Wreck-It Ralph - Review

"Just because you are bad guy,...doesn't mean you're 'bad guy'".     - Wreck-It Ralph, 2012

 

 

   So me and my crew saw Wreck-It Ralph. We were not disappointed. My art manager from years ago had emailed me an article about Disney doing an 8-Bit animated feature. Mmmm, close. The hype built as the kids requested the trailer every other night. My little guy ran around the house yelling, "I'm gonna wreck it!", before pounding his fists on anything,....and anyone.

   Now, I'm pretty easily entertained. Yet, there are a LOT of animated movies out there now and so very many of them are garbage. Wreck-It Ralph had me glued. More importantly, it had my two kids glued. If I'm paying through the nose, for a MATINEE, then I'd better get my money's worth. If my little guy can sit through most of a film, then it has my stamp of approval regardless of content. Having said that, I was laughing throughout the film.

   The visuals were eye-candy in every sense of the phrase. I loved the different game genre that they hit. More than just scene changes, they found the essence of the 8-Bit game all the way over to first person shooter modern graphics. The storyline was pleasing too. I love that there was a male figure trying to figure some stuff out, and a strong female character or two for my daughter to be invested in. At one point at the end, during a triumphant moment, my little guy sitting on my lap threw both fists in the air. He was feeling the vibe and I was too.

   I don't remember theatre's being THAT loud, but,...it was LOUD. We got in the car and I felt like I'd just been to a heavy metal concert. I doubt that was the film's fault. The soundtrack had my shoulders twitching, and my little guy stood up from his seat more than once to dance to the music. I can recommend this flick to everyone. Children, grown up children, grown-ups WITH children, etc. It was a fun ride and we'll be owning it at home one day for sure. Enjoy!

 

J. 

You've Got A Friend In Me

You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too

There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you

We stick together and we see it through

You've got a friend in me

- Randy Newman

     I snapped this pic a few days back and realized how good I've got it that my little ones get along so well. While they ARE still young, I hope it's a foundation to build on so that later on in life they don't resort to the exchange of gunfire. My 'Lil Miss is very type A, and can get extremely frustrated when things are not going her way. That seems to pale in comparison to her loving nature. She's always looking out for the underdog, offering help where the shy kid needs it, and comforts her little brother whenever he's upset. My 'Lil Man is the same. He's all boy, for sure, but has a sweet natured side that uses "please" and "thank you" all day long.

     How can we accomplish this? The Wife and I communicate with the kids often. While some items fall under the "because I'm your father" category, explaining things goes over very well. Granted, The Wife has more patience with that than I do, but I'm learning. I think showing love to one another for them to see it important too. Mom and dad showing affection and helping each other. Dad showing that same love and help to each child. They then adopt the behavior to each other.

   Either way, the scene pictured above melted my heart. Let's hope we have a lifetime of them.

J.