The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Film Review

Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic both of which previously directed The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and the former also directing Teen Titans Go! To The Movies (2018). The Super Mario Galaxy Movie serves as a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).

After The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) was a quick and easy success it was almost immediately announced that a sequel was being made and it would be based around Super Mario Galaxy an incredibly beloved video game for the Wii that I have plenty of fond memories of playing when the Nintendo Wii first came out. It’s a fantastic game that still holds up incredibly well to this day. Luckily the film isn’t all bad, but there are some very glaring flaws and a few parts that are on the very disappointing side of things.

The voice cast does a pretty great job, particularly Donald Glover as Yoshi and Glen Powell as Fox McCloud. While yes Glover only ever says Yoshi or the typical Yoshi noises, I do think he brings the charm from the games to the big screen, this is one of those things where it’s sort of hard to really pin down. But if you watch the film and have played the games you will know exactly what I mean. Glen Powell’s voice just fits like a glove for Fox McCloud, he has the charisma and charm to back it up. He’s going for a Han Solo type of angle here and due to Powell’s smooth and strong delivery it works here.

Chris Pratt notably does a better job as Mario, It does feel like he’s getting a lot more familiar with the role so he is slowly but surely growing into it. There are some hiccups here and there but for the most part he does great, Charlie Day as Luigi is great, Jack Black as Bowser is just as entertaining and Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach is solid. Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr. however is incredibly unfitting and does not work. I get what they were trying to go for here with this older sounding version of the character. But the dialogue and tone of the movie just doesn’t match here at all with Safdie’s voice.

The animation is pretty solid here, if there is one thing this film does a very good job with it’s making it seem like you the viewer jumped into a video game and going on the adventure with Mario, Luigi and Yoshi. It’s much larger in scale than the previous film and that’s partly due to how detailed the animation really is, it’s a very well done recreation of a Super Mario video game. Everywhere you go there’s little sound effects, music bits or characters from this franchise’s history, it’s a huge celebration in that regard.

The main problem comes in with the movie’s take on Super Mario Galaxy…it just does not really feel like a Galaxy movie. Sure the movie takes place largely in space, it has some of the very recognizable songs from the game and even has some of the characters. But Rosalina (played by Brie Larson) for example gets a very limited amount of screen time and is basically a damsel in destress for a majority of the movie. I understand that even in the source material Rosalina did not do a whole lot during Mario’s adventure, however the advertising and the way this movie was being presented would have you believe Rosalina would be given a whole lot more to do. It kind of just seems like a very odd choice to keep one of the source material’s most memorable parts on the bench, it’s a shame to because Brie Larson gives a great performance.

Outside of Rosalina, the rest of the movie does have the DNA of the source material there. But never goes far enough with it, there is a lot of jumping around that is never fully able to have a strong grip on the atmosphere that Galaxy had. I do think the writing has its strong moments, but ultimately it is just very one note. It goes through way too many ideas in a short amount of time, there absolutely needed to be some breathing room for the movie.

Overall The Super Mario Galaxy Movie isn’t bad, it’s a heavily flawed movie yet still a decent amount of fun. It is certainly a step down from its predecessor but I do think fans will get enough out of this one.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

Hoppers (2026) Film Review

A 19-year-old animal lover uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination.

Hoppers is directed by David Chong director of We Bare Bears: The Movie (2020).

On the surface Hoppers may not seem like much, however once you get into the film there is a whole lot of heart as well as so much to love here. Between the animation immediately attracting the viewer’s eyes, to the well written characters that you instantly invest in and to the film’s familiar yet strong pro-environmental message. There is so much to really explore and appreciate here with Hoppers.

The voice cast all do a fantastic job and really bring out the character’s personalities. Our protagonist Mabel Tanaka especially, she has a heart of gold who much like her deceased grandmother had this beautiful appreciation for nature and animals. Piper Curda does such a fantastic job adding so much detail to Mabel Tanaka, she brings the right amount of comedy and dramatic moments to make Mabel memorable as a character. Jon Hamm does a solid job at voicing Jerry Generazzo a greedy neighbor, Dave Franco gives a hilarious supporting performance as Titus and Bobby Moynihan gives a surprisingly nuanced performance as King George the Mammal King.

