Fresh 'AIR' the best of '23 so far; Colorful 'Mario Bros.' plumbs for plot

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Fresh 'AIR' the best of '23 so far; Colorful 'Mario Bros.' plumbs for plot

Sorry, all-time NBA scoring leader Lebron James, but not only does Ben Affleck's enjoyable "AIR" prove the impact of Michael Jordan on and off the basketball court, it also soars as the best movie 2023 has to offer so far.

Any hoops aficionado certainly might agree when it becomes obvious, almost from the get-go, how easily director Affleck and first-time feature screenwriter Alex Convery get it all so very right in telling the marvelous tale of running-shoe company Nike chasing down superstar-to-be Jordan just so he can wear their sneakers way back in 1984.

Everyone else, of course, simply will get knocked out by the mostly A-List talent that nails each and every performance -- from Matt Damon's likable cager guru to Jason Bateman's marketing wiz to Viola Davis, as Jordan's decision-maker Mom. (Still, such a fabulous trio barely skims the surface of acting talent on display, thanks to key cast contributions from Marlon Wayans, Chris Tucker, Affleck himself and, oh, so many more.)

Even with an ending that perhaps could use a little more, uh, well . . . game, "AIR" rises so consistently behind members of the thoroughly engaging ensemble, they already have put themselves in early position as real players for an awards season that remains a good eight months away. Watch them now and expect nothing but three-pointers all around.

Rated "R" by MPAA: for language throughout: 1:52; $ $ $ $ and 1/2 out of $5

Speaking of games, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" acceptably puts the world's most famous Italian plumbers through their animated paces with an array of capable salutes to the siblings' longtime antics on Nintendo's ever-popular video systems.

Whether Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) walk to their first job assignment in Brooklyn, prove their mettle to Mushroom Kingdom Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), try to assemble an army by battling fellow gamer Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen), or get chased by Dark Land's big bad Bowser (an amplified Jack Black), anyone who ever handled a joystick might find reason to relate.

There are also enough "Easter eggs" to discover just in time for Sunday's joyous spring holiday, and assorted snippets of the game's now familiar theme music, all mixed in with rock hits such as a-ha's "Take on Me" or ELO's "Big Blue Sky."

Now, all we need is a legitimate story to flesh out among the colors. Maybe next time?

Rated "PG" by MPAA: Action and mild violence; 1:32: $ $ and 1/2 out of $5

("AIR" and "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" both open Wednesday in theaters everywhere. Opening Friday (April 7): "How to Blow Up a Pipeline" and "Paint. Streaming: Chupa (Netflix); "Gangs of Lagos" and "On a Wing and a Prayer" (Prime Video), all also debut on April 7.)

1 comment:

Unknown said...: If you're watching a Mario movie for the plot, you've entered the wrong movie theater.; April 6, 2023 at 6:33 AM

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REVIEWS ARE ON A SCALE OF ($ to $ $ $ $ $)

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MINI-REVIEW: They Cloned Tyrone ($ $ $ and 1/2) "A Nancy Drew-inspired hooker (the terrific Teyonah Parris), 1995's 'Pimp of the Year' (Jamie Foxx), and a drug dealer (John Boyega) everyone thought had been gunned down walk into an elevator (or two), and some dialogue-driven hilarity ensues. Add a few satirical scares, and a wild and crazy turn by Foxx's fellow 'In Living Color' alum, David Alan Grier, as a revivalist, and Netflix has a streaming hit on its hands. The dark, R-rated, but nifty message/sci-fi comedy comes from daring first-time director and 'Creed II' screenwriter Juel Taylor. (He and co-writer here Tony Rettenmaier also penned 'Space Jam: A New Legacy.')"

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Elemental ($ $ and 1/2)

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ($ $ $ $ and 1/2)

The Little Mermaid ($ $ $ $)

Fast X ($ $ and 1/2) "Even with four Oscar winners, furious action rules one more time."

