Episode 89: Mickey 17

🎙️ Mindframes Episode 89: Mickey 17

"Clone Wars, Class Wars, and Saucy Politics in Space"

In this episode, Dave Canfield and Michael Cockerill dive into Mickey 17, Bong Joon-ho’s long-anticipated follow-up to Parasite. Set on a frozen alien planet, this satirical sci-fi tale stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey Barnes, a worker cloned repeatedly for hazardous missions — until one version survives and meets his successor.

🎬 What We Cover:

• The Bong Joon-ho Cinematic Universe
  From Snowpiercer to Parasite to Barking Dogs Never Bite, how Bong’s signature blend of class critique, dark comedy, and genre-bending plays out in Mickey 17.

• Cinematography with Darius Khondji
  A breakdown of the film’s visual tone, comparisons to Snowpiercer, High Life, and why the images may not quite match Bong's past visual highs.

• Robert Pattinson's Multiverse of Performances
  Dave and Mike celebrate Pattinson’s career choices — from The Lighthouse to The Batman — and how he brings depth and humor to not one but two Mickeys.

• Satire, Teeth, and Mark Ruffalo as a Space Trump
  A closer look at the film’s political commentary, from Ruffalo’s MAGA-esque cult leader to Toni Collette’s obsession with sauces and the absurdity of elite culture.

• The Cloning Conundrum & Worker Exploitation
  Is Mickey 17 an empathy machine? The hosts explore themes of expendability, labor value, and late-stage capitalism through the lens of sci-fi cloning.

• Comparisons & Influences
  The episode draws parallels to Moon, Us, High Life, The Empire Strikes Back, and even American Psycho — all filtered through Bong’s singular vision.

🔥 Quick Takes:

• “Bong Joon-ho makes movies about people trapped in systems that don’t value them.”

• “Toni Collette’s sauce obsession might be the most disturbing metaphor in the film.”

• “It’s like High Life with a hint of hope.”

🧠 Bottom Line:

This might not hit the same heights as Parasite or Snowpiercer, but it’s still sharp, visually compelling, and deeply Bong. The Mindframes hosts both rate it 4 out of 5 Mickeys — and recommend seeing it on the biggest screen you can.

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