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The Filmcast

Ep. 869 - The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

·1 hr 49 min·5 clips
Devinder says the Super Mario Galaxy movie is a 'black hole of entertainment' where he didn't laugh once and a fan in Mario gear fell asleep.
The episode opens with hosts David Chen, Devinder Hardawar, and Jeff Canata introducing their review of 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,' noting its massive box office and the divide between audience and critic scores. They begin with a non-review segment discussing a Reddit 'Am I the Asshole' post about a man who left his girlfriend in a theater bathroom during a movie, leading to a broader conversation about movie-watching etiquette and the 'buddy system.' This evolves into a debate between Jeff and Devinder about their approaches to watching films, with Jeff insisting on watching movies start-to-finish in one sitting and Devinder being more flexible. After a sponsor break, they move to 'What We've Been Watching.' David discusses 'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come,' noting it continues the supernatural lore from the first film's ending. Devinder praises the indie horror film 'Exit 8,' an adaptation of a video game about a man stuck in a looping subway station. Jeff talks about the HBO Max docuseries 'Born to Bowl,' expressing surprise at the strategic depth of professional bowling, which involves adapting to different lane oil patterns and traveling with numerous balls. David briefly mentions the Netflix action film 'War Machine' starring Alan Ritchson. Devinder discusses catching up on 'For All Mankind,' noting its ambitious time-jumping narrative and occasional weak subplots. Jeff mentions enjoying the emotional payoff of 'Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat.' The episode concludes with their main review of 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,' where Jeff criticizes it as slavish fan service without cinematic ambition, and Devinder delivers a vehement pan, calling it a narrative black hole. They discuss the challenge of adapting Nintendo's gameplay-focused IPs into film.

As heard by us

A Mario movie conversation opens into a sharper, stranger look at audience taste and professional bowling.

The Filmcast turns the Super Mario Galaxy movie into a brisk argument about the distance between mass enthusiasm and critical approval. David Chen, Devinder Hardawar, and Jeff Canata begin with loose Mario bits, then move into the film's huge weekend, its reported…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

For when you want Super Mario Galaxy movie chatter with a surprising detour into professional bowling.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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