A Minority's Report on MERCY

MERCY (Blu-ray)

Also available on 4K UHD

2026 / 99 min

Alliance Entertainment

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Have you ever gone into a movie fully prepared for it to suck? As a reviewer, I always try to stay open minded, but sometimes I can’t help it. In the case of Mercy, there were red flags o’ plenty. First, it’s one of those “screenlife” movies, most of which are garbage. Second, Timur Bekmambetov has directed a grand total of zero movies I thought were any good. Finally, its main star is Chris Pratt, who hasn’t exactly lit up the screen since hanging up his Starlord costume. 

Sure enough, Mercy gets off to a dire start by bombarding us with so much plot exposition that we almost feel like we don’t have to bother watching it. But something happened along the way…the damn thing didn’t quite descend into the dumpster fire I was fully expecting. Most other critics hated this one, though, so I guess you can consider this a “minority’s report” (there’s a reason for my choice of words).

The story takes place in future Los Angeles, where justice is overseen by an AI program called Mercy (personified by Rebecca Ferguson), serving as judge, jury and executioner. Pratt plays Chris Raven, a short-tempered, alcoholic cop accused of murdering his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis). At present, he’s strapped to a chair in a ‘courtroom’ consisting of VR screens, with Mercy informing him that he has 90 minutes to prove his innocence using all the technology at his disposal.

Since Mercy has online access to everything in the city (phones, machines, files, personal records, cameras, etc.), she provides impartial assistance for anything Raven needs to find Nicole’s killer. However, if he’s still found guilty once the time elapses, he’ll fry in his chair. The film more-or-less plays out in real time, seldom slowing down for a second as Raven searches for clues and follows leads, sometimes with the help of colleagues or friends sequestered by Mercy, including his teenage daughter, Britt (Kylie Rogers).

Chris Pratt emotes as only Chris Pratt can.

If it sounds like a poor man’s Minority Report, you aren’t too far off the mark. Mercy is conceptually similar, though dumbed down a bit and less visually interesting. Most of the action takes place in a single room, as seen by Raven and presented by Mercy through massive computer screens. It’s also kinda difficult to invest in the main character. Even though the viewer is certain he’s innocent (otherwise, no movie), Raven doesn’t come across as particularly sympathetic, most of his problems being of his own making. Additionally, the film has its fair share of moments that tend to stretch credibility…maybe more than its fair share.

But while I may not have been all that invested in Raven himself, I found his situation kind of interesting, especially once the narrative focuses on his search for suspects and clues. Here and there, a few curveballs are thrown our way, some we see coming, others we might not. I also appreciated the murder mystery elements of the story, and when all is revealed at the end, at least I didn’t feel short changed. 

Screenlife is an increasingly rote gimmick, but I’ll concede it’s mostly used to good effect here, though the climax itself eschews all that in favor of car chases, shootouts and destruction. But by then, we’ve all earned a little KABOOM to cap things off (even if it does seem a little pandering). Ultimately, Mercy is in-no-way a sci-fi masterpiece, but it certainly didn’t suck. While it might not hold up to scrutiny upon repeated viewings (yes, I’d probably watch it again of my own accord), the movie’s fairly fun in the moment.

Revisiting MONEYBALL in 4K

MONEYBALL (4K UHD)

2011 / 133 min

Sony

Available at MovieZyng

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Bronx Bomber😺

There’s something about baseball and movies that go together like peanut butter & jelly. I generally find the sport as exciting as paying the bills, but slap it on the big screen and something magical happens. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen more baseball films than actual games, seldom coming across one that wasn’t at least watchable…and re-watchable.

The game is inherently cinematic, and Moneyball is a classic example that it can be just as dramatically compelling off the field. Adapted from the bestselling book, it tells the story of Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), a former ballplayer who becomes the general manager of the Oakland A’s. Tasked with rebuilding the roster with a fraction of the resources afforded other teams, he forgoes traditional scouting and begins acquiring overlooked (and affordable) players using unorthodox data created by his new assistant, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). 

Because none of this sits well with the rest of his staff, including manager Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Moneyball ends up being an underdog story both on and off the field. I don’t know how much of the behind-the-scenes drama is accurate (nor do I care), but since the A’s 2002 season really was an underdog story, much of what we’re seeing rings true, as do the nuts and bolts of the trading and recruiting process. 

