Blu Tuesday is a weekly column where we review the newest Blu-ray and 4K releases, along with a brief rundown of the included bonus material, to determine whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping.
Pick of the Week: “Better Man”
It’s hard to believe that it’s taken seven years for director Michael Gracey to release his next film, but it’s fitting that his sophomore effort is another semi-autobiographical story about a showman — in this case, British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. “Better Man” is not your typical musical biopic, however, as the movie portrays its subject not as the world knows him but rather as a CG chimpanzee, literalizing Williams’ self-image as a performing monkey. It’s a unique approach that works to great effect, amplifying its subject’s rascally charm in ways that a lookalike never could (and without the distracting over-analyzation of another person in the role). “Better Man” doesn’t hold back on the ugly stuff, either, which is a nice change from the usual genre fare, dealing with the highs and lows of fame (as well as Williams’ mental health struggles) in an honest and authentic way. Though the film drags a bit in the back half, it sticks the landing so well that it’s hard not to walk away with a big smile on your face.
Extras include a making-of featurette and a behind-the-scenes look at creating the film’s visual effects. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
Also Out This Week:
“Captain America: Brave New World” — As Marvel movies go, “Captain America: Brave New World” is not among the studio’s best, but it’s also not as bad as its detractors would lead you to believe. Perhaps the most surprising thing about the film is that it serves as a quasi-sequel to 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk,” a movie that even Marvel seemed happy to bury until a few years ago. So, it’s strange to see so much time dedicated to that part of the MCU when Sam Wilson’s transformation from Falcon to Captain America still feels terribly underdeveloped. Mackie’s Wilson doesn’t command the screen quite like Chris Evans’ OG Captain America, and the movie suffers as a result, especially since it’s continually trying to convince the audience otherwise. The climactic fight between Wilson and Red Hulk is entertaining, and Mackie has great chemistry with co-star Danny Ramirez, but overall, “Brave New World” is a rather unspectacular entry in the MCU. Extras include an audio commentary by director Julius Onah and director of photography Kramer Morgenthau, as well as a pair of featurettes, deleted scenes and a gag reel. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Mickey 17” — Bong Joon-ho’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning 2019 film, “Parasite,” has been a long time coming for fans eager to see what the South Korean filmmaker would cook up next, so it’s somewhat disappointing that it doesn’t come close to that movie’s genius. His English-language films (“Snowpiercer,” “Okja”) are always a bit lacking narratively, and “Mickey 17” is no different. Bogged down by an exposition-heavy first act that starves the movie of any momentum early on, “Mickey 17” ultimately fails to make the most of its unique premise. Robert Pattinson is a lot of fun to watch in his dual roles, and there are some funny moments throughout, but the movie often feels like it’s working against its best interests. Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the film. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Black Bag” — Audiences were shocked when Steven Soderbergh announced back in 2013 that he would be retiring from filmmaking, but his retirement hasn’t exactly gone as planned; he was back to making movies within a few years and has shown no signs of slowing down, with “Black Bag” marking his tenth film since the announcement. Unfortunately, like many of his post-“retirement” films, “Black Bag” is a pretty bland and forgettable affair that wastes its talented cast on an uneventful script that thinks it’s way smarter than it is. This John le Carré-lite spy thriller feels more like half a movie than the complete product, and while both Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett deliver good work in their roles, it’s not enough to paper over all the cracks. Extras include a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes and some deleted scenes. FINAL VERDICT: RENT
“Striking Rescue” — Tony Jaa burst onto the scene in the early 2000s with movies like “Ong-Bak,” “The Protector” and “The Bodyguard,” with many singling him out as the next great martial arts star. Unfortunately, Jaa’s career never really took off in the way that many expected, and his output has slowed dramatically in recent years. “Striking Rescue” marks Jaa’s first major role since 2020, and though it contains some great fight sequences that highlight his explosive Muay Thai skills, it’s an otherwise lame action thriller plagued by poor writing and acting. “Striking Rescue” is also an entirely Chinese production, which means that while all the other characters are speaking Mandarin for most of the film, Jaa is forced to speak in a form of broken English that doesn’t do him any favors. Fans of Jaa’s work will definitely enjoy seeing him kick butt on the screen again, but sadly, it’s not quite the return to form that they were hoping for. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP
Disclosure: Bullz-Eye was provided a copy of the above titles for review purposes.
