Wreck-It Ralph

First off, I've reached over 3000 views! It's amazing how that managed to happen despite my absence. It just goes to show that I have some dedicated fans that never fail to make me smile! Thanks to you all poppets (yeah I'm in one of "those" moods) for sticking with me despite my lazy fingers.

Now....

ON TO WRECK-IT RALPH!

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I really struggled with what to say for this review because of my mixed personality. From the side of a reviewer I could see some flaws in this film (many steaming from it's trailer that aimed the plot of the movie in a far different direction than where is actually went), but from the view of a fangirl with both a passion for video games and cute, sugary concoctions (I promise I'll elaborate on that later) I was sucked into this game like all of us  zombified gamers have been known to do when a new Diablo game drops (Minus, perhaps the nerd rage at errors).

No disrespect meant, my man.
I freak out when my Amateur Surgeon 2 App does't work on my Iphone  

With all that said, I'm going to try my best to address both of my opinions, both as a reviewer and a gamer in hopes that I can reach some logical conclusion about how this movie ultimately made me feel and what you can expect it to do for you.

Let's start with the flaws of this movie to get all the negative energy out of the way. Well, maybe it's not fair for me to say this is going to be a negative critisim. Perhaps we are looking for the word frustrated. Having watched the trailer for this movie, I though Wreck-it Ralph was going to be about Ralph, a video game villain wanting more out of life (in true Disney fashion) and deciding to go to the game Heroes Duty (Every pun IS intended) and proving he can save the day. (SPOILERS AHEAD) Well that is exactly what this movie does, for about 10 minutes of it's runtime.

No, Ralph quickly overcomes the challenges of Heroes Duty (which really makes me question it's true difficulty for a game advertised to be a Super Meat Boy style grinder....my pun intended) and accidentally ends up in the almost sickeningly sweet racer game, Sugar Rush. It is in this game that we spend the majority of the movie. This is where my conflict comes in. I'm sure plenty of hardcore gamers went to this game expecting a solid tribute to video game nostalgia and were met with wacky worlds of original creation. Don't get me wrong, Sugar Rush certainly gave me the feel of Snowboard Kids if it was dipped in bubblegum and sprinkles. Still, I worried that some of the guys out there would be turned off by it's candy coated sentiment. I honestly would love to hear my male fan base's opinion on this setting choice. Ralph's main companion through the movie is an overly adorable little girl/glitch name Vanellope.

Okay...with all that said....my inner fangirl needs to come out and say this very clearly. This movie isn't perfect. It has a pretty predictable story and we all know exactly how it's going to end, but you know what? I LOVED it. Call me a girly girl if you need, but I adored Sugar Rush and would play it in a heart beat if it was a real game and/or if I had any skills in racer games. I loved Vanellope even when she could be a little annoying with her banter. I genuinely felt for her, a humble little glitch looking to belong, much like Ralph.

I also appreciated the subtle nods to the greats of games. I won't spoil them all for you (But please post all the cameos you noticed!) but it tickled me pink how much love and knowledge of games went into the background of this film. I'm sure that Sugar Rush was the better setting vs. Heroes Duty because parents would find it nonthreatening (less video game violence) and this movie would appeal to girls just as much as it does to boys.

If there is one thing I can really appreciate about this movie is that it could possible turn more girls on to video games. And in a society where more of us girls are slowly working over to the dark side, I couldn't be happier.

So over all, if you are looking to have simple, sugary fun this movie with hug your at your gamer core, if you are looking for a lot of deep substance with a fresh plot or non-stop video game intensity, this movie might not be your cup of tea.

Now for a change of pace, something ridiculously girly/warped to balance me out ^_^

(Would you love me any other way?)

Tootles Darlings!

Xo

Babbles of a Fangirl - I'm a Little Teapot!!!!