"Good thing we got here early."

But no amount of authenticity would resonate without engaging characters, which the film provides with its two protagonists. Beane is especially well-developed…smart, ambitious and driven (almost obsessively), yet haunted by his past and somewhat uncertain of his future. He’s well realized by Pitt, as is Brand by Hill, whose performance might be even more impressive because it’s atypical of the roles he was largely known for at the time. 

Like all great sports-themed films, Moneyball remains supremely re-watchable. If not one of the best baseball movies ever made, masterfully capturing the cinematic drama inherent within the game (even outside of the ballpark), it certainly feels like one of the most authentic ones. After years of being available only on Blu-ray and DVD, it’s finally been given a 4K UHD release. There aren’t any new bonus features (the ones included here are carried over from previous editions), but the video transfer is excellent overall, as is the 5.1 DTS-HD audio track. I also gotta say I really like the new slipcover, which nicely reflects the iconoclastic nature of its main character. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Billy Beane: Re-Inventing the Game features director Bennett Miller, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, original Moneyball author Michael Lewis and Billy Beane; Drafting the Team is about the film’s cast; Moneyball: Playing the Game takes a look at the baseball scenes, locations and sets; Adapting Moneyball covers how the book became a movie.

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Catnip Reviews: CLASSE TOUS RISQUES, SOLDIER (4K) and the Original RUNNING MAN

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

CLASSE TOUS RISQUES (Blu-ray) - We here at Free Kittens are just now discovering the wonderful world of French thrillers from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Currently, we consider Le Circle Rouge the Citizen Kane of the genre, with Jean-Pierre Melville being our favorite director. In front of the camera, we’re particularly keen on Alain Delon, Lino Ventura and Jean-Paul Belmondo. Those last two actors star together in Classe Tous Risques, a crackling 1960 gangster movie about a fugitive mob boss trying to escape the executioner’s chair by fleeing to another country with his family. Ventura excels in the lead, while Belmondo also shines as the only man he can trust. Tough, violent, but also somber and poignant, this Claude Sautet-directed film hits all the right notes. Also available in a 4K version, the film’s been wonderfully restored and includes a few excellent archival bonus features. (1960/105 min/Criterion Collection).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼

SOLDIER (4H UHD) - Soldier didn’t leave much of an impression when first released nearly 30 years ago (in fact, it was a critical and commercial bomb). But like a lot of movies in Kurt Russell’s filmography, it has since become something of a cult classic, even enjoying a bit of critical re-assessment in some circles. While certainly no masterpiece, Soldier is arguably one of director Paul W.S. Anderson’s better efforts. Considering his track record, that might be faint praise, but the film has a lot going for it…a good premise, impressive production design and another great action role for Russell, who delivers a tough-yet-affecting performance despite having only 104 words of actual dialogue. This release features a solid 4K transfer and good selection of bonus features, most of them brand new. (1998/96 min/Arrow Video).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

THE RUNNING MAN (Blu-ray) - Edgar Wright’s 2025 adaptation of Stephen King’s The Running Man isn’t without issues of its own, but it’s Children of Men compared to the 1987 version with Arnold Schwarzenegger (when he was still struggling with the whole acting thing). Gleefully tossing damn near everything but the title, the film replaces the novel’s dark tone and serious themes with garish, dumbed-down buffoonery loaded with WWE glitz and plenty of Arnie’s eye-rolling one-liners. Back then, it was the biggest bastardization of a King story since Kubrick dug his mitts into The Shining and time has not been particularly kind to it…at least aesthetically. However, The Running Man still has its share of fans and admittedly serves up some lunkheaded fun at times. If nothing else…casting Family Feud legend Richard Dawson as the film’s evil, ratings-obsessed game show host was a masterstroke. (1987100 min/Paramount).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

Hire THE HOUSEMAID

THE HOUSEMAID (Blu-ray)

2025 / 131 min

Lionsgate

Review by Princess Pepper😺

We get these from time to time…a psychological thriller with a sexy cast that comes out of nowhere to become a sleeper hit. In that sense, The Housemaid could be seen as this decade’s Gone Girl and is definitely cut from the same cloth. This one’s more preposterous, heavy-handed and ultimately kinda predictable, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.

