I remember when Disney and Pixar were the closest of friends. They'd make fun animated movies together that were heart-warming, delightful and just plain fun to watch. Then the divorce happened, and Pixar got heart-warming and fun-to-watch in the settlement. Disney was left with something shallow and it showed. Then along came Dreamworks, and it seemed like they and Pixar would dominate computer-generated movies--heck, it seemed like they would dominate the fun-to-watch and well-made movie niches. Wreck It Ralph seems to have put that notion to bed. It's fun, heart-warming, and compelling. It is tightly plotted and understands the genre. It's been favorably compared to Toy Story and the comparison is relatively apt.
The movie is about video game characters who come alive at night. Like Toy Story, the mechanism for this change is never fully explained, we're simply dropped into a world in which video game characters in an arcade go home at night, have social lives, and grouse about their condition. Which is the essential premise: Ralph is a bad guy, and he's tired of being ostracized by the other characters in his game. Dared to win a medal by one of the pint-sized townspeople in his game, Ralph leaves his game for the chance to win one. Things get messy quick here, and in the course of his adventure he lands in the middle of a candy and confection themed racing game called Sugar Rush.
Daring to help the underdog beat off bullies, Ralph injects himself into the politics of the game world, with disastrous results. With a name like Wreck It, you know nothing good can come of it. Yet, despite his bumbling attempts to be good, his dogged pursuit of the prize at the expense of the people around him, and the heart-breaking betrayal of the one person who trusts him, Ralph learns that to become a hero, one must make the hard decisions. Often, in the tradition of the greatest myths, the hero must sacrifice himself.
But this is a game, and every game has a reset button. Even for Ralph.
I was impressed with this movie on several levels. I went into it expecting a lot of pop culture references from my childhood, and I wasn't disappointed. I worried, however, that most viewers would understand them, and that they would detract from the movie. Disney managed to pop culture coup in that regard. None of the references are vital to the story, yet they improved my viewing experience and revealed a much deeper subtext. Way to go, Disney.
All in all, this movie might be the most fun I've had in the theater this year, and I highly recommend this movie.
First, I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving. Most of my week has revolved around Thanksgiving in one way or another; I was either driving home for Thanksgiving, eating Thanksgiving, or recovering from Thanksgiving. Good times all around.
Speaking of good times, I saw Wreck It Ralph this last Wednesday. Expect a review on Monday but suffice it to say that it was very enjoyable, very tightly plotted and the pop-culture references were far less important than I expected. On something of a related note, I saw in the previews that Disney is re-releasing Monsters, Inc. in 3D. I'm kind of excited to see this movie in theaters again; I remember the first time being particularly fun. That all being said, go see Wreck It Ralph. It was delightful.
Even though I finished Christopher Buehlman's Between Two Fires over a week ago, I still have yet to start The Twelve by Justin Cronin. I've been deeply involved in Lovecraft, particularly in Lovecraft tribute stories, which you can read about in a previous entry. But while I'm loving rediscovering Lovecraft, I haven't been able to invest adequate time in newer, possibly just as worthy books.
In publishing new, the Amazon Kindle turned 5 this last week; to help mark this special occasion, Amazon released a list of the Top 5 Bestselling Kindle books ever, as well as the bestselling Kindle books by year. It's really no surprise that Fifty Shades of Grey, and The Hunger Games trilogies dominate the bestsellers list. Somewhat more surprising is that Fifty Shades did all that in a single year, placing itself firmly in the Top 5 in 2012. Prior years included, The Help, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Lost Symbol, and The Complete User’s Guide To the Amazing Amazon Kindle in 2008. I think the take-away from this is that eBooks are here to stay, and will only become more viable as a publishing platform, replacing standard physical sales.
Interestingly, the number one spot on Publishers Weekly Top 10 list this week is held by Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel, by Jeff Kinney. It's not surprising to see YA and Middle Readers books taking a place on the bestseller list, especially as Christmas draws nigh; I'd expect to see more in the coming weeks.
And apparently, Tolkien fans don't gamble. At least, not according to the $80 million suit brought against Warner Bros, New Line and Middle-Earth Enterprises. The family is alleging that the original 1969 rights included only physical properties, and not gambling or digital rights. The sticking point seems to be the creation of Middle Earth themed online slots. You can read the whole thing here.
In somewhat related movie news, I'm planning on reading The Hobbit for the first time ever in anticipation of the forthcoming movie. Some of you are astonished to hear this startling revelation--I mean, a Lord of the Rings fan who hasn't read The Hobbit? But I'll soon rectify that and have gobs of fun belaboring the most bestest parts from the book that Peter Jackson omitted from the movie.
Now that Twilight no longer tortures our movie screens, Twihards are in search of the Next Interesting Thing and the best bet seems to be Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Adapted as a movie from Cassandra Clare urban fantasy series Mortal Instruments. Take a look at the trailer below and let me know what you think.