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie ($ $ $ $)

Book Club: The Next Chapter ($ $ and 1/2)

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 ($ $ $ and 1/2)

Discontinued ($ $ $)

Peter Pan & Wendy ($ $ and 1/2)

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret ($ $ $ and 1/2)

Ghosted ($ $)

Guy Ritchie's The Covenant ($ $ $ $)

Quasi ($ $ and 1/2)

Renfield ($ $ $ and 1/2)

The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($ $ and 1/2)

AIR ($ $ $ $ and 1/2)

Spinning Gold ($ $ and 1/2)

I Like Movies ($ $ $ $)

The Lost King ($ $ $)

A Good Person ($ $ and 1/2)

Boston Strangler ($ $ $ and 1/2)

Moving On ($ $ and 1/2)

Champions ($ $ $ and 1/2)

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Creed III ($ $ and 1/2) "Director/star Jordan hits hard; Screenplay still needs more punch."

Cocaine Bear ($ $) "Love the wild title predator, not the movie."

Ant-Man and the Wasp ($ $) "Crawls instead of buzzes."

Sharper ($ $ $) "Not bad, but shoulda been, uh, even sharper."

MINI-REVIEW: Knock at the Cabin ($ $ and 1/2) "This alleged thriller from noted supernaturalist M. Night Shyamalan, a man famous for movies with plot surprises, can boast an original twist of its own even before the projector begins to work. That's because it is only the second screenplay director Shyamalan has not penned alone, here joining forces with a couple of first-time feature writers in adapting a Paul Tremblay novel ("The Cabin at the End of the World") for the big screen. Maybe that's why 'Knock' becomes more of a slow burner than a persistently riveting take, despite a quartet of home invaders, led by a nice-guy (and occasionally creepy) schoolteacher portrayed by big Dave Bautista. Their chilling message to the cabin-dwelling family of three: Please help us save the world by killing one of your own. Unsettling? Yes, of course it is. A thoroughly engaging watch? Not in this Anthropocene."

Living ($ $ $ $)

The Son ($ $)

Women Talking ($ $ $ and 1/2)

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Puss in Boots: The Last Wish ($ $ $ and 1/2)
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Empire of Light ($ $ and 1/2)

Emancipation ($ $ and 1/2)
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White Noise ($ $ and 1/2)
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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery ($ $)
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MINI-REVIEW: Causeway ($ $ $ $) "Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry knock it out of the park as a pair of wounded souls looking for peace and contentment in the Big Easy. Finding anything close to such security, of course, appears rather difficult considering the pains of personal experience each has been confronting. Two-time Oscar-winner Lawrence speaks volumes here even when she's not saying much, while Tony- and Emmy-Award nominee Henry soars in the role of newfound therapeutic friend trying to heal himself. The little treasure from first-time feature director Lila Neugebauer is streaming exclusively now on AppleTV+."

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story ($ $ and 1/2)

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MINI-REVIEW: Armageddon Time ($ $) "If not for the performance of Anthony Hopkins, as a smart and loving grandfather, this alleged '80s-era memoir from writer/director James Gray would disgrace parents, teachers and just about every adult surrounding the major brat it centers upon. That would be a creepy 12-year-old (Banks Repeta), who simply becomes dreadfully unlikable, thanks to each malfeasant move he makes. Talk about revisionist history, "Armageddon" also creates an assortment of fictitious moments -- such as bringing in two apparent members of the Trump family -- simply to pin blame on events occurring then for the political meanderings going on now. Yeah, right."

The Retaliators ($ $ $ and 1/2)

Ask Me to Dance ($ $ $)

Everybody Dance ($ $ $ $)

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MINI-REVIEW: All My Puny Sorrows ($ $ $ $ and 1/2) "This small Canadian indie will make you laugh and cry with its intelligent and touching story of a family now mostly consisting of five women trying to avoid one more tragedy in their lives. Famous sisters played by Sarah Gadon (as a world-class pianist) and the exceptional Alison Pill (a novelist) are at the center of it all, along with always-solid Mare Winningham, as their roll with the punches mom. Michael McGowan's direction and script -- particularly filled with brilliant dialogue -- offer plenty to ponder, as well."

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