The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Monday, November 26, 2018 — 5A
WALT DISNEY PICTURES
Making a good sequel is an
art that few movie franchises
have mastered. The success
of “The Incredibles” hinged
on the fact that the original
audience had grown up and
would pay to see it simply
for the nostalgic feeling it
invoked. “Harry Potter” had
a built-in sequel, though flops
like “Percy Jackson and the
Olympians” have shown that
this
doesn’t
always
mean
immediate
success.
“Ralph
Breaks
the
Internet,”
the
second movie in the “Wreck-
It Ralph” series, had neither
nostalgia nor a pre-written
plot on its side, but maybe
that’s exactly what made it
such an entertaining thing to
watch.
The movie opens with a
FaceTime call with its creators,
already setting the tone for the
kind of fourth-wall breaking,
sub-tweeting
moments
to
come. It moves on to Vanellope
(Sarah Silverman, “A Million
Ways to Die in the West”)
voicing her concerns about
wanting
more
excitement
from life. It’s a cliché but
relevant sentiment, especially
in the Millennial generation,
whose dry humor the movie
tries to mimic. On the other
hand, Ralph, voiced by John
C. Reilly (“Step Brothers”),
is
a
very
one-dimensional
character. Where Vanellope
spends hours considering her
place in the digital world,
Ralph simply wonders when
he’ll have his next root beer.
It’s this simplicity though, that
gets the whole movie going and
what eventually helps Ralph
break the internet.
Physically
depicting
the
internet,
in
itself,
is
an
interesting
concept.
But
“Ralph Breaks the Internet”
doesn’t just leave it at lovable
characters
or
creating
a
complex metropolis to show
the online world. The internet
that
Vanellope
and
Ralph
encounter is also a fierce
reflection of the way our world
works. Each person connected
to the internet is represented
by
a
small
block-headed
person, oblivious to everyone
and everything around them,
just like in the real world. Even
within Ralph and Vanellope,
we see generational differences
in the way people perceive the
internet — Vanellope’s intricate
understanding mirroring that
of the young people who grew
up with it and Ralph lumbering
around the online world with
only a vague concept of what
the internet is. The movie
uses Ralph and his innocence
to explore the savage nature
of an ever-changing public
opinion, especially regarding
those that gain quick internet
fame. One scene shows Ralph
standing among and staring at
a never-ending set of columns
filled with internet comments,
a jarring portrayal of the way
people can become lost in the
negativity of internet trolls.
Where
“Ralph
Breaks
the
Internet”
exploits
the
downfalls of our society, it
also works to fill the void
of strong female characters
missing in film and Disney
movies especially. Vanellope
is a curious and outgoing
character;
contrasted
with
Ralph’s
unassuming,
blubbering
demeanor,
she
comes
across
as
an
even
stronger person. As the film
so blatantly points out in the
Disney
princess
dressing
room, this kind of dynamic is
uncharacteristic of cartoons
and is a refreshing change
to the typical Disney trope.
What’s
more,
the
major
supporting
characters
are
women in leadership roles —
Shank (Gal Gadot, “Wonder
Woman”) is a firm gang leader
and Yaz is “head algorithm,”
making decisions that affect
the fate of the internet. Her
role is reminiscent of Meryl
Streep’s
iconic
Miranda
Priestley in “The Devil Wears
Prada.” The movie goes one
step further and not only
breaks stereotypes with its
own characters but pushes the
Disney princesses into a space
that’s less about their damsel
in distress status.
This
being
said,
“Ralph
Breaks the Internet” doesn’t
set itself up for longevity; the
jokes rely heavily on a detailed
understanding
of
current
internet culture, the thing
that matters most is that Ralph
and Vanellope end up with the
kind of friendship we all want
in our lives. Understanding
their differences is an integral
message of “Ralph Breaks the
Internet” and brings the movie
home.
EMMA CHANG
Daily Arts Writer
“Ralph Breaks
the Internet”
Cinemark Theaters
Walt Disney
Pictures
‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’
is a heartfelt, timely sequel
FILM REVIEW
The internet
that Vanellope
and Ralph
encounter is also
a fierce reflection
of the way our
world works
“I do solemnly swear that
I will faithfully execute the
Office of President of the
United States, and will to the
best of my ability, preserve,
protect
and
defend
the
Constitution of the United
States.”
These
are
the
words
spoken by every US president
before they take office. It is
an oath that has been heard
by hundreds of millions of
people, echoed by 44 men. It
is a promise to the people of
the United States that they
will work in their elected
position
with
dignity
and
integrity, a promise to uphold
the values and laws laid out
in the nation’s constitution.
In “Enemies: The President,
Justice, and the FBI,” a new
four-part documentary from
directors
Jed
Rothstein
(“Made in America”) and Alex
Gibney (“The Clinton Affair”),
it is a promise that is often
broken.
“Enemies”
follows
four
of the biggest presidential
controversies of the past 50
years. It starts with Nixon’s
SAMANTHA DELLA FERA
Daily Arts Writer
Timely ‘Enemies’ explores
presidential controversies
TV REVIEW
Watergate
scandal,
then
progresses
into
the
Iran-
Contra Deal and the Clinton
trials
before
ending
on
Trump’s Mueller probe and
the accusations of election
interference
from
Russia.
