A movie about games that focuses on the players, “The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop” is a loving tribute to those whose hobby transcends a pastime to become an obsession. From a board game philosopher and an ultra-competitive player named Dan Corbett who admits he injured himself running around his cottage in celebration after beating his mother-in-law at Trivial Pursuit to a media creator for the BoardgameGeek platform and the “Roger Ebert of board games,” the film is affectionate, cheery look at people who could “never [be] bored in a world with board games.” This isn’t a movie about “Monopoly” or “Risk.” It’s about more modern games like “Blood Rage,” “Wingspan,” “Settlers of Catan” and “Ticket to Ride” but you won’t learn how to play those, or any others. What you will learn is why people play them. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old,” says one gamer. “We grow old because we stop playing.”… “The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop” is a sweet-natured, earnest doc that finds the humanity in a group of quirky characters and the simple pleasures of companionship and community. “We get a chance to talk together, to joke together,” says Starla of playing board games with her family, “leave our problems alone and just enjoy being.” – Richard Crouse