Movie Reviews - Inspired Living SA

Last week I was treated to a preview of Walt Disney Animation Studios “Wreck It Ralph”, a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping adventure.

When director Rich Moore joined Walt Disney Animation Studios and began developing “Wreck-It Ralph,” he had a big problem. “Arcade-game characters have no free will,” he says. “They’re programmed to do one thing day in and day out—they don’t have a choice in the matter. I thought, ‘That’s boring.’”

Or is it?

“I realized it’s actually a great conflict,” says the director. “Within this world, there are strict rules: you do one job and one job only. What if there was a character who didn’t like his job?”
At nine feet tall and 643 pounds, Ralph is certainly a force to be… well, wreck-oned with. He is a massive guy charged with wrecking the apartment building in a place called Niceland. Much to Ralph’s dismay, Fix-It Felix Jr. is called on to fix the building and save the day. With his magic hammer, Felix earns love, respect and a fancy gold medal, from the Nicelanders.

After 30 years of playing his assigned role of the “bad guy” Ralph decides to turn the tables, his plan is to win a medal and by doing so earn the kind of love and respect that Felix gets.

Ralph’s quest to win a medal will take him from his home in the game Fix-It Felix Jr. into the vast worlds the arcade has to offer. In his first adventure Ralph find himself in “Hero’s Duty”, a modern, first-person shooter game—it is brand new and the best game in the arcade. In this game, Sergeant Calhoun heads up a platoon of soldiers fighting off Cy-Bugs that are annihilating the universe. Calhoun and Ralph do not see eye to eye and her sole mission becomes getting Ralph off her turf. Ralph however will not let anything stand in the way of him getting his medal.

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Recently Super Mom Blog was invited to the screening of Adventures in Zambezia, which is the first animated feature film produced by Cape Town-based company Triggerfish. The event took place on Wednesday 19 October 2012 at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, to launch the Animation Festival in South Africa and was preceded by a cocktail function at The Pavilion.

Adventures in Zambezia was produced by Cape Town’s very own Triggerfish Animation Studios and earlier this year won the Best South African Feature Film category, at the 2012 Durban International Film Festival. The film show-cases the talents and hard work of 80 of SA’s top animators. Triggerfish Animation Studios is on the forefront of animation in Africa and after releasing in 12 weeks, in only the first 5 territories overseas, “Zambezia” is the most successful theatrical feature film to ever be produced by an African studio. The Film took 6 years to make and has premiered in 44 countries overseas and has been rated as the No 1 Film to come out of South Africa.

You will hear the well-known voices of Samuel L. Jackson as Tendai, Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park) as Ajax, Nik Rabinowitz and Richard E. Grant (Corpse Bride) as Cecil. As well as Jenifer Lewis (Cars, The Princess and the Frog) as Gogo and Jim Cummings (Shrek, Aladdin) as Budzo. The movie is written by Anthony Silverston, Raffaella Delle Donne, Andrew Cook, Wayne Thornley and directed by Wayne Thornley.

The story revolves around a young, high-spirited, falcon called Kai (Jeremy Suarez) and his father Tendai who live in a heavily fortified nest on the edge of a canyon. Kai leaves his father and his home and travels to “Zambezia” – a bird utopia situated in the middle of the spectacular Victoria Falls. Famous for being the safest city in all of Africa, Zambezia has become the breeding sanctuary throughout the river valley where birds of every feather can flock together in harmony and peace.

The peace in Zambezia is threatened by Igauna’s who have enlisted the help of the Marabous, to build a rope bridge to cross the Falls and attack the nests of the other birds. In order to help save Zambezia, Kai has to face his past and with the help of his father and the birds of Zambezia, he sets out to save the day! On his quest to help others, he begins a voyage of self-discovery and he learn more about himself and his capabilities.

The story line is simple enough for children to follow and the animation is colourful and bright with a pleasant soundtrack. There was no subtle adult humour which is often present in other animated movies, this is truly a movie for children. All in all it was a lovely movie to watch and the animation is world-class.

Adventures of Zambezia is due to open in local cinemas on the 28th December 2012.