Queen of Hearts: A Twin Peaks Fan Film

If you have enjoyed Twin Peaks in its entirety from 1990 to the present day, with the fantastic return in 2017, this film comes in 5 acts and has a similar feel to the episodic structure of the first two seasons. There are some surrealist touches here and there particularly when it comes to the genuinely well-done and sensitive portrayal of the Caroline Earle character as played by the charming and charismatic Charlotte Roi. This is a project which takes it time but does pay-off in its emotional weight and effective film-making. Well done to Cameron and his actors, a promising debut. Damn fine.

The main takeaway I had with this film was that it was made for the fans. There are no drastic character and story changes which would anger you. There are many fun callbacks that aren't too annoying and in your face. A lot of the acting is surprisingly good for a fan film. It captures the Lynch feel in a way more similar to Blue Velvet rather than Twin Peaks. Most of all, the movie shows you can still make Twin Peaks in 2022. You don't have to make "The Return". As well, the ending manages to make you want more even after the long running time. There are a few flaws though. It works better episodically. The audio is inconsistent. And there are too many musical montages.

But with no sign of any more seasons and the OG cast dropping off like flies this movie is a very welcome entry into the Twin Peaks universe. Plus, you can go back and watch the journey to making the film and feel like you are apart of the process.

This film was a long time, dedicated labor of love and it shows.

The writing is outstanding. Some of the lines blew me away. Interesting dialog and engaging monologues kept me immersed throughout the story. Nico was so good as Cooper I forgot I was watching a different actor. He gave Cooper a vulnerability that we hadn't seen before. Madison gave Annie new life. Annie was never a character that interested me. This film gave her strength and purpose other than a love interest. My outlook on Annie has forever changed. Seeing the relationships between Cooper, Caroline and Windom was fascinating and touching. Charlotte did a fantastic job at creating a personality bigger than life for Caroline. Bravo to all the actors in the film!

The cinematography is top notch. Interesting angles and framing. Never boring to look at and stays true to the original shows aesthetic.

The music is so good. Perfectly timed and poignant. Every time I would hear one song choice, I couldn't wait to hear what song choice would be next. There is a lot of personality in the choices and they are so well thought out. I think it might be my favorite aspect of the project.

It's a fantastic film done with a lot of love, heart and dedication. If you're a true Twin Peaks fan, this is right up your ally.

Unfortunately, there are trolls out there who are determined to inflict damage to this project. They try to seem impersonal about it in their posts but, don't be fooled. They are not judging it based on truth. This troll attack is premeditated. They probably haven't even watched it. So, pay no mind to them.

The film delivers fresh and imaginative content. The actors too represent true essence of original characters under excellent direction by Cloutier. That Cloutier pulls off multiple roles: writer, producer, director, editor successfully, is remarkable. The choice of music, scenes shot at original sites in Washington, sets to pay homage to key original themes such as the black lodge, coupled with believable special effects, transport the fan right back to the mystical world of Twin Peaks, where pacing and tension created by the scenes keeps the fan engaged and craving more! A brilliant fan film.

"Queen of Hearts" is without a doubt the greatest "Twin Peaks" Fan Film that will probably ever get made.

In my humble opinion, is is 100% canon.

Everything works to pull you back into the amazing world created by David Lynch and Mark Frost.

You get it all: Annie, Cooper, Caroline, Windom, the Lodges, Flashbacks, Flash Forwards and a climax that is stunning.

This was never meant to be a surrealistic mystery film in the conventional sense--but a character driven story about the most mysterious thing of all: human behavior.

I loved it from start to finish and I feel a true "Twin Peaks" fan will embrace it with open arms.