In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Friday, 27 December 2024

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)


This one was pure fan service, but I didn't mind it one bit. We all remember the 1993 version, right? This one blows it out of the water. Full of vibrant colors and lively worldbuilding, it succeeds in immersing you in the spirit of the games. The music especially helps to sell this nostalgia, though I wish they would have leaned into it even more. Felt like this movie had a lot to prove in order to distinguish itself from its prior cinematic failure. Personally, I think it's one of the best video game adaptations I've seen in recent memory (yes, better than The Last of Us, which was basically a lesser carbon copy of the game), since it manages to pay homage to its origins while providing a "new" experience that anyone can jump into, young or old.
My biggest complaint was Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong. I just didn't feel like that "huh huh huh" laugh fit the character at all. The rest of the roles were surprisingly well cast, and I didn't even miss the stereotypical Italian accents. My favorite character was probably Lumalee because her role hinged on some really depressing truths. Also fun to see a certain fan favorite Easter egg, if you stay to the very end of the credits. Feels like it could easily spawn many sequels since this one barely touched upon the lore.

3 Tanooki Suits out of 5

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