Millie Calloway (Sydney Sweeney) is a homeless parolee who lies about her past to get hired by Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) as the live-in housemaid for the mansion she shares with her successful, handsome husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter Cece (Indiana Elle). Almost immediately, Nina appears mentally unstable, repeatedly flipping on the crazy switch and directing most of her cruelty and venom at Millie. Since losing the job means going back to prison, Millie quietly suffers Nina’s increasingly vicious tirades. All the while, Andrew keeps apologizing for his wife’s behavior and becomes protective of Millie, which ultimately leads to…

…well, you’ll figure out where that particular relationship is going long before the characters do. At any rate, the film’s first hour sets up the meat of the story…a series of narrative plot twists calculated to have the viewer questioning who the real villains are. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I won’t elaborate on any of them, but will say that some you’ll see coming, others might be a surprise. The Housemaid also snatches a page or two from the Gone Girl handbook for its own purposes, such as flashbacks presented to reveal the truth behind what we’ve already been shown. The film culminates in a wild, bloody climax clearly intended to evoke visceral reactions from the audience, which it more or less accomplishes.

Best sammich ever.

Though The Housemaid is longer than it needs to be, especially with its sometimes laborious first act, director Paul Feig manages to step out of his comfort zone (he’s mostly known for comedies) to deliver an engaging, occasionally lurid thriller that pushes a lot of the right buttons. And interspersed among scenes of gratuitous sex and some butt-puckering violence are welcome moments of black comedy (the final scene is particularly amusing). A couple of gonzo performances add to the fun. While Sweeney might be Hollywood’s current Flavor of the Month - largely for aesthetic reasons - both Seyfried and Sklenar easily steal the film. The former, in particular, serves up some wildly entertaining scenery-chewing.

None of this will ever be mistaken for high art, but it’s generally a lot of fun. As psychological thrillers go, what The Housemaid lacks in originality (and perhaps plausibility) is compensated by pure exuberance. Being a surprise hit, a sequel has already been announced, but since the premise precludes any notion of lightning striking twice, I think everyone involved should quit while they're ahead.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - From Page to Panic: Making The Housemaid is a pretty decent 35 minute behind-the-scenes doc featuring numerous interviews; Secrets of the Winchester House: A Housemaid Tour looks at the mansion itself; A Peek Inside is a brief promotional doc. 

2 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - Both feature director Paul Feig, with others involved with the film joining him for the second one.

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A Lonely Old Man's Take on THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SEARCH FOR SQUAREPANTS (Blu-ray)

2025 / 88 min

Paramount

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Barnacle Boy😽

With my kids all grown up, it’s been a long time since I’ve revisited Bikini Bottom. But I spent many years enjoying the show on the living room sofa with them, and later taking my oldest daughter to the first movie when it came out…perhaps a little put-off at paying for something that was still on TV for free (but since this particular night at the movies wasn’t about me, I kept it to myself).

SpongeBob SquarePants was always a bit more creative, clever and funnier than a lot of other shows aimed at kids, so I seldom watched it with my girls out of a sense of duty. But alas, there comes a time to put away childish things, and once my kids lost interest in it, so did I. And that’s okay, because like The Simpsons, the show was starting to get a bit stale anyway (though it’s still airing on Nickelodeon, and as of this writing, is among the longest running cartoons in history).

I couldn’t convince either of my girls to join me for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, even out of a sense of nostalgia. So here I am…a middle-aged man watching a SpongeBob movie all by himself, more out of journalistic obligation than anticipation. (sad sigh)

This is the fourth theatrically released SpongeBob movie. While aware of the previous two sequels, I never watched them, but I was a little taken-back that this one is largely computer animated. I dunno…maybe that was done to assure today’s parents they’re getting something that is not on TV for free. Whatever the case, the animation isn’t bad and the settings are just as bright and colorful as the original show, but I’m kind of a purist. While I realize I’m not the film’s intended audience and every kids movie is GC these days, I miss the quaint charms of hand-drawn animation (which not even Disney bothers with anymore).

"Keelhauling? IIII'm ready!"