The animation is where Hoppers really shines, it’s the type of animation that instantly brings you into the film’s world. You feel like you are sitting on a park bench watching the animals interact with one another, or when Mabel transfers her mind into a lifelike robotic beaver you can feel the scale change. The world gets even bigger and the animation just seems to really keep pushing with the detail.

The writing is also quite strong, you can very easily tell the writers and the voice cast had a blast with this film. That’s all you really need sometimes to create something special, the film has some bizarre ideas that actually work in the film’s favor. But what it does deliver on the most is being able to communicate its central thesis that bringing back this focus onto ourselves in this wider community while also connecting to nature will help us become closer, it’s quite a beautiful message that combines both humor and more sad moments to effectively tell its story.

Overall Hoppers is a very solid film that has this fun and heartfelt energy that brings the film together. Some ideas might be familiar however in the end the film is worth the watch.

Hoppers is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Goat (2026) Film Review

A small goat, Will, joins a professional “roarball” team, facing skepticism from his teammates as he tries to change the game.

Goat is directed by Tyree Dillihay which is his directorial debut.

Goat is a fun little movie that does not overstay it’s welcome, it has a very basic underdog plot that isn’t going to break any new ground. However the animation, dialogue and voice cast are strong enough to help push this movie to the finish line.

The voice cast are strong here, Caleb McLaughlin as Will Harris our main character gives a great performance and really helps bring the movie along for the ride. Gabrielle Union as Jett Fillmore is also quite great and works incredibly well with McLaughlin. I definitely think the movie’s more interesting moments are the dialogue between Will Harris and Jett Fillmore, while yes the dialogue can get a bit cliche at times (the whole being disappointed in your idol thing has been done numerous times) there still is a lot of charm here that works wonderfully and does have some heartfelt moments. Everyone else here does a fine enough job (except Jelly Roll, while he isn’t necessarily bad he just kind of feels shoved in simply because he has a song at the end.)

In terms of writing this is your basic underdog story, if you have seen one of them then you know exactly how this is going to go. With that being said the writing isn’t necessarily bad, there are a few jokes here that work and I would be lying if I said I did not have fun with it. I do like the character writing for Will Harris we explore where he came from and his community, plus there is theme of struggle of pursuing dreams without financial resources. While it’s not done in a groundbreaking way, it is done in a way that really does feel genuine and comes from the heart, it’s easily some of the movie’s best moments

Finally there is the animation which is very well detailed and done, the movement during the basketball game scenes are investing and really brings your eyes to explore the whole screen. Even if the final game isn’t this huge grand finale the movie sets it up to be, the animation alone is enough to help push it to the end.

Overall Goat is a solid little movie that has some solid character writing, animation and dialogue. It’s on the weak side when it comes to the whole underdog story, but knows what it’s sent out to do and accomplishes it.

Goat is available on all VOD platforms.

6/10 C+

NYFF Review: Scarlet (2025)

A sword-wielding princess embarks on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. She soon meets an idealistic young man who shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage.

New York Film Festival Review

Scarlet is directed by Mamoru Hosoda director of One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (2005), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006), Summer Wars (2009), Wolf Children (2012), The Boy and the Beast (2015), Mirai (2018) and Belle (2021)

Mamoru Hosoda is a director who has delivered consistently with tons of great films that lead to some fantastic and mesmerizing experiences, however coming off of Hosoda’s previous film Belle (2021) his newest film Scarlet is quite a big disappointment. The film undeniably has some gorgeous animation that leads to some strong sequences and the final act ends up being a bit better than the movie’s rough middle portion. However Scarlet is ultimately a very watered down version of Willam Shakespeare’s Hamlet that does not add anything new or compelling.

