Disney’s “Wreck-It Ralph”
“Wreck-It Ralph” allured me in the same way that “Scott Pilgrim” did in 2011. How could I possibly pass up on a feel-good film that has a central theme of 80s-era video game nostalgia. While I didn’t love “Ralph” as much as “Pilgrim,” I had a lot of fun watching the film, even if the plot was more been-there-done-that than original and inventive.
The premise for the film is simple. Video game baddie Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) wants redemption. He’s sick of always being the bad guy. He’s fed up with seeing Felix Jr. always “fix it” and win those shiny gold medals. So, obviously, Ralph decides to jump ship on his video game and try to score a medal in the other games in the arcade in which Fix-It Felix Jr. is held. You see, once the arcade closes for the night, the games come to life, and even have an impeccable public transit system via surge protectors. This film is truly fun to watch, and it definitely would have been 10-year-old Ryan’s favorite movie ever. My nephew is that very age right now, and I’m kind of jealous that he gets to see this film through a child’s eyes. Anyway, Ralph befriends a girl by the name of Vanellope (voiced by the truly hilarious Sarah Silverman), in one of the arcade’s female-geared games. Vanellope steals the golden medal that Ralph had won in a first-person shooter type game and thus begins Ralph’s search for his missing medal. In the end, “Wreck-It Ralph” is neither groundbreaking in animation or storytelling, but it’s a fun ride that has a happy ending. And that’s all we really need out of a solid children’s movie, right? Young or old, I have a feeling this film will leave you warm and fuzzy.
Ralph and Vanellope
Many thought that “Wreck-It” would beat Pixar’s “Brave” in the animated film category at this year’s Oscars, but “Brave” ended up taking it home. Bummer, because this film was better in more ways than one.
Grade: B
Ryan at the Movies 
Should have won based on the credit sequence alone. Plus the awesome treat at the very end!