Struggles With Writing
Struggles with writing
I must admit something to everyone --- I have been attempting to write a screenplay for quite some time now.
The idea came to me while I was recollecting my film reviews and thinking about how most film critics haven't had a produced screenplay or actively participated in the filmmaking process (the notable exception to this is Roger Ebert and his script for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. My educational background is in engineering, but one of my passions since high school was watching movies and films and becoming an amateur critic and cinephile. I love seeing the disparate genres and techniques, the history of American and international cinema informing and influencing specific artists and works, and evolving my idea of what makes a film or movie "good" or "bad."
However, I believed that my critiques would be limited in quality and understanding if I didn't at least attempt to participate in some part of the filmmaking process. In the film adaptation of High Fidelity, Rob Gordon, purveyor of "high pop culture," decides to try his hand at the music business by helping some local skater punks put out a record they recorded and he liked. As Laura, his girlfriend, highlights, he is now a part of the culture that he and his friends have observed and critiqued from a bird's eye view. With High Fidelity being one of my favorite films and with wanting to hone my critical eye, I was partly inspired by that plot development to participate in the filmmaking process by writing a draft script.
However, there have been several issues that have popped up throughout the process. The first and most important issue is that I haven't written fiction since junior high for assignments. I haven't lost my sense of imagination --- I've had several ideas for stories appear in my thoughts, and I can come up with a couple of big scenes that I feel would make a major impact. The problem is that I can't fill in the blanks when it comes to those thoughts. Since the beginning of college, I have been a glorified essayist as an amateur critic. Nonfiction has been my writing field. Writing critiques and essays come more naturally to me because the audience is me. The thoughts are mine. Everything said is what I want to say.
This informs of my second major issue --- Who is my audience?
Writing critiques and essays does require understanding of who the author wants to read his/her work, but the tailoring process, at least to me, is easier with these works because the end result is still clearly in the author's control. Compromises are made in the flow and diction, but the thoughts are pure.
When I write critiques or essays, my idea of the audience is people who want to read the "hows" and "whys" or for people who want to learn to read the "hows" and "whys." My critiques are never "cut-to-the-chase" works. I want to lay out what I thought was good and bad and then show why the structure is strengthened or weakened due to those proficiencies and deficiencies. Ideally, I want the "cut-to-the-chase" readers to read my critiques and become more inquisitive about the idea of "good" and "bad." Understandably, this is a flawed hope due to my writing approach being static and wanting more people to become elastic when it usually takes the approach to become more elastic to get the static readers. I still hold to my ideals, though, and it is why I see writing critiques and essays as a less compromising form.
My attempt at writing fiction stalls because my definition of the audience has now increased in size. I don't want to write a script that only caters to me (i.e. Michael Scott from The Office and his script for Threat Level Midnight). I want to write something that will keep someone's interest yet be authentic with the characters and their motivations. It's easy to write characters with my voice and thoughts, but I obviously can't make every character that way. It worked for Kevin Smith for a decade, but then it stopped working for Kevin Smith (one can only write so many permutations of Clerks before the idea loses traction). Once I think about the audience, I start to lose grasp of the idea, gaps begin to enlarge, and it all iterates until I have hit the point of overthinking.
My final major issue, and one that is specific to screenwriting, is this --- how the hell do I write something that is interesting for at least 90 minutes?
This issue is due to how the logical part of my mind works. I look at my ideas and develop a very basic plot. While looking at the plot, I fill in the blanks and realize that the plot could be completed in 15 to 30 minutes (if one thinks this is how writing for a television show works, that's only part of the battle --- a American season is at least 13 episodes, and coming up with a good story arc for several episodes is no easy task, so good luck coming up with the other 12+ episodes). Then I start thinking of subplots, but they start to appear arbitrary to the general plot, and the whole structure collapses in my head. The unwritten rule for a feature film is at least 90 minutes. If I can't come up with something that will hold for a third of that, then how will I be able to develop something for more?
I haven't even gotten to the actual writing part and have seen how difficult the process is. I have a deep respect for those who can write fiction in any medium. It takes a great deal of effort and focus just to get through the initial steps. Maybe I should focus on developing a short-film idea, maybe I'll never finish that screenplay or am not meant for fiction, or maybe the mental breakthrough will happen some ways down the road.
The goal of writing a screenplay is currently out of reach. It's frustrating as hell, but maybe I'll learn something from this journey to expand my horizons.
