Year: 2023

June 5, 2023 · Watch the official trailer

It takes a lot of time, effort, and commitment these days to make a trip to the cinema.

Theaters are further away than ever before; tickets and concessions costs have significantly risen and the rise of streaming services have made a once common weekend activity reduce to something most movie fans do once a month at best.

As a result, film studios have been forced to radically change their product development strategies in order to maintain or increase their market share.

Disney, a studio who mistakenly feels like they are immune to market trends, has doubled down on their strategy to inundate cinephiles with carbon copies, rushed sequels and unnecessary remakes of existing IP as a means to streamline their profit margins.

Putting “Chicago” director Rob Marshall at the helm of their latest project, Disney returns to its well of remaking animated classics as live action features with an update to the 1989 smash hit “The Little Mermaid.”

For a variety of misguided reasons, Marshall and Disney attempt to justify their feature by bloating the narrative with unnecessary character development, additional songs and inexplicable CGI-heavy cinematic sequences that push the tight 80-minute pace of the original to well over two hours.

This isn’t to say that there is anything exceptionally new about the updated “Mermaid.” The storyline, loosely adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen tale, remains almost entirely the same with a wide eyed mermaid named Ariel longing to experience life uh above water while her aunt Ursula plots to overthrow the throne of King Triton.

“Grown-ish” star Halle Bailey emerges as the only true positive in “Mermaid” with a heartfelt, dynamic energy to Ariel that shines brighter than the rest of the lackluster film in much the same way that Rachel Zegler energized 2021’s remake of “West Side Story.”

Marshall treats the entire film as if it were a cinematic extension of musical theater and Bailey is rewarded with dazzling individual moments, especially during the “Part of Your World” sequence.

Bailey is also very adept non-verbally and her energy keeps the segment of the film where Ariel loses her voice from being completely bland and uninteresting.

The other characters who aren’t completely computer generated bring little to nothing in terms of its excitement or enthusiasm for the material. It makes no sense why an Oscar caliber talent like Javier Bardem reduces himself to angrily floating around for the entirety of his supporting performance.

Melissa McCarthy attempts to bring the same level of villainy to Ursula as the original film, however, her performance is painfully over the top and Marshall does not accentuate the comedic aspects of her character as well as he might have.

Vocal talents like Jacob Tremblay and Daveed Diggs as Flounder and Sebastian respectively make overall sense in the context of the film, yet their CGI characters look incredibly awkward in the larger context of the movie and while Diggs has a terrific vocal moment for the signature “Under The Sea,” the animation around his performance is chaotic and disappointing.

On the whole, the visual effects and CGI work in “Mermaid” feels exceptionally shoddy given the rich, colorful source material and really adds to the overall vibe that this remake didn’t need to be produced.

There’s also the disappointing decision to artificially enhance the running time by adding several new songs to the film. Marshall languishes his way through a song for Prince Eric by keeping the camera behind Eric at all times.

Alan Menken, who composed the original soundtrack, teams with “Hamilton” and “Moana” lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda on several numbers, with a rap for Sebastian and Scuttle really feeling out of place and forced.

By in large, Bailey’s performance is the main selling point for a film that could have been more faithful to the 1989 original and likely would have had greater success artistically and commercially.

Especially given that it will live on in perpetuity on Disney+, there’s no reason for cinephiles to seek out “The Little Mermaid” in theaters.

May 22, 2023 · Watch the trailer

Fish out of water tales are far from uncommon in cinema.

Conventional screenwriting techniques often place a protagonist in an unlikely, unfamiliar situation in order to provide drama, horror, suspense and/or comedy and help immediately engage audiences.

Put a failing young actor from Los Angeles in Buffalo Gap, for example, and watch him flounder about in West Texas and it’s the premise for a new independent dramedy set to screen Saturday, June 3, at the Hill Country Film Festival in Fredericksburg.

Starring Thomas Haden Church, “Chocolate Lizards” from director Mark Lambert Bristol is an independent dramedy filmed in Central Texas based on the novel of the same name by Cole Thompson as recently fired actor Erwin Vandeveer gets stranded in West Texas where he is taken in by a charismatic oil driller in need of a saving grace to help keep his business afloat.

