Ralph breaks the internet & black MIrror: Nosedive

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

      "Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2" leaves Litwak's video arcade behind, venturing into the uncharted, expansive and thrilling world of the internet-which may or may not survive Ralph's wrecking. Video game bad guy Ralph and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz must risk it all by traveling to the world wide web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope's video game, Sugar Rush. In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet-the netizens-to help navigate their way, including a webite entrepreneur named Yesss, who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making site "BuzzzTube."

LIFE LESSONS FROM RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

1. IT’S OKAY TO BE HONEST

     I’m starting with this one because it might be my favorite lesson of the film. It’s okay to be honest, not only with your friends but also yourself.

    Pamela Ribon said “I love that this movie talks about It’s okay to tell your friend that you’re in pain and not happy. We often go: I don’t want to bother her, I don’t want them to be upset with me, or I’ll wait, I’ll fix it. A relationship can’t grow if we don’t talk to each other when it’s hard.”

    Vanellope is looking for more in her life while Ralph seems content to keep to the same routine. Once she admits it to herself, she finds it hard to tell Ralph how she feels, worried for him and their friendship.

     It can be scary to tell our friends how we feel but in the end true friendship only grows stronger. If your friends can’t accept you for who you are then they aren’t really your friends. 

2. INTERNET SAFETY

   While this might be more of a cautionary tale to children, I think some of the adults needed some reminders. First of all being the internet isn’t all unicorns and kittens, there is a lot of shady and scary things out there. Parental controls are your friend moms and dads!

Second, don’t read the comments. Yesss warns Ralph about this and she is so right. Especially on video content, people can be super hurtful. I’ve had to learn to block, report, and move on. People can be the worst.

Third, don’t use the internet unless you know some basics like how money works, that social networks aren’t super private, and to stay far, far away from the dark web.

 3. BE YOUR OWN KIND OF PRINCESS

There is no right or wrong way to be a Princess. Each Disney Princess has their own unique qualities and gifts that make them special. If Cinderella was like Rapunzel that would be boring.

We love the Princesses because they are different. Just like the world as a whole, if we were all the same life would be dull. It’s our differences that make life awesome, when we choose to accept others and not fear or hate them.

4. GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Ralph is clearly out of his comfort zone. He’s a retro arcade game character who finds himself in the vast and sometimes insane world wide web. That’s pretty scary, for anyone. But once he embraces this new world he begins to loosen up and have some fun. Does this make for some misadventures? You bet! But they are hilarious so just go with it Ralph!

It might be safe inside your box but it can sure get boring, fast. It’s okay to step outside and explore the world. It’s an awesome place full of interesting places to see and people to meet.

5. DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER OR GAME INTERFACE

It’s an age old saying, don’t judge a book by its cover. Ralph, Vanellope, and all of us, learn that this still applies, even if your game play looks extremely wicked. Why did the shark eat the dog?!

Some people might seem angry or scary but are actually pleasant and nice. While others who you think are good people turn out to be the absolute worst. Next time you meet a new person (or game) keep an open mind, you never know, you might be meeting your new best friend.

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BLACK MIRROR SEASON 3 EPISODE 1: NOSEDIVE

Lacie (Bryce Dallas Howard) is a little too invested in monitoring her ranking. Every interaction gets a ping of approval, making you wonder how she's not suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. Like half the people you know, she's more interested in Instagramming a photo of her cookie and coffee and getting five stars than actually enjoying the treat. When an old-school friend, the annoyingly beautiful influencer Naomi (Alice Eve), lowballs her with a sub-five rating, she's stricken.

Clearly, there's a lot at stake. The "lifestyle community" (or "fake smile jail cells," as her underachieving brother dubs them) only offers discounts to residents with a 4.5 rating or higher. Her social standing is also at stake. A colleague at work had the gall to break up with his boyfriend and is now a social pariah with a 2.4 ranking. The office won't even let him through the door.

"No one is this happy," Ryan (James Norton), her brother, insists. "A 2-year-old with a fucking balloon isn't this happy."

He may be happy to live life as a 3.7, but Lacie is determined to raise her rating. A consultant assesses her analytics and estimates it will take about 18 months to get her up to the desired 4.5. She needs higher ratings from "quality people." Quality people like Naomi.

 

Lacie is overjoyed, then, when Naomi calls her up and invites her to be maid of honor at her wedding to a blonde Ken doll. The guest list is made of mostly 4.7s and if Lacie can wow them with a moving speech, her rating is guaranteed to shoot through the roof. Never mind that, as Ryan reminds her, Naomi actually a mean girl who slept with Lacie's ex.

After an argument with Ryan, Lacie rushes to the airport to make the wedding. Alas, she knocks into a woman, spilling her drink. One cab driver is angry that she was late to the door. Another just finds her annoying. Her rating is taking a beating.

To make matters worse, the flight has been canceled and her plummeting rating makes it impossible for the airline employee to transfer her. Lacie gets an attitude, security is called, double damage is invoked, and she's suddenly down to a 3.1.

Apparently, the road to hell is paved with Home Improvement reruns. Lacie's crappy, 3.1-level rental car runs out of juice and she misses the rehearsal dinner. She resorts to hitchhiking, but drivers aren't looking to extend a hand to someone who's now at 2.8. She's forced to accept a ride from truck driver Susan (Cherry Jones). She has a 1.4, but explains that it's pretty much by choice.

Oh, she used to be just like Lacie. She lived for her rating. Then, her husband got pancreatic cancer and was denied crucial treatment because his rating wasn't high enough. After his death, she decided to "fuck it." Lacie gets it, but argues that she needs to establish herself socially and romantically before she can stop fretting about her rating.

After Susan drops her off, Lacie resorts to hitching a ride with a group of sci-fi fans headed to a convention. It's all for naught, though. A fuming Naomi calls to fire her as maid of honor, because her rating is too low. It turns out that Lacie was only invited in the first place because her original 4.2 seemed authentic and likely to work in Naomi's favor. An enraged Lacie tells Naomi she's still coming.

And come she does, liquored-up and covered in a muddy bridesmaid dress thanks to the dirt bike she's commandeered to the reception. To Naomi's horror, she insists on giving a speech, which includes revelations about Naomi's guy-stealing behavior and support of Lacie's eating disorder back in school. Then she grabs a knife and a flurry of pings sends her rating to a perilous one. Security takes her away, screaming.

Whether it's because of her low rating or her wedding behavior, Lacie is put in a jail cell. She strips off her dress and turns to engage in an expletive-laden insult match with the prisoner opposite. Is this the real Lacie? Are we all just terrible people pretending to be nice for the sake of approval? Are you ever going to look up your Uber rating again without wondering, What if?