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My Workout For Saturday January 18
I earned 525 points for my workout on Fitocracy!
Moving boxes +480 pts
4:00:00 || Easy (+480 pts)
Shoveling snow +45 pts
0:15:00 (+45 pts)
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My Workout For Sunday January 05
I earned 706 points for my workout on Fitocracy!
Running (treadmill) +88 pts
0:20:00 || 1.5 mi || 1 % (+88 pts)
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +83 pts
20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)
25 lb x 12 reps (+42 pts)
Bent Over Barbell Row +49 pts
55 lb x 10 reps (+25 pts)
55 lb x 8 reps (+24 pts)
Barbell Squat +177 pts
45 lb x 12 reps (+43 pts)
55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)
55 lb x 10 reps (+45 pts)
55 lb x 8 reps (+43 pts)
Dumbbell Bench Press +195 pts
25 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)
35 lb x 10 reps (+51 pts)
35 lb x 8 reps (+49 pts)
35 lb x 8 reps (+49 pts)
Upright Barbell Row +43 pts
45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)
55 lb x 10 reps (+22 pts)
Romanian Deadlift +69 pts
45 lb x 12 reps (+34 pts)
55 lb x 10 reps (+35 pts)
Stretching +2 pts
0:10:00 (+2 pts)
Think you can beat me, or want to comment?
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My Workout For Thursday January 30
I earned 794 points for my workout on Fitocracy!
Stretching +2 pts
0:10:00 (+2 pts)
Barbell Deadlift +210 pts
65 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)
85 lb x 10 reps (+55 pts)
85 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)
85 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)
Dips - Triceps Version +10 pts
1 reps (+2 pts)
12 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
8 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)
7 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)
4 reps || assisted || 100 lb (+2 pts)
Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press +175 pts
15 lb x 12 reps (+44 pts)
20 lb x 12 reps (+47 pts)
25 lb x 7 reps (+46 pts)
25 lb x 4 reps (+38 pts)
Standing Calf Raises +18 pts
12 reps || weighted || 65 lb (+4 pts)
12 reps || weighted || 85 lb (+5 pts)
12 reps || weighted || 95 lb (+5 pts)
10 reps || weighted || 105 lb (+4 pts)
Dumbbell Bench Press +155 pts
30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)
40 lb x 12 reps (+56 pts)
45 lb x 5 reps (+50 pts)
Tried to do a fourth set, but my body couldn't push through. Next time...
Barbell Squat +224 pts
65 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)
85 lb x 12 reps (+57 pts)
95 lb x 10 reps (+59 pts)
95 lb x 10 reps (+59 pts)
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The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Film Review
An act. A simple, defiant act from one person. The intent was to call one man's bluff. The result is the beginning of something far larger than one could have imagined, something that could change the world but leave a path of devastation in the process. Can that person live with himself/herself knowing what the consequences of his/her decision will be? Can he/she become the hero the larger picture desperately wants him/her to be? This idea is explored in the film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Francis Lawrence's adaptation of the second book in Suzanne Collins' massively popular The Hunger Games trilogy, and while it does suffer from "middle film syndrome," the stronger story, excellent acting, and thematic focus make it an improvement over the very good first film. In the 74th Hunger Games, Panem's District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark challenged the gamemakers and the Capitol by threatening to kill themselves and yield no winner. The authorities acquiesced and let both live. However, this act of defiance, coupled with Katniss' compassion toward a tribute from District 11, planted the seeds of insurrection that has been met with equally violent suppression. President Snow, ruler of Panem, makes a deal with Katniss - sell the idea that her defiance was an act of love for Peeta and aid in quelling the burgeoning rebellious atmosphere or see her and Peeta's loved ones die. Katniss, loyal to her family above all, decides to continue the charade of love, but as the victory lap across the other Districts commences, she witnesses the oppressive state in action, and the charade collapses. Snow decides that for the 75th Hunger Games, the third Quarter Quell, tributes that survived the previous Games are the only eligible tributes. putting Katniss and Peeta back into the Games. However, this time isn't just about survival --- revolution is in the air, and Katniss has to decide if she can bring things back to the status quo or if she can become symbol of the revolution that is desired of her. The first film only hinted at the thematic elements that come into play throughout the entire story. In Catching Fire, the exploration of violence and revolution and the personal cost of each comes to the forefront. Katniss, Peeta, and their mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, all are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Katniss is explicitly suffering