Every year, there's always a film I end up missing that I really wish I had caught before putting together my top 10 list. This time around, it’s Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, the French/Belgian animated film that’s up for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. It’s a 77-minute animated gem, so ethereal and …
Tag: movie reviews
FlixChatter Review: SENTIMENTAL VALUE (2025) – A profoundly moving story about familial trauma and the restorative nature of art
In the span of a couple of weeks, I’m introduced to two fantastic filmmakers whose films will likely be competing at next year’s Oscars. The first is Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just An Accident, and the other is Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value. These two films are completely different in style and tone, yet both tackle …
FlixChatter Review: Is This Thing On? – Will Arnett displays his dramatic chops in Bradley Cooper’s raw, heartfelt & funny marriage dramedy
I listened to an episode of the SmartLess podcast on a recent road trip, which is hosted by Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes, featuring Bradley Cooper. But it escaped me that Cooper was directing a film starring Arnett, where Hayes has a small supporting role. The story centers on a middle-aged man, Alex …
FlixChatter Review: Fountain of Youth (2025) – Guy Ritchie’s globe-trotting treasure hunting movie is devoid of fun, wit and heart
AppleTV heavily promoted this Guy Ritchie movie, and to be honest, I’ve enjoyed seeing John Krasinski and Natalie Portman’s promotional tours on a bunch of talk shows. As it turns out, their interviews are actually more entertaining than the movie! Just from the trailer, you get the vibes of archaeological action adventure classics like Indiana …
FlixChatter Review: The Penguin Lessons (2025) – Steve Coogan gains a fresh perspective on life thanks to his scene-stealing avian friend
I love penguins, so the fact that there is a penguin in this film is the main draw for me. Based on Tom Michell’s memoir of the same name, it recounts his tale as an English teacher (played by Steve Coogan) who takes a job at a posh all-boys boarding school in Argentina just as …
TCFF 2024 Review: CONCLAVE – Ralph Fiennes delivers his finest performance in this engrossing papal mystery thriller
Twin Cities Film Fest kicked off its 10-day film festivities yesterday with Focus Features’ papal mystery thriller CONCLAVE. It’s one of my most anticipated Fall films thanks to the all-star cast filled with Oscar nominees, Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow. Directed by Edward Berger, the 2023 Oscar winner for All Quiet on the …
FlixChatter Review: SIGHT (2024) – Dr. Ming Wang’s remarkable story still shines in this uplifting but tepid biopic
Another week, another biopic hitting the screens, proving that real-life stories are ripe for cinematic treatment. I had no clue who Dr. Ming Wang was before this movie. He’s this amazing Chinese genius who escaped Communist China in the 1970s and went on to become a world-renowned, groundbreaking eye surgeon in the U.S. After watching …