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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 