REVIEW: THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE

3.5/5

Game & Watch.

92 Mins. Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalo & Seth Rogen. Directors: Aaron Horvath & Michael Jelenic. 

1985. That's when the first Super Mario Bros. game was born. The same year as my Japanese girlfriend and I also were. So we're as old as Mario and Luigi. And she now puts the Universal Studios Illumination of 'Despicable Me' fame and their new Minions of Nintendo's 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' in her all-time top-three next to 'Titanic' and 'Black Swan'. OK, I won't go as far as my Peach, but this amazing animation is super Nintendo nostalgia. Bringing the brothers to life like Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo. 

Before we head to USJ in GW (Universal Studios Japan in Golden Week (their seven-day national holiday) and try to jump on some questionable (queue times) Mario boxes, let me give a nod to the 1993 'Super Mario Bros.' movie and now this 'Wreck It Ralph' like one. If you thought that real life 'Italian Job' was embarrassing, when I was a kid I used to think it was literally pronounced Super Mario "Bros", like the band, and not "brothers". Now after years of you wondering when will an actual "real" Super Mario movie be famous, it's finally here. As some animated plumbing fixes any leak. Giving you Mario Kart, Luigi's mansion and Donkey Kong (where the moustachioed man made his 1981 debut), oh my! Throwing everything at the kitchen sink they put a wrench to like the hilarious commercial Super Bowl spot where you hear that legendary, but in these times shaky accent for the first and really only time. Let's go! 

It's crazy hearing Hollywood voices on this awesome adaptation after months and months of trailers here in Japanese, but this is a dream cast (if you can forgive the SEGA reference), just like Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik in the 'Sonic The Hedgehog' movie. It's he, a Chris Pratt (building on 'The LEGO Movie' awesome voice work) on the biggest week of his life here in the Far East after last night's mid-week release of his breakout 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3' trilogy conclusion. He's a marvel here too. Just like the voice of his brother Luigi, played perfectly by no other than 'Horrible Bosses' and 'Pacific Rim' star Charlie Day. Now, if you thought that was the perfect player select, then how about the unmistakable Seth Rogen monkeying around as Donkey Kong? But all that slips on a banana next to the wowser that is 'Kung Fu Panda' legend Jack Black's king of Koopas, Bowser and his song about peaches that could even rival The Presidents Of The United States Of America band that moved into the country. The princess herself, Anya Taylor-Joy stealing the show with this queen's gambit when the droll and dark Lumalee isn't illuminating the screen from a cell. 

Toad in the hole, Keegan-Michael Key gets high on mushrooms and Fred Armisen turns it up a notch as Cranky Kong. And allow us to 1up to and enter classic comedian Sebastian Maniscalo's name to the arcade with a boss role in this Wrecking Crew too. There are game cameos also in this magical movie from 'Teen Titans Go! To The Movies' big-screen directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. Piping this multiverse of madness with no half-measures. It's a treasure, wishing upon a gold star. Even if some critics will barely give it one. Shigeru Miyamoto has been done proud to the tune of a pinky finger to the lips, one BILLION dollars. The LCD game I had as a child and then had again as an adult in its 2020 reboot release brought to vivid imagination and illuminated life. No sleep till Brooklyn and a Mushroom Kingdom. But where's Wario like Wally? Jack Black's Bowser is interested in teaming up with 'The Mandalorian' Pedro Pascal. And how about that 'Luigi's Mansion' spin-off? Time to play 'Super Mario Bros. 2'. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Gaming: 'Despicable Me', 'Wreck It Ralph', 'Super Mario Bros.'