Cinephile № 1,023 “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”

Recommendation: 4/5 Stars, SHOWTIME

Plot: “The story of The Super Mario Bros. on their journey through the Mushroom Kingdom.” -IMDB

Review: It was Christmas of 1987. Somewhere around 4 AM, I walked out into the living room. I didn’t know it, but my parents had been in bed for only a few hours. There, underneath the Christmas tree, sat a brand-new Nintendo Entertainment System. “Santa Claus must have dropped it off while I slept,” I thought.

Unable to control my excitement, my parents heard me from their bedroom. My mom exited her bedroom, checked the clock on the mantel, and told me Christmas would not begin for a few more hours. She commanded me back to bed. For four sleepless hours, I laid there dreaming of what the future would bring.

Since 1987, I have owned every Nintendo system. In that time, I have spent countless hours in the Mushroom Kingdom saving Princess Peach and defeating Bowser. When the first trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie dropped, I knew I had to see it.

Featuring a straightforward story about two plumbers dropped into a mysterious world. Separated from each other, much of the film is about Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) working to find each other and return home. But it is also a film about a powerful ruler, Bowser (Jack…