MICKEY 17: Bong Joon Ho's Big Lebowski

MICKEY 17 (Blu-ray)

2025 / 137 min

From Warner Bros

#In PartnershipwithWB

Review by Princess Pepper😺

Mickey 17 could end up being Bong Joon Ho’s The Big Lebowski…

To elaborate, 1996’s Fargo was the Coen Brothers’ biggest, most critically acclaimed film to date, nominated for a slew of Oscars and winning an award at Cannes. Their follow-up was The Big Lebowski, and while it did decent business, accolades weren’t quite as forthcoming at the time. But these days, who the hell doesn’t love The Dude?

Similarly, Mickey 17 is Ho’s first effort since his brilliant, Oscar-winning Parasite. While reviews were generally positive (though nothing approaching the same level of attaboys), it was a box office disappointment. However, like Lebowski, I think this one has the potential to become a cult classic. Mickey 17 isn’t perfect, but there’s too much to love about this movie for it to disappear into comparative obscurity.

Returning to sci-fi territory, Ho’s penchant for blending unique concepts, engaging characters, creative eye candy and (of course) plenty of social commentary is here in abundance. Robert Pattinson plays the title character, a dimwitted slacker who, along with shifty buddy Timo (Steven Yeun), escapes a criminal loan shark by joining a space colony travelling to Niflheim, a distant ice planet. With no particular skills, he signs up as an “expendable,” whose job is to do all the work that would get others killed. Each time he dies, Mickey is immediately cloned (memories intact) and goes back to work. His lowly status among the crew (and their indifference to his suffering) is made more tolerable by his relationship with security agent Nasha (Naomi Ackie).

Once the ship arrives on Niflheim, Mickey falls into an ice cave during a mission to capture an indigenous creature dubbed “creeper.” Timo assumes Mickey is as good as dead and returns to the ship. Instead, a herd of creepers throw him out of the cave, which actually saves his life. In the meantime, Mickey 18 has already been cloned and takes his place. Two copies of the same person (aka “multiples”) is illegal, and not only do both Mickeys want to live, they do not like each other.

Their individual personalities are different, too, with Mickey 18 being far more aggressive and angry over how the colony is run by megalomaniacal narcissist Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo). Meanwhile, a baby creeper is captured (somewhat accidentally), which results in the ship being surrounded by thousands of others. Egged on by sycophants and his conniving wife, Ylfa (Toni Collette), Marshall sees a historical opportunity by declaring war on these creatures.

"I dunno...I think two of us can handle that light bulb."

To reveal more about the plot would spoil some of the film’s best surprises, both narratively and thematically, but unlike Ho’s comparatively dour Snowpiercer, there’s a big emphasis on comedy, sometimes broad comedy. As such, Mickey 17 is often very funny, especially the characters and performances. Pattinson once again demonstrates remarkable range as two separate characters, further distancing himself from his dreamy vampire days. And Ruffalo looks like he’s having a blast as Marshall, a thinly disguised portrayal of a certain self-absorbed world leader we’re all familiar with (who isn’t a particular challenge to poke fun at).

Speaking of which, the timely satirical elements of Mickey 17 are far less subtle than they were in Parasite. One might even consider them heavy-handed at times. Still, it’s these aspects that elevate the whole thing above being just another sci-fi action film (Ho is too smart and observant to let that happen). But even taken at face value, Mickey 17 tells a good story. After a somewhat meandering opening act (perhaps spending a tad too much time establishing the premise), things kick into high gear once the ship reaches its destination. The action sequences, special effects and production design are all first-rate. The creepers themselves resemble a cross between potato bugs, woolly mammoths and armadillos…grotesque yet oddly adorable (and yes, they are available as plushies!). 

Whether or not it ever does become a cult classic, Mickey 17 certainly deserves to find the audience it never had in theaters. I wouldn’t put the film in the same class as Parasite or Snowpiercer, but it’s a lot of fun, as both social satire and sci-fi action. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Behind the Lens: Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 features behind the scenes footage and interviews; Mickey 17: A World Reimagined is about the special effects,  costumes and production design; The Faces of Niflheim is mostly about the characters.

TRAILERS

DIGITAL COPY

THE POOP SCOOP: Lethal Edition

😺The Original LETHAL WEAPON on 4K and Digital June 24 from Warner Bros. Mel Gibson stars as a one-man killing machine, a Los Angeles policeman who recently lost his wife and has been acting increasingly unstable. Danny Glover plays a by-the-book homicide detective with an impeccable record and a loving family. Now the two are stuck with each other as partners, investigating a suicide that leads to an international crime ring and ever-increasing danger in this blockbuster action thriller. The Digital and 4K UHD disc release includes both the 1987 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Director’s Cut which features an additional 7 minutes of footage not seen in theaters.

