Wreck-It Ralph

In an age replete with constant references and homages Wreck-It Ralph fits right in. An incredibly fun take on video games, you cannot help but enjoy it.

Any fan of "older" video games will find something they recognize here. Whether it is something from Pac-Man or Qbert to Bowser or Sonic the video game references and cameos do not ever seem to stop.

The story is entirely engaging and delightfully fun to watch. Ralph and Felix are part of a fictional game named Fix-It Felix Jr. Ralph destroys a building and Felix has to climb the building and fix the building and save the people who live in it. Ralph is lonely because at the end of the day when the arcade closes everyone in the building shuns him and is afraid of him. From there it gets fun as we follow Ralph through different adventures so he can try and be a good guy for once.

Much of the humor comes from the references in the writing, whether they are from past video games or other "nerdy" allusions to movies or comics. Small details in the film are what made me laugh more than anything. One of my favorite instances coming from the beginning of a race sequence. For fans of the Mario Kart series of games it is obvious. If you push the 'A' button too soon you get a bad start and just like in the game a few racers don't start as quickly as the others.

Voice acting can be just as challenging as live-action acting and the actors nailed it. Ralph would not be nearly as likable if it were not for John C. Reilly providing the voice. Vanellope voiced by Sarah Silverman is perfect, starting out as an annoyance, but growing on you as the movie goes on, much like Silverman in real life (watch The Sarah Silverman Program if you don't believe me). There are many more great performances here, but Jane Lynch and Jack McBrayer as Calhoun and Felix respectively are awesome. Each bringing his or her stereotypical humor to their roles.

As a whole this is a great movie, fit for children and adults alike. Much more enjoyable than I had anticipated and I could not stop smiling except for a brief period of time. Definitely go see it this holiday season.

8/10