Absolutely ridiculously adorable

Rating: 9/10 (8 March 2013)

I went into Wreck-It Ralph with very high expectations. My friends had all raved about it and the idea of it being loosely based around 80's Arcade games and featured various video game characters had me incredibly excited for it. I will say that the tone of the film was very, very different than what I expected. I think I expected it to be a little darker and a little more adult geared. I wasn't disappointed in it at all, in fact I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the movie was just adorably cute, filled with tons of decent, solid morals and lessons, great animation, terrific voices, and it's simply fun. The actual connection to old school gaming is pretty minimal in the grand scheme of things, though there are certainly a ton of hidden background references that go unnoticed at first glance. The movie is so sugary sweet (pun intended considering where most of the film takes place) that it was just a constant barrage of feel good scenes. I feel like I'm using words that might seem like a back handed compliment and I don't mean to. This is just a fantastic kids movie that adults won't find as much in as some of the other animated films nowadays. But this is the all time perfect family flick. I can't even fathom the amount of times I had a lump in my throat from nearly tearing up in this movie.
As with most great Disney flicks, the voice cast is near perfect. John C. Reilly is completely and utterly perfect as the over-sized, bumbling Ralph. They couldn't have created a better voice than what he provides. Sarah Silverman might annoy me in person but she is absolutely brilliant as the adorable and rambunctious Vanellope. Jack McBrayer is perfect as Fix It Felix. Felix even looks a little like McBrayer. He tones himself down from his usual over the top comedy making him likable and the perfect hero to Reilly's Ralph. I wasn't sure at first about Jane Lynch as Calhoun. I didn't think she fit the character right at first. However, by the end I was completely into her character and forgot she was Jane Lynch and she really won me over. Alan Tudyk (who sounds exactly like the Mad Hatter from Disney's 1950's Alice in Wonerland) is decent as King Candy, our real main villain. His storyline and character is fun if not just a little predictable.
Director Rich Moore is clearly dedicated to animation. He loves his craft and puts his heart and soul into this movie. It is the type of feel good film that you don't get to see often anymore in animation or otherwise. Its funny and cute without any sort of toilet humour and resorting to cheap laughs. Fix-It Felix is a brilliantly realistic 8 Bit Arcade game. I'm surprised that they didn't create the actual game because it would have completely worked. Animated is of a high standard nowadays and Disney manages to prove once again why they are King of animation with this wholly unique throwback cute comedy that everyone will love. 9/10