Other than that, it’s business as usual, with a bit more mild crude humor and butt jokes to earn its PG rating. In this one, the main antagonist is The Flying Dutchman, a ghostly pirate who needs an innocent soul to break his curse so he can return to the real world. And sorry SpongeBob fans…no free Krabby Patty for figuring out whose soul is at stake, for the plot is in the title. While everyone’s favorite yellow invertebrate ventures off with the Dutchman to prove his bravery (with Patrick in-tow, of course), Mr. Krabs, Squidward and Gary follow them to the Underworld to save him.

The story is basically an extended episode, and as such, the film should please fans, though some endearing secondary characters (Plankton, Sandy, etc) don’t get nearly as much screen time as they deserve. Like any extended episode, it sometimes struggles to justify its length, but I can’t imagine anyone who enjoyed the other films not digging this one.

Even though it’s sometimes very funny, I didn’t laugh much. But the problem is obviously with me. While I’m not too old to appreciate the film for what it is, a big reason I always found SpongeBob amusing is because my kids did. If they were by my side - and 10 years old again - their laughter would’ve been infectious.  

So as the end credits finally rolled, part of me felt a little melancholy. Unless one of my daughters becomes suddenly stricken by the nostalgia bug, it’s unlikely I’ll ever enjoy SpongeBob like I used to. However, if you’re a still a parent with young ones - and perhaps grew up on the franchise yourself - Search for SquarePants makes an agreeable family movie night

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The SpongeBob Ensemble: The Veteran Voices features interviews with the main cast; The SpongeBob Ensemble: The New Crew focuses on new cast members; The Flying Dutchman: Animated Artistry and Live Acting is about the main antagonist; From Bikini Bottom to the Underworld is about the various settings of the film.

MUSIC VIDEO - “Big Guy,” by Ice Spice, who also voices one of the characters.

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

THE HISTORY OF SOUND: Slow, But Not Without Its Rewards

THE HISTORY OF SOUND (Blu-ray)

2025 / 128 min

MUBI

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😽

On one hand, The History of Sound was a pleasant surprise. Here’s a film with two main characters whose brief romantic relationship is the crux of the narrative. However, the fact that it’s a gay relationship has no actual impact on the plot. You could swap out David or Lionel for a Debbie or a Linda without changing a single scene or line of dialogue. We need more movies like that.

Granted, I haven’t seen a ton of gay-themed films, so maybe I’m behind the times. But most of the ones I have seen are either tragedies or deliberately provocative (or both), where the characters’ sexuality is central to the story. So if nothing else, this film eschews such cliches with protagonists who just happen to be gay.

On the other hand, The History of Sound is kind of meandering and too deliberately paced for its own good. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it boring, but despite a decent story, worthy themes and excellent performances, there were moments when I thought a bit of external conflict would liven things up a bit. Music students Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O’Connor) have sort of a meet-cute in a local tavern, where they discover a mutual love of folk songs. This is followed by a brief romance before David is drafted to fight in World War I.

"No, seriously...your feet really stink."

Lionel returns to his family farm in Kentucky, where he stays for a couple of years and helps his parents, but he’s no longer happy. When David returns, he gets a position at a college in Maine, then invites Lionel to travel the region recording folk songs performed by locals. The two briefly rekindle their relationship until David returns to the college and Lionel heads to Europe. Though Lionel continuously writes to David, he never gets a response. Years pass, and during that time, Lionel becomes a respected singer and conductor, moving from Rome to Oxford, and even having a relationship with a young woman. 

However, he’s not satisfied with his life, so when he learns his mother is dying, Lionel returns home and doesn’t come back. Without ever saying so, it’s obvious why he hasn’t felt complete or happy all these years, despite being very successful. The viewer won’t need a slide-rule to figure any of this out, either. We’re just waiting for the inevitable to unfold. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, director Oliver Hermanus draws things out longer than he needs to, compounded by a main character who might be a little too self-absorbed to be totally invested in. Sure, we kinda like Lionel, but he often seems indifferent to the impact his actions have on others.

Still, these characters feel real, as does the episodic nature of the story and the film’s overall aesthetic. One might even mistake it for a true story, which is a credit to everyone involved on both sides of the camera. The History of Sound is a little too subdued and slow to justify its length, but it does reward the viewer’s patience with a bittersweet conclusion.