🎮A MINECRAFT MOVIE on Digital May 13 and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 24 from Warner Bros. From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black, “A Minecraft Movie,” directed by Jared Hess, is the first-ever big screen, live-action adaptation of Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time. “A Minecraft Movie” has taken the box office by storm, earning more than $872 million worldwide and is the largest domestic opening for 2025 and the largest movie based on a video game. This release also features an hour of bonus behind the scenes content.

 

🕵JAMES BOND: SEAN CONNERY 6-FILM COLLECTION on 4K June 10 from Warner Bros/MGM. The collection includes Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever. The collection will be available in collectible steelbook packaging and as a standard 4K collection. These six films will also be available on Digital from MGM.

 

😺THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP - A LOONEY TUNES MOVIE on Blu-ray & DVD May 27 from Ketchup Entertainment. A new buddy comedy starring Porky Pig and Duffy Duck! This richly crafted, hand drawn 2D animated adventure marks the first fully-animated feature-length film in LOONEY TUNES history.!

🦈JAWS 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Coming To Disc and Digital June 17 from Universal. This Combo Pack features the never-before-seen documentary, JAWS @ 50: THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY, a brand-new look at the making and legacy of the film. The disc and digital include over five hours of additional bonus features! JAWS will also be available in an all-new limited edition SteelBook..

😺Jason Statham’s A WORKING MAN on 4K, Blu-ray & DVD June 10 from Warner Bros Discovery/Amazon MGM Studios. Directed by David Ayer from a screenplay by Ayer and Sylvester Stallone. Starring Jason Statham, Jason Flemyng, Merab Ninidze, Maximillian Osinski, Cokey Falkow, with Michael Peña and David Harbour.

😺THE ALTO KNIGHTS on Digital NOW and Blu-ray & DVD May 27 from Warner Bros.  From Warner Bros. Pictures, “The Alto Knights,” stars Academy Award winner Robert De Niro in a dual role and is directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson. 

😺NOVOCAINE on Digital April 8 and 4K/Blu-ray June 24 from Paramount. Fans who purchase NOVOCAINE on Digital or 4K Ultra HD will have access to over 35 minutes of action-packed bonus content.

TUNNEL VISION Is A Product Of It's Time

TUNNEL VISION (Blu-ray)

1976 / 70 min

From MVD Visual

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

For a brief time in the 1970s, sketch comedy films achieved some popularity among the cult crowd. The best of them, The Kentucky Fried Movie, is also probably the most remembered these days, likely because it helped establish the careers of John Landis and the ZAZ team (the guys behind Airplane!). 

But before that, Tunnel Vision (as well as 1973’s The Groove Tube) was a minor cult hit that took satiric jabs at television with sketches that played like a raunchier version of Saturday Night Live. In fact, a few SNL alumni (Chevy Chase, Al Franken & Laraine Newman) appear in this one. You’ll also spot such future stars as John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Howard Hesseman, Betty Thomas and Ron Silver. However, Tunnel Vision was produced before anyone knew who any of these people were. 

Like most sketch comedy movies from the 70s, it’s wildly inconsistent and a lot of the humor is indicative of the era. Taking place in near future of 1985, the wraparound story involves TunnelVision network executives appearing in court defending their right to broadcast its content completely uncensored. This subplot is just a clothesline on which to hang an assortment of sketches parodying TV shows, commercials and news broadcasts, none of which run long enough to wear out their welcome.

Russel Crowe's dad.

Some sketches are funny, some aren’t and a few are simply stupid. Others might have been funny at one time but now seem archaic and cringy, but that’s to be expected. If nothing else, Tunnel Vision is definitely a product of its time. Speaking of which, there’s also a damn good chance that anyone who wasn’t around back then (and high) will have no frame of reference to appreciate what’s being parodied.

Yours truly was around and recalls catching it as a midnight movie a few years after it was first released (back when urban art-houses would screen cult films intended for those in the wrong frame of mind). Aided immeasurably by chemical enhancement, I found it quite funny at the time, but was also in a theater packed with similarly altered minds and their laughter was somewhat contagious. Sitting in the Dave Cave decades later for this review, I didn’t laugh much. While I wasn’t offended by the preponderance of racial humor, rape jokes and scatological gags (though newcomers might be), most of it is pretty juvenile. 

As a piece of nostalgia, however, Tunnel Vision on Blu-ray is kind of a kick. Sure, it’s crude, amateurish and has aged terribly, but to coin a cliche, they don’t make movies like this anymore (nor is anyone likely to). As a relic from a bygone era, those who recall it might enjoy the trip down memory lane. No one else need apply.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEW - A new 45-minute conference call between co-director/co-writer Neal Israel and film distributor Stuart Shapiro. Overall, a entertaining conversation.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By film historian Edward Heuck.