“Outer Banks” star Rudy Pankow has an affable charm as Erwin, which lends itself to overcoming the stigmas placed on Erwin as essentially the foreigner in another land. Texas audiences will grow to appreciate the character after his early unlikability fades as he acclimates to a blue-collar lifestyle.

Church shines as oil driller Merle, whose straightforward affectation, slight gnarl to his voice and cool demeanor under pressure makes him an instant favorite with audiences. It’s especially endearing to see how much Church seems to take Pankow under his wing like Merle does with Erwin over the course of the film and their pseudo-father son chemistry grows to the point where at times, it almost feels like “Chocolate Lizards” is the pilot episode of a television miniseries rather than a contained feature film.

“The Matrix” star Carrie-Anne Moss has a solid turn as Merle’s love interest and café owner Faye, while veteran actor Bruce Dern steals scenes with his no-nonsense dry personality as eccentric ranch owner Scheermeyer.

The screenplay from Julie B. Denny has a lighthearted humor to it that most Texans will surely appreciate, especially as Erwin struggles to adapt to a more rugged, blue-collar life than he’s used to.

There’s a certain authenticity that Church and the actors playing Merle’s roughneck crew bring to the dialogue that make the relatively straightforward dialogue stand out as punchlines. Telling a new coworker that not wearing steel-toed boots could get your toes chopped off doesn’t seem like comedy at first blush, but with the proper line delivery and context makes for one of the more amusing scenes of the film.

Visually, “Chocolate Lizards” has a more dynamic energy than most independent dramedies in the same style with cinematographer Matthew Wise taking advantage of the film’s West Texas setting for some terrific landscape shots to help set the tone and scenes around oil rigs especially pop, although one action sequence in the film’s third act – while fun – feels out of place in the larger context of the story.

Bristol does employ a lot of tight closeup shots on his actors in dialogue scenes that can occasionally lack the same sense of place as the more open-frame angles, but the crisp dialogue and solid acting performances help offset this.

“Chocolate Lizards” is a fun, lighthearted independent dramedy that Texas audiences should enjoy whether on the big screen at Hill Country Film Festival or down the road aways with an at home viewing.

May 21, 2023 · Watch the official trailer

Note: This review is based off an advanced screening of the film as well as the world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival earlier this year. The columnist is also a programmer for Hill Country Film Festival, where ‘The Lady Bird Diaries’ will screen Thursday, June 1 in the Nimitz Ballroom.

Moments in history can often feel mythical, as if they were the things of fairy tales or great novels with decisions carried out by larger-than-life icons.

Too often, it’s forgotten that those who shape the world are – at their core – ordinary people with inner thoughts and emotions not shared with a wider audience.

While historians often reimagine through records or interviews what drives great men to the choices they make, it’s rare that the woman behind the man has the final word.

Award-winning documentarian Dawn Porter has made a career humanizing legendary political figures like John Lewis and Bobby Kennedy, but her latest feature is perhaps her most personal, introspective look into the most unlikely of subjects who just happened to be a keen, savvy political strategist and champion for civil rights.

“The Lady Bird Diaries” provides audiences with unique, personal insight into the turning point of American politics in the mid-1960s through the lens of one of its most diligent observers and a woman more closely involved with landmark decision than most probably knew, Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson.

From the moment she and her husband were thrust violently into the White House after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, “The Lady Bird Diaries” follows the Johnson administration in Lady Bird’s own words, offering up unique revelations both about the political landscape, but also the couple’s dynamic personal relationship that challenged and uplifted them.

Porter’s film is largely based on the ABC News podcast “In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson” and the subsequent book “Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight,” by Julia Sweig, “The Lady Bird Diaries” reveal the inner monologue of a First Lady as Porter and her filmmaking team pour through 123 hours of rarely heard audio recordings made by Lady Bird during her time in the White House.

Melded with archival footage and news reels from the period, “The Lady Bird Diaries” is a groundbreaking, evocative look inside the heart of a Presidency that succinctly captures the gravity of decisions made by then-President Lyndon B. Johnson and just how influencial Lady Bird was throughout the process.

