Ben Lindbergh

I'm just disappointed, I guess.

Just slightly disappointed.

Even understanding who these are for and what they are designed to do.

Do you think that these movies are for hardcore dyed-in-the-wool Nintendo kids, longtime Mario lovers?

Do you think that they are more made for them?

Or do you think it's more for the woman in your screening who said, hey, that's Star Fox character.

They should do something with that guy.

Because...

On the one hand, the references, obviously, which they have crammed into every frame, well, that's for the people who will recognize those references to some degree.

But then also, maybe this is why I want more, because I am so conditioned to think of Mario as the standard bearer, as the thing that's going to reinvent the form and the medium.

And thus, I have higher expectations for the movie than someone who is peripherally aware of Mario and his cultural footprint, but hasn't really had that hands-on experience.

Yeah, I know it's frustrating for audiences when they hear people say,

try to craft the movie that they want to see in their mind as opposed to accepting the movie that is actually on the screen, right?

And so I fully understand that.

Yeah, this movie is going to go gangbusters at the box office.

Watch out.

Hail Mary.

It's time for Hail Mario.

And we have been hailing Mario, but also in a qualified sense.

You know, I almost wish Yoshi, love Yoshi, cute, cuddly.