MSPIFF45 Announced 2026 Award Winners + FlixChatter’s Top 5 Favorites

The 45th Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival has officially wrapped up. Perhaps the string of nice weather, with no snow in sight, attracted record-breaking crowds that shattered their previous daily attendance record—twice! I only managed to catch 11 films (two of them online), which is four fewer than I had hoped for. The reason? …

Continue reading MSPIFF45 Announced 2026 Award Winners + FlixChatter’s Top 5 Favorites

MSPIFF 2026 Review: HONEYJOON (2025) – A breezy, delightful mother-daughter comedy about navigating grief, set in the Azores

Film festivals are truly a great place to discover new voices. This is Lilian T. Mehrel’s fantastic debut feature, created when she won the AT&T Tribeca Untold Stories grant. I’ve always been into mother-daughter tales, especially since my late mom was a single parent who loved traveling, but we never got to take a trip …

Continue reading MSPIFF 2026 Review: HONEYJOON (2025) – A breezy, delightful mother-daughter comedy about navigating grief, set in the Azores

MSPIFF 2026 Review: Don’t Call Me Mama (2026)—A tense, atmospheric Norwegian forbidden romance that’ll leave you shaken

One of the main reasons I enjoy film festivals is that they frequently expose me to fresh talent in cinema. Last Thursday, I got to know Norwegian writer/director Nina Knag, whose gripping, atmospheric, and subversive debut drama will both excite and frustrate you in the best way. The phrase 'Don't Call Me Mama' is never …

Continue reading MSPIFF 2026 Review: Don’t Call Me Mama (2026)—A tense, atmospheric Norwegian forbidden romance that’ll leave you shaken

MSPIFF45 is back April 8-19! FlixChatter picks 25 international & Minnesota-connected films to watch this year.

One of the things I love most about spring in Minnesota isn't only the warmer weather but also the kickoff of the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival! MSPIFF is back this Wednesday, celebrating its 45th anniversary! From April 8-19, over 200 films will be screened at this year's festival, making it the biggest celebration …

Continue reading MSPIFF45 is back April 8-19! FlixChatter picks 25 international & Minnesota-connected films to watch this year.

FlixChatter’s March 2026 Viewing Recap, Mini TV reviews of Bridgerton S4 + The Night Agent S3, and Movie(s) of the Month

Happy April, everyone!! 🌹 🪷 🌻 🌷 We've made it to Spring, woo hoo!! I know I said this every month, but March felt like a breeze. The weather has been a roller coaster! We got hit with a major snowstorm earlier this month, which took my hubby and me nearly an hour to shovel …

Continue reading FlixChatter’s March 2026 Viewing Recap, Mini TV reviews of Bridgerton S4 + The Night Agent S3, and Movie(s) of the Month

FlixChatter Review: TOW (2025) – Rose Byrne does her best to elevate this uneven and sentimental tale of a woman facing homelessness

Rose Byrne seems to be on a roll playing overwhelmed or unraveling mothers in recent years. She plays a mother of three navigating a mid-life crisis in AppleTV+ series Platonic, and became a first-time Oscar nominee with If I Had Legs I'd Kick You. This time around, she takes on the role of a homeless …

Continue reading FlixChatter Review: TOW (2025) – Rose Byrne does her best to elevate this uneven and sentimental tale of a woman facing homelessness

FlixChatter’s JANUARY 2026 Viewing Recap, Mini Reviews of The Wrecking Crew & Secret Mall Apartment, and Movie(s) of the Month

Welcome to the first Viewing Recap post of 2026! The first month of 2026 has come and gone, though unlike previous months, I feel like January seemed to have passed rather slowly. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've likely heard about what's happening in my home state of Minnesota 😔 Well, I've pretty …

Continue reading FlixChatter’s JANUARY 2026 Viewing Recap, Mini Reviews of The Wrecking Crew & Secret Mall Apartment, and Movie(s) of the Month