TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

mbnx Anyone who has enjoyed a game of Scrabble will enjoy this movie. The Scrabble champions depicted in the movie (real people, not actors) play a game unlike any you're likely to find in the family living room. Words you've never heard of are so common in their games that you almost want to have a dictionary by your side while viewing the film. The only thing stranger than the words are the contenders themselves. "Neurotic", "self-centered", and "compulsive" are a few of the words that can be used to describe them. But, you can't help but watch them--kinda like watching a train wreck in some ways.If you are in the category of "Scrabble enjoyers", you will also like the book "Word Freak" by Stefan Fatsis (the book, in fact, is the genesis for the idea of the film).

Lori This movie was inspired by Stefan Fatsis' book Word Freak. I read the book last year and really liked it, so I was looking forward to seeing the movie, which is peopled by some of the same characters. But even if you haven't read the book, the movie is still quite enjoyable. It begins several months before a National Scrabble tournament, and follows four competitors as they go through their trials and tribulations leading up to it. The filmmakers had fun with anagramming throughout the movie, and did a very good job with letting the competitors speak for themselves. Like the book, the filmmakers visit the various sites the game is played, from living rooms to a park in New York to various competitions around the country. If you enjoy playing Scrabble with friends, then you will definitely like this movie, which takes the game to a completely new level.

waiverwirepicks12 I was one of the lucky few people to see WORD WARS at the 2004 Sundance Documentary Film Festival. Besides being a huge fan of documentary film, who hasn't played Scrabble once in their lives?WORD WARS follows the lives (but I use that term loosely as you will see) of 4 top Scrabble players as they head to the National Scrabble Championships in San Diego, CA. To become a top Scrabble player, you pretty much have to give up all semblance of a normal lifestyle. >From shots of players practicing while driving, to the rooms filled with piles of books, the film gives a detailed, but humourous, look into these player's Scrabble obsessions.My favorite character was Marlon Hill - the dude from the rough part of Baltimore, who waxes poetic on the injustices heaved upon the African-American community, while smoking a ton of pot, ALL while destroying his competition. From the tight editing, excellent cinematography, and great use of The Beatles "Across the Universe", WORD WARS will leave you scrambling for more. Even if you have never played a game of Scrabble in your life - and who hasn't - this film is thoroughly enjoyable!

calryn I saw this film during the 2nd Annual Independent Film Festival in Cambridge, MA. I like documentaries and enjoyed this one very much. This film was a great representation of the cliche' "truth is stranger than fiction." The characters were very funny - not realizing how funny they actually are (which for me makes it even funnier). I'm amazed at how far some people will go to maintain their passion for Scrabble. I thought the film was put together well and was amused by certain scenes. One where 2 players say they are not friends, wouldn't consider each other friends, but room together and in one scene you see one shaving the back of the other's neck. It was those scenes of contradiction that worked well. I would add this film to my Indie collection.