'Wreck It Ralph!' - A sweet, sugary good time!

Disney does it again with 'Wreck-It Ralph' - the newest entry in the animation hit factory that is Pixar! While not as strong as previous Pixar films, 'Wreck-It Ralph' offers plenty to keep the kiddies entertained while throwing a few bones to the odd adult. How can you not like a movie that resurrects 'Qbert'?

With an inventive story line that will take the GenXers on a trip down Atari memory lane, it is a basic story about the true hero in us all and a tale of simply being nice to one another. The schtick of the classic video games starts to wear a little thin midway through, but one can really appreciate the attention to detail. From the stilted manner in which the characters walk and talk from the older games, to the pixilated splashes of smashed items, to the nods to the villains of our 80's games, director Rich Moore (The Simpsons) plays with our memories and offers new ones for the next generation.

Ralph (John C Reilly) has spent the last 30 years as the bad guy in 'Fix It Felix Jr', a video game in which Ralph gleefully wrecks a building that is home to merry citizens while 'Felix Jr' (Jack McBrayer of '30 Rock') fixes his destruction. Ralph, however, has grown tired of being bad and wishes to be a hero. One of the most inspired scenes is that of the various video game bad guys trading stories in a Bad Guy Support Group where Ralph is told to repeat: 'I'm bad and that's good. I'll never be good and that's not bad.', in order to accept his lot in life.  That is not good enough for Ralph and he sets out into the video game landscape to become a hero.

Leaving 'Fix It Felix Jr' through the electrical cord and a surge protector, Ralph lands into the game 'Sugar Rush' where he meets Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), a glitch in the sugary program trying to make her way as well. The two pair up to save the candy kingdom and prove that everyone has a place in the world.

What is wonderful about 'Wreck It Ralph' is the story itself. Inventive and timely, it is a great morality play for the kids in this age of excessive bullying and video game madness. With it's inventive use of video games past, it remains just interesting enough for the older crowd as well; making this 3 star effort a great night out for the family. I like most Pixar films in 3D, but this time around I went to the 2D and had just as good of a time. 'Wreck-It Ralph' is a sweet, sugary time at the movies!