Minority Mindset

Filmmakers Khaki and Eyni were given a close look at the life of Shahverdi and the people she serves. The film starts with Shahverdi’s campaign for office, which inspired many women – and some young men – to vote for the first time. While some community conservatives cautioned her against running, Shahverdi ultimately won because she was underestimated – seen as an eccentric but harmless neighbor. The film highlights how simply having a genuine desire to represent the people can be enough to achieve political influence.

The film A Man Called Otto stars Tom Hanks as Otto, with his son Truman Hanks playing a younger version of the character. The cast also includes Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, Mike Birbiglia, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, known for his role in The Lincoln Lawyer. While it didn’t receive any Academy Award nominations, the movie was a financial success, earning $113 million globally – more than films like Halloween Ends and Moonfall released in 2022.

For a relaxing weekend watch, Netflix has two great, feel-good movies that offer a break after a more intense film. Looking ahead to 2025, Netflix has several potential Oscar winners, and either of these would be a perfect way to kick off your weekend on the couch.

In this episode of Coffee Chats, Cho and Hong discuss the moment they realized KPop Demon Hunters was becoming a big hit. They also talk about how Cho recorded their cover of the song “FREE,” and how working on the film brought up family memories for Hong.

While Naruto excels in many areas – boasting memorable story arcs, thrilling battles, and deeply moving moments that resonated with a generation of anime fans – some early character choices and plot points created problems that continued to surface throughout the series, even into the Boruto sequel. These initial decisions limited character development and, as the story expanded, made the central message about overcoming hatred feel less impactful. Despite its strengths, these issues ultimately lingered and caused complications as the narrative grew in scope.

Watching Japanese director Hikari’s new film, Rental Family, kept reminding me of a particular evening. The film stars Fraser as Phillip Vandarploeug, a lonely American actor in his middle years who lives in Tokyo and isn’t getting many good roles anymore. Years ago, Phillip briefly became famous in Japan for a series of silly toothpaste commercials where he played a superhero who rode a toothbrush. Now, he mostly goes to auditions he doesn’t get, or spends time on set pretending to be a plastic tree. Things take a strange turn when he’s hired to act sad at a funeral, only to discover the man in the coffin is actually alive. The whole event is a performance meant to help the man feel better about his life. This company, called Rental Family, arranges these unusual “specialized performances” to help people feel a sense of connection they’re missing. Sometimes these performances involve self-delusion, and sometimes they’re outright tricks. For example, one of Phillip’s first jobs is pretending to be the groom at a Japanese wedding. The parents want a happy memory and peace of mind, but the bride secretly plans to move to Canada with her girlfriend immediately after the ceremony.

I expected the movie to be a standard tale about chasing the American Dream. While it touches on those themes, it’s actually a much more serious and reflective story about life and mortality.