from nightmares and emotional triggers, Peeta is struggling to move forward with his life, and Haymitch is severely self-medicating with alcohol. Haymitch reiterates to Katniss several times that there are no winners of The Hunger Games, just survivors, and there is no end to the involvement in the Games as now they must be mentors to other tributes from District 12, reliving the horrors the Games gave them. Compound that with having to keep up the show that Katniss put on involving falling for Peeta, and Katniss sees how the Games have eternally forced her to live a lie, crushing whatever spirit she has left. The first half of the film compares and contrasts this with the unrest and oppression of the Districts and the mindless disconnect of the Capitol. The second half becomes more plot-driven as the 75th Hunger Games gets underway, causing the film to have a split personality, but the thematic focus is constant, and the brutality of the story's universe is felt with major impact. The screenplay drafted by Simon Beaufoy and rewritten by Michael Arndt (credited as Michael deBruyn) does a great job highlighting the thematic points without making them obvious, and the editing work by Alan Edward Bell as well as the cinematography by Jo Willems fix the incoherence of the action sequences in the first film, making a solid story worth watching. James Newton Howard's film score accentuates the tonal shifts of the film without becoming overbearing. The strong acting that was the main reason to watch the first film is also much improved. Jennifer Lawrence has been nothing but a high-quality actress since her breakthrough in Winter's Bone, and her winning a well-deserved Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook has not caused her to settle. The weariness and loss of innocence in Katniss' eyes and her struggles with PTSD draw the audience into the story more than before. Her chemistry with everyone is natural, and her physicality balances her emotional frailty. Jennifer Lawrence is still the number one reason why this film series has been successful. Her talent seems limitless, and with how incredible she is at playing a wide range of roles, she may be this generation's Meryl Streep. Josh Hutcherson improves significantly in this film, not only holding his own against Jennifer Lawrence but also giving the film a counterbalance to Katniss. While Katniss is struggling with nightmares, Peeta is simply stuck in neutral. He knows he shouldn't have won the Hunger Games, and he's aware that Katniss' affections were a ruse, but his existence is a lonely one, and his only wish is to form some connection to the one person who is the reason he is still alive. Josh Hutcherson stil exudes the same charm as before, but he now gives Peeta more gravitas, more baggage, more of what we wanted him to be in the first film - someone about whom the audience truly cares. Woody Harrelson evolves the darkly comic relief of Haymitch Abernathy in the first film to something more tragic --- a man who is eternally haunted by "winning" a Hunger Game. He is who Katniss could become. His alcoholism and sardonic demeanor is still played for laughs from time to time, but Haymitch now imbues that humor with melancholy and provide a reason for Haymitch to be the smart-ass that he is. Woody Harrelson is just fantastic. Elizabeth Banks takes Effie Trinket, the symbol of Capitol disconnect, and gives her humanity, showing that her fashion and eloquence has become a facade for her compassion. Lenny Kravitz continues to emanate charm, charisma, and style as Cinna. Stanley Tucci and Doug Jones provide the necessary jovial counterpoint to the seriousness of the film as the co-hosts of the Hunger Games proceedings. Donald Sutherland takes President Snow from the imposing father figure in the first film to the great manipulator in this film, and his calm demeanor accentuates the danger of his threats. The newcomers all hold their own against the series' veterans. Jena Malone is exciting as tribute Johanna Mason, portraying pure id with her deliberate undressing in the presence of Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch, her unfiltered voice, and her unhinged actions and reactions throughout the Quarter Quell Jeffrey Wright and Amanda Plummer get to play superego as eccentric, intelligent tributes Beetee and Wiress, respectively, who carefully plan out how to utilize the environment to their advantage, and both shine in their roles. Sam Claflin is wonderful as tribute Finnick Odair, the ego who helps Katniss and Peeta stay alive while understanding the long-term goal and reminding Katniss of "who the real enemy is." Philip Seymour Hoffman is in reliably top form as new head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, and although his appearance is brief, his presence is felt, and it will be a pleasure to he him more in the next installment. The film does suffer a case of "middle film syndrome," mostly due to the nature of the story and how the first book was adapted. The first film barely hinted at the burgeoning revolution, only showing one riot --- in District 11, and through its focus on the people