Minority Mindset

Jane Fonda shared that she and Robert Redford initially connected over a surprisingly down-to-earth topic: building with stone. Both were in the process of constructing houses with stone walls at the time. Redford was in Hollywood working on a film with Fonda, but he was eager to return to Utah and continue building. Fonda, married to a Frenchman, had recently built a country house and was also focused on stonework. They spent a lot of time happily discussing the details of stacking stones, even talking about using moss for insulation. Fonda also recalled that Redford was an avid climber, once scaling the large spire of the Fox Theater in Westwood and even breaking his arm while climbing his chimney one Christmas.

Whether through blockbuster franchises like Kill Bill or critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Django Unchained, and The Hateful Eight, audiences worldwide are familiar with Quentin Tarantino’s unique style. Though he plans to retire soon, one of his earlier films from the mid-2000s is scheduled for a re-release in 2026, bringing his work to a new generation.

Whether a film qualifies for the Best International Feature Film isn’t always straightforward. While countries submit films for consideration, a movie can also qualify by winning a major award at one of a select group of international film festivals. These include prestigious prizes like the Golden Bear at Berlin, the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and the Golden Lion at Venice. This creates a second path to nomination, as seen with Anatomy of a Fall, which won the Palme d’Or but wasn’t selected by its own country. It also means a single country could theoretically have multiple films nominated. While unlikely, it would be interesting to see! This rule could also encourage film festivals to recognize important but potentially controversial films that a country might ignore. This makes the recent claims by organizers at the Berlin International Film Festival that their festival isn’t political seem a bit disingenuous. Ultimately, like many Academy decisions, this new rule could be a great success, a complicated mess, or a bit of both.

As a huge cinema and TV fan, I’ve been completely hooked by this series, which aired from 2021 to 2025. The story centers around an alien who ends up crashing in a small town in Colorado. He pretends to be the local doctor, but secretly, he’s planning to wipe out humanity! It sounds wild, I know, and it could have been a silly mess or taken itself way too seriously. But honestly, the show balances those extremes perfectly. It’s consistently brilliant – the fact that it has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes really speaks for itself. Every single episode is just so well done!

I’ve been so impressed watching Scott’s career take off! His performance as Mark Scout really put him on the map, and now he’s in this amazing position where he can choose any role he wants – it’s incredible. What I really admire is that he’s using that freedom to do what he loves – horror! He’s not chasing awards, he’s fully embracing the genre, and honestly, he’s become the new leading man in horror, and I’m loving it!

Robert Kirkman, the creator of Invincible and The Walking Dead, recently shared his strong dislike for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 during an interview on The Escape Pod Podcast. He bluntly called the movie “dog shit,” though he generally avoids sharing his opinions on films publicly.

This group has incredibly strong connections, and everything seems to revolve around Jo-Ellen, especially her close friends Alicia, Liz, and Kelsey. Even those a bit outside that inner circle, like Rulla and Rosie, are linked to Jo-Ellen through shared drama. She perfectly fills the classic reality TV role of being the one who knows all the gossip, shares it with the group, and uses it to drive the storyline, as seen with the rumors about Rulla’s husband. Jo-Ellen also has all the qualities of a successful reality star: she’s good at handling conflict, delivers cutting remarks, and can turn gossip into compelling stories – plus, she has an attractive husband! She currently lacks a strong personal storyline, but that’s sure to change as her sister gets closer to her husband. Jo-Ellen is a natural for this show and will likely remain a key figure for a very long time, much like Kyle Richards.