Author: Mark Salcido

1993 was the last time anyone saw the Mario Bros. – or any other Nintendo property – on the big screen. Super Mario Bros., directed by husband-and-wife Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, was a feature-length live-action film based on the video game. Unfortunately (not really), the movie bombed hard at the box office, and critics pummeled it so severely that it scared the prominent gaming company from trying again. Yet, here we are in 2023, and Nintendo has put their faith in the hands of Illumination and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and the movie is passable or just “OK”…

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have repeatedly shown they’re serious players in Hollywood since their award-winning script Good Will Hunting. Subsequently, the two have worked separately on several projects and returned to their collaboration routes with 2021’s The Last Duel. Now with the two teaming up again with the biopic Air, Affleck and Damon are back on track to being a successful duo in the film industry. Air is a biographical sports drama directed by Affleck and written by Alex Convery. It stars Damon (Sonny Vaccaro), Jason Bateman (Rob Strasser), Affleck (Phil Knight), Viola Davis (Deloris Jordan), and the triumphant…

AI tech has been making the rounds in the news recently. Of course, artificial intelligence affecting certain art forms is nothing new, but the WGA potentially allowing technological advancement has been kicking up a stir. Many news sites have reported that the scriptwriting organization has proposed allowing AI-written scripts as long as it does not affect writers’ credits or residuals. However, it seems like several studios are not waiting for the WGA to catch up with technology and have begun commissioning the advanced tech to create a slew of classic remakes. We’re getting reports from many insiders in some of…

The Dungeons and Dragons franchise has had ups and downs since its creation. First, the role-playing game established a devoted fanbase, was used as a source of fear-mongering, and has been on the big and little screen. Then, 2000 gave fans a live adaptation of the well-known RPG with a trilogy that didn’t fit the caliber it deserved. Basically, the movies were beaten to a pulp by fans of D&D, regular moviegoers, and most critics. Finally, somebody at Paramount Pictures decided to give this IP another try with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and might have finally struck gold.…

Anthony DiBlasi directed and wrote – with the aid of writer Scott Poiley – a little horror film in 2014 called Last Shift. The film is for those who are into the horror genre but go past the surface level in search of something more indie and less known. That’s not to say that DiBlasi is not recognized for trying something different to this highly-loved genre. Consequently, the director applied everything from Last Shift to the remake, Malum. Malum beckoned DiBlasi and Poiley to take another crack at the story, but despite a larger budget and new cast, the movie…

The first Shazam! movie released in 2019 caught this reviewer off guard. Director David F. Sandberg took one of the oldest superheroes in comic book history and brought it to the big screen in a fun and entertaining way. It was one of the DCEU movies that didn’t face a lot of criticism, and the approval from the general audience warranted a follow-up sequel. Shazam! Fury of the Gods has Sandberg returning behind the lens in hopes that lightning will strike twice – pun intended. However, what ended up on the big screen was a reminder that the DCEU needs to…

Death, taxes, and awards seasons are the three things that are guaranteed in life. Whichever you look forward to indicates what kind of person you are. Death? You might need to seek help. Taxes? You might need someone who knows the ins and outs of taxes. Awards? Well, you might be someone who at least enjoys your favorite film for being recognized and rewarded. That’s where the Oscars come in. The Academy Awards ceremony has its usual moments of shocking wins, snubs, and predictability. However, there has been a case or two when something happens so momentously at the Oscars…

Phase 5 of the MCU has been talked about forever. The steps to the next big Marvel event of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty have finally started to move forward for Marvel fans and not-so-Marvel fans. Last year’s D23 event featured several Marvel Studios properties, and the path to the Multiverse event seemed clear. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the first step into that promising journey; however, as a standalone movie, it’s a step in the wrong direction. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the third go with director Peyton Reed. The cast features Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant-Man),…

The Fast and Furious franchise has been around since the first film came out in theaters with The Fast and The Furious in 2001. The franchise has gotten slightly ridiculous over time, but that hasn’t stopped moviegoers from returning for more. The Fast X release is quickly approaching, so the marketing campaign is about to hit a blitz. With that in mind, the star and producer of the Fast and Furious movies, Vin Diesel, has taken to social media with the movie’s first look at Jason Momoa’s unnamed villain. The Aquaman actor is seen in costume as Dante. The character…

The Bad Boys franchise has had its ups and downs, yet keeps coming back. The highly successful third film Bad Boys For Life came out in 2020 and helped rejuvenate interest in future films. It was believed that Bad Boys 4 would be greenlit, but most news surrounding the much-in-demand information had slowly died out. Well, that’s no longer the case because Bad Boys 4 is officially on the way. Franchise stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence went online to share the news that the film was “a go.” The two announced the news on their Instagram accounts with the…