The voice cast is all around great, with such a shallow script the cast does what they can a while there are some well done moments and the side characters get some admittedly cute moments. It’s Scarlet herself that just does not have enough character writing to make for an investing character, during the first 30 minutes or so we get some decent character building for her and then afterwards it almost feels like the movie completely stops. So many different themes and characters are thrown at the viewer that the movie loses focus on its main character, Hijiri is a fine enough secondary main character but the whole plot point with him is incredibly predictable and can be seen coming from a mile away.

The writing wants to be more than a watered down Hamlet but fails to do so in any unique or interesting way, there’s a pop song sequence that seemingly comes out of nowhere and takes the viewer completely out of the film. The villains of the story are shallowly written most of them are nothing more but bloodthirsty henchmen and Claudius the big bad of the movie does get a solid introduction but is not seen again until the movie is almost over making any sort of intrigue as a character next to impossible.

The animation is without a doubt the best part of the movie, as I said before it leads to some genuinely stunning moments and fun sequences. The attention to detail is sharp, clear and makes the movie’s world stand out a bit more. But that’s about as far as it goes, the animation can really only do so much when you have such a shallow script that fails to elaborate on any of its characters.

Scarlet is a disappointment, it’s a shame because there was potential for something great here. The right materials are here and the way the movie tackles life and death is genuinely interesting. But unfortunately the middle portion heavily lacks strong writing and is way to forgettable for its own good.

Scarlet releases in theaters December 12th (Limited) and February 6th (Wide)

5/10 C

Elio (2025) Film Review

Elio, an underdog with an active imagination, finds himself inadvertently beamed up to the Communiverse, an interplanetary organization with representatives from galaxies far and wide. Mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the rest of the universe, he starts to form new bonds with eccentric aliens while discovering who he’s truly meant to be.

Elio is directed by Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi which is the former’s directorial debut with the latter previously directing Turning Red (2022).

Elio is a pretty solid addition to the Pixar library, while there might not be anything new thematically or even story wise going on here, the huge amount of charm is undeniable and it all adds up to make an incredibly fun and adventurous experience for the viewer.

First and foremost the voice cast does a pretty solid job here, Yonas Kibreab plays Elio a character that the viewer can quickly relate to as soon as the film starts. Losing both his parents at a very young age, Elio’s imagination roams free which leads to some genuinely raw moments that, he’s obsessed with communicating with the outside world. Something a lot of kids did when I was growing up and I’m sure the viewer will have the same sort of feeling. The film portrays all of this in such a beautiful way that makes Elio feel like a very real character, yes the film does take liberties in throwing in fantasy elements when it gets to the aliens. But throughout the film the raw feeling of Elio as a character never goes away.

Zoe Saldaña as Olga Solís (Elio’s aunt) is a very important part in this story, there’s sort of an emotional separation between Olga and Elio. Olga gave up on her dreams of becoming an astronaut so she can raise her nephew. Elio’s obsession nearly costs Olga’s job which causes a distance between them. The film explores the pain of both sides incredibly well, it’s done in this thoughtful and genuinely touching way that really makes the viewer immediately care for Elio and Olga.

The animation is stunning, the use of color is very top notch, when the film reaches the space portion of the film it really does feel like you are in another world. While yes the space theme does feel a bit familiar in a lot of ways, what Sharafian and Shi are able to do with it is what makes it so fun, they are able to bring this fun aesthetic and a silly atmosphere that it’s enjoyable. You have your heartwarming moments as well to even things out. It’s some nice world building that while may not going into very deep territory, is still solid enough to capture the main mood of the film’s world.

The writing has many themes going on here such as feeling out of place, loss and loneliness all of which the film does a pretty solid job of exploring. The theme of feeling out of place in particular is beautifully done, combining it with the whole space theme is a smart move as well. Elio is in this spot where he doesn’t know where he belongs due to the loss of his parents, his connection to the outside world can only help him so much. This all leads to beautiful moments that are captured quite well and really are striking in their own ways.