Lady Bird is the perfect narrator for such a compelling yet complicated story. Her diaries reveal a deeply introspective woman, abruptly thrust into a political world that she didn’t desire and yet at every turn, Lady Bird reveals herself to be a hidden, key figure during pivotal moments in American history.

Ironically, Porter treats Lady Bird with a reverence by largely staying out of her way, allowing the First Lady to guide the film with her own voice and storytelling structure, perhaps learned during Lady Bird’s time studying journalism in college. This allows the film to humanize Lady Bird beyond the simple role of wife to a sitting president and place her canonically within the administration as a senior advisor equal to members of his cabinet.

Porter, her archival team and editor Benjamin Zweig do a marvelous job blending historical footage from the 1960s with Lady Bird’s personal recollections of the period, creating a captivating, often emotional look at the inner workings of American politics from a perspective, rarely appreciated, especially in cinema.

While President Johnson is certainly a key figure within the film, Porter places Lady Bird distinctly at the center of the frame at all times, even in moments when she’s not visually at the forefront. It’s exceptionally rare to see a film about the American presidency deal so little with the man in office himself, except as an aside for Lady Bird to converse with.

In fact, some of the private exchanges between the couple showcase, their deep devotion to each other, but also how strongly Lyndon valued Lady Bird’s counsel.

An early sequence where Lady Bird critiques Lyndon’s performance at a press conference is revealing, but especially humorous in providing much needed levity after the initial shock and focus on the Kennedy assassination that thrust the couple out of the shadows and into the forefront of politics.

The film is a terrific showcase for how the position of First Lady became increasingly influential on the day-to-day dynamics of leading America through difficult times and truly offers Lady Bird the opportunity to have the final word on a pivotal era in the nation’s history.

A cinematic, historical showcase from one of the top documentarians working today, “The Lady Bird Diaries” is well worth the price of admission at a film festival or seeking out when it arrives on Hulu later this year.

May 15, 2023 · Watch the trailer

Successfully adapting a novel into a feature length film is an increasingly rare quality for modern cinema in the 2020s; however, it’s especially complex and difficult to get right when it comes to novels for children and young adults.

These aren’t necessarily big box office draws rather books from their youth that filmmakers feel compelled to adapt.

Classic children’s author Judy Blume never really imagined that her life would become the subject of a documentary let alone her most famous novel turned into a piece of cinema. And yet in 2023, a film about her life debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January and her treasured novel “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” hit the big screen this month.

Closely following the book, “Margaret” captures the year in the life of a precocious, sixth grade girl forced to move out of the big city to rural New Jersey while struggling with puberty and questions about her religious choices.

Writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig adapts the novel firmly in its 1970 timeline from the book’s original release and it’s a visual transportation five decades into the past as audiences revel in the film’s notable and illustrious production design along with faded cinematography that gives “Margaret” an authentic, yet vintage, cinematic flare.

At the center of the film, Abby Ryder Fortson delivers the perfect blend of quirky and adorable in an immensely relatable way for both children and kids at heart.

Her ability to emote without feeling forced or overdoing it makes Margaret an exceptional character for young girls to learn from and it’s clear in Fortson’s performance that Margaret is a young woman who thinks deeply about every decision in her life and cares even more about those around her.

What truly sets her performance apart is the remarkable chemistry she shares with Rachel McAdams, who plays her mother, and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates as her paternal grandmother. The trio each lead their performances by showcasing their characters’ large heart, and even though the relationships between the characters may become strained throughout the course of the film it’s clear from the outset that their hearts are in the right place.

McAdams is especially endearing as a mom, who’s struggling to figure out her new role as a stay at home, mom, sacrificing for her family while trying to maintain her own identity. It’s a parallel that audiences could quite easily see Margaret going through herself in the future and McAdams does a terrific job of embracing the character’s internal pain while maintaining a relentlessly cheerful exterior for her daughter’s sake.

