'Air' Slam-Dunks And 'Super Mario Bros. Movie' Powers Up
HOLLYWOOD, CA — This Easter weekend, nostalgia dominates the new releases on the big screen, featuring a couple of films that will resonate with Gen Xers.
Looking for a feel-good movie? Look no further than “Air,” the story behind the iconic “Air Jordan” Nike shoe line. The movie stars Matt Damon as the Nike marketing extraordinaire who spearheaded Nike’s game-changing business partnership with the then-rookie Michael Jordan. Viola Davis, Ben Affleck and Jason Bateman co-star in the film.
Gamers, rejoice! The animation film, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” is also making a big splash this weekend starring Chris Pratt and Charlie Day as the siblings Mario and Luigi respectively.
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Check out what we thought of the two films below.
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“Air”
Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman; directed by Ben Affleck
Ever wonder how Nike’s “Air Jordan” shoe line came about? Or, perhaps, how the sports company forged its game-changing business partnership with Michael Jordan? Ben Affleck’s “Air” tells that genesis story.
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The year is 1984, and Nike ranks third to Adidas and Converse in the market for basketball sneakers. Enter Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), a Nike executive tasked to come up with a business plan aimed at increasing sales.
Vaccaro has $250,000 at his disposal to strike a deal with any five NBA players to wear Nike shoes. In a surprisingly unorthodox move, he puts all the eggs in one basket and decides, instead, to entice only one player — you guessed it — the rookie Michael Jordan.
However, it is not going to be an easy feat. First, he needs to get the approval of his Nike boss, Phil Knight (Ben Affleck), to undertake such a risky business venture. Of course, the company’s head honcho voices his apprehension, especially since Jordan “has never set foot on an NBA court.”
Now comes the next hurdle in Vaccaro’s business pursuit. He must now persuade Jordan’s mom (Viola Davis). The rest is history.
See it.
Ben Affleck’s “Air” reverberates with gaiety and feel-good excitement, all while immersing audiences in an all-out business story of guts and determination.
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day; directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic
If you are a Gen-X gamer, chances are you remember the 1993 “Super Mario Bros.,” the first-ever video game adapted for the big screen. And, more likely than not, the historic live-action film made you cry with sadness and disappointment at its launch.
Gamers, it’s time to rejoice! The new film is poised to make amends for the unforgettable dark and bizarre tone of the first film. In contrast, Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic’s new outing, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” is amazingly colorful and all-out fun.
Chris Pratt plays the go-getter Mario, while Charlie Day plays his miserable brother Luigi. Set in Brooklyn, the movie finds the siblings struggling to launch their own plumbing business.
As in the first film, their adventure starts in a sewer. But this time around, the brothers are propelled into two divergent paths. Mario ends up in a whimsical world called the Mushroom Kingdom. Meanwhile, Luigi lands in a dystopian hellish place called the Dark Lands.
Will Mario and Luigi ever be reunited?
See it.
Simply put: Whether you are a “Mario” fan or not, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” will put a smile on your face.
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