Ah, the wonderful world of cinema… it lets me vicariously explore places I've never been to. Just last week, with The President’s Cake, I found myself in Baghdad, Iraq, and this time, My Father's Shadow took me to Lagos, Nigeria, during the 1993 national election. The movie kicks off with two young brothers, 11-year-old …
Tag: world cinema
FlixChatter Review: The President’s Cake (2025) – A profoundly moving journey of survival through the eyes of a 9-year-old Iraqi girl
Sometimes you just want to watch movies to escape reality, but there are times when it’s beneficial to see a film that puts things into perspective. Watching a movie like The President’s Cake makes all my first-world issues feel minuscule, practically non-existent. Never has a school draw been so nerve-wracking. 9-year-old Iraqi girl Lamia and …
FlixChatter Double Indie Reviews: mystery drama ISLANDS starring Sam Riley and Irish road comedy THE SPIN
Welcome to another Double Reviews edition! This time it’s a pair of European films, one set in one of the Canary Islands and the other in Ireland. ISLANDS Sam Riley is one of my favorite actors, who I think is criminally underrated. I’m thrilled whenever I see him as a leading man, and he’s terrific …
FlixChatter Review: TWO TO ONE (2025) – Sandra Hüller stars in a German heist comedy set after the fall of the Berlin Wall
Two To One presents a unique storyline that truly exemplifies that 'truth can be stranger than fiction,' as it's based on actual events. After the Berlin Wall came down, a communist family stumbles upon a bunker packed with cash that's about to lose its value. With their neighbors' help, they rush to dive into the …
MSPIFF 2025 Documentary Review: Ai Weiwei’s Turandot – brilliantly captures Wei’s creative genius in a riveting and deeply moving way
Ai Weiwei is a well-known Chinese contemporary artist and activist who has gained international fame for his thought-provoking art installations, architecture, photography, and active presence on social media. The film begins with the text ‘Everything is Art, Everything is Politics’ that’s attributed to Wei. If you haven't heard of Giacomo Puccini's Turandot, it's a story …
MSPIFF 2025 Review: LUZ – Isabelle Huppert stars in a cross-continent tale about rediscovering human connection via VR technology
Luz is a fascinating exploration of connection with the use of technology, notably virtual reality, as characters living on two different continents collide in a VR world. It opens with a mythical translucent deer strolling the street of an LED-lit modern city. These fascinating and mysterious visuals are what fuel Flora Lau’s second feature, which …
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 …
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