The talented young performers who portray Margaret’s classmates help further develop the world of the film with relatable quirks that make up a common sixth grade classroom, and yet viewers will find themselves somewhere within the class.

Craig – the filmmaker behind the exceptional 2016 coming-of-age movie “The Edge of Seventeen” – delves into a younger mindset with “Margaret” and her excellent adaptation of Blume’s novel perfectly blends the routine of Margaret’s everyday life with the internal struggles of her inner monologue, played out in narration as prayers to a god she isn’t sure exists.

The film is perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the year and it’s in large part due to how much of an instant coming-of-age classic it turned out to be for younger audiences who will relate to Margaret and older women who will identify with McAdams and Bates.

A perfect family film for the summer doldrums to counterbalance the loud action blockbusters, “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret,” is an exceptional adaptation of a classic children’s novel and well worth seeking out in theaters or later this year for an at home viewing.

May 8, 2023 · Watch the trailer

For several years now, producer Kevin Feige has been trying to figure out where to go next and his efforts to guide the ship have left the Marvel Cinematic Universe relatively rudderless as it flails about seemingly in circles.

With the onset of comic book fatigue in a post-“Avengers: Endgame” world, it’s become increasingly rare that a superhero movie with its convoluted storylines tying into even more obscure realms of nerd culture and lore have made attracting and maintaining a consistent fan base difficult for studios.

“Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” – the third and final film from writer/director James Gunn before he sets off to produce rival DC Comics cinematic universe – wraps up its own tales while seemingly leaving Marvel even more directionless than before its release.

It’s a film incredibly out of place within the larger context of the MCU as COVID-19 delays and the firing and subsequent rehiring of Gunn significantly delayed production and pushed “Vol. 3” further down the release calendar than probably intended as this “Guardians” film should have been one of the very first to tackle the aftermath of “Endgame” and help conclude that chapter.

The film follows the titular team of unlikely superheroes for one last cosmic adventure as they must race to save the life of a comatose Rocket Raccoon, who relives his horrific childhood in a series of flashbacks while Starlord and the rest of the crew chase down his creator, the nefarious High Commander.

Gunn’s film feels a little out of its element as Marvel breaks off into different areas of the cosmos and world building that Feige and Gunn attempt to establish at the end of the second “Guardians” film falls flat due to conflicting storylines.

Specifically, the Adam Warlock character revealed at the end of the second film comes across more as a weak afterthought rather than the primary antagonist he was teased to be, cramming him within a narrative that ventures in far too many directions all at once.

Built over the years as an ensemble movie, “Guardians” typically leaned heavily on Chris Pratt’s Starlord to be both the narrative throughline and emotional core of the film, but Pratt takes a backseat to some solid performances by Dave Bautista as Drax and Pom Klementiefff as Mantis as well as an exception turn from Karen Gillan’s Nebula to take the reins of the third film.

The foundation of “Vol. 3” that makes the film tick, however, comes from Bradley Cooper’s vocal performance as Rocket Raccoon, a character that comes across rather silly or ridiculous in early appearance in the MCU until Gunn infuses a deep emotional core with his strongest screenplay work in the franchise.

The revelation of Rocket’s backstory is weighty stuff by Marvel standards and Cooper brings a deep sadness to the character that really shines amid all the flash, pomp and circumstance in Marvel’s CGI-heavy action sequences and it’s through the lens of Rocket that viewers will come to understand why the film needed to be made at all.

“Vol. 3” is a perfectly fine superhero film with considerable heart and genuine character development; however, Marvel continues to remain in cinematic limbo for future storylines.

This final installment of the current “Guardians” lineup – which will inevitably be revitalized in Disney’s quest for money – does not hold water in comparison to earlier MCU films and suggesting that it rightfully is one of the better Marvel movies in some time doesn’t mean as much as it might at first glance.

It’s almost as if Feige and his staff want audiences to enjoy individual films in the moment while forgetting the fact that they have all been carefully crafted for synergy and long-term storytelling, hoping audiences will forgive the fact that the MCU seems to be figuring out and ret-conning its narrative on a film-by-film basis.

“Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3” certainly remains one of the better entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past several years although its strengths aren’t necessarily enough to make it worthwhile for casual audiences to head to theaters alongside ardent comic book fans.

May 1, 2023 · Watch the official trailer

Filmmakers at their core are storytellers.

Even if a director specializes in one particular genre of movie, so much of their skills are transferrable to any variety of tale that what matters most is creating something inventive and imaginative for audiences.

David Lowery – the Texas based director of independent dramas like “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” “A Ghost Story” and “The Green Knight” – makes his second foray into family-friendly work, reteaming with Disney for a live-action adaptation of a classic animated film after 2016’s “Pete’s Dragon.”

“Peter Pan and Wendy” plays more closely to the original 1953 animated feature than most modern adaptations, but Lowery leans into his unique visual aesthetic for a modestly entertaining, visually dynamic movie that will sure to be an easy watch for younger audiences and won’t entirely bore adults either.

More so than any other adaptation, “Peter Pan and Wendy” maintains the narrative focus on the eldest Darling child rather than the titular “boy who wouldn’t grow up” and makes the story accessible to a wider audience through its focus on diversity and strong female characters, a hallmark of newer Disney storytelling that feels more intentional in its screenplay and direction here rather than simple messaging.

Lowery takes some liberties in assuming audiences will know the larger story of Peter Pan and uses this knowledge to home in on the experiences of Wendy Darling, capably portrayed by Ever Anderson. In a conscious decision to shift the traditional hero of the tale into a supporting role, Lowery’s choice to place viewers in Wendy’s corner is a welcome twist on convention for this genre.

The main problem within “Peter Pan and Wendy” is that despite the desire to feature younger talent, none of the protagonists are memorable enough to help drive the story forward when it’s so clear where things inevitably lead.

Anderson has a general likability to her Wendy, though the screenplay fails to give her enough character development to establish her motivations beyond a generic desire not to grow up and none of the characters evolve over the course of 100 minutes.

Newcomer Alexander Molony does a decent job taking up the mantle of such an iconic character as Peter Pan, but it’s clear throughout that Molony hasn’t developed the range required to capture Peter’s inner sadness at the same level he exudes the bravado and recklessness to fearlessly fly into the face of danger.

Jude Law – the one A-lister amid character actors and youngsters – has his own unique eccentricity to Captain Hook that makes him somewhat menacing yet complicated and Law’s ability to draw audiences in results in Hook often being the most compelling character in the entire film.

The real draw to “Peter Pan and Wendy” comes in Lowery’s visual adaptation of the source material and how layered in texture the cinematography feels as if it’s pages from a storybook coming to life. High contrast in the highlights and shadows – a staple of the director’s artistic vision across his filmography – accentuates the vibrant, adventurous nature of Neverland compared to the more sullen, boring everyday life in London.

Production design and costuming don’t exactly rise to the same dark gothic nature as Lowery’s masterful work on “The Green Knight,” but it’s clear that his experience blending fantasy with a hyperdynamic realism will carry forward in intriguing visual ways that help cover any narrative flaws Lowery faces in big-budget studio work.

Landing on Disney+ for a streaming-only premiere is both a terrific decision and a devastating one for cinema as audiences would only likely see “Peter Pan and Wendy” at home due to its lingering pace and more indie auteur cinematic style, but Lowery’s visuals deserve to be enjoyed on the biggest screen possible regardless of the story itself.

While not for everyone, “Peter Pan and Wendy” has the bones of a terrific movie and just enough for audiences to take a chance on with a home viewing.

April 24, 2023 · Watch the official trailer

Some actors become so perfect for a role enough times; it becomes nearly impossible to see them in anything but what they do best.

That's why Tom Hanks struggles to play the villain because of his everyman charm or why the gravitas of a Meryl Streep precludes her from playing a buffoonish caricature.

In “Ghosted,” Chris Evans leans heavily against his iconic turn as Captain America, the relentlessly athletic and physically dominant superhero to play a subdued nerdy man who falls for his perfect woman who just happens to be a CIA agent.

It's a film that has been played out many times with a masculine dominant male rescuing a damsel in distress but rarely has this action romantic comedy genre been gender flipped like this.

