What to watch in theaters and at home this weekend April 7-9, 2023

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — By the looks of Wednesday's box office numbers, a lot of you have already made your way to the theaters to see "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." $31.7 million in one day is an impressive feat. I haven't seen the film yet, I hope to remedy that in the next few days.

The other major theatrical release is "Air." Ben Affleck directs and stars opposite Matt Damon in a interesting, smart, and informative film that explores the story behind the creation of the Air Jordan empire. No sports or business savvy required to watch.

Those looking to stay home and stream a film or two have numerous options. Netflix has "Chupa," a Steven Spielberg inspired action adventure about a young boy who befiends a magical creature. Apple TV+ gives us "Boom! Boom! The World vs. Becker." As a kid I watched a lot of tennis and the rivalry between Becker and Ivan Lendl was legendary. Elsewhere Prime has an inspirational drama called "On a Wing and a Prayer" and Peacock has the musical drama "Praise This."

If none of those suit your fancy, you could always go and see "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" or "John Wick: Chapter 4."

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Studio Synopsis: While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario (Chris Pratt; Jurassic World and The LEGO Movie franchises) and brother Luigi (Charlie Day; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world. But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi.

With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad (Keegan-Michael Key; The Lion King) and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy;The Queen’s Gambit), Mario taps into his own power.

Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day
Genre: Animated, Comedy
Rated:PG for action and mild violence.
Where to Watch: Theaters

Air

Studio Synopsis: From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis
Genre: Drama
Rated:R for language throughout.
Reaction: I like that the film is centered on characters, rather than simply coasting on the legend that is Michael Jordan. Nike took risks and revolutionized the basketball shoe market.
Where to Watch: Theaters

Chupa

Studio Synopsis:While visiting his family in Mexico, teenage Alex gains an unlikely companion when he discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandpa’s shed. In order to save the mythical creature, Alex and his cousins must embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
Starring: Christian Slater, Evan Whitten,Demián Bichir
Genre: Action, Adventure
Rated:PG for some action, peril and thematic elements
Reaction: It's way too fluffy and lacks any sense of danger
Where to Watch: Netflix

Boom! Boom!: The World vs. Boris Becker

Studio Synopsis:A new two-part documentary event from Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney (“The Armstrong Lie") and Oscar-winning producer John Battsek (“One Day in September") that explores every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning The Wimbledon Championships at the age of just 17, going on to win 49 career titles, including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal, as well as his high-profile, sometimes tumultuous personal life.
Genre: Documentary
Where to Watch: Apple TV+

On a Wing and a Prayer

Studio Synopsis:In this extraordinary true story of faith and survival, On a Wing and a Prayer follows passenger Doug White’s (Dennis Quaid) harrowing journey to safely land a plane and save his entire family from insurmountable danger, after their pilot dies unexpectedly mid-flight.
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Heather Graham, Jesse Metcaffe
Genre: Drama
Rated:PG for peril, some language, suggestive references and thematic elements
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime

Praise This

Studio Synopsis: From director Tina Gordon, writer-director of Little and the writer of What Men Want and Drumline, Praise This follows aspiring musical superstar Sam (Five-time Grammy nominee Chloe Bailey; Grown-ish), a young woman driven, at almost any cost, to break into the music business. So, when her father (Philip Fornah; Better Call Saul), worried that Sam is associating with a dangerous crowd, moves them from Los Angeles to Atlanta to live with Sam’s sunny cousin, Jess (Anjelika Washington; Tall Girl franchise), Sam is not happy.

But when Sam is forced to join her cousin’s struggling, underdog praise team in the lead-up to a national championship competition, she sees an opportunity to finally make her dreams come true. What she discovers, though, is that ambition can command a high price and that praise is not about glory, but gratitude.

Starring: Chloe Bailey, Tristan Mack Wilds, Cocoa Brown
Genre: Musical, Romance
Rated:TV-14
Where to Watch: Peacock