Phil sees WRECK-IT RALPH in 2D at the Cinelux Theater Campbell-November 4, 2012

Hello again! So my good friend Amanda's son Brian celebrated his 12th birthday back on October 30th. So for his B-Day present, I took him and Amanda to see the new Disney computer animated family film WRECK-IT RALPH over at the Cinelux Theater in Campbell.

Meet Ralph (John C. Reilly) who is the main villain of the arcade game Fix-It Felix Jr., a popular game in Litwak's Arcade. The hero Felix (Jack McBrayer) is loved by the citizens in the game, and Ralph is treated like dirt (poor buy sleeps on a pile of bricks in the dump). Tired of being the bad guy, he jumps from game to game in hopes to win a medal and gain respect among the people of Fix-It Felix. However, his actions causes major ramifications that could spell the end for not only his game, but for all the games in the arcade as well!

The film is a love letter to the video games and arcades of the past. Those you are old enough to remember going to the arcades (like myself) and spending your entire allowance on video games and hanging out with your friends, those were the best of times of your life. The film manages to captures that nostalgic feeling and present up on the big screen for all of us to enjoy!

A tip of the hat goes to the folks at Disney, for they have done their homework for this movie. Like the TOY STORY series, there are several trademark characters that you video game fanatics will recognize; such as arcade icon Q-Bert, Clyde the orange ghost from Pac-Man, Doctor Eggman from Sonic the Hedgehog, and Bowser from Super Mario Bros.

Reilly does a great job with Ralph, bringing depth, humor, and pathos to the character. You feel sorry for Ralph and we go along with him on his journey of self-respect and dignity. Of course this leads him to some far out video games, like Hero's Duty, where he is told that when you win the game you get a medal. Here we meets tough, no nonsense Sergeant Calhoun, whose voice is provided by none other than Jane Lynch, star of the Fox TV show Glee. Lynch owns this character, and I can't think of any other actress who could've pulled off better than her! But let me take a moment and point out another great actress lending her voice to the film. Sarah Silverman does a magnificent job of bringing her character Vanellope von Schweetz to life. Combining a spunky attitude and determination, with a touch of sadness for good measure, we can relate to her because, like Ralph, she's an outcast among her peers in her own video game. The two form a powerful friendship that radiates and mirrors our own lives. At one point, some of us were outcasts; those who didn't quite fit in with the rest of the crowd. Try not to see a little bit of yourself in these 8-bit characters!

Overall WRECK-IT RALPH is my vote for Best Family Film of 2012! This is what the movie BRAVE should have been! Full of action, adventure, romance, and comedy, this is one film that has it all! 5 out of 5 stars! Highly recommended!!

WRECK-IT RALPH is currently playing in both 2-D and 3-D in theaters nationwide, including at the Cinelux Theaters here in the Bay Area. To view showtimes, visit their website at www.cineluxtheatres.com.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!