The main criticism here comes from most of the aliens, outside of Gordon who does get quite a bit of development. The rest of the aliens don’t really get a huge amount of development, sure they have a few key differences from on another but there really is not anything that stands out. The antagonist Lord Grigon is just kind of there, he’s fine and he gets the job done but that’s really about it. I do find it interesting that the world itself has a lot more personality and gets more development than most of its inhabitants.

But as it stands Elio is a very strong addition to Pixar’s library, it’s touching, heartwarming and such a sweet film that you can’t help but smile after watching.

Elio is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

The Bad Guys 2 (2025) Film Review

Reformed criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula are trying very hard to be good. However, they soon find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes heist that’s masterminded by a new team of delinquents they never saw coming — the Bad Girls.

The Bad Guys 2 is directed by Pierre Perifel director of The Bad Guys (2022).

The Bad Guys (2022) was a surprise, it ended up being one of my favorite films of 2022 a year that was a filled with lots of fantastic releases. The Bad Guys 2 follows a lot of what made the first film so great, there are times where there is a bit of familiarity. However that does not outweigh the positives this film has to offer.

The voice cast is just as good as it was from the first film, Sam Rockwell does such a fantastic job as Mr. Wolf he brings this cool style that always feels fun and this relaxing vibe as well. Some new additions like Danielle Brooks as Kitty Kat, Natasha Lyonne as Doom/Susan and Maria Bakalova are also incredibly great here. They bring these characters their own fun personalities without feeling like almost identical to the main group, in fact I would go as far as to say that The Bad Girls were effective antagonists, while yes some get more development than others I do think for a film that attempted to go with an “opposite team or person” sort of idea this is one of the times where the film nails it.

The animation is just as stunning as it was in the first film, a lot of what I said about the animation from the first film can be applied here. Right at the beginning there’s tons of attention to detail, the colors all pop out incredibly well and the energetic vibe of it all really ties this whole film into a nice little package. The animation is so well done and even expands the film’s world even further from the first film.

The writing is also quite strong here as well, the dynamic between Mr. Wolf and Diane Foxington is genuinely interesting. Their little banter and bond is genuinely heartwarming at times and makes you root for them. The film definitely has a Mission Impossible sort of vibe especially towards the end when things get incredibly chaotic (I mean that in a good way), there really isn’t anything incredible here when it comes to themes. The film is mostly focused on entertaining the viewer which is not a bad thing at all, the film knows its goal and accomplishes it within a matter of seconds.

Overall The Bad Guys 2 is a worthy sequel to a fantastic predecessor, I don’t think this one is as good as the first film simply because it does feel a bit familiar in some areas. However that does not mean this is a bad film, it’s a strong sequel that if you loved the first film you will absolutely fall in love with this one.

The Bad Guys 2 is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Fixed (2025) Film Review

After learning he’s getting neutered, a dog has 24 hours to squeeze in one last balls-to-the-wall adventure with the boys.

Fixed is directed by Genndy Tartakovsky director of The Hotel Transylvania movies (2012-2022) and tons of TV work such as Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003).

Much like a lot of people Tartakovsky was a part of my childhood, if you grew up with Cartoon Network there’s a huge chance that you have at least seen some of his work. His style of animation was always appealing to the eye, the characters were exciting, had some surprisingly well thought out development that audiences can appreciate. Whether it was something silly and fun like Dexter’s Laboratory or something more dark in tone like Samurai Jack Tartakovsky always had a way to tell a story through animation.

So it makes it all the more puzzling on how Fixed came to be, it’s the direct opposite of what Tartakovsky usually does. Which I do understand directors trying to go for something completely different, the idea of a Tartakovsky directed adult cartoon is not necessarily a bad one. But a lot of what made Tartakovsky such a great director and creator is just not present at all in Fixed, instead we get a movie that somehow makes Sausage Party (2016) look like a masterpiece in comparison.