Conceptually, the narrative works really well but the fatal flaw of “Ghosted” is that Evans is unviable as someone in need of saving.

The “Captain America” and “Avengers” star – even when fitted in looser shirts to hide his physique and shot in an angle to minimize his stature – has a natural brooding and physicality to his demeanor that goes far beyond “Ghosted” that makes the film exceptionally implausible even by romantic comedy standards.

And this significantly hurts his on-screen chemistry with Ana de Armas, who does a terrific job of carrying the bulk of the physicality while Evans broods sentimentally. But because Evans is miscast in his role, their romance seems too far-fetched for audiences to buy into.

This isn't to say that Evans isn't trying very hard as he gives a very concerted effort to soften his tone and lean into the same affable charm that he showed up he that he displayed as a scrawny Steve Rogers in the “Captain America: The First Avenger.”

It's just that viewers may often wish that his Cole was played by someone that reminds them more of themselves. A true nerdy male in need of saving doesn't look as good as Evans nor handle himself as well in action sequences having a simple high school wrestling background.Conversely, de Armas further cements her status as an up-and-coming action star after having stolen a large segment of the recent James Bond film “No Time To Die” and is slated to headline the John Wick spinoff series “Ballerina.”

While her emotional range is somewhat lacking due to the uneven screenplay from writers Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, de Armas carries herself with a vigor that truly shows off her case to be on par with Gal Gadot, Charlize Theron, and Margot Robbie to help level the action playing field for actresses.

While the plights that Cole and Sadie find themselves in are ridiculously far-fetched, action sequences within the film are relatively fun and inventive and maintain audience engagement throughout.

It's clear though that director Dexter Fletcher, coming off musical biopics “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Rocketman” doesn't really know how to blend multiple genres together and at times, “Ghosted” is a straight action movie then morphs into a comedy with very light romance, which also hinders the ability of de Armas and Evans to establish firm chemistry.

The film also features several notable cameos that will be sure to be fun Easter eggs for fans of Evans’ action background and helps provide levity that the film desperately needs in its middle act.

While not the crowd-pleasing summer blockbuster that it's clear Apple intended it to be, “Ghosted” is a lighthearted fun easy watch for an at-home viewing for Apple TV+ subscribers.

April 17, 2023 · Watch the trailer

Solid animated films always draw at the box office, but it’s unlikely that Illumination – the studio behind “Despicable Me” and “Minions” – saw their first partnership with video game maker Nintendo starting off so strong.

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” debuted over the long Easter weekend to nearly $400 million globally thanks to a lack of competition in the family-friendly market, some slick marketing and exceptionally impressive visuals that take the classic 1980s video game franchise and modernize it without losing the signature charm of the original characters.

The film serves as an origin story for the titular brothers Mario and Luigi, who find themselves separated after being sucked into an alternate world through a mysterious green pipe. Mario must team with a young Princess Peach and her Mushroom Kingdom to do battle against Bowser and the Koopas who have captured Luigi.

While the story is relatively straightforward by family friendly film standards, animated features like “Super Mario Bros.” must rely on a talented ensemble voice cast to carry the narrative and maintain audience engagement. For the most part, the right choices were made with one sizable exception.

Chris Pratt’s awkward half-Italian, half-goofball blend of an accent with his own cadence makes for a very stilted, uneven Mario that doesn’t quite fit tonally with the rest of the cast. It’s as if Pratt isn’t sure when to lean into the more stereotypical Italian roots of the character and when to bring out his own voice, but it’s clear that the talented comedian isn’t exactly a perfect fit for the lead.

Conversely, Jack Black deepens his vocals slightly with just a bit of a menace to make the ideal foil in Bowser, who often steals scenes with his misguided, brash portrayal of the villain as an anti-hero in love. Quite often, it’s Bowser who’s the most entertaining character in the entire movie while Mario feels much stiffer despite the desire to have audiences love Mario and hate Bowser.

