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 …
Tag: world cinema
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 …
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 …
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 …
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