It might not be pixel perfect, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie is delightfully fun with all the candy-coated nostalgia you can handle. That is to say, this definitely won’t ruin your childhood – I promise! First things first though, this is primarily made for the kiddie crowd. Yes, the computer animation is gloriously vibrant, all while the action is as zippily madcap as other top-tier children’s entertainment of the day (looking at you Minions). What sets it apart, however, is the aforementioned nostalgia of it all. Trust me, there is fan service, and then there’s this! The movie jams in so many nods to Mario lore that I actually lost count around 20 (I seriously tried to “catch ‘em all”). It’s not a bad thing though, as the audio cues, character cameos, and blink and you’ll miss ‘em gags never interfere with the story at hand. Unfortunately, that story is admittedly paper thin. And it’s a shame, as there are so many wondrous and eclectic aspects to the Mushroom Kingdom (and beyond) that could have been further explored – let alone explained. Alas, things are kept pretty simple, making for a less than super throughline straight to the inevitable final Bowser battle. But hey, at least they elevated Princess Peach to be more than a damsel in distress (sadly, that left Luigi to fill the “needs rescuing” role). And say what you will about the voice cast, but they are clearly having fun with their respective reads. Yes, Chris Pratt as our titular moustachioed plumber was perfectly fine. Even if he sounded, well, like himself. And, at an hour and half, it’s an effortlessly breezy viewing experience. So, while not an absolute flawless game-to-film adaptation, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is definitely worth pressing play on. As they say, “It’s Mario time!”