The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop — Gamers get a well-deserved spotlight

The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop (2025) • View trailer3.5 stars (out of five); not rated, but akin to PG-13, for occasionally frustrated profoanityAvailable via: Amazon PrimeBy Derrick Bang Full disclosure: I had more than a casual interest in Simon Ennis’ engaging documentary before seeing the first frame, because Constant Companion and I ran a game and puzzle store in our town, from 1978 to early 1997. Once introduced to the ambitious world of today's board gaming culture, Candice Harriscan't get enough of it.We reluctantly shuttered its doors because — as the 20th century drew to a close — the newly arrived electronic game industry all but killed the traditional board and table game business model.Happily — as Ennis’ film repeatedly proves — board and table games enjoyed a major resurgence as the 21st century’s second decade began, and now the pursuit is arguably more popular and diverse than ever before. More power to them, because games have been with us for a long time. Ennis…