TUNNEL VISION CONTINUITY SCRIPT

2 PHOTO GALLERIES - One new, one archival.

TRAILER & RADIO SPOTS

REVERSIBLE COVER

MINI-POSTER

FIREWALL: Ford Tries To Save His Family...Again!

FIREWALL (Blu-ray)

2006 / 105 min

From Warner Bros

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

A long time ago, I was visiting my folks when a trailer for a Harrison Ford movie showed up on TV. While I don’t remember what movie it was, Dad made an off-handed comment that it was “probably another one where Harrison Ford has to save his family.” 

It was a funny remark, but also pretty accurate...and has since become something of a trope. Looking back at his filmography, there are indeed a slew of titles in where Ford plays someone forced to save his wife, kids or some other family member. Not to disparage the man (I’ve always been a fan), but there ain’t hell of a lot of variation in those characters either, nor his approach to them…basically displaying desperate, grim determination. But hey, if the formula works, why mess with it?

One of those movies is 2006’s Firewall, which quite frankly, I forgot even existed. Most A-list actors, no matter how popular they become, inevitably crank out a film or two that falls through the cracks and ends up being forgotten…sometimes for good reason. Not that this one is bad - in fact, I kind of enjoyed it - but as thrillers go, the film doesn’t really bring anything new to the table.

Additionally, there’s little to distinguish its protagonist, bank security chief Jack Stanfield, from Richard Kimble or Jack Ryan (other than Ford mumbling most of his dialogue…thank god for subtitles). He’s forced by a crew of baddies, led by Bill Cox (Paul Bettany), to hack into his own bank’s security system and siphon millions from various accounts. To ensure Jack’s cooperation, Bill and his team invade the Stanfield home and hold Jack’s wife & kids hostage.

"You know, you could always turn on the air conditioner."

However, Jack isn’t entirely cooperative (even though he’s under constant surveillance) which leads to some tense conflict and puts his family in jeopardy. While at the bank, Jack’s change in behavior begins to draw the concerns and suspicion of others, a plot element that might remind viewers of Ford’s similar plight in The Fugitive. 

The whole thing is pretty derivative, but entertaining in the moment, with a reliably stoic Ford performance. Bettany is also enjoyable as a crafty, overconfident antagonist. I’m not sure how plausible any of this is, but that’s never been much of a deal breaker. Plenty of thrillers expect a willing suspension of disbelief from the audience and at least Firewall doesn’t abuse the privilege.

While I doubt anybody has ever walked away from Firewall thinking they’ve seen anything special, it’s an efficiently assembled thriller with a main character that’s certainly within its star’s wheelhouse. Those who never tire of Harrison Ford saving his family won’t have any complaints.

This is a re-issue of a Blu-ray first released in 2006.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Firewall Decoded features discussion between actor Harrison Ford and director Richard Loncraine; Firewall: Writing a Thriller features screenwriter Joe Forte’s approach to writing the script.

TRAILER

SIDE STREET: No, Joe, No!

SIDE STREET (Blu-ray)

1949 / 82 min

From Warner Archive Collection

Available at www.MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

After seeing such classics as Rope, Strangers on a Train and They Live by Night, I’ve come to the conclusion that few actors portrayed morally-questionable protagonists in way over their heads as effectively as Farley Granger. Even without dialogue, his face practically screams “Good God, what have I gotten myself into?” With skills like that, it’s sort of a shame he didn’t pop-up in more film noir.

You can add Anthony Mann’s excellent 1949 noir thriller, Side Street, to that short list. Granger’s character, Joe Norson, a bit more sympathetic in this one, being a financially-strapped mail carrier with a loving wife, Ellen (Cathy O’Donnell), and a baby on the way. On his daily route, Joe gives in to temptation by stealing what he thinks is $200 from shady lawyer Victor Brackett (Edmon Ryan). However, the file actually contains $30,000.

Concurrently, the narrative reveals that money is the result of an extortion scheme by Brackett and gangster client Georgie Garsell (James Craig). They blackmail wealthy rube Emil Lorrison (Paul Harvey) into paying for compromising photos of him and a mistress (who was in on the plan). When that woman turns up dead, Captain Walter Anderson (Paul Kelly) leads a massive police investigation.

Perhaps Joe shouldn't have changed the station.

Meanwhile, Joe trusts bartender friend Nick Drumman (Edwin Max) to hang on to the money while trying to figure out his next move. But consumed by guilt, he eventually decides to return the money to Brackett, which becomes easier said than done when Nick disappears with the money. Things rapidly spiral out of control. Not only is Joe being pursued by Garsell, he becomes the prime murder suspect when Nick turns up dead.

