Minority Mindset

I’ve been following Norwegian filmmaker Borgli for a while now, and he’s really something else. He first caught my attention with his 2017 debut, Drib, which was this fascinating blend of fact and fiction. It starred comedian Amir Asgharnejad playing himself, and it basically retold the story of how his street fight videos went viral and landed him a weird sponsorship deal. Then came Sick of Myself in 2022 – another darkly funny look at someone going to extreme lengths for attention. This time it was about a woman in Oslo who deliberately makes herself sick to get a unique skin condition. That film got him noticed at Cannes, and even Ari Aster became a fan! That led to Dream Scenario, Borgli’s first American film, produced by Aster and released by A24. It’s a surreal comedy starring Nicolas Cage as a pretty ordinary professor who suddenly starts appearing in everyone’s dreams. It’s a wild ride watching him deal with the sudden fame and then the panic when things start to unravel. Honestly, Borgli’s films are consistently strange, thought-provoking, and totally unforgettable.

Albert Camus’s The Stranger centers on Meursault, a detached and emotionally distant man whose life culminates in a seemingly senseless act of violence. His lack of typical emotional responses – even at his mother’s funeral – becomes the central issue in his trial and the core of the novel. Adapting this to film is difficult enough, but the context of the killing adds another layer of complexity. In Camus’s book, the victim is unnamed and largely unimportant, but director François Ozon subtly brings the victim’s humanity into focus through careful filmmaking choices. The film begins by establishing the colonial context of Algiers, showing how France transformed the city and marginalized the Arab population. This highlights the fact that Meursault’s crime would likely be viewed very differently if the victim had been European. While Camus acknowledged this underlying tension in the novel, it’s far more impactful to portray it visually on screen. This approach has sparked some criticism, with some viewers accusing the film of modernizing the story unnecessarily.

As a huge sci-fi fan, I’ve always loved quotes that seem to predict the future, or just hit a little too close to home later on. But for me, one stands out above the rest. Everyone remembers the Fourth Doctor from Doctor Who asking for jelly babies or saying it’s okay to be childish, but his best line, I think, is one that’s always been true, but feels especially important these days.

The show’s second season seems to explore similar themes as the first, though with a slightly different focus on race and the added issue of domestic violence. Season 1 centered on Amy Lau, a thriving business owner about to achieve her goals, and Danny Cho, a contractor barely making ends meet. Their conflict began with a simple road rage incident in a parking lot, which quickly grew into a complicated and intense rivalry. While the show does involve violence, it’s a much deeper and more nuanced story than a simple summary can convey. With Season 2 on the horizon, now is a great time to revisit the excellent first season.

Disney has announced a final, shortened season of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, with just four episodes planned. Variety reports the new season will arrive in summer 2026. Selena Gomez, who previously appeared on the show and is an executive producer, will return as a guest star. She’ll also be directing the first episode, marking her directorial debut.

After The Infinity Saga concluded in 2019, many viewers thought Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans had finished their time as Marvel heroes. The start of The Multiverse Saga brought in a wave of new characters like Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany), and Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac). These were expected to become the new stars of the MCU, but most haven’t appeared in many projects beyond their own individual stories.