Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

I avoided Wreck-It Ralph for years because I thought it would be a dumb movie for kids. When I finally watched it, I was amazed by how entertaining and enjoyable it was. That said, I still didn't care much for Ralph Breaks the Internet, and I checked it out just now because of the Oscar nomination. 

Set six years after the events of the first film, the story follows Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (voiced by Sarah Silverman) as they travel to the internet to search for a replacement part for Vanellope's arcade game, Sugar Rush, which was broken because of Ralph and left the game's characters homeless. 

The biggest issue with Ralph Breaks the Internet is that it seems like the writers forgot they were writing a movie, and instead wrote the "Internet for Dummies" book —the movie does go through the dangers of the internet such as online gaming, viruses, spam and such, which is good for kids, but it keeps portraying the internet has a dark place and the message is constantly shoved down our throats— and plenty of ads to show off Disney's empire —Star Wars, Disney Princesses, Marvel, even Stan Lee makes an appearance. There's simply not enough plot to fill the 110-minute running time —while the first part is quite solid and engaging, the second part is dragged garbage with a horrible ending. Not to mention the friendship message the film tries to deliver but gets completely lost. 

The characters aren't that good either. The once-cute and adorable Vanellope is nothing but annoying in here, Ralph is no longer the misfit you root for as he's just the idiot who makes a mess after another, and the relationship between them isn't that fleshed out. They are not as bad as the new characters, forgettable being more than a compliment for them. The only redeeming character? Shank, a badass racer voiced by Gal Gadot. The character is bad but Gadot makes you remember her —I think I have a crush on her voice. 

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

As for the comedy, it is a bit too dark for kids at times, the internet puns fall flat as they are too dumb for adult and kids will probably not understand them, and the references the film is filled with aren't always that funny. Don't get me wrong, there still are some funny moments —only in the first part though as the second is pretty dark— but there's not enough of them for Ralph Breaks the Internet to be enjoyable. 

The animation is probably the only really good aspect of the film, the only one without a negative side. It's very beautiful, the way the internet is portrayed is very creative and interesting, and overall it's very rich in texture and colours. 

First JUSTICE LEAGUE Trailer Drops!

I'm in Vegas in advance of Cinemacon next week and I'm excited about what's happening here on other fronts. I should be in a position to talk about something soon. Cryptic I know!

Meanwhile, the first trailer for JUSTICE LEAGUE is finally here and while the action and visuals look amazing, and seeing all those characters on the screen together is fascinating, I'm left with worry that there is no story and character development, including the villain.

I'm most intrigued with Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and the fun they can have with The Flash. Also thinking about when Superman makes his appearance in the movie.

However, my instincts tell me that JUSTICE LEAGUE may not deliver that ensemble movie we've been waiting for since Marvel's THE AVENGERS. Whedon pulled off an amazing feat of weaving characters, plot, development and at the same time feeding a franchise toward the Infinity War. While I don't want a photocopy, I hope they can deliver here with these beloved characters.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

JUSTICE LEAGUE is slated for a November release.

MUST WATCH: New WONDER WOMAN Trailer!

It's finally here and it's looking like WONDER WOMAN may be getting the movie she deserves! I'm not sure what to make of the storyline yet as we just don't know the details, but visually the trailer rocks!

Gal Gadot is absolutely stunning in the role as we saw in BvS and the addition of Chris Pine here will pay off I think.

I'm loving the production quality, the attention to detail and of course, WW's Bracelets of Submission which, as you can see, easily deflect oncoming bullets.

Enjoy!



WONDER WOMAN is slated for release June 2, 2017. Stay tuned for more!

When Push Comes To Shove: Warners Moves WONDER WOMAN And JUNGLE BOOK Launches

Some pulling up going on too. WONDER WOMAN is being pulled up to a slated release date 3 weeks earlier to June 2, 2017. Showing us some confidence? I hope so. I really enjoyed Gal Gadot's performance in the role in BATMAN v SUPERMAN - one of the few aspects of that movie that I didn't have any issues.

Meanwhile, Andy Serkis' JUNGLE BOOK: ORIGINS has been pushed out a full year from October 6, 2017 to October 19, 2018. I also view this as a positive with not only giving Serkis more time to deliver on his performance capture promises but also allowing audiences some breathing room from Jon Favreau's THE JUNGLE BOOK offering (which looks amazing) opening next week on April 15. It will feature the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch, Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett among others.

Said Serkis: "I’ve got to say that personally I’m absolutely thrilled that Warner Brothers have changed the delivery date of our movie. The ambition for this project is huge. What we are attempting is an unprecedented level of psychological and emotional nuance in morphing the phenomenal performances of our cast into the facial expressions of our animals."

Further to Warner Bros announcement of these changes, they added dates for a couple of untitled DC Comics launches: October 5, 2018 and November 1, 2019.
 

Wonder Woman's Origins: Afrodite Easter Egg In Teaser Trailer For BATMAN V. SUPERMAN?

Certainly looks like it. Check the trailer for BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE and take a look at the image - you'll see "Afrodite" scrawled in graffiti on a pillar. I saw it immediately but I wanted to scan the rest of the graffiti first before posting on it. DC seems to love using this medium to plant eggs - I found something similar back in July of last year and I still think Gentleman Ghost will be in this thing or soon (yes I know some may think the initials LF are for Lucius Fox - the gadget guy for Batman; but I don't agree. Why have his initials on a roof vent? Doesn't make sense. Looking For Ghost does makes sense).

Back to the teaser trailer. It's not bad, but they are biting off a LOT for this movie. They are ushering in a new era of Batman, while continuing the story of Superman and probably doing some Aquaman and Wonder Woman origins (Afrodite is a sub-character in her universe - she gives her the gift of beauty. This however opens the door to have other beings bearing gifts as well: Demeter (strength), Athena (wisdom), Hermes (scarves... errr speed and flight), Artemis (eyes of the hunter) and Hestia (truth). It's a lot to effectively convey in one movie for DC. Marvel is used to this kind of thing and have proven themselves. I'm worried that DC can't pull it off effectively.

The movie definitely seems very dark which will set it apart from the Marvel formula, clearly. Personally I believe DC should have went with native 3D for their productions to further classify themselves as innovators and seeking the best for their audience; not followers.

Still all things being said, this is a VERY interesting movie and could be the start of something amazing. Can't wait to see Jason Momoa as Aquaman. Perfectly cast.

BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE opens on March 25, 2016.