Side Street sort of begins like The Naked City, with Anderson’s voice-over narration describing daily New York life (accompanied by spectacular aerial shots) and lowly Joe’s quiet desperation. From there, the pace kicks into high gear with a plot that’s initially a little disorienting, but once all the characters are established, it’s a pretty exciting ride, culminating with a violent climax and spectacular car chase through the city streets. That chase is definitely the film’s action highlight, brilliantly shot and edited with terrific stunt driving and no special effects. The sequence was somewhat groundbreaking for its time, and contextually, I’m sort of surprised that it’s seldom included among cinema’s greatest car chases. 

Elsewhere, Granger makes an engaging protagonist, earning our empathy even when he repeatedly makes decisions that have the viewer crying, “No, Joe, no!” At least his heart is in the right place. The film also boasts a good supporting cast, which includes a brief but effective turn by Jean Hagen, the closest thing it has to a femme fatale. With strong characters, great use of New York locations and excellent action scenes, Side Street is a lesser-known film noir thriler worth rediscovering.

 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Where Temptation Lurks is a nice little analysis of the film.el. 

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By critic Richard Schick

MGM SHORT - From 1947, The Luckiest Guy in the World is part of MGM’s “Crime Does Not Pay Series.” This one features a young Barry Nelson.

MGM CARTOON SHORTS - Goggle-Fishing Bear and Polka Dot Puss.

TRAILER

HALLOWED BY THEIR NAME Is A Maiden Voyage

HALLOWED BY THEIR NAME: THE UNOFFICIAL IRON MAIDEN BIBLE (Book)

By Martin Popoff

2025 / 666p (naturally)

From Schiffer Publishing

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Banger😺

When this arrived, my first thought was that it would break every bone in my foot if I happened to drop it. This is a massive, meaty volume, as any biography about heavy metal legends should be. 

And Iron Maiden aren’t just legendary (to say nothing of hugely influential), their brand is still culturally relevant. My own daughters probably couldn’t name a single one of their songs, but they sure as hell know the band’s iconic logo and mascot, Eddie (as would anyone else who regularly ventures into Hot Topic). As for their headbanging ol’ Dad, he’s been a die hard fan since Maiden’s first album…way back in 1980, before most Americans had even heard of them.

I’ve also read numerous books about Iron Maiden, but none as comprehensive as Hallowed By Their Name. I suppose it’s not quite a biography in the purest sense, since it focuses almost exclusively on the band’s musical career, album by album, along with the massive tours in between and numerous line-up changes over the years. Anyone curious about Steve Harris’ childhood are advised to look elsewhere, since the closest the book dives into anyone’s personal life is when it influences or affects the band. And as the “unofficial” part of the title indicates, a majority of the stories and anecdotes are culled from various interviews over the years, from band members to roadies to important figures like manager Ron Smallwood.

Still, it’s a fascinating read. After a lengthy introduction that charts Maiden’s tumultuous rise from playing British pubs to being the poster boys for the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), every album and tour (Iron Maiden to Senjutsu) is chronicled in enough detail to sate even the most hardcore fan. Concurrently, the chapters keep tabs on careers of notable former members, such as perpetually troubled Paul Di’Anno (RIP), and current lead singer Bruce Dickenson’s solo projects. During the course of this nearly 50-year journey, author Martin Popoff also discusses the ever-changing musical climate and Maiden’s status and relevance within it. 

Speaking of the author, Popoff is a prolific and engaging music writer who focuses almost exclusively on rock & metal. I’ve read some of his other books, all which reflect an exhausting amount of research, so there’s no disputing his knowledge of the genre. While I’ve enjoyed his previous biographies, I sometimes took issue with the overt subjectivity he’d frequently interject, writing as though his own critical assessments reflect a general consensus. Although some of his personal opinions about various songs/albums pop up in this one from time to time, he mostly lets his subjects tell a majority of this story. Besides, Mr. Popoff, everybody knows Powerslave is their greatest album (see what I did there?).

I can’t say I’m crazy about the cover, but inside, Hallowed By Their Name is a thing of beauty. Hundreds of photos are included throughout its glossy pages, as well as promotional material and, of course, plenty of Derek Riggs’ iconic artwork (by the way, this is the second Iron Maiden book I’ve read where Riggs comes across as kind of a dick). Capping things off are the complete discographies of Iron Maiden and various band members’ solo/side projects. 

Epic in length and aesthetically gorgeous, Hallowed By Their Name is a terrific book about one of metal’s greatest bands. I think even the most knowledgeable Maiden fans will find much that’s revelatory. And I did happen to drop it once while reading. Luckily, I missed my foot, but it hit the floor hard enough to scare the shit out of my cats.