THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, and Brie Larson
Directors: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic
The Super Mario Bros. brand is an all-timer because it never overcomplicates its strengths. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie continues the franchise's acceptable run of knowing that children’s entertainment can be straightforward without talking down to them. This sequel is less a movie and more a string of shenanigan filled adventures, but kids will love it, families will enjoy it, and inner-children like myself will be entertained watching the visually interesting nostalgic set pieces (some of this year’s best visuals, by the way). While it’s simple and by-the-book, Galaxy has enough kid-friendly intensity not to feel totally like a dumb cash grab… Just a run-of-the-mill one.
ADRIANO
As a lifelong Mario fan who got guilty pleasure out of the first film despite its flaws, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie didn’t get me this time. Visually, it’s as wondrous as the last, but the main voice cast is as underwhelming as before (Benny Safdie is the MVP, though), and somehow, there’s less of a story this time. It’s shamelessly all devised to jump from one reference and Easter egg to the next at lightning speed, and if I don’t give Marvel a pass for that, I’m not giving this a pass just because I like the IP.
ROBERT
When it is all said and done, I believe the Super Mario Bros. universe will be the most successful kids film franchise ever. As a follow-up, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie falls in line with the model of its predecessor while expanding the lore, which is all you can really expect. If you come in searching for Pixar quality, you will be disappointed, but if you come to have a few laughs and Dicaprio-meme at images and sounds from your childhood, it will scratch that itch. You can’t catch the wind, but Nintendo has captured lightning in a bottle twice.
