MSPIFF 2025 Week 1 Recap – Films that I saw + A conversation with Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee

We were blessed with 'mostly' fantastic weather last week and a gloriously sunny weekend as I attended MSPIFF! Thank God for that, as there have been years where I had to cancel screening plans due to a snowstorm in April. My hubby and I even took a stroll by the Mississippi River in between screenings. …

Continue reading MSPIFF 2025 Week 1 Recap – Films that I saw + A conversation with Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee

RIP Dame Maggie Smith – 10 favorite roles of the venerable Grande Dame of Films + TV

This weekend started with a somber note with the passing of Dame Maggie Smith last Friday, who died at the age of 89. It's disheartening that I'm doing another tribute post after we lost the great  James Earl Jones earlier this month, but I simply had to do a tribute to one of my favorite …

Continue reading RIP Dame Maggie Smith – 10 favorite roles of the venerable Grande Dame of Films + TV

RIP James Earl Jones (1931-2024)—what an iconic voice, but he was so much more than just a voice actor

We lost a great Hollywood yesterday… James Earl Jones has passed away at the age of 93 in his home in Dutchess County, New York. He's indeed lived a long life but it was still a punch in the gut when I heard about his passing on NPR while I was driving… I was astonished …

Continue reading RIP James Earl Jones (1931-2024)—what an iconic voice, but he was so much more than just a voice actor

Musings on 8 movies directed by actors that screened at TIFF 2023

It's been nearly 20 years since I visited TIFF in 2005. This was back when I was still obsessed with Gerard Butler, so my primary purpose was to see Beowulf & Grendel and I did get to shake Gerry's hand after the screening which still made me chuckle when I think about it. I was …

Continue reading Musings on 8 movies directed by actors that screened at TIFF 2023

Indie Film Spotlight – Cameron Cloutier’s Queen of Hearts: A Twin Peaks Fan Film (Part 2)

Last year, I covered Queen of Hearts: A Twin Peaks Fan Film, an impressive undertaking and a clear labor of love from filmmaker Cameron Cloutier. The multi-part series focused on FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Nico Abiera)'s history with his partner Windom Earle (Paul Griffith) and Earle's wife Caroline (Charlotte Roi) as well as Annie Blackburn …

Continue reading Indie Film Spotlight – Cameron Cloutier’s Queen of Hearts: A Twin Peaks Fan Film (Part 2)

Finally caught up with Denzel Washington’s only film franchise The Equalizer 1 & 2 – now I’m excited to see The Equalizer 3

This has been a rather hectic weekend for me with lots of activities. I didn't make it to the cinema, but one of the highlights in terms of movie-watching is that my hubby and I finally caught up with Denzel Washington's The Equalizer. As the third movie is coming out this Friday, we thought we …

Continue reading Finally caught up with Denzel Washington’s only film franchise The Equalizer 1 & 2 – now I’m excited to see The Equalizer 3

Trailer + Scenes Spotlight: Tarsem Singh’s THE FALL (2006) – to commemorate my trip to Bali, Indonesia

Hello FlixChatter friends!! Today's post is going to be a short one as I'll be on my way to the airport in a couple of hours en route to Bali, Indonesia. Most of you already know I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, but I've been living in Minnesota since college. It's been over …

Continue reading Trailer + Scenes Spotlight: Tarsem Singh’s THE FALL (2006) – to commemorate my trip to Bali, Indonesia