I will say that the 2D animation is genuinely great, it’s a shame it’s used for a movie that essentially boils down to “haha dog balls” or “haha dick joke” but there are times where the animation is creatively used, unfortunately those moments do not go far enough. One moment you have some genuinely striking animation and the next moment you have dog balls shoved in your face. In fact that goes for more than the animation, every time the movie is trying to have a somewhat serious moment it’s always proceeded by an unfunny joke that completely deflates the feel of the scene that just occurred.

The jokes are basically dick jokes, dog balls or dogs having sex, with none of these jokes being clever at the slightest. With the exception of one genuinely decent joke that isn’t sex related, every single other joke falls flat on its face. It’s an absolute shame because there was a lot of potential here, unfortunately when you have a script that feels like it was written by edgy teenagers you can only do so much.

The voice acting is not terrible, but it’s most certainly not anything to write home about. Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn, River Gallo and Fred Armisen are all very talented actors but the material they are given here is flat out terrible. Adam DeVine as the lead is annoying, easily one of the worst parts of the movie (and that’s saying something) and just painful to listen to. None of these characters have any meaningful development, all of it is cliche character types that you have already seen.

Overall Fixed is nothing but 85 minutes of the exact same joke over and over again, the story fails to invest the viewer and could have easily been put into a 30 minute TV episode. As annoying as Sausage Party (2016) got at the very least there was a creative angle the movie took even if it wasn’t very often. Fixed is basically the exact same thing except it’s not clever and never tries to be. Even if you are a fan of adult animation this is something I don’t recommend.

Fixed is available on Netflix.

2/10 F

The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie

Porky Pig and Daffy Duck become Earth’s only hope when their antics at the local bubble-gum factory uncover a secret alien mind-control plot. Faced with cosmic odds, they must save their town and the world while not driving each other totally looney.

The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is directed by Pete Browngardt which although it is his feature directorial debut he has worked on many shows you would recognize such as Futurama, The Venture Bros, Chowder, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Adventure Time and is the creator of Uncle Grandpa.

Believe it or not The Day The Earth Blew Up is the first fully animated and theatrical released Looney Tunes film, which is something that does not sound real but sure enough it is. If there’s one word to describe this film it’s charming, what Browngardt did with the Looney Tunes here is absolutely well done and incredibly imaginative. It has this sense of nostalgia without feeling like it’s trying to bait the audience and throw half a dozen easter eggs at you, it’s a film where long time fans and newcomers can really enjoy and walk away from the film loving the Looney Tunes all over again or wanting to get into them more.

The voice acting is top notch, Eric Bauza who voices both Daffy Duck and Porky Pig is the best he’s ever been, there’s so much charm to the characters and it’s all captured in the familiar voices of the characters. Having Daffy Duck and Porky Pig together is also quite neat, I grew up with Duck Dodgers a show that was on Cartoon Network that also had Daffy and Porky as the main characters. So it does bring a sense of nostalgia to see the two on screen together again and much like in Duck Dodgers they are both excellent here. The humor, their two personalities and the writing really brings out everything that we all love about these two characters. Candi Milo as Petunia Pig is a nice mix as well, Peter MacNicol as The Invader gives some great laughs over the course of the film.

The humor is very well done and is pretty spot on when capturing the spirit of the Looney Tunes. Even when the film goes for more of the newer type of humor it still works, one particular scene of (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams showing up is genuinely hilarious and works in this fun way. There’s some fourth wall breaking jokes that are actually pretty charming, I don’t think these jokes would have worked nearly as well had this not been a Looney Tunes film but due to the charm and the way they are executed they work well here and match the tone.

The charm of the film is ultimately what makes the film, you can tell Browngardt and the many other writers wanted to make this special as well as a tribute to the Looney Tunes franchise as a whole. Not only does the film accomplish that it does its own thing, as I said earlier the film does not rely on nostalgia or easter eggs to bring the viewer in. It relies on classic Looney Tunes shenanigans, humor and energetic voice acting to bring it all together. The animation is also filled to the brim of charm with so much detail and so much to look at it’s incredibly pleasing to the eyes.

