Rating: ««« out of ««««

Running Time: 112 minutes

It may be hard to believe, but it’s been six years since the release of the original Wreck-It Ralph. The animated feature provided a zippy little story about a misunderstood arcade-game villain and showcased a nostalgic mix of familiar characters like Pac-Man, Q*bert and even a Street Fighter or two.

The sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet, heads out on a different path. It isn’t quite as effective as the original, but is exceptionally animated and provides enough fun moments to earn it a recommendation.

In the several years since the events of the previous film, Ralph (John C. Reilly) and

Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) have remained best friends. The oversized Ralph seems content with his life, but Sugar Rush driver Vanellope finds herself tired of the same routine, yearning for something fresh.

After one of their machines breaks down and leaves the future in question, the pair decides to use a router and traverse through the internet to find a crucial replacement part. In the process, Vanellope discovers an exciting racing game environment. Newly invigorated, she wonders if she might be better off in the web. Ralph becomes insecure that his friend is going to leave, which leads to a series of poor choices in order to make her return with him.

As expected, the movie looks phenomenal with the leads transitioning from their blocky, arcade-game environments to a new, higher resolution internet world. There are some laughs as the characters try to hunt down their part on sites like Ebay. And plenty of humor is derived from the contrast between the colorful Vanellope and a new racing world she competes in that bears resemblance to games like Grand Theft Auto.

Later, a virus that resembles one of the characters begins to infect certain parts of the web and is impressively rendered as it grows stronger and larger. It all looks very striking.

Additionally, the story incorporates some nice themes. Vanellope befriends another driver in the form of Shank (Gal Gadot) and begins to confide in her. This leads to an internal struggle as she expresses her own feelings about moving on and her concerns about Ralph being hurt and feeling abandoned.

Not many films deal with issues like letting friends and loved ones leave and follow their own paths; this movie does attempt to deal with these issues in a sensitive way. Still, there are a few missteps.

Speaking of being abandoned, it is unfortunate that many of the classic arcade game characters from the first film are re-introduced in this follow-up, only to be largely forgotten.

Another issue that came up for this reviewer was in relation to the setting itself.

The original was confined within the world of old arcade games. However, very current environments like Facebook, eBay and Instagram are on display. The characters even enter the online Disney domain and interact with various princesses there. While it results in a couple of funny lines, one can’t help but feel it’s dangerously close to watching a lavishly produced ad for the sites featured.

Sill, the movie fares much better in this respect than the recent and crassly commercial effort, The Emoji Movie. Kids will be wowed and there is an attempt to do more here than exclusively pander and advertise product to audiences.

Ralph Breaks the Internet is occasionally prone to glitches, but is generally entertaining and delivers some winning moments when at its best. Most families will find it to be a rush (and for those wondering, there are a couple extra scenes/gags that appear over the end credits).

Visit: www.CinemaStance.com

By Glenn Kay

For the Sun

Rating: «« out of ««««

Running Time: 134 minutes

It must be tricky keeping things fresh and lively in the “Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” The first Fantastic Beasts movie spin-off was a bit clunky but set things up well enough to encourage hope that things would carry on in a new and interesting direction.

As it turns out, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is still overly interested in developing its character’s back stories and future plans, promising a grand showdown between the forces of good and evil...without actually delivering one.

Instead, the movie seems to be caught up in the minutiae of its fantasy world. Have you ever wanted to meet a character referenced in one of the Harry Potter titles? Are you intrigued and excited about hearing an incredibly detailed rundown of the Lestrange family tree? Will you be shocked and titillated to hear about whom a mysterious character may be a relation of?

If your answer is a resounding yes, then you can raise my rating by half a star. However, any casual viewers will likely be left shrugging their shoulders.

The film begins with Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) stuck in the U.K. due to a travel ban imposed on him by the Ministry of Magic.

However, when the sinister Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) escapes from his confines and heads to Paris to gain followers who will help him conquer the world, Albus Dumbledor (Jude Law) asks for Newt’s assistance. Namely, to help locate Creedence Barebone (Ezra Miller), a mysterious figure with uncertain motives whom all are searching for.

The hero has little interest in joining any side in battle but is excited by the opportunity of reuniting with Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston). It is soon and strangely revealed that she stopped speaking to Newt after reading a tabloid story that falsely reported him as being engaged.

The cast is fine and does their best with the exposition-heavy material, managing to sell a few jokes. There’s an amusing flashback to Hogwarts and a Dumbledor lesson in which Newt faces off against his greatest fear.

Some of the unusual creatures and visual effects are inventive and amusing. And the cute jewel-snatching Niffler is highlighted once again.

Depp always makes for an entertaining foe, but until the close he’s kept from interacting with all but one of the central characters. Of course, the final confrontation itself is also brief, existing to set up an eventual confrontation further down the line.