The rest of the ensemble cast does a solid job from Anya Taylor-Joy’s terrific blend of serious and silly as Princess Peach to Keegan-Michael Key’s fun-loving Toad to Seth Rogen’s Donkey Kong, which is basically just a less sophomoric take on Rogen’s persona but works within the context of the character.

One of the most impressive things about “Super Mario Bros.” is just how perfectly the film lifts elements from the various Mario video games and blends them together in a largely cohesive fashion. The score borrows, samples and remixes classic themes from the early days of Nintendo both for character introductions and to engage in the numerous action sequences, while there’s also hidden gems floating throughout the movie to encourage repeat viewings.

Visually, the animators masterfully capture the game’s side-scroller adventure days in an early scene where Mario helps Luigi make his way through construction in New York City and the links to the Mario Kart era games in several racing sequences are equally impressive.

It’s a film that looks far better than any Nintendo game would play and really shows off the depth of talent in Illumination’s animation team to depart from their usual style and lean into the classic Nintendo look.

“Peaches,” the unnecessarily catchy song sung by Black’s Bowser midway through the film is the sort of irreverent fun that could make an appealing Best Original Song candidate at next year’s Academy Awards that could draw a wider audience but isn’t likely to have a great shot at winning.

Similarly, “Super Mario Bros.” isn’t the frontrunner for Best Animated Feature with a sequel to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse” coming later this year, although it feels like a lock to be nominated.

Visually engaging with a decent plot and enough easter eggs for hardcore fans of the Nintendo series, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” has solid entertainment for audiences of all ages, but isn’t something that audiences should rush out to see when it will likely be played ad nauseum during at home streaming all summer long.

April 10, 2023 · Watch the trailer

A film starring Matt Damon, directed by Ben Affleck and featuring numerous Emmy and Oscar winning talent should have enough star power, but there’s a big absence in Amazon Studios’ first major awards season contender that’s exceptionally noticeable from the outset.

The docu-drama about a formulative time in the athletic career of the most recognizable sports star of all time doesn’t feature an actor playing Michael Jordan, let alone show his face, over the course of two hours.

It’s a striking decision to frame a feature around such a compelling figure without including him in the narrative, but Affleck crafts a film that has real energy to maintain audience engagement and pull viewers into the world of competitive business strategy in similar ways to dramas like “Moneyball” and “The Social Network.”

“Air” follows the journey of then-upstart shoe company Nike as its basketball division led by a middle-aged sad sack scout seeks to land a contract with Jordan before he plays a single game in the National Basketball Association. The film leans into heavy nostalgia for the early 1980s from the opening extended montage through slightly grainy cinematography and a tone-setting soundtrack of classic 80s hits.

Damon centers the film with a compelling everyman performance as head basketball scout Sonny Vaccaro as the A-lister easily melts himself into the role of audience stand-in and while it’s unlikely that moviegoers should find themselves rooting for a corporation on track to make billions, “Air” and especially Damon lean into the camaraderie and personal relationships between co-workers who are friends first.

Affleck sometimes feels as if he’s in a different movie than the one he directs when he’s on screen as Nike founder Phil Knight. His performance is exceptionally eccentric and broad, with most of his dialogue setting up or being a dry joke that helps provide levity to the narrative. But in a strange way, Affleck’s avantgarde personality blends quite nicely with the eclectic ensemble and helps create needed narrative tension.

What really elevates “Air” beyond a standard male-centric docu-drama is Viola Davis’ arresting, scene-stealing supporting performance as Delores Jordan, Michael’s mother. While it’s clear why Michael would insist upon the Oscar-winner playing his mom, Davis elevates what otherwise might have been a throwaway part with a relentless command of the screen.

Davis challenges Damon’s Vaccaro at every turn with a calm demeanor that reflects Delores’ intense confidence in her son’s talent as well as the historic nature of what a deal would mean for African American athletes navigating white-dominated corporate business contracts.

“Air” also features terrific supporting work from Jason Bateman as Nike’s marketing director, Chris Tucker in his most dramatic turn since “Silver Linings Playbook” as the director of player relations and Chris Messina as a smarmy agent looking to thwart Nike at every turn.

