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BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
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 Posted - 02/20/2013 : 16:44:53
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Well, of course, fan of his that I am, with John C Reilly at its core, I'm bound to be positive going in to this Disney venture. Even though, these days, it's tough to predict whether The Mouse will always come through with the cheese.
Happily, in this film, it does! Names don't always guarantee success, but Reilly, we learn, also had a hand in the screenplay - additional material - and Sarah Silverman manages to transfer her cheeky SNL delivery very appropriately to the adorable brat with a heart. And, hey, John Lasseter as an Exec Prod don't hurt, neither.
Supporting cast includes Jane Lynch, containing her ballbreaker power with an unexpected antidote of sentiment, 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer, and the goofy Alan Tudyk with a dead-on rendition of Bert Lahr.
The story's pretty simple: Hulky arcade game character Wreck-It Ralph's game destiny is to destroy stuff solely in order for Fix-it Felix to - uhm - you know, fix it! But when the lights are off in gameland, we follow the characters backstage, as it were. Where we discover that Ralph, Hulky as he is, is pretty sulky, too. Because he really just wants to be part of the crowd. Invited to their parties. Or even just for game-folks to look upon him without shitting their pants he'll attack them.
How he finds a way to make his dreams come true is the choo-choo train of the film. And pretty much all you'd expect and then some more help that to happen.
So, yeah, a simple story. But what makes it shine is the quality of some of the writing, and overall, the brilliant comic delivery of the cast. It's a skill beyond price to be able - as Reilly and pals can - to vocally choreograph conversational exchanges as though they're actual conversations, and then, before you know what's happened - biffo-boffo! you're in laffland. It's a timing thing, it's an inflection thing, it's a magic thing.
I can't imagine what the film would have been like with blah-blah predictable characterizations, but fortunately I don't have to!
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 03/12/2013 : 14:44:38
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Just splendid. I think the key factor -- despite good voice acting, clever script and all -- has to be John Lasseter. He has always encouraged his Pixar teams to wring every last drop out of every gag and every render, to cram information into the far corners of the frame, and to take the central premise as far as it can possibly go while still remaining true to itself. And that's definitely what's happening here; it's the hippest Disney Animation piece since Lasseter took over.
In fact, on the DVD I screened [2-D, but so what?], hitting PAUSE brings up a live-action "easter egg hunter" who helps you find arcane gaming and Disney references, "hidden Mickeys," and such. Assuming you can handle a lot of auto racing [I think perhaps even too much], there's lots more to hear and see on subsequent viewings -- you can't take it all in at once. Especially recommended for those who can nostalgically remember Pac-Man-generation arcade games. |
Edited by - randall on 03/25/2013 15:04:02 |
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Sludge 
"Charlie Don't Serf!"
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Posted - 03/12/2013 : 23:30:54
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Nice summaries, both. Regarding the easter eggs, there are a ton of ridiculous references to the earliest video games and Wreck It Ralph, the game, is arguably Donkey Kong meets one of my all time favorites, Rampage. As an oldie but goodie, Wreck It Ralph, the game, faces extinction in an incident that brings out the value in Ralph the character. The animation is wonderfully architected and effectively pokes fun at the now cyber-cliches used to convey digital communication in film.
I was also viewing in 2D, and felt that the 3D is sufficiently inferred therefrom that you don't really need it.
Edit: See Randall's note about the game title. I forgot all about poor Frank. |
Edited by - Sludge on 03/13/2013 16:52:22 |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 03/13/2013 : 08:27:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Sludge
Nice summaries, both. Regarding the easter eggs, there are a ton of ridiculous references to the earliest video games and Wreck It Ralph, the game, is arguably Donkey Kong meets one of my all time favorites, Rampage. As an oldie but goodie, Wreck It Ralph, the game, faces extinction in an incident that brings out the value in Ralph the character. The animation is wonderfully architected and effectively pokes fun at the now cyber-cliches used to convey digital communication in film.
I was also viewing in 2D, and felt that the 3D is sufficiently inferred therefrom that you don't really need it.
Agree with everything, except the game's called "Fix-It Frank Jr." I love the "Jr." |
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Cheese_Ed 
"The Provolone Ranger"
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Posted - 03/18/2013 : 11:41:28
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quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
... and the goofy Alan Tudyk with a dead-on rendition of Bert Lahr.
Much more of an Ed Wynn than Bert Lahr, no?
Just watched this one, wrapping up all the Oscar animated features for last year. I liked it OK, on par with Brave, but both seemed way too long to me. I found ParaNorman and Frankenweenie to be big disappointments. But The Pirates! blow everyone else out of the water, so to speak. By far my fave. |
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BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
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Posted - 03/18/2013 : 16:43:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Cheese_Ed
quote:
Originally posted by BaftaBabe
... and the goofy Alan Tudyk with a dead-on rendition of Bert Lahr.
Much more of an Ed Wynn than Bert Lahr, no?
You're so right! 
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Wreck-It Ralph