Perhaps it’s simply because we’ve all become so familiar with this universe, or the result of an extraneous amount of discussion and exposition, but things simply aren’t as exciting this time out.

And frankly, part of the problem with this chapter may lie with the Newt character. Having a character pulled along against his will and forced into responding to events around him can work, but his reactions here aren’t of much consequence. By the close, Niffler ends up having done more for the cause than Newt himself.

This reviewer doesn’t want to come across as too negative. It’s a genial effort and, as mentioned, there are some fun moments and good individual scenes. However, this enterprise has an awkward time in its attempts to insert new characters and add intrigue, resulting in a movie that flounders and feels padded.

One hopes they can recover with the next chapter, but for the time being, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald doesn’t cast as strong a spell as its numerous predecessors.

Visit: www.CinemaStance.com

By Glenn Kay

For the Sun

LGBTQ community CONVERGE IN Window Rock

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – June is designed Pride Month, a time when people under the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer – or in shorter terms –  the LGBTQ banner, honor the Stonewall riots of 1969, a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States, and a time to remember those lost to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS.

Despite the shifts in cultural and societal standards, LGBTQ people still feel there’s work to be done in terms of equality, but nonetheless they are proud of the strides they have made.

On June 30, the Coalition for Diné Equality hosted Diyingo ‘Adaanitsíískéés, a Diné Pride Festival. With the theme of “Diyin ‘Adaosiskéés,” or “I am a sacred being,” and the hashtag of #WeAreSacred, the festival at Veterans Park drew crowds of family, friends, and supporters to watch song and dance performances and hear the stories of prominent LGBTQ Diné people.

Visitors could also visit booths that gave out information about HIV/AIDS as well as the marriage laws currently in place.

Founded in 2013, Diné Equality’s goal has been to work towards a more inclusive Navajo Nation. The coalition’s efforts include advocacy for the transgender community, brave spaces programs for schools, LGBTQ youth suicide prevention, and holding tribal leaders accountable.

Alray Nelson, the lead organizer for Diné Equality, said during the festival that the movement really began stirring when rumors of laws that discriminate against LGBTQ people began to emerge.

One such law is the Diné Marriage Act, passed in 2005, which nullifies and prohibits the marriage of persons of the same sex on the Navajo Nation.

“[It is] historic for us to be standing in Window Rock,” Nelson said to the crowd. “[We] need to hold tribal leaders accountable that may discriminate against this community.”

This was the first time that such an event was held at the Navajo Nation capital.

The theme running through many of the words spoken at the various panels and presentations was that a unified community will be the way that further progress for equality is made. To that end, LGBTQ people were told to be proud of who they are.

“You’re worthy, always be yourself,” Zachariah George, known as Mr. Navajo for his public speaking and songs in the Navajo language, told the festival crowd.

Mattee Jim, LGBTQ leader and trans advocate, embraced her role as one of the headliners of the festival.

“You are my family,” Jim said to the crowd.

On June 29, Jim was one of the moderators at the LGBTQ Symposium, held at the Navajo Department of Transportation in Tse Bonito, N.M., which hosted a number of panels where LGBTQ Diné spoke of their experiences and answered questions from an audience.

Trudie Jackson, Navajo Nation presidential candidate and LGBTQ leader, was one of the speakers in the panel “Our Diné Trans Community”.

Jackson argued that the policies in place should be re-evaluated, such as who wrote them and when they were written, and if there was fair representation by the LGBTQ community during that time, because laws should evolve as the community does.

“In order for my voice to be heard, I have to be at the table,” Jackson said during the panel.

The audience asked questions about what challenges trans people faced on and off the reservation, what they are doing to work through challenges, and how they incorporate traditional Diné values into their lives.

While trans people may have the support of friends and family, Jackson admitted that it can be difficult to relate to people who don’t fully grasp her concerns.

“It’s really hard to share what I am going through with my siblings because only another trans individual will understand,” Jackson said.

The panel brought up notions about trans people being overly sexualized, and not seen as real people, or that trans people are just pretending to be a specific sex. Speakers emphasized that how one acts or behaves is a choice made by that person.

Moreover, the hosts insisted that LGBTQ people need to remember that they are free to speak up  because of the contributions of people who came before them.

“Always remember the pioneers who fought for us to be able to express ourselves,” Jackson said.

The symposium also drew the support of Navajo Council Delegate Nate Brown. Per the coalition’s site, key members of the council will be sponsoring legislation drafted by the coalition to revamp tribal law and ensure no one is discriminated against based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

“We have a duty, we are duty bound to help each other,” Brown said in one panel.

For more information about Diné Equality, visit https://www.equalitynavajo.org/

By Cody Begaye
Sun Correspondent