Affleck uses the most of Amazon’s spending power to assemble not only a terrific ensemble cast, but exceptional talent behind the camera to help create a dynamic, yet quintessentially 80s world for “Air.” Every bit of production design, set dressing and costuming is meticulous and thorough to transport audiences back in time.

The film’s visual aesthetic developed by Affleck and cinematographer Robert Richardson starts off a bit jarring as it feels incredibly dated, but as “Air” progresses, audiences grow accustomed to the grain and it becomes clear that Affleck intends viewers to see everything through the lens of 1984.

“Air” is probably the only major contender for awards that will come out in the first half of the year, but it likely doesn’t have the staying power to last a year-long campaign in many categories. Davis in supporting actress and production design have the best shot of maintaining buzz long enough to potentially win.

Ardent cinephiles looking for something to check out on the big screen would be hard pressed to find a better adult drama this spring than “Air,” though more casual audiences might want to wait until the film’s inevitable prominent status streaming on Amazon Prime.

April 3, 2023 · Watch the official trailer

No one actively chooses to be an addict.

It’s not a decision that someone wakes up one day and says “I’m going to drink until I black out” having never done it before or take so many pills that they can’t function without them. It’s a process that happens gradually over time without being fully aware of what’s happening.

But the underlying causes and effects of addiction to any number of vices has often been a cinematic tale for filmmakers to sink their teeth into.

Writer/director Zach Braff of “Garden State” and “Scrubs” fame came out of the COVID-19 pandemic with the notion to tell a tale of grief and pain through hope, humor and understanding looking at a more emotional world than non-addicts might realize, all through the eyes of a young woman hopelessly lost in the opioid crisis.

“A Good Person” follows Allison, a successful pharmaceutical sales rep whose life irrevocably changes when she’s involved in a tragic car accident that leaves her addicted to oxycontin as a way to heal her physical and emotional pain.

Along the way, she is faced with some bittersweet consequences when she encounters an old acquaintance with his own tragic tale interwoven with Allison’s.

In a role written for her, Florence Pugh is absolutely masterful as Allison. There’s so much empathy and understanding that radiates off of Pugh’s performance as the young actress becomes overwhelmed with the burden of Allison’s grief and inability to accept guilt.

It’s a turn that truly mines the depths of what high-functioning addiction can look like without playing the role melodramatically, a straightforward examination of a woman’s fragile emotional state attempting to rebuild her life by any means necessary while struggling with mental health and an addiction to painkillers.

Oscar winner Morgan Freeman brings his usual gravitas and likeability to Daniel, a fellow addict with close ties to Allison. But for as much as Freeman is a steady presence in the film, Pugh’s singular magnetism overshadows a lot of the straightforward nature of Freeman’s performance and the unlikely friendship they develop over the course of the film doesn’t fully come together.

Because “A Good Person” deals so specifically about addiction largely from the perspective of addicts, it somewhat feels like the point of view of those suffering alongside addicts becomes somewhat muddled.

Braff introduces secondary characters like family members and friends, especially Molly Shannon as Allison’s mother Diane, but the anguish they go through watching their loved ones’ pain doesn’t hold the same weight as what Allison and Daniel deal with. For a film well over two hours in length, “A Good Person” has one too many moving parts to showcase this side of addiction.

Braff’s screenplay does a solid job of breaking up some of the more dramatic themes with an infusion of wit and humor that Pugh knocks out of the park while maintaining Allison’s inner turmoil. These brief moments of levity help to change the pace of “A Good Person” without knocking the wind out of the sails of the overall narrative.

Pugh also contributes two songs she wrote and performs in the film in the voice of Allison that help showcase her fragile state of mind while offering a semblance of hope for the future. If the Academy wants to start highlighting in more earnest original songs that have genuine impact on the narrative in the films they are sung for, both “The Best Part” and “I Hate Myself” written and performed by an A-lister like Pugh should get a larger spotlight.

While it certainly is destined for life as a casual watch on a streaming service months from now, “A Good Person” is a quality feature for the first quarter of 2023 and something audiences might consider taking a chance on either theatrically or in an at-home viewing.