of the Capitol as the primary viewership, a group that is isolated from the oppression. The oppression was present, but the unrest was more of an afterthought --- the people of each District had found ways to live within the confines of Panem. It makes transitioning to the second film jarring as now the oppression and unrest are felt in every frame. This film succeeds in reintroducing everything and everyone without excessive exposition. If one was to start watching the series with this entry, he/she would be able to follow the story pretty well with few questions. The ending leaves a bit to be desired emotionally and hangs the story at an ellipses than a defined period. Many second films, or at least a film prior to the end, hang at an ellipses without completing its own arc --- the implied sole purpose is to set up the next film. Even great and successful films such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers couldn't circumvent this. The Empire Strikes Back had a plot-related ellipses, but that film had a complete emotional arc that was independent yet integral to the entire series. With Catching Fire, by being more literal in its adaptation, the ending introduces new ideas and plot points just to set up the next film, and it makes the film feel incomplete. However, it could be recommended to start with this entry due to it being a different director. Gary Ross did a successful job with the first film, but Francis Lawrence fleshes out the universe with impressive details and allows the actors to drive the story forward. Aside from the exposition heavy ending, Francis Lawrence succeeds greatly at the "show, don't tell" approach. The best moment in the film, and the scene that is the one to beat in the entire series, is a brief but powerful sequence involving the announcement that the Quarter Quell will draw its tributes from only the surviving victors of every Game. It starts with the emotional devastation of Katniss' family, followed by an angry and distressed Haymitch screaming and throwing an empty bottle at the screen, then a stunned and frightened Peeta having the gravity of the announcement push him into his chair, ending with Katniss, emotionally destroyed, running into the woods, gasping for air while screaming in dismay. This reads like it's melodrama, but the way the director lets the actors play this moment, it's the most human, most emotionally devastating moment in the entire film. The hope that Katniss accidentally instilled in the Districts after winning the last Game has left these three people in that moment, and it ultimately sets everything in motion for the rest of the story. This moment gives hope that Francis Lawrence will make the next films in the series better and better. His touch has upped the ante of the series, and while it may be nothing more than the middle film of the series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a great adaptation, a very good film with powerful moments, and a sign that the series is in good hands.
Movie Rating: 8.5/10 A tense and thought-provoking first half gives way to a thrilling second half that don't gel together ideally but are wonderfully executed halves.
Film Rating: 8.5/10 The themes of violence from the first film evolve into revolution and reluctant heroism; even an open-ended conclusion doesn't diminish from overall
Hunger Games Film Rating: 9/10 The efficiency of the first film is traded for a fuller experience, one that is emotionally rewarding and viscerally entertaining.
My Workout For Sunday February 02
I earned 731 points for my workout on Fitocracy!
Plank +18 pts
30 sec (+10 pts)
25 sec (+8 pts)
Dumbbell Shrug +80 pts
25 lb x 12 reps (+19 pts)
35 lb x 12 reps (+20 pts)
40 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)
40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl +104 pts
15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)
25 lb x 8 reps (+26 pts)
25 lb x 7 reps (+26 pts)
25 lb x 8 reps (+26 pts)
Reverse Crunch +83 pts
18 reps (+23 pts)
17 reps (+22 pts)
15 reps (+19 pts)
15 reps (+19 pts)
Upright Barbell Row +93 pts
45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)
65 lb x 10 reps (+24 pts)
65 lb x 10 reps (+24 pts)
65 lb x 10 reps (+24 pts)
Bent Over Barbell Row +124 pts
65 lb x 12 reps (+28 pts)
85 lb x 12 reps (+32 pts)
95 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)
95 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)
Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift +202 pts
55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)
75 lb x 10 reps (+52 pts)
75 lb x 10 reps (+52 pts)
75 lb x 10 reps (+52 pts)
Stretching +2 pts
0:10:00 (+2 pts)
Pull-Up +8 pts
12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)
8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
7 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
3 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)
Side Plank +17 pts
25 sec (+17 pts)
Think you can beat me, or want to comment?
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Now available for free on both iPhone and Android!
My Workout For Thursday January 09
I earned 711 points for my workout on Fitocracy!
