Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Review #1167: Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Cast: 
John C. Reilly (Wreck-It Ralph), Sarah Silverman (Vanellope von Schweetz), Gal Gadot (Shank), Taraji P. Henson (Yesss), Jack McBrayer (Fix-It Felix Jr.), Jane Lynch (Sergeant Calhoun), Alan Tudyk (KnowsMore), Alfred Molina (Double Dan), Ed O'Neill (Mr. Litwak), and Bill Hader (J.P. Spamley) Directed by Rich Moore (#386 - Wreck-It Ralph and #782 - Zootopia) and Phil Johnston

Review: 
Wreck-It Ralph (2012) was a fine film for entertainment, certainly seeming different from other Disney films, and it is not too surprising that a sequel would occur, although I imagine it wasn't supposed to take six years for said sequel to happen. I will admit that the idea of bringing these characters up to date with the Internet seemed like an interesting idea, particularly since Reilly and Silverman made for a fine duo to play off each other in the first film. The fact that the film focuses on their reactions to their encounter of the Internet and how their friendship changes accordingly is a fine centerpiece for a movie that tries to balance that with a mashup of gags and an overload of product placement that nearly collapse the experience into a big mess. It sure is strange how the film reminded me of Ready Player One (2018) with its collection of references and flashy colors, although I will say that at least this film actually aims to be funny on purpose, and it works more often than not with making jokes, along with a few songs to go with it. The animation is nice to look at, bright and colorful without overloading the senses too much, having numerous set-pieces that certainly stand out well from one another.

Reilly shines once again with big-hearted charm and some interesting moments that manage to make him feel fresh and not tired. Silverman shines again with a fun sense of humor and a curiosity that drives the film well enough, and the song she sings alongside Gadot (called "A Place Called Slaughter Race", of course) is fine to hear. Gadot is a welcome addition to the cast, showing some charm in her gritty world she occupies. Henson, playing an algorithm, plays the role with a bit of pomp and flash that makes for occasionally amusing points. It's a shame that McBrayer and Lynch don't have much time on screen, although I suppose the focus on Reilly and Silverman and their characters' story meant that anyone not on the Internet wouldn't have too many moments. Or perhaps having a B-plot would've made the film (with a run-time of 112 minutes) felt longer. Tudyk and Hader give off amusing moments whenever each is on screen, representing their parts of the Internet (for better or worse) just fine. On the whole, the movie works best when it tries to just have fun with casual gags about the Internet, or more specifically when the film isn't trying to make so many references within Disney itself. The part with the Disney Princesses are okay, but the movie as a whole feels like it nearly collapses into self-parody near the second half, where it almost falls into the trap of pandering without substance. Honestly, the fact that the film doesn't have a villain is a bit surprising, but at least the movie has a climax and a message that makes the experience worth it without becoming too ham-fisted or over indulgent. The film has enough charm and fine moments to make up for the occasional slip-up, and I'm sure kids will do just fine with it and the adults will tolerate it alright. The film isn't anything great by any means, particularly if compared to recent Disney films or the original film, but it is at the very least fine entertainment that will work just alright for its audience.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Rogue One.

Review #888: Rogue One.

Cast:
Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso), Diego Luna (Cassian Andor), Ben Mendelsohn (Orson Krennic), Donnie Yen (Chirrut Îmwe), Mads Mikkelsen (Galen Erso), Alan Tudyk (K-2SO), Riz Ahmed (Bodhi Rook), Jiang Wen (Baze Malbus), Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera), Jimmy Smits (Bail Organa), Alistair Petrie (General Draven), Genevieve O'Reilly (Mon Mothma), and Ben Daniels (General Merrick) Directed by Gareth Edwards (#582 - Godzilla)

Review:
If you are wondering why I didn't review this film earlier, it's because I didn't feel the need to go to another opening night premiere of a Star Wars film (done one year earlier - #769) without letting some of the talk about the movie come and go. Was I excited? Of course. It's not so much that it's easy to get me excited about certain films, the fact remained that I wanted to install some sort of thought process that would keep a balanced system of bias, where I didn't put too much weight on it being a prequel (good and bad) with characters of a different cloth from the rest.