Overall The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is such a fun film that any Looney Tunes fan will love, there’s so much passion put here and respect for the franchise. Definitely be sure to check this one out!

The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is available on all VOD platforms.

8/10 B+

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League (2025) Film Review

Batman and his allies battle to save Gotham from the Yakuza League, a group of superpowered individuals resembling the Justice League.

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is directed by Junpei Mizusaki and Shinji Takagi. Mizusaki previously directed Batman Ninja (2018) and Takagi previously directed Steamboy (2004). The film serves as a sequel to Batman Ninja (2018).

Batman Ninja (2018) I always found to be one of the better DC animated films to come out in recent years, so I was pretty interested (kind of surprised as well) that a sequel was actually coming out. While it’s not as good as the first movie simply because the idea was more fresh with the first movie. I do think Yakuza League is a pretty solid sequel that continues to use the bizarre idea in an interesting way!

Much like the first film the voice acting and the animation style is pretty great. The anime references thrown in this time around are charming and add to the style, it never becomes way too much instead it adds details to the characters which have some quite interesting designs such as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Aquaman with their Yakuza counterparts.

The story is just as fun as it was with the first film only I would argue this one is a bit more self aware, which does lead to some decently fun sequences and styles. Some editing styles reminiscent of Shonen anime and Japanese TV shows of the 70s and 80s, that does take away from some character arcs especially towards Batman’s family. But it’s a fair trade off considering that the rest of the film is quite decent with how the idea is executed.

The action scenes are fun, creative and pop out incredibly well, the dialogue holds the viewer’s interest throughout the film. There isn’t anything mind blowing going on here, some of the characters like Joker and Harley Quinn feel a bit shoehorned in (Joker really isn’t as interesting as a character as he was in the first film.) the movie does admittedly start to lose a bit of steam towards the end, but at the very least the movie does not overstay its welcome with a runtime of 89 minutes it’s enough to get to the point and wrap things up at a nice pace.

Overall Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is a bit weaker than its predecessor but still manages to keep the qualities of what made the first one great. If you liked the first film you will probably like this one as well.

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is available on all VOD platforms.

7/10 B

Plankton: The Movie (2025) Film Review

Plankton’s tangled love story with his sentient computer wife goes sideways when she takes a stand and decides to destroy the world without him.

Plankton: The Movie is directed by Dave Needham director of The Loud House Movie (2021).

After the disaster that was last year’s Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (2024) I went into this one expecting the same sort of disaster..luckily that was not the case here. That doesn’t mean to say that it’s necessarily a good movie but talk about an improvement.

The voice cast does a really solid job here, there isn’t necessarily any standouts it’s very much what you expect from anything SpongeBob related but unlike the Sandy Cheeks Movie there was actual charm here. The relationship between Plankton and Karen is actually explored decently well, again nothing mind blowing but the fact they even bothered at all considering how lacking in writing the last movie was deserves some credit.

The animation styles used are decent, some of the 3D animation does feel a bit empty at times. It’s moments like those that you kind of wish the movie was the typical SpongeBob 2D animation style, but at the very least some of those moments are made up with some song sequences. The music numbers are a mixed bag for me in terms of the songs themselves, but I do think what’s going on the background and the different styles being used are quite great as well as creative at times. The songs themselves are never going to reach the quality and fun feel of the songs from the show, but they are at least tolerable and don’t overstay their welcome (you will more than likely forget about them as soon as the movie is over anyway.)

Finally it’s nice to see that there’s still some charm from the show here, for one thing the voice acting was much more lively especially from Tom Kenny who sounds much more awake than he was in the Sandy Cheeks Movie (2024) leading to this movie just having more entertaining moments. Plus there are some moments that are genuinely funny, nothing that’s going to knock your socks off but entertaining at the very least.

Not much else to say here, Plankton: The Movie is probably the most 5/10 movie ever made but given just how dreadful the last movie was. That should be taken as a compliment.

Plankton: The Movie is available on Netflix!

5/10 C