Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters

If you're an old-school gamer, then Ecstasy of Order could be your 8-bit Nintendo cup of tea; if not, this 93-minute documentary may feel like watching paint dry. Filmmaker Adam Cornelius focuses on one year in the Classic Tetris World Championship, following an assortment of Tetris masters as they prepare for top-tier competition. Although we get insights into their lives, it's not enough to lift the story here above its niche-audience constraints. For the faithful, however, the film features a lot of insider talk and plenty of screen time devoted to watching as contestants play this popular puzzle game, which involves rotating and stacking various configurations of block pieces that fall with increasing rapidity from the top of the screen. The most interesting subject here is a past champion named Thor Aackerlund, a gifted Tetris master who comes across like chess legend Bobby Fischer, minus the paranoid delusions. DVD extras include deleted scenes, extended game footage, and game-related featurettes. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)