This week on After the Frame, we’re reviewing three movies built for very different audiences: an action-heavy genre swing, a colorful Nintendo adventure, and a polished nostalgia sequel that knows exactly what fans came to see.

We start with They Will Kill You, a movie with plenty of action, energy, and self-aware intent, but not nearly enough story underneath it. We break down why the set pieces work in the moment, why the lack of character development hurts, and how far action can carry a movie before the missing foundation starts to show.

Then we head into The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a bright, chaotic, beautifully animated kids’ movie that delivers plenty of color, characters, and Nintendo spectacle. It’s fun and it serves its audience, but we talk about why family movies can still offer more story, more emotion, and more meat on the bone.

Finally, we close with The Devil Wears Prada 2, a safe but satisfying nostalgia sequel powered by Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and the eternal truth that Stanley Tucci is all this franchise needs from its male characters. It doesn’t take many risks, but it understands the assignment and gives fans a polished return to a world they already love.

Three movies, three lanes: action without enough story, animation without enough depth, and nostalgia that knows how to please.