Wreck it Ralph
John C. Reilly gives voice to Wreck–It Ralph, a Donkey Kong–esque videogame villain who finds it lonely at the top and wants to reshape his image as a hero. His desire upsets the gaming world in more ways than one, as Ralph jumps from one game to the next, unleashing unintentional mayhem along the way. Wreck-It Ralph does for videogame characters what Toy Story did for children’s playthings, as we see the whimsical, behind–the–scenes workings of an arcade world after closing time.
ClearPlay In Action!
A female heroine wears form–fitting clothes, alien bugs wreak PG havoc, and some crude humor is displayed in Wreck–It Ralph. ClearPlay edits about 10 instances of dialogue — mostly mild scatological or anatomical terms. References to bodily functions have been trimmed, as well as some instances of violence. The movie is appropriate for most members of the family (but beware of some scary videogame violence).
Is Wreck–It Ralph prime for replay, or simply ‘game over’?…
Of all of 2012’s animated features, I found Wreck–It Ralph to be the most enjoyable. Arcade fans and classic gamers in particular will find the videogame references to be funny and clever, and the movie’s theme plays upon the universal need to be accepted. Interesting plot twists, with solid vocal talent provided by Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch, Jack McBrayer, Ed O’Neill, Mindy Kaling, and Dennis Haysbert.
Marty Nabhan— ClearPlay Digital Protagonist
Rated PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence; 108 min; Directed by Rich Moore
Family Movie Night Activity: Wreck-It Ralph
“Sometimes I think, man, it sure must be nice being the good guy.”
Wreck-It Ralph is tired of being the bad guy, so he leaves his game to try and earn a medal. He thinks everything will change when he becomes a game hero, but he doesn’t realize his actions could change the whole arcade… in a bad way! Will Ralph wreck it all big time or will he find a way to be a hero after all? Enjoy a Family Movie Night and you’ll see just what Ralph and his friends can do!
Movie Snacks
*For Dinner, have a Ralph inspired meal with Pounded Pot Roast, Smashed-By-Ralph Potatoes, Temper-Tantrum Tossed Salad. For dessert, have some of Ralph’s Home Made Garbage Dump Cake.
*There are a lot of easy ways to incorporate parts of the movie into your snacks. You could have Fix-It Felix Pie, Pac-Man Cherries, Tapper’s Rootbeer, or Mario’s Mushrooms. You could also serve some 30th Anniversary Cake and drink Nes-Quick.
*When Ralph visits Sugar Rush, you’ll know just what kind of treats to serve. Candy sticks, gumballs, lollipops, taffy, gum drops, cookies, cupcakes… every kind of sweet you can imagine. You could make little goody bags or have a full-on candy buffet. Grab all of your favorite treats and enjoy!
Must Pause Moments
*Ralph sneaks some cherries back with him from Pac-man’s game. Get some fake cherries (play food, printed off picture, cut out paper, cherry flavored treats… anything will work) and hide them somewhere in your house. See who can find the hidden cherries first!
*Ralph is pretty happy about winning a medal in Hero’s Duty. Give medals to everyone in your family. An easy way to make them is to use canning lids and taping a ribbon on it so it can be worn around your neck. Write each person’s name on it so they feel extra special and to help keep them apart.
*Play your own Build It, Wreck It game while watching the show. Get out some building material like blocks, cookies, marshmallows, or paper cups. Each time someone says the name “Felix” add a block to your castle or tower. When someone says “Ralph” take one away from what you’ve built. You could do this together as a group and take turns, or give everyone their own supplies and let them build and destroy on their own throughout the movie.
Other Activities
*If you’re having a party along with your movie night, you could decorate for a 30th anniversary party with green balloons, a banner and a cake. You could also turn your home into the land of Sugar Rush. You could make candy decorations and make your place look good enough to eat!
*The characters in Sugar Rush have some fun and unique names. Make up your own Sugar Rush names. You could combine your favorite treat or dessert, with your favorite color or hobby. You could even come up with a chart with different treats for each letter of the alphabet and different color, verb or silly word for each month. Let each person take a letter of their first name along with the month of their birthday and match it with the coordinating name “ingredient” and see what they can come up with. So if “L” was Lemon and September was Swirly then my Sugar Rush name could be Swirly McLemondrop! Be sure to share your own Sugar Rush names in the comments!
*Use all of those treats from your Sugar Rush inspired candy buffet to make your own Kart Bakery Go-Carts! Have cookies or round hard candies for wheels, candy bars, taffy and other treats to build your kart and decorate it! Remember to get creative and be sure to sign your Cart in icing!
*After a fun movie night, you might be inspired to visit a local arcade. Be sure to look around and see if there are any old games that need some attention or if you can find something similar to the games and characters from the movie.
*LyndiLou* - “There’s no one I’d rather be than me!”
Rated PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence; 108 min; Directed by Rich Moore