Once again, Jellyvision - the spin doctors of trivia - has produced another entertaining game show "where high culture and pop culture collide." Buy the popcorn and Milk Duds and find your seat because the latest addition to the Jack family is taking you to the theater. This time you return to the studio to test your knowledge of meaningless cinema facts in the hopes of winning cash. Don't worry: Answering a question incorrectly still results in the loss of cash and a verbal spanking from the show's obnoxious but entertaining host, Cookie.
And while this topic is a diversion from the classic YDKJ fare, players will find the same creatively wordsmithed questions they've grown to expect from a YDKJ game - except the topic du jour is movies, movies, movies. Because the questions cover such a broad range of film facts - from knowing which silent screen star was nicknamed "Great Stone Face" to correctly identifying which films had good aliens and which had bad ones (surprisingly Gerard Depardieu wasn't included on either list) - this game will appeal to both hard-core film buffs looking to justify the hours they've spent alone in the dark, as well as less-experienced movie watchers.
In addition to creating a plethora of wacky questions pertaining to film, the producers have also given this version a movie motif. Modifications include a film reel on every screen, playing projector sounds when the black-and-white category screens appear along with movie music, and casting the questions in movie themes, from a HAL-laciously soothing, "It's question one, Dave," to a vicious, stomping green nineteen. And like actors, the numbers can appear as more than one character. For example, while question four is the question that still cares, it can also turn up as a screen-surfing menacing shark. All of this adds up to a refreshing take on a tried-and-true formula.
Jack aficionados will find the types of questions they've grown to expect, like Flickerpiss Nosescums (gibberish questions), multiple choice, and the Jack Attack, as well as those introduced in You Don't Know Jack Volume 2 - Fill in the Blanks, Dis or Dats, Whatitsname, and Picture QuestionsThe only variation of categories is the replacement of the Celebrity Calls with Fiber Optic Trips, which involves Cookie phoning up strangers and having the unsuspecting caller ask the contestants questions. It's a bit quirky, but a great way to learn area codes. One especially nifty feature is the High Scoreboard, which appears at the end of each game and lists the 10 highest scores with name and date. Finally, a way to keep an accurate record of who the real trivia masters are.
However, aside from introducing a new topic and a few minor enhancements, YDKJ Movies merely delivers the same level of entertainment found in the other YDKJ games. But that's not something to scoff at - it's a tribute to the creative people at Jellyvision. So, if you're eager to test your knowledge of movies, YDKJ Movies definitely delivers a two-thumbs-up performance.
