WRECK-IT RALPH
RYAN: There’s a really great, romantic animated short before this movie that was really cute.
CHUCK: It was adorable. I love the tradition of showing animated shorts before these movies.
RYAN: And as for Wreck-It Ralph, I wasn’t that jazzed about it when I first saw the trailer, but I must admit I really enjoyed it.
CHUCK: So you had low expectations?
RYAN: Yes. And the thing is, there was really good buzz going in and video game characters are such a natural choice to adapt to animation and yet we haven’t seen too much of it. But I loved seeing all the different characters. And this was quite funny.
CHUCK: I’m actually surprised that I didn’t like it as much as you; and for me to say that about a Disney animated film is very surprising.
RYAN: I’m shocked! You love Disney the way I love Oz.
CHUCK: I went in opposite of you. I thought the trailer was unique and then wasn’t very emotionally engaged in the movie.
RYAN: Huh. It got me. I felt the good kind of chills at the end.
CHUCK: See, I wish I had felt that way, like I did with Brave or any of the Toy Story movies. I did like all the blending of nostalgic and new video game characters though.
RYAN: Yeah it was fun seeing the ghosts from Pac Man, Tapper, Q*bert…
CHUCK: I think Frogger was in there, Super Mario… but I just found it emotionally dull.
RYAN: Really? The sentiment and lesson was really good. I guess what this translates into is that you didn’t cry at the end.
CHUCK: Yeah, no. I didn’t react much at all. I didn’t LOL much.
RYAN: Are you a Sarah Silverman fan?
CHUCK: I am.
RYAN: Me too and I thought she was quite comical in this.
CHUCK: She was cute. I chuckled a little bit. I’ve been spoiled by Pixar and Disney movies like The Princess and the Frog with a lot of emotional depth to it. This one skewed younger, like Disney Channel, tweens and under without connecting emotionally to the parents.
RYAN: This movie is charming and sweet and I certainly found it touching. I see your perspective but I clearly liked it more than you did. The theme does skew a little more juvenile with the whole choosing good behavior versus bad, but I still didn’t ever feel disconnected.
CHUCK: I actually saw a Wizard of Oz parallel in this movie, where Ralph wanted something else out of his life and had to go over the rainbow, so to speak, to get it; but then ultimately realizes he’s happy at home.
RYAN: I see that and maybe that’s why I liked it so much.
CHUCK: But really, this had about as much emotional depth as the binary code that it took to make the movie.
RYAN: Wow. That communicates your point. I stand by the fact it’s sweet and charming.
CHUCK: I do agree. I guess my expectations going in were too high.
RYAN: The animation is really pretty. I loved the Sugar Rush racing game with the Candyland environment. And Jane Lynch, John C. Reilly and Jack McBrayer were all fantastic.
CHUCK: I’m not a John C. fan. That might be part of why…
RYAN: You didn’t like him in Chicago?
CHUCK: Not really. The animation was beautiful but I wasn’t wowed by the 3D.
RYAN: I was at the beginning but then, yeah, it wanes.
GABY: I only noticed it in the beginning.
CHUCK: It wasn’t the worst I’ve seen.
GABY: Nothing really jumped out at you.
RYAN: It more provided some depth.
CHUCK: I would definitely take kids to see this. It’s wholesome, family entertainment which is definitely necessary in this world. Maybe I’m being too hard on it. I preferred Despicable Me and most of the Shreks… deep, emotional…
RYAN: Yeah you had very high expectations. That often translates into disappointment. I bet if you see it again someday you;ll like it more. Sure, this isn’t Brave, Tangled, or Toy Story. But it is certainly original and clever.
GABY: I really liked it. I liked a lot of the ways they animated things and the story was really interesting and good.
RYAN: The movie club members all really enjoyed it. Would you still say see it?
CHUCK: Yes. It’s a good animated movie. I just expected more.
RYAN: The animation, writing, performances and music were all great. I was into it and could even watch it again. It makes me really wanna play some of those old games and I actually wanna pick up a Wreck-It Ralph game for the Wii.
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