Trump is only named as the
subject of a single episode, but
his presence is obvious and
available in each of the series’s
episodes. A newscast recapping
the
beginning
of
Russian
meddling at the Democratic
National
Convention
cuts
to a ’70s anchor reporting
the DNC at Watergate had
been bugged. Clips of Trump
denying Russian collusion fade
to Reagan denying a hostages-
for-arms
deal.
Trump
complaining about a “witch
hunt” turns into Clinton being
questioned
about
Monica
Lewinsky. There is no doubt as
to why a series on presidential
scandals is being released in
2018.
Based
on
the
novel
“Enemies: A History of the
FBI” by Tim Weiner, a former
correspondent to The New
York Times, “Enemies” is not
trying to offer analysis or an
opportunity for viewers to
think deeper. The series is
essentially a history lesson
from a cool, young professor. It
tells viewers the information
they already know but this
time accompanied by effective
graphics
and
compelling
interviews.
This is not to say the show
is not worth your time. As
headlines
become
more
shocking by the day, “Enemies”
reminds us that not all that
much has changed. There was
a time people never thought
the president would think of
himself above the law, until he
did. A time they didn’t think a
beloved leader would collude
with international enemies,
until he did. A time no one
thought an offensive man with
no political experience and
an insatiable ego would be
elected, until he was.
“Enemies” gives viewers the
tools necessary to challenge
the outdated sentiment that a
president must be trusted and
respected. There is no reason
to trust a man that seems like
he has something to hide.
There is no reason to respect
a man that breaks his word
to the people that gave him
his job. We are taught since
elementary school that the
president is the most highly
regarded figure in our society,
the leader of the free world.
That one day, we too can be
president.
“Enemies”
asks:
Why would we want to be? The
past five decades has seen an
incredible amount of corrupt
leadership, and that is just
those who got caught. Perhaps
it’s time to stop telling kids that
they can be congressmen or
senators or even the president,
and instead encourage them
to be the ones that hold those
people accountable.
SHOWTIME
“Enemies: The
President,
Justice, and the
FBI”
Episodes 1 - 3
Showtime
Sundays at 8 p.m.
This is not to
say the show
is not worth
your time.
As headlines
become more
shocking by the
day, “Enemies”
reminds us that
not all that much
has changed
There was
a time people
never thought the
president would
think of himself
above the law
CAMPUS PARKING $95/
MONTH, near U of M bus
and Ross. 734-678-3767 or in-
fo@828greene.com
STORAGE FOR STUDENTS
studying abroad. Indoor, clean, safe,
closest to campus. AnnArborStorage.
com or (734)-663-0690.
PARKING
SERVICES
Classifieds
Call: #734-418-4115
Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
By Pam Amick Klawitter
©2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
11/26/18
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
11/26/18
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Monday, November 26, 2018
ACROSS
1 Identical
5 “Mountain” soft
drinks
9 Burn the midnight
oil at college
13 Urgent request
14 Forgo the church
ceremony
16 Lo-cal
17 Concern after
heavy rain
19 Inflated ones
often clash
20 Kinda
21 Airport near Tel
Aviv
22 Isn’t feeling up
to par
23 Like G-rated
movies
27 Natural soother
28 Salon jobs
29 Singer Jimmy or
actor James
32 Litter member or
user
34 Sewn
connections
38 Bruins legend
39 Shore dinner
42 “Not happenin’”
43 Pace for Paganini
45 Noon on a
garden dial
46 Like Godiva
47 Choir voice
50 Tool for a duel
52 American
Revolution leader
58 Woman’s name
often spelled
without its “e”
59 Progressive
spokeswoman
60 Airport concern
62 Multi-platinum
Diamond
63 Very loud,
musically ... its
symbol hints
at four puzzle
answers
66 Boarding site
67 Cosmologist Carl
68 Chicago
commuter
system, familiarly
69 Snow
conveyance
70 Earns after taxes
71 Doomed
DOWN
1 Sun protection
nos.
2 __ a sudden
3 Stiller’s partner
4 __ Kodak
5 Bit of OED info
6 Building add-on
7 Literary Virginia
8 Clues for a
bloodhound
9 Detox diet
10 Unbending
11 Coral island
12 Having lots of
loose ends
15 Vedder of Pearl
Jam
18 Flag down, as
a cab
24 Focuses of
activity
25 Passing words?
26 Website for
handmade art
29 Morse code unit
30 Palindromic
“before”
31 Drew Brees’
asset
33 Texter’s
gratitude
35 Gasteyer of
“SNL”
36 Draw graffiti on,
say
37 Noted seashell
seller
39 Decide not to
call, in poker
40 Feudal holding
41 Seacrest
morning
co-host
44 Like some den
walls
46 Directives
48 Spats
49 Borrowed, as a
library book
51 Predicted takeoff
hrs.
52 Dracula’s
canines
53 Tatum or Ryan
54 Bring together
55 New York’s
Ausable Chasm,
e.g.
56 Yale founder
Yale
57 Budget noodle
dish
61 Egg-white
omelet’s lack
64 Bit of body ink
65 Shoo-__: easy
winners