Mario Galaxy sweeps theaters despite mixed reviews

The Mario sequel sweeps the box office despite lukewarm reviews, proving that the power of nostalgia is unstoppable.

Reviews don’t matter when you have a starred plumber

It seems that the critics did not like the mushroom of power. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premiered with reviews that we could describe as… lukewarm. A 40% on Rotten Tomatoes isn’t exactly a standing ovation.

But do you know who did applaud? The mass public. And with the wallet.

RelatedSuper Mario Galaxy The Movie Reveals Its First Trailer

The animated sequel grossed $130.9 million in its opening weekend alone in the US and Canada. In five days, the figure rises to 190.1 million. Worldwide, the debut points to an astronomical 372.5 million.

“It’s exactly the kind of wide, crowd-pleasing release that makes people go to theaters,”
said Adam Aron, CEO of AMC.

And boy were they. The film was shown in 4,252 theaters in North America alone, including more than 400 IMAX screens. In Mexico it was a phenomenon, leading international sales with 29.1 million.

The paradox of millennial success

Here’s the funny thing: this is a success despite. Despite regular criticism. Although it grossed less than the first film in its domestic debut (204 million in 2023).

But it is also a success thanks to. Thanks to the proven formula: Chris Pratt, Jack Black and company returning to voice these icons. Thanks to a production that cost around 110 million, a safe bet for Universal and Illumination.

And above all, thanks to that family audience that gave it five out of five stars in PostTrak surveys. The CinemaScore was a solid A-.

The data shows that 61% of the audience was male, but among the families there was a slight majority of mothers (52%). Nostalgia is a family business.

Meanwhile, the rest of the box office seemed like another universe. Project Hail Mary in second place with 30.7 million seems like a joke next to the power of the mushroom kingdom.

That’s how the zeitgeist works now: You can have all the bad reviews in the world, but if you hit the right nostalgic chord (and have a stellar voice cast), the theaters still fill up. One more reminder that sometimes pop culture and dollars speak very different languages.

Aylín Mujica talks about the loss of her son Mauro Menéndez

Aylín Mujica reveals details of her son's death and clarifies speculations surrounding his departure

In an exclusive interview with the Telemundo program La Mesa Caliente, the Cuban actress and host Aylín Mujica broke the silence about the death of her first-born, Mauro Menéndez, which occurred on July 17. Mujica explained that she decided to speak out earlier than planned to stop the rumors and send a message of strength to other mothers facing a similar situation.

“I was not ready to give an interview but, if it is with you (Verónica Bastos), she is not going to do an interview, she is going to tell, clarify, narrate, give strength to all the mothers who have gone through this.”

The events prior to death

Mujica said that while recording the new season of Top Chef VIP in Colombia, his son Mauro traveled to Miami to visit his grandmother and his younger brothers. There he developed a bad cold that he did not want to treat. His uncle took him to the emergency room, but Mauro refused to go in and opted to take his flight to Barbados, where he had a DJ commitment.

The actress tried to dissuade him over the phone. He told her that he was already at the airport, in a wheelchair, but that he had to leave. The next day, Mauro contacted her to inform her that he had gone to the hospital in Barbados, where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and prescribed antibiotics. He felt good, in his own words: “they already gave me antibiotics, I feel 100%.” That was 24 hours before his death.

Critical hours

In the afternoon, Mujica tried to communicate with his son without success. At 10 p.m., a friend of Mauro responded: he had suffered three seizures while playing soccer. The ambulance arrived late and he was intubated. The doctors revived him seven times, but his heart couldn’t resist.

“The doctor told me that they found a clot in his lung, a clot in his heart.”

Mujica clarified that he did not speak with his son while he was being transferred, as was reported in other media. He could only say a few words to him when he was already unconscious. After receiving the news, he immediately traveled to Barbados.

The actress asked for respect and asked people to stop spreading false information about what happened.

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Grupo Frontera sells out two nights in Texas

The group originally from South Texas offered two sold-out shows.

The group Grupo Frontera demonstrated its roots in South Texas by selling out two dates at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg. The concerts, held on July 16 and 17, are part of their “Triste Pero Bien C*bron Tour.”

The musicians—Adelaido Solís III, Juan Javier Cantú, Julián Peña Jr., Alberto Acosta and Carlos Guerrero—were excited to bring their international tour to their region of origin. The audience responded with enthusiasm for more than two hours of continuous music.

The repertoire included hits such as “La del Proceso”, “Por qué sera”, “De Monday a Monday”, “Bebe Dame”, “No Capea”, “En Altavoz”, “No Se Va”, “Un x100to”, “Que Vuelvas”, “ALV” and “El Amor de Su Vida”. Also playing were “Amor propio”, “Le va a pain”, “Triste Pero Bien C*bron”, “911” and “Ojitos Rojos”. The attendees chanted each song in unison.

The first night featured the special participation of Pepe Aguilar, who shared the stage with the band.

This pair of presentations reaffirms the consolidation of Grupo Frontera as one of the most important acts in current regional Mexican music.

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Global effect: streaming soars after halftime show

11-minute performance drives artist views on digital platforms.

The first World Cup halftime show, broadcast from the outskirts of New York, not only captured global attention for eleven minutes. He also left clear figures on streaming platforms. Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS and Shakira were part of a performance that generated notable increases in digital views.

How much did the views grow?

Luminate, a firm specializing in music industry data, compared the views of each song performed two days before the final (Friday and Saturday) with those on the following Sunday and Monday. The results:

  • Justin Bieber – “Everything Hallelujah” rose 110%, going from 592,000 to 1.25 million global views.
  • Madonna – “Music” increased 66%, from 193,000 to 321,000.
  • BTS – “Dynamite” grew 43%, from 2.14 million to 3.05 million.
  • Shakira and Burna Boy – “Dai Dai”, the official anthem of the 2026 World Cup, registered a 24% rebound globally (from 14.78 to 18.27 million). In the United States, the increase was 52% (from 1.68 to 2.55 million).

Impact limited to the show’s repertoire

Luminate noted that the increases were concentrated on songs played in the field, not artists’ entire catalogs. This phenomenon is similar to what happens after the Super Bowl halftime show. For example, Bad Bunny, after his record-breaking performance this year, saw a 175% increase in streaming of his catalog in the United States the day after the event.

The data confirms that a high-profile performance remains an effective platform for reactivating musical interest, even if the effect is limited to the pieces performed.

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