Normally, documentaries are informative, could be fun and interesting. It is rare that a documentary can make us interested in characters. This documentary has something special in. At a lower scale, it seems to have elements of stories, like character development, suspense, maybe even some kind of plot.

The documentary builds up to the final championship. What interested me most about this film: - First of all knowing all the tricks that players use to get insanely good at the game - Learning about the various records that people achieved - How they built up the character of Thor as some legend at the game - Watching and actually caring whether someone reaches a high score

Overall, the film is quite enjoyable. I'm not sure if it would be enjoyable if you don't know anything about the game. (but that would be quite unusual).

"Ecstasy of Order" immediately invites comparison to "The King of Kong", which might not sound fair. But they both follow the same narrative path, both highlight the next-level brain function needed for their respective hobbies, and they're just stylistically very similar. Where "Kong" excels is in its pacing and cultivation of lively characters. And as much as I enjoy Tetris (and I do, it's a desert island game), the actual tournament footage was far more interesting than the initial explanation of the game's ins-and-outs.

On the other hand, it does have a good ending. And I feel the sudden need to dust off my copy and start working on that high score. That alone says a lot.

I'm not the type of person who rates everything 10 out of 10. But when it is called for, I do not hesitate to reward excellence. Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters is an excellent film. And I want to be clear, I don't mean it's an excellent gamer film, or an excellent film about nerds, or an excellent version of King of Kong. It is a stand alone excellent film.

And let's address this Kong of Kong elephant in the room (or theater as the case may be). Having seen, and loved, Kind of Kong I understand that the parallel is going to be made frequently, but other than having 80's video games as a focus the two movies couldn't be more different. They each have their merits, but frankly Ecstasy of Order is a more complete, well rounded and genuine film.

The character development is great; you grow to truly care about the people featured in this film. Learning about the history of the players is great. Each person has been portrayed in a positive and charming manner. The film isn't a good versus evil, dark horse wins it or any other clichéd structure. It explores the fun topic of Tetris, and who is the country's best player.

I don't know if you are into this kind of thing, but Ecstasy of Order is a really well edited film. The flow is pleasantly timed, logical, and smooth. The arc of the story is well thought out. In actuality I never wanted the film to end.

I hope this film is picked up for general distribution because while I was lucky enough to see the film at the San Francisco Doc Fest, many of my friends weren't able to make it and are interested. In fact, I would love to see it again too. I have pulled out my Nintendo and dusted off my Tetris game and have been playing. I'd love to see some of the games in the movie again and learn from the pros.

So, what's my take home message? If you like having fun and watching awesome movies, then this is the one for you.