Movies That Surprised Me: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

When it comes to movies and TV, my expectations are never high. These days, there's hardly anything out there that's original, not so cluttered up with sex and gore and politically correct rubbish. Not so "woke" as my sister likes to say. 

That said, I love it when a movie surprises me and turns out to be a genuine delight. And today, I received a most delightful surprise from the 2023 Super Mario Bros. Movie. 

(All images property of their respective owners.)

For as long as I can remember, I've been a pretty big Nintendo nut. I played a few games often enough, mostly on N64, and I still have a Nintendo DS in my possession today.

I also vaguely remember a Mario cartoon show that was pretty good. Enough to keep a young kid entertained, at any rate.

So, it's safe to say I'm a fairly die-hard fan of Mario. I even drew him and dressed up as him for FanX last year.

But when I heard of Mario coming to the big screen, I wasn't so sure. 

I wasn't too thrilled about the recent movies involving Pikachu or Sonic the Hedgehog, and I was further turned off upon hearing that Charles Martinet, Mario's original voice actor in the games, wouldn't be providing his voice this time. I actually asked, "How can you have Mario without Charles Martinet?"

In good time, however, I began to reconsider.

I wasn't able to see it in theaters, but I was absolutely blown away at how well it did in the box office. It beat all the Disney movies out of the ballpark, including The Lion King and Frozen. I couldn't help feeling a perverse pleasure in this, due to my growing disenchantment with Disney.

By the time it came out on video, I relented enough to buy a digital copy on Amazon Prime, and when my birthday came along, I told Mom I wouldn't say no to the DVD for a present. 

So, that's what she got me and we watched it today. 

I was not disappointed at all. 

It was absolutely fantastic. 

It kept me entertained the whole time, and I loved all those little "Easter eggs" they scattered all over the place. There was a little nod to Mario Kart here, a little nod to Luigi's Mansion there; there were even a few shout-outs to Donkey Kong 64, which I also played to pieces. 

The visual effects alone are incredible, to say the least. I mean, seriously!  

As much as I yearn for the good old days of hand-drawn animation, this movie made me say, "Whoa!" out loud more than once.

Furthermore, I very much appreciated how Princess Peach was able to take care of herself most of the time without going out of her way to be tough, if you know what I mean.

She still has her vulnerable moments, she's genuinely sweet and kind, she's funny on occasion, and the romance between her and Mario is very downplayed. 

It's obvious enough that they're falling in love, but the primary focus stays on the relationship between Mario and Luigi. Mario starts out trying to help his brother, and then he ends up helping Peach in the process.

Which leads us to the movie's crown jewel: the bond between brothers.

Some of my most favorite stories are about familial love. I like stories that explore the relationship between parent/grandparent and child, or between siblings. 

That's one thing I'll say in favor of Frozen. All excessive hype aside, the relationship between Anna and Elsa was nicely done, and I admired that "legal loophole" about sisterly love saving the day, although I maintain to this day that one movie was enough.

Mario and Luigi are just precious in this one. They've always got each other's backs, no matter what's going on, and while Mario starts out protecting Luigi the most, there inevitably comes a time when Luigi gets to repay the favor. 

No one can seem to get enough of that big hug they share toward the climax, or that "forehead bump." I can't.

Since the title is The Super Mario Bros. Movie, it gives both brothers a chance to shine. 

And I, for one, think it was done absolutely brilliantly. 

There should be more movies like this out there. So many, many more. 

But for the time being, I'm well satisfied. This birthday present is a definite keeper, and it's only a matter of time before I watch this anew. 

The only true downside was trying to keep my younger siblings quiet the whole time. I understand they mean well, but they still got a little disruptively excited more than once. So, next time will most likely be by myself, on my own private device, since I did buy a digital copy on the side.

Come on, Mario, Luigi, let's-a go again!

Big Bible Questions: Who's to Blame for Joseph's Enslavement?

Welcome, friends and readers! Today marks the third session of my "Big Bible Questions" series.

If you're new to this series, this is where I take a story from the Bible, usually a story that modern readers feel very passionate about; everybody has their own interpretations of the story and the characters, and it can result in an ugly clash if they're not careful.

Here, I strive to be much more philosophical than argumentative. Whether or not you agree with me is up to you, and if you're not religious at all, hopefully you can at least appreciate the educational aspects of these discussions. Besides, it's fascinating for me, myself, to go back to the stories of my childhood and learn something I hadn't really thought of before.

Today's topic: Joseph in Egypt, from the book of Genesis.

To summarize, Joseph started out as a young, precocious boy who was his father's pride and joy. His father, Jacob, the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham, had several wives, which resulted in more than a dozen children.

What made Joseph so special was that he was the first son of Jacob's especially beloved wife, Rachel, who had been unable to give him a child for many years.

In those days, an abundance of children was a sign that you had God's blessing. The more children a woman had, the more favored she must be in God's sight.

So, if a woman only had one child—or no children at all—society frowned on her more because there was clearly something wrong with her. Of course, we know today that that's not the case, and childless, even unmarried women are still God's daughters and He loves them as such. But again, such were the standards of those days; even in our day, society is all too often tainted with extreme unfairness.