Dumbbell Bench Press +196 pts
25 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)
30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)
35 lb x 12 reps (+52 pts)
40 lb x 6 reps (+49 pts)
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +163 pts
15 lb x 12 reps (+40 pts)
20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)
25 lb x 10 reps (+41 pts)
25 lb x 10 reps (+41 pts)
Standing Dumbbell Upright Row +103 pts
15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)
20 lb x 10 reps (+26 pts)
20 lb x 10 reps (+26 pts)
20 lb x 8 reps (+25 pts)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl +102 pts
15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)
20 lb x 10 reps (+26 pts)
20 lb x 8 reps (+25 pts)
20 lb x 7 reps (+25 pts)
Dumbbell Shrug +71 pts
15 lb x 12 reps (+17 pts)
20 lb x 12 reps (+18 pts)
25 lb x 10 reps (+18 pts)
25 lb x 10 reps (+18 pts)
Reverse Crunch +52 pts
10 reps (+13 pts)
10 reps (+13 pts)
10 reps (+13 pts)
10 reps (+13 pts)
Cycling (stationary) +14 pts
0:05:30 || 1.0 mi || 5 % (+14 pts)
Dips - Triceps Version +8 pts
12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)
8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)
Stretching +2 pts
0:10:00 (+2 pts)
Think you can beat me, or want to comment?
Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!
Now available for free on both iPhone and Android!
My Workout For Saturday January 11
I earned 111 points for my workout on Fitocracy!
Running (treadmill) +16 pts
0:05:00 || 0.3 mi || 1 % (+16 pts)
Cycling (stationary) +79 pts
0:07:30 || 2 mi || 7 % (+49 pts)
0:06:20 || 1.5 mi || 5 % (+30 pts)
Chin-Up +8 pts
12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)
8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
7 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)
Dips - Triceps Version +8 pts
12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)
12 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)
4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)
5 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)
Think you can beat me, or want to comment?
Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!
Now available for free on both iPhone and Android!
It’s Mad Men Week on The A.V. Club
As you’re probably aware, Mad Men returns on Sunday, April 5, kicking off the final seven episodes of its heralded seven-season run. In honor of the show’s return and final wrapup, The A.V. Club is offering extra madmen-amc coverage all this week. We kick things off today with:
The tao of Don: 17 pop-cultural predecessors to Mad Men
Mad Men’s Jay R. Ferguson on Zach Galifianakis and kids-only planes
Don Draper is no antihero
More at avclub.com
Wreck-It Ralph Review
Henry David Thoreau said in his novel Walden: "The mass of men lead lives of quite desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation." A person faces this moment of resignation when realizing the monotony of his or her life. How a person handles that moment defines his or her character. Rich Moore's Wreck-It Ralph, the latest film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, is a beautiful, fully-rendered take on this . Wreck-It Ralph is the villain of the Donkey Kong-inspired fictional arcade game Fix-It Felix, Jr. The game sits in Litwak's Arcade with several other games. After the arcade closes for the day, the games' characters come together in their own universe, living like humans do after a day of work - hanging out together, getting drinks, going home, and having parties. On the 30th anniversary of Fix-It Felix, Jr.'s release, the characters throw a party to celebrate without inviting Ralph. Fed up with being seen as only a villain, he decides to "game-jump" - leave his proper game and enter another - in order to prove that he can be a hero. However, his game-jumping yields the possibility of not only closing his game up for good but also wreaking havoc on other games' viability in the arcade. His journey leads him to Vanellope von Schweetz, a misfit in the candy-coated fictional racing game Sugar Rush who glitches uncontrollably and is feared to scare away gamers if she is allowed to actively race. Both see the desire to be more than who they are seen to be, and both work together to try to make their dreams come true. The sheer detail put into the universe crafted is astounding. Not only are classics like Pac-Man, Tapper, Street Fighter II, and Q-bert mentioned, their characters play small but significant parts to the film. The 8-bit style movements of the ancillary Fix-It Felix, Jr. characters start as a gag that slowly becomes a quirk that would have been unnatural to leave out. Even the send-up of first-person action games in the construct of Hero's Duty and of racing games in the construct of Sugar Rush evolve to define their respective gaming environments. A film of this nature could have simply rested on its laurels by making as many arcade game and geek culture references like this as possible. What Wreck-It Ralph does so successfully is run askew of expectations, providing an exciting, engaging, and thought-provoking experience. The voice acting is top-notch. John C. Reilly turns on his lovable oaf mode for the title character. Reilly is a versatile character actor, spanning drama and comedy with ease, and he has perfected the lovable oaf through several of his films, but his Ralph is imbibed with more heart and self-assurance than usual. Part outcast, part father-figure, all