From Mickey 17 to Picture This, Should You Add These To Your Watchlist?
From two brothers thrust into the criminal underworld to a man so desperate to get away from the mob that he becomes an “Expendable” clone, things are getting wild! Pop Culture Planet has the scoop on the movies and shows you don’t want to miss — and the ones you can skip.
Deli Boys
Deli Boys was a joy to watch from start to finish! The series follows Mir and Raj Dar, two brothers of a business mogul in Philadelphia. When their father unexpectedly passes away, the boys learn they knew nothing about the family business. This sends them headfirst into a whole new criminal world they never noticed was right in front of them the entire time.
Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh are the perfect duo who couldn’t be more opposite from one another, while Poorna Jagannathan plays a total boss who guides the boys through their late father’s criminal underworld. You can’t help but root for this team! Tan France also guest stars as a British mobster with a killer fight scene with Jagannathan. Was this an unexpected role for France? Yes. Do I need him in another action comedy immediately? Absolutely!
This hilarious series is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
- Ally Bonsall
Mickey 17
Go big or go Bong Joon-ho! Mickey 17 is the latest film from the brilliant mind of the director of Parasite. Set in the future, it follows a desperate man who signs up to be an "Expendable" in space, which is a disposable worker who gets cloned after he dies. But when he is cloned before confirmation that the 17th version of himself is really gone, it opens up a whole new can of chaos.
Mickey 17 is a quirky, absurd dark sci-fi laced with political satire and existential commentary. Robert Pattinson transforms as Mickey Barnes as he navigates life, death, immortality, and human expendability. Everything from his voice to the different traits he highlights while playing various versions of Mickey is on another level. Meanwhile Mark Ruffalo channels history’s most controversial figures in his performance. It’s a truly wild and poignant exploration of how society treats those it deems disposable — and what happens when you have such low self worth you allow it because you feel like you deserve that treatment. That’s one of the things that I love about Bong Joon-ho’s work. He can tell this larger than life, very stylized story, while also having a strong message and point of view that really hits home.
Mickey 17 is playing in theaters.
- Kristen Maldonado
Picture This
What if you were told you would find your soulmate within your next five dates? That is the premise of the new Prime Video film Picture This.
Led by Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley and After’s Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Picture This finds Pia going on a bunch of dates to try to find the one, ahead of her sister's wedding where she's going to run into the one that got away. This film was at its best when it was focus on Pia’s career and building up the connection with her family and friends. While there are a lot of silly moments where she’s going on unsuccessful dates, the real romance is supposed to be between her and Tiffin’s character Charlie. But ultimately it felt like they didn’t give us enough time with them. Since they introduce that they have a history, I would’ve loved to see a flashback or another scene to help establish their chemistry.
Without this, Picture This film didn’t necessarily feel like a rom-com, but more of a self-love story. There are solid messages about recognizing your worth and that you shouldn’t just be with someone to be with someone, building stronger bonds with family and loved ones, and even finding success in your career. Unfortunately, the love story was pushed to the sideline. While I like this cast and believe in the empowering messages, this film didn’t do anything that stands out in the rom-com genre or makes you go back for a re-watch.
Picture This is streaming on Prime Video.
- Kristen Maldonado
