Minority Mindset

The strongest on-screen friendships feel like a natural blending of personalities, where the characters subtly influence each other over time. The series Ponies perfectly captures this dynamic. Clarke plays Beatrice as reserved and proper, while Richardson’s Twila is wild and outgoing, and their chemistry creates a relationship reminiscent of classic feminist comedies like Dick, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, The Heat, and Spy. (This kind of pairing is familiar territory for co-creator Susanna Fogel, who also wrote Booksmart and The Spy Who Dumped Me.) Even though the plot of Ponies gets incredibly convoluted – I’ve watched the finale three times and still don’t fully understand all the twists and betrayals – Clarke and Richardson’s connection is undeniable and makes the show work.

This movie follows the LAPD’s Night Patrol, a tough anti-gang unit known for their extreme tactics. New officer Ethan Hawkins (Justin Long) joins the team, but his partner, Xavier Carr (Jermaine Fowler), is upset he wasn’t included. Meanwhile, Xavier’s brother, Wazi (RJ Cyler), is still involved with the Crips gang, the same one Xavier used to be a part of. This connection pulls Xavier into the dark secrets of Night Patrol, as they start targeting people he cares about – and it turns out, they’re actually vampires.

Nicolas Cage began appearing in action films in the late 1990s, quickly becoming known for movies like The Rock and Con Air. He’s continued to take on action roles in films such as Mandy and Drive Angry, but many fans still consider his 1997 film Face/Off to be his greatest action movie.

Despite being quite violent, the movie Primate kept me gripped with suspense. I also really enjoyed Troy Kotsur’s performance. He’s known for his Oscar-winning role in CODA, and here he plays Adam, the father of the main characters. He’s a writer who spends much of the film away at a book signing. Notably, Adam is deaf. Beyond simply including deaf representation, the movie portrays his deafness in a nuanced way – it’s a part of who he is, but it doesn’t define the plot or his character.

Disney parks have announced that Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge area will be updated and expanded. The changes will incorporate characters, music, and elements from the original Star Wars trilogy. This is a welcome development for fans and could potentially signal a shift in focus away from the more recent sequel trilogy.