At any rate, how is the movie? It is easy to say this is the best Star Wars prequel, and it is also easy to say this is the first of the franchise that's really like a war film. I'm not saying it's the first war film of the franchise (look at the title of the franchise after all), but it's the first one to really show its effects on a true scale, with a varying degree of grit. It is a dark movie at times, but it also manages to have its moments of charm one would expect from this franchise. Jones does a fine job at making this character relatable and someone easy to root for, while having a fair amount of chemistry with Luna, who also has his own qualities that work for the film. Mendelsohn is an adequate enough villain, not too smarmy nor too out of the way. Yen and Wen are pretty good together, having a good enough repertoire when it is needed. The rest of the cast is serviceable, with Tudyk being a good source for quips.

The effects are pretty good, in the sense that they do not feel too distracting. There are some excellent shots (such as the Star Destroyer coming out of the dark, just before the Death Star does as well) in a movie that also has a good deal of grit that works with the tone really well. The effects also have an impact when it comes to certain character such as Tarkin. I have to admit, I was curious to see how the effect would look, with Peter Cushing's likeness being inserted over someone else' body, with Stephen Stanton voicing Tarkin. The effect is a bit jarring, but at least it doesn't entirely distract from the movie too much, with there being some use to Tarkin being there. The same could be said for Darth Vader, who plays a significant role that Jones does well. There are other links to the original film, but the movie doesn't smother itself too much in nostalgia. It has a look that works for the intent of the movie, but it doesn't entirely forget to have its own vision as well. I didn't find it as good as The Force Awakens (#769, in part because I felt a bit more for the characters in that one), but I did find to be as consistent as the other film. On the whole, the movie is fairly good at establishing quick atmosphere and characters, with a consistent tone. It's not a great film nor is entirely without flaws, but it is at the very least an enjoyable if not bittersweet movie.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Big Hero 6.

Review #811: Big Hero 6.

Cast
Scott Adsit (Baymax), Ryan Potter (Hiro Hamada), Daniel Henney (Tadashi Hamada), T.J. Miller (Fred), Jamie Chung (GoGo), Damon Wayans, Jr. (Wasabi), Génesis Rodríguez (Honey Lemon), James Cromwell (Professor Robert Callaghan), Alan Tudyk (Alistair Krei), and Maya Rudolph (Aunt Cass) Directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams.

Review
Big Hero 6 is a welcome addition to the Disney films, while also being a highly entertaining movie due to its cast, animation, and its charm. Based off the comic book series of the same name, Big Hero 6 sets up its world and characters with near relative ease, from the wonderful visuals of San Fransokyo to the chemistry of the characters, there certainly is a great deal of care towards making this a fun ride, which works. Baymax (an inflatable robot made out of vinyl) is a wonderful character, even being charming when wearing armor, and Adsit makes the character fun to watch. Potter makes for a good lead as a full-fledged character, never coming off as unrealistic or offbeat (a 14 year old prodigy? I'll roll with it, because it is handled well, and there have been far weirder things to buy in films prior to and after this). The scenes with him and Henney that begin the movie help the movie gain footing, with fine character development...and Baymax as well. The movie has a nice enough story, not devolving into too typical territory, sticking out well. The animation is wonderful, having a great deal of flair and sharp colors, with the six heroes standing out nicely. Speaking of which, the rest of the cast is also enjoyable, from the comic relief of T. J. Miller (who does it quite well) to the rest of the group (such as Wayans Jr, the most normal and fittingly the most neurotic of the group - doing a fun job), with Cromwell being a decent enough villain. The movie flows nicely enough, complete with enough fun and funny moments to be easy to recommend for anyone.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Frozen.

Review #579: Frozen.

Cast
Kristen Bell (Anna), Idina Menzel (Elsa), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff), Josh Gad (Olaf), Santino Fontana (Hans), Alan Tudyk (Duke of Weselton), and Ciarán Hinds (Grand Pabbie the Troll King) Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

Review
Frozen is a movie that after watching it, feels like a classic. The songs are the first shining moments as they flow so well with each other and make a powerful feeling of fun. The characters are likable, they are fun to watch interact with one each other, especially Olaf, who is fun and certainly enduring, though Elsa is a brilliantly written character that is given her moment to shine. But most of all, the story is really well crafted, it's a really creative tale. The animation is wonderful, especially all the shots of ice because it looks so beautiful. Is the movie really great? Only time will tell, as movies come and go, but classics never fade from our memories, which is also what I say when trying to get "Let It Go" out of my head.

Overall, I give it 10 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Wreck-It Ralph.

Review #386: Wreck-It Ralph.

