imagination. This is a great film to watch on a Saturday night with friends, especially if they are into fantasy games or fantasy at all. I saw it at a convention, but I think it's available on Netflix or at Blockbuster. See it!

Great group of characters!

[Jbeen6 · 10/10 · 24 July 2007]

Though I am not a gamer by any means, this movie instantly coaxed my interest in the characters. With a mix of comedy and immature seriousness, I was drawn in to wanting to understand why this strange mix of personalities took a game so seriously. The "big fight" reminded me of my family getting together at Christmas, where there is always at least one person who takes the game we are playing too seriously. What was so neat was that I could see certain family members as some of the characters.

I was very pleased with this movie.

Will we be seeing more?

If have ever even HEARD of D&D, this movie ROCKS SOCKS!!

[descobedo-1 · 16 August 2007]

OK, so I will be brutally honest.

I felt as if the character with the mental disorder was forced. I felt as if the uni-brow/complainer character was "acting." THE GUY WHO PLAYED THE DUNGEON MASTER ... BROKE MY LUNGS WITH LAUGHTER ... a "+3 pub guide?" ... like you get an "Enchanted Pub Guide!?!?" LOL! And then the really quiet girl WAS SO GOOD! I liked her. And Amy Grahm, I would love to take you out on a date sometime. Please.

The interviews, in my opinion, was like Diamond Encrusted Icing, on an already nice cake. Enjoy the cake ... LOVE the icing!! The dude with the CLAWS!?!? And the chick dressed as an angel? What about the people talking about "love during the game?" Seriously, I want to see a sequel where you have MORE interviews of these nuts!! Love 'em! Brutally honest: on a scale of 1-10, this is an 8.5. Great movie to watch and eat popcorn to. (and I'm a tough sell)