Having a son was especially significant. Nothing wrong with a daughter, of course; we get at least a few examples of fathers in the Bible, like Mordecai and Jairus, who cherished their daughters. Well, Mordecai was actually Esther's cousin, but there's still something to be said about how he took her in after her parents died and how she grew up into such a splendid woman, splendid enough to catch the eye of a king.

Still, sons were held in such favor that society would go easy on a woman with only one child if that child was a boy.

So, when Rachel gave birth to a son, it really was nothing short of a miracle. Despite all the children Jacob had already, this child was "extra special."

But where Jacob cherished his little boy with all his heart, the other sons grew to hate him with all their hearts. That hatred eventually grew strong enough for them to sell their own brother into slavery, a fate many considered worse than death...and for good reason.

Joseph was taken away from his home, from everyone and everything he ever knew and loved, and brought against his will into a strange country, where he would most likely spend the rest of his life. Worst of all, only heaven knew whose hands he would fall into, whether his new master would be kind or cruel. He would have no more control over his own life than a horse, a donkey, or a camel.

So today's "Big Bible Question" is: who's responsible for Joseph's predicament?

Are his brothers solely to blame, or did Jacob play an unintentional role in this? Or is it possible that Joseph brought this on himself, at least to some extent, since it's likely enough that his father's favoritism went to his head?

Was this a cruel injustice, or a necessary lesson in humility?

In my opinion, these questions are best answered in the DreamWorks movie, Joseph: King of Dreams.

What I love about this movie is that you get to see everyone's perspective and it's illustrated quite plainly that everyone has their own reasons (understandable, if not justifiable) for what they do, and as a result, the responsibility doesn't rest with just one person.

To one degree or another, they're all responsible.

Yes, Jacob was right to be over the moon about his miracle child, but he was not right in elevating Joseph above all his other sons. To be fair, he may not have even known how his other sons truly felt, but he could have made a better effort to reach out to them and talk to them; a little miscommunication can go a long way.

Yes, Joseph was right to know and celebrate his own self-worth. But there is a fine line separating self-confidence from narcissism, and he ended up having to learn the hard way that he was human like everybody else, that God is in charge, and God is all Joseph has to turn to when things go wrong. Joseph's change in humility is beautifully expressed in the song, "Better Than I."

I thought I did what's right

I thought I had the answers

I thought I chose the surest road

But that road brought me here

So, I put up a fight

And told you how to help me

Now, just when I have given up,

The truth is coming clear

You know better than I

You know the way

I've let go the need to know why

For you know better than I

If this has been a test,

I cannot see the reason

But maybe knowing I don't know

Is part of getting through

I try to do what's best

And faith has made it easy

To see the best thing I can do

Is put my trust in you

For you know better than I

You know the way

I've let go the need to know why

For you know better than I

I saw one cloud and thought it was the sky

I saw a bird and thought that I could follow

But it was you who taught that bird to fly

If I let you reach me,

Will you teach me?

For you know better than I

You know the way

I've let go the need to know why

I'll take what answers you supply

You know better than I

And yes, Joseph's brothers had the right to be angry, if not a little envious. Where they went wrong is they allowed this envy to consume them, causing them to lose sight of what was most important, and the whole family ended up suffering the consequences. It's like when you do something in the heat of the moment, and only afterwards do you realize your mistake.

As serious as their mistake was, the brothers proved they had changed when they had an opportunity to save their other brother, Benjamin, from becoming a slave as well. Ironically, Joseph is the "slave owner" this time, and he's doing this as a deliberate test. Again, I feel Joseph: King of Dreams illustrates this very well, and I'll let the dialogue speak for itself:

"Take any of us, Your Grace, but please, let the boy go!"

"You would sacrifice yourselves for a half-brother who's spoiled by your father?"

"Yes."

"Why? Why should you care if I take him? Beat him? Make him a slave?"

"Because I will not make my father suffer...again."

"Again? What do you mean, 'again'?"

"Our brother was not killed by wolves. We were blinded by jealousy and sold him into slavery. For twenty years, we have lived with that guilt. We can't go back without the boy. My father could not bear it a second time...and neither could we. If anyone is to be punished, it should be us."

"I will not harm any of you...or our father. I am your brother, Joseph."

The last four verses in chapter 44 of Genesis, where Judah (the ringleader, more or less) expresses his regret for Joseph's loss and his determination to not let the vicious cycle repeat itself with Benjamin, are quite poetic as well: "It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.  

"For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.  

"Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. 

"For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father." (Genesis 44:31-34)

Today, a lot of people hold these characters in deep contempt, especially Jacob. They keep saying, "Well, Jacob was a terrible father! Joseph's brothers were awful to him and didn't deserve to be taken back! Even Joseph deserved what he got! They should all have known better!"

True, they should all have known better...but that's what I like about this story.

It shows that nobody is perfect. Everybody makes mistakes, some more serious than others, but what matters in the end is how well you learn from those mistakes.

