The Super Mario Bros. Movie - 超級瑪利歐兄弟電影版

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (超級瑪利歐兄弟電影版) is an 2023 film. The animated movie is voiced by Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, and Fred Armisen. The film was produce by Universal Pictures, Illumination, and Nintendo. At the moment of this writing, it is the highest grossing US film of 2023 with $1.3 billion at the box office.

Mario and Luigi are plumbers that get sucked into the world of the kingdoms. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom and than runs into Princess Peach. Somehow they team up to go against Bowser. Peach enlist the help of the Jungle Kingdom and they go attack. Will they be able to stop Bowsers war on the kingdoms?

I loved this film. Maybe because I grew up on Mario Bros games starting with those handhelds. In the schoolyard, it was always the rich kid that went back to Taiwan and brought one back from their summer trip that got us all wanting to play it. Just as kids are, those games had a short shelf life and broke. It wasn’t until a lot later when Nintendo entered the US market that we could goto the TV to play. Atari had already fizzled out by then.

The movie was fun and was always on the go. I liked the voices chosen as it was not even on my mind whom they were while I was watching. I didn’t think any of the voices were out of place. Which kept me in the story and movie. I will purchase this via digital during Black Friday and watch it again. You should watch it in the theatre if you get the chance. Visually, it was a very well made film. I think Universal and Sony are passing up Disney on these animated films now.

Hotel Artemis

Hotel Artemis is an 2018 film. The movie stars Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, and Sofia Boutella. The supporting cast include Jeff Goldblum, Charlie Day, Brian Tyree Henry, Jenny Slate, Dave Bautista, and Zachary Quinto. The movie takes place in a futuristic Los Angeles.

In 2028, the water supply of the world becomes the main form of currency. When the private organizations take advantage of this, the public unrest is at a boiling point, resulting in a massive riot. On that same night, criminals are injured and they call upon a underground nurse who runs a hotel for them. Subscription based, you can enter if you're a member. The movie suggest that there are other hotels like this in other cities. A bank robbery goes wrong and one of the parties is injured leading them to the hotel. One of the major bosses of the underworld is injured and goes to the same hotel. During the earlier robbery, the diamonds are from the boss, which they stole. As the night unfolds at the hotel, the boss wants his diamonds back. Can they all survive?

Interesting post apocalyptic take on an future Los Angeles. The characters were pretty interesting. Zachary Quinto's character was so over the top, I had a hard time with the movie after his appearance. Of course, the convergence of all these parties in LA on the same night was very interesting. Leading to lots of action.

Pacific Rim Uprising - 環太平洋2:起義時刻

Pacific Rim Uprising (環太平洋2:起義時刻) is an 2018 film. The movie stars John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, and Jing Tian. The film is the sequel to the original film Pacific Rim.

10 years after the events of the Kaiju, the earth has fallen into a sense of peace that it hasn't experienced in years. However, the peace is disturbed when the Kaiju figure out a way back to earth. The forces of earth are not prepared to take on the new challenge as the troupes are not as well trained and not battle ready. Can they survive? Who will emerge as the new heroes?

This film takes the campiness of the first film and embraces it. Men are macho and the women are even more so. With teenage angst and father abandonment issues aside, the pilots need to get their act together and drift. However, the conflicts of the first film resolved, this generation in this film are just very inexperienced.

I however would not recommend this film if you didn't at least enjoy the first. This installment assumes you've already seen the first movie.

Pacific Rim - 環太平洋

Pacific Rim (環太平洋) is an 2013 film. The movie stars Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, and Rinko Kikuchi. The supporting cast include Charlie Day, Robert Kazinsky, and Ron Perlman. The movie is set slightly in the future with most of it taking place around the year 2025.



In the near future, alien creatures have come to earth from the bottom of the ocean and attacked the lands. When the attack first happened, the world joined together to create huge man helmed robots called the Jaeger. The nickname given to the alien creatures was Kaiju. Most of this was explained via newscast style. Fast forward a few years and the Jaeger program has matured and helmed by two people that can access one side of the brain to pilot the Jaegers. The pilots have to slip into dream state that allows them to access each others memories. Once connected, they can pilot the robots. However, the Kaijus grew stronger and attacks more frequent. Jaegar casualties started to increase and the world order decided to build a wall to keep out the Kaijus. Which only 4 Kaiju's left, they were retired to a base near Hong Kong. All the while, a pair of scientist decided to research the Kaijus and found out a way to destroy them. Well the pilots in fighting and the world order prevent the Jaegers from saving the world?



This movie was non-stop action. From the start to the finish. Sprinkled with some human angst storyline, you get the sense that this dog and pony show was only going to win on luck. Luckily, lady luck was on their side. The story was straight foward and sorta a glorified Power Rangers storyline. Big monsters attack land cities, marital arts big robots come to the rescue.



I enjoyed it enjoy to give a watch one recommendation. I would probably leave it on if came on regular tv. Background fodder approved for sure.

Horrible Bosses - 老闆不是人

Horrible Bosses (老闆不是人) is an 2011 film. The movie stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis. The supporting cast includes Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, and Julie Bowen. The film did well enough that there are talks for an sequel.

The movie follows Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis as they go through life. However, circumstances would have it that they all hate their bosses for different reasons. The plot to kill them so their lives can be happier. The stumble across Jamie Foxx that gives them ideas on how to kill them off. However, these guys are not career criminals and bumble their way through it.

The movie was just OK. I didn't feel like I laughed that much. Nor did it gross me out as much as I thought it would. Good performances by all involved.