Gah....it's been one of those days/weeks.  It seems that everything that could be stressful, is.  Go figure, right?  I was going to write a long post about D&D and minotaurs, but I just don't feel it right now.  maybe I should just go to bed right now (stayed up late enough watching a live broadcast of JonTron yesterday).  Wait....I have an idea.  There might just be a light at the end of the tunnel (no not death) because I've got an old trick. Whenever I need something calm and soothing to drink, I fire up the kettle, pull out my finest cup, and get to brewing some tasty tea! (Now excuse me why I go make a cup ^_^)

What? I was serious.

Ah...much better <3!  You know what?  This got me thinking about tea and now I want to tell you about the teas that I love.  Why?  Because too many tea parties as a little girl will do that to you.  So pull up your ties and pop on your top hats, because it's time to look at my favorite flavors of tea!

Almond Coconut Macaroon Tea

Say it five times fast!

Oh almond coconut macaroon....where have you been all my life?  No seriously.  I have been able to find this particular flavor at exactly ONE store and go figure, it's not the cheap place, but this is totally worth the price!  Given to me a Christmas gift (yes, I ask for tea for Xmas.  The ^cup^ above is also a gift from the same person...THANKS HONEY!) this tea has stolen my heart ever since.  Despite being a mouthful of a name, it is actually a quite subtle tasting tea.  The almond is the dominant flavor, giving you a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven-cookie feel.  The coconut is not anywhere as potent as you'd think it be, providing a nice back flavor that perks up your taste buds.  If you are a fan of coconut, almonds, or just and adventurous tea drinker, this one will leave you with all smiles! =) <---like this!

Coconut Cocoa
How to I summarize this properly?  First off, I know it says cocoa, but it is no where near as muddy as cocoa.  You still get that watery texture that you find in tea.  Think of it as a much more subtle sister of the cocoa family.  Now as for the flavor, this is going to be simple for anyone above a rock to understand -- it taste like samoas.  YES, exactly what you are thinking.  This tastes like a liquid girl scout cookie.  If you love those cookies, you might go through this tin in a day.  If you hate those cookies, pass this one by.  Personally, I have to be in the right mood for this one because of it's dominate flavor, but that's just me!

My anti-drug

Cardamon Cinnamon
Oh, cardamon cinnamon, where would I be with out you?  Oh yes, curled up in a ball, still trying to figure out how to finish an entire semesters worth of project in one weekend.  Seriously, every time I'm stressed out my boyfriend says, "Go make a cup of tea." and I usually reach for this guy.  It's what I'm drinking in the picture above.  I'm not sure why, but there is something soothing about what I like to call a "cinnamon bomb" because it provides that spunky kick I often need to get my ass moving. This one is defiantly a pick-me-up kinda flavor, with that oh-so-sweet taste that reminds you that everything is going to be okay!

Spring Cherry Tea
Now we are tip-toeing into unfamiliar territory.  The next few teas are flavors I haven't tried, but would love to (who knows, maybe I'll make a tea-tasting video!) when the budget allows.  I love cherries.  It's always been my choice of sucker flavor and I can't get enough of chocolate flavored cherries during the holidays!  I would be more than happy to give this little guy a sip!  I'd imaging it's smooth and subtle, much like the petal of a cherry blossom gliding in the wind to gently brush your cheek.  <---See that....it's poetry!  And crappy poetry at that!  Maybe this tea will help me with writing my poetry...or maybe it'll just make it worse.  Who knows!  But I'm willing to find out!

Shall hence be known as faint tea!

 Red Velvet Choco...WHAT?!? 
Tea that tastes like red velvet.....OMFG!  I'll take 8 gazillion please! I just, I...oh boy..Mother of Pinkamena Diane Pie...I just....
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Woah....I think I blacked out for a second there....um...what was I?  Oh let's just move on.

After all that, I think I might need a fresh cup of tea!  What do you think of some of the flavors discussed?  Are you willing to give it a try?  Know anything fun, adventurous, or tasty I should try?  Let me know.  For now, I will will contentedly nurture my mug with all the tea I can get.  Oh!  And the teas I discussed can be found at http://www.republicoftea.com/

It's worth every penny! 

Until next time, Toodles!

Xoxo

(Ps: I hear that there's been unicorn sightings in my neighborhood....has anyone else had similar incidents in their area?)