MSPIFF is back! 2025 MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL lineup + A Conversation with Ang Lee + MSPIFF44’s female-directed films I’m excited about

It's another exciting time for Minnesota cinephiles! MSPIFF is back from April 2-13 at The Main Cinema and various locations across the Twin Cities, including the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis, the Landmark Center in St. Paul, and the Edina Mann Theatre. As the biggest yearly celebration of international films in the area, MSPIFF44 is …

Continue reading MSPIFF is back! 2025 MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL lineup + A Conversation with Ang Lee + MSPIFF44’s female-directed films I’m excited about

FlixChatter Review: Bob Trevino Likes It (2025) – an indie gem about the profound joy of unexpected friendship

This is a movie I immediately gravitated towards based on the title alone. The film draws inspiration from the personal experiences of its writer/director Tracie Laymon. It opens with Lily (Barbie Ferreira) crying over a recent breakup, but her dad (French Stewart) practically ignores her. She turns to Facebook in the hope of connecting with …

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International Women’s Day Special Double Reviews: VERMIGLIO and MAESTRA – two wonderful films directed by women

Happy International Women's Day!!  At FlixChatter, I’m all about celebrating female filmmakers every day, not just on special occasions. But this weekend, as March 8 falls on Saturday, I want to take it up a notch and shine a spotlight on some amazing films created by women from all over the globe for this significant …

Continue reading International Women’s Day Special Double Reviews: VERMIGLIO and MAESTRA – two wonderful films directed by women

FlixChatter Review: On Becoming A Guinea Fowl (2024) – Family secrets come to light in this unsettling but captivating dark comedy

I saw On Becoming A Guinea Fowl at TCFF last October, and it’s one I kept thinking about even months afterward. I’ve included it in my top 10 fave female-directed movies of 2024  I’ve always loved films that offer a glimpse of a culture I’m not familiar with. Zambian writer/director Rungano Nyoni delivers a raw …

Continue reading FlixChatter Review: On Becoming A Guinea Fowl (2024) – Family secrets come to light in this unsettling but captivating dark comedy

FlixChatter Review: Superboys of Malegaon (2024) – A spirited feel-good movie celebrating friendship and the love of cinema

I saw Superboys of Malegaon last October, a month after its world premiere at TIFF in 2024. It’s finally being released in theaters this weekend and I’m thrilled that audiences will be able to see this fun, uplifting movie based on a true story. Directed by Reema Kagti, the movie focuses on Nasir Shaikh and …

Continue reading FlixChatter Review: Superboys of Malegaon (2024) – A spirited feel-good movie celebrating friendship and the love of cinema

FlixChatter’s NOVEMBER viewing recap + Mini Reviews + Movie of the Month

Welcome to the last month of the year!! This year has gone by so fast, I still can't believe we're just weeks away from Christmas!  This is a busy season for film critics as I have a slew of screeners sent my way that I'm playing catch-up with watching and reviewing. I'm hoping to watch …

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FlixChatter’s OCTOBER viewing recap + Mini Reviews + Movie(s) Of the Month

Happy November! We're down to the last two months of the year already?? Wow, where has the time gone? Well, after an unseasonally warm October, we finally got our first snow on Halloween. Fortunately, the ground was still so warm that it didn't stick, so nothing like the Halloween blizzard of 1991 that dropped a …

Continue reading FlixChatter’s OCTOBER viewing recap + Mini Reviews + Movie(s) Of the Month