soul, Ralph is fully realized by Reilly. Sarah Silverman inverts her raunchy schtick into something annoyingly adorable as Vanellope von Schweetz. Her approach to Vanellope is very much like Lily Tomlin's Edith Ann character but more fully fleshed out. Her chemistry with Reilly is impeccable, and her moments of sadness are as significantly felt has her moments of euphoria, and Silverman makes Vanellope a truly memorable figure of innocence. Alan Tudyk channels Ed Wynn, the voice of the Mad Hatter from the original Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland, with wonderful effect as King Candy, the hilarious and threatening antagonist of Sugar Rush. Tudyk takes Wynn's vocal tics and amplifies them to 11. His versatility is impressive, and he plays off Silverman and Reilly with ease. Jane Lynch plays a variation of her Sue Sylvester from Glee as Sergeant Calhoun, the lead soldier in the light-gun game Hero's Duty. Calhoun is someone that should have been in the film Aliens, a strong-willed and determined soldier whose deep fear of her game's antagonists hilariously borders on paranoia. Her backstory is played for laughs as it should, but Lynch effectively takes that backstory and fills in the emotional gaps Calhoun would have had, making Calhoun an affecting creation. Jack McBrayer is known for playing the sweet, innocent, "Mayberry-type" character. What makes his approach to Felix notable in his repertoire is how rooted in Disney tradition Felix is. Felix is the only character in the film who can do nothing but the right thing. He's so rooted in in the moral high ground that he cannot help but be attracted to Calhoun, someone who is as determined to do good as he is. He is Jiminy Cricket, Thumper, Flounder, and Zazu combined, and Felix never comes across as false or overdrawn under McBrayer's approach. The writing, as done by Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee, is tight and perfectly structured, using Pixar's Toy Story as a template. The initial plot point - Ralph wanting a medal to prove he is a hero - gives way to several plot points, such as Vanellope's desire to be a full-fledged racer, Felix falling for the equally heroic Calhoun, Calhoun's backstory of a lost love, and the story of a long lost arcade game in which the character game-jumped and caused both his game and the other game were taken out of the arcade permanently. The writing is so taut that each of these plot points are resolved and have significance in the overall story, and Johnston and Lee allow the audience to trust them to guide the story effortlessly. The result is a fast-paced story with heart and soul, the best paced animated film from Disney in a long time. Rich Moore has a long history with animation, directing several of the finest episodes of The Simpsons and having a hand in the finest episodes of Futurama. Moore knows how to balance story and themes, and he allows the film to be unpredictable, trusting every actor and crewmember to carry the foundation of the film. Maybe the most impressive aspect of the film is that foundation. So many plot points, so many characters, so many references, so many details, but none of it feels overwhelming. It's all because of the foundation. Ralph is thirty years old, and being treated as the villain all these years has him facing his own quiet desperation. He wants to be a hero. He wants the appreciation Felix gets from the building tenants. He wants to do good deeds without anyone fearing him. He wants to break out of that desperation. From this point, the film begins to address the following - what does it mean to be a hero, and is resignation the point of no return? Ralph starts out purely selfish in his desire to earn a medal that shows that he's a hero. After meeting Vanellope and becoming a part of her selfish game of becoming a full-fledged racer, their mutual selfishness gives way to a strong friendship based on doing anything to make the other person's dreams come true. The natural evolution of their friendship is fantastic, and moments of struggle and hardship are fully felt. In the end, the point of resignation shows what all of the characters are truly worth, and the film's ending is earned without succumbing to melodrama. Walt Disney Animation Studios has ironically been seen as a step-sibling to Pixar as of late. Starting with Tangled, Walt Disney Animation Studios has slowly built itself back to relevance. With Wreck-It Ralph, Walt Disney Animation Studios has made a film that is on par with Pixar's repertoire and stands as the finest animated Disney film since the Disney Renaissance of the late 80's and early 90's. Here's hoping that this is the beginning of another Renaissance. Movie Rating: 9.5/10 The best paced animated film Disney has released in a long time. Film Rating: 9/10 The Hero's Journey gives way to how to face the point of resignation - with head held high and the resolve that this is not the end. Disney Film Rating: 9/10 It's not a straight kid's film due to some of the subject matter, but it's perfect fun for the whole family. Video Game Film Rating: 10/10 By not being about a real video game in particular, the film focuses on the characters and on the arcade universe in general, becoming the greatest video game film ever in the process.
My life in film reviews, music reviews, life analysis, and what's going on just down the line in my mind.
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