Cast
John C. Reilly (Wreck-It Ralph), Sarah Silverman (Vanellope von Schweetz), Jack McBrayer (Fix-It Felix, Jr), Jane Lynch (Jean Calhoun), Alan Tudyk (King Candy), Mindy Kaling (Taffyta Muttonfudge), Joe Lo Truglio (Markowsk), Ed O'Neill (Mr. Litwak), Dennis Haysbert (General Hologram), Adam Carolla (Wynnche), and Horatio Sanz (Duncan) Directed by Rich Moore.

Review
Wreck-It Ralph has an interesting enough premise and it uses it extremely well and has a heck of a time while doing it. The cast works out really well, especially John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman (two actors I thought I'd never utter in the same sentence), who pair off really well. The same could also go with Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch, which also meshes well. The animation looks great not just for looking nice but because it manages to keep focus on what it has (either its pixels or the lush animation), and it works well. It sets itself up nicely for a sequel, which I honestly hope happens. Well done...Disney.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: 42.

Review #372: 42.

Cast
Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson), Harrison Ford (Branch Rickey), Andre Holland (Wendell Smith), Christopher Meloni (Leo Durocher), John C. McGinley (Red Barber), Lucas Black (Pee Wee Reese), Alan Tudyk (Ben Chapman), Nicole Beharie (Rachel Isum Robinson), Brett Cullen (Clay Hopper), and Ryan Merriman (Dixie Walker) Directed by Brian Helgeland.

Review
On a day like this where baseball is around to entertain us as the week begins, history is once again turned into a movie and once again I'm reviewing a film about Jackie Robinson, the first one starring himself (#365 - The Jackie Robinson Story), which wasn't bad, but not too special. This is first film reviewed here from 2013, and trust me there will be more soon enough from 2013. This film...manages to be entertaining. While it may have some inaccuracies that some have found, I don't mind. It seems sweetening and easy to figure, but it manages to capture a tone of the 1940's, which given the mood back then, makes sense, I suppose. Boseman is a surprisingly good actor for someone I haven't watched before, leaving an impression, looking the part. But the actor I think is the best out of all of them is Harrison Ford, who surprised me because he does radical change to be Rickey and does a great job, making me smile. The rest of the cast (Examples being Meloni, Holland and Beharie) do a fine job, keeping the film at pace as well. The baseball action works well, and it captures an old feel of life, baseball and more. It has its moments, and it certainly is a good biopic. Essentially, 42 hits a ball that goes deep into right field, narrowly missing the foul pole but still going fair.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story.

Review #182: DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story.

Cast
Vince Vaughn (Peter "Pete" LaFleur), Ben Stiller (White Goodman), Christine Taylor (Katherine "Kate" Veatch), Rip Torn (Patches O'Houlihan), Hank Azaria (Young Patches), Justin Long (Justin Redman), Stephen Root (Gordon Pibb), and Alan Tudyk (Steve "the Pirate" Cowan) Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber.

Review
The film has good moments from most of the cast, with silly but decent at the same time fun. Vaughn and Taylor do well together as does Stiller in his crazed insane performance that is almost as crazy as his performance in Tropic Thunder. Funny at points with a decent cast, the film is a hit and far from a miss. One thing I will mention: This is the 100th review for Season 2 (December 20, 2011 - December 20, 2012).

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: I, Robot.

Review #086: I, Robot.

Cast
Will Smith (Det. Del Spooner), Bridget Moynahan (Dr. Susan Calvin), Alan Tudyk (Sonny), Bruce Greenwood (Lawrence Robertson), James Cromwell (Dr. Alfred Lanning), Chi McBride (Lt. John Bergin), Shia LaBeouf (Farber), Fiona Hogan (VIKI), Terry Chen (Chin), and Adrian Ricard (Granny). Directed by Alex Proyas.

Review
The film is an actioned packed "adaptation" of a book, and it's still decent. There I said it. I like this film. Not like in the sense of a great film, just decently good. It's an action flick that at least makes you think, if only for about a few seconds. The acting is good, especially from Smith, showing one again he can carry a film. It's good fun and it does a decent job at being a film with decent effects that make it seem futuristic (Set in 2035), and a balenced film all around. It may not be a great film, but it at least is entertaining enough (With Will Smith as your lead, you can not fail) This begins Robot Week, and ends Part I. A film reviewed every day involving robots in each of the films.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.