Even if a lesson must be learned the hard way, the important thing is that you do learn.

After all, God is more than willing to give us another chance. So, what excuse do we have not to give another chance to each other?

What Joseph and his family went through was terrible, heartbreaking, and utterly horrifying. But they all came through stronger, more humbled, and they could finally become a proper family. It even says that everyone lived to a good, ripe age in Egypt, in peace and prosperity.

I love a story with a happy ending—especially when it's a real "happily ever after."

Undervalued Classics: Brother Bear

Since I did this with Hunchback of Notre Dame, I thought I'd try it again with another movie that I believe deserves a boatload more love, if not a shipload.

Today, that movie is Disney's 44th animated feature, Brother Bear. 

I didn't get a chance to see it in theaters, but the commercials for the 2003 video release (and hearing about it from friends and listening to the soundtrack) intrigued me enough to ask for the VHS for Christmas. Yes, I'm that old-fashioned. Besides, I like Phil Collins and I love hand-drawn animation.

I ended up playing my tape quite frequently, to the point where I could sing just about all of the songs and quote most of the dialogue on cue. I even tried to write my own version of the story, but replacing the bears with tigers. (Throw in a lion and you've got that immortal Wizard of Oz quote totally nailed!)

Anyway, I'm surprised at how little fanfare this movie gets these days. I don't expect it to steal Frozen's thunder but you would think people would talk about it a little more often. At least, I think so.

For one thing, the animation is exquisite. I see few movies, even the computer-generated ones, topping that kind of quality. The opening sequence alone, with all those widespread landscapes and luscious colors, still turns me alien-green with envy. You can just tell these guys did their research, and poured their hearts and souls into this project by the truckload.

(Wonder if these could be Bambi's ancestors!)

But probably the most dazzling sequence of all is when Kenai is first transformed into a bear. I was absolutely blown away the first time I watched it, and I've heard some people admit that they don't like the movie but they're very impressed with this scene. I can't find a single thing to criticize about it, and the "Transformation" song by the Bulgarian Women's Choir never fails to give me goosebumps. Heck, I'm getting goosebumps right now, just from looking at these screencaps!

For another thing, this movie has a remarkable cast of characters. These characters have sure won me over.

I could spend all day talking about each character, one by one, but I'll make it easy on you (and myself) and just mention the characters who had the greatest effect on me.

A lot of people say they find Rutt and Tuke super-annoying. I don't mind them; they're not half as annoying as Timon and Pumbaa, and they provide some much-needed comic relief. But most of all, my dad personally liked them. I remember him laughing quite hard at their scenes, especially their first scene, so that memory has further endeared them to me.

Plus, I can't help but admire the care and attention devoted to their animation. I'm always in awe of an animator who can make a four-legged creature cartoony and zany while retaining anatomical accuracy.

 

("Look at these cuspids! R-r-r-r!" This probably made Dad laugh the hardest.)

And, of course, there's Kenai and his relationship with little Koda; this is what the movie is all about. This is the story's crown jewel.

All I can tell you is that it's truly moving to see how these two go from this...

...to this!

There is another scene that most people highly approve of, even the non-fans. Big spoiler: Kenai confesses to Koda that his mother is gone...and that he, Kenai, was responsible. It's considered one of the saddest Disney moments of all time, and given Disney's history of major tearjerkers, that's saying a lot.

Just look at their faces: 

There's a deleted version of this scene that makes it even sadder, if you can believe that. Most people say this deleted version is vastly superior to the one with the Phil Collins song, though I'll admit I rather like the song. The lyrics alone pluck at my heartstrings:

"Everywhere I turn, I hurt someone

But there's nothing I can say

To change the things I've done

I'd do anything within my power

I'd give everything I've got

But the path I seek

Is hidden from me now. 

"Brother bear, I let you down.

You trusted me

Believed in me

And I let you down

Of all the things I hid from you,

I cannot hide the shame

And I pray someone

Something will come

To take away the pain."

But I must also admit, the deleted scene does pack a stronger punch. I have a hard time making up my mind which version would have suited the movie better: Brother Bear - Behind the confession scene...

So yeah, long review short, Brother Bear is a beautiful, wonderful movie that deserves so much better than what it's gotten. At the very least, it's starting to regain more recognition and appreciation now, along with its siblings from the Disney Post-Renaissance.

What's more, I like the sequel, Brother Bear 2.

Sure, its predecessor is vastly superior, as is to be expected. However, it is, by far, the second best of the Disney sequels; it would be number one on my list if Bambi II hadn't come along. The animation is great (you can tell they spent more time and money on it), the songs are decent (I prefer Phil Collins to Melissa Etheridge, but Etheridge's songs are all right nonetheless), and I even admire Nita, voiced by Mandy Moore, who would go on to voice Rapunzel in Tangled.

I'll definitely need to watch both movies again, from start to finish, maybe even back-to-back.

So...guess that's all I have to say for this review. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog all the way through, if you have.

Bye for now!

(Screencaps courtesy of Disney Screencaps.)