Wreck-It Ralph Live Blog

I didn’t know what to expect at first. I knew Ralph was played by John C. Reilly and that Sarah Silverman played Vanellope Von Schweetz, but both actors tend to be very raunchy. I was curious to see how these actors would tame their humor for an animated children’s movie, which is very out of character for these two actors.

You can tell it is a Pixar movie from the start, the graphics and the subtle humor poked at relatable and current issues are the two telltale signs.

The movie starts and from the start I am confused about who was speaking at first. We hear someone speaking. We see Ralph from the start but he isn’t directly addressing the camera. Also I started to realize how from the start Ralph is pretty depressed and is almost opening up to the audience as if they are his therapist.

I ultimately, realized it was actually Ralph. I thought this was a very interesting way to open up the film. Especially once the arcade closes. While interesting, the idea of things coming to life once the store closes has been very common for animated films. 

The way this film introduces and portrays not only Ralph, but ‘bad guys’ from other games is quite different. From the start we see ‘bad guys’ in what seems like an AA meeting opening up to one another. They actually refer to themselves as bad guys which is unpresedented. Casts villains in new light. They have feelings.

 

 

The bad guy affirmation (“I’m bad. And that’s good. I will never be good. And that’s not bad. There’s no one i’d rather be than me.”) is hilarious. Such sensitive villains is just a funny concept.

I found that Game central station being a extension cord was a very smart touch.

Usually the princess is clumsy and bad guy is very slick. With Ralph in Hero’s Duty, it is now its vice versa. Ralph the ‘bad guy’ is quite clumsy while Sergeant Calhoun is fearless and smooth. I found the portrayal of gender through Sergeant Calhoun to be very progressive (not sure if done on purpose or relevant). She in a sense saves the entire arcade. There hasn’t been one Disney princess to ever perform the final, climatic rescue.

The cops in Sugar Rush are donuts and their hounds are devil dogs; this movie slays me.

                                                       

Finally, we are introduced to Vanellope von Schweetz, my favorite character in the film. Von Schweetz isn’t like most young girls created by Disney. Von Schweetz is first introduced as an obnoxious and irritating little girl that only cared about herself. However, as time goes on we realize that she has been constantly bullied and is an outcast among her own. While she appeared rude at first and while she has been bullied her whole life, she is actually quite funny and loving.

Ralph ultimately received the medal he was so desperately after, but ultimately that medal didn’t provide him with the satisfaction he thought it would. Ultimately the game is going to be shut down and Ralph is told “Now you can live alone in the penthouse”. Such a comment perpetuates the idea that money/objects aren’t everything. My father has always told me he knows a lot of very wealthy people that aren’t happy and a lot of people who may not have nearly as much money as others but couldn’t be happier. I think both messages kind of emphasize the importance of friendship.

Obviously Fix-it Felix gets the girl at the end because what Disney story would be complete without a guy getting the girl.

Lastly, how do all the racers in Sugar Rush remember out of nowhere that Vanellope von Schweetz is princess all of a sudden?