Pixels Appreciation Guesses

This time, “Pixels” (2015) seemed very clear in terms of Dramatica. Albeit, I have not calculated a storyform, though.
Surprisingly this resembles the story point values for Star Wars. Well, perhaps not so surprisingly, since its subject matter is 80s arcade games.

The objective story seemed to be these signposts. Footage of the arcade gaming in the 80s is shot into outer space, which is misunderstood (Signpost 1: Understanding) by aliens. The aliens respond by launching an attack on Guam. THrough the rest of the signpost, Sam (the protagonist) and the others try to understand who’s behind the attack. It culminates with Sam’s friend explaining the alien connection with his recorded footage.

Signpost Two begins with the aliens making a challenge for combat (Signpost 2: Doing) in their address to Earth. The military et al train and prepare for the climax of the signpost which is a Centipede battle in London.

Signpost Three of Obtaining likely begins with the regulars realizing they need to obtain another experienced/skilled player, Eddie Plant. Eddie has his own list of what he wants in compensation for helping them save the world. The aliens talk of giving the humans a trophy for their earlier success. This switch from Doing to Obtaining, encapsulating Act Two, is barely noticeable… as it should be because these two Types/Signposts are diagonal on the Dramatica Table at rest.
The signpost culminates with the Pac Man game.

That leaves Learning for Signpost Four. After exuberant feelings over their successes — and some personal growth into their issues — they learn the success is not legitimate because someone — Eddie Plant — cheated. They aliens would have learned about this cheating off-screen.

Perhaps this is true of movie structure in general, as I had just watched “Let’s Be Cops” before Pixels. After the introductory sequence for Act Three (illustrating Learning), the focus switches to physical activity, presumably the OS Goal/Concern of Doing. They are doing activities meant to combat the alien invading warriors.

Within the physical activity class, within the Doing Type, we should find the thematic issue and problem. I suspect it is Skill, not Experience, because the players are being tested at their video game skill. The story isn’t dependent on necessarily how long they’ve been playing the games. Also, the US president conceivably could be less skilled in exerting his authority as president. We still see how skill is measured by experience. Sam Brenner has believed for decades that he isn’t the most skilled at Donkey Kong, while Eddie can’t stop pushing it into people’s heads that he’s the best skilled at various activities.

In the climax, during the Donkey Kong challenge, Sam learns that Eddie cheated, which makes him the best at the game. Sam therefore stops feeling tested and trusts in his abilities. Testing could also be viewed in the beginning of each signpost. Check out Jim Hull’s excellent podcast on Narrative First called “Demystifying the Plot Points of a Complete Story”. Using Star Wars: A New Hope, he illustrates how the OS problem pops up in the beginning of that movie’s signposts.
In this case, the aliens are testing the humans’ skill in combat.

I am willing to guess that the Dividend is Innermost Desires. Josh Gad’s character has been in love with Lady Lisa, an arcade avatar. He winds up with her during Act Three’s middle sequence then permanently in the epilogue. Eddie Plant gets an intimate experience with Serena Williams and Martha Stewart in the Lincoln bedroom in the epilogue.

1 Like