The Minnesota Movie Digest: Nirvanna Heights
Welcome to The Minnesota Movie Digest, the official newsletter from the Minnesota Film Critics Association (MNFCA)!
The MNFCA is a collective of individuals dedicated to celebrating and critically examining the art of film. In this recurring publication, we’ll share a selection of insightful film reviews, absorbing essays, and interviews with film professionals.
Each issue of The Minnesota Movie Digest features a diverse array of perspectives and content. Our members have shared their most recent work with us, covering the latest releases and revisiting classic films that dissect the craft of filmmaking. Explore the links below and get a front-row seat to critically examine the art of film.
Check out the MNFCA Members page to meet our all-star lineup.
And now… The Minnesota Movie Digest.
Eli Brau – Cinephile Corner
Eli has a few new pieces this week over on Cinephile Corner. In their movie reviews section, he has reviews for the following new releases:
- Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie review
- Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die review
- Sirāt review
- The Love That Remains review
He is also reviewing a different Hong Kong action movie every Sunday for the first half of 2026. This week, he wrote about John Woo’s 1987 film A Better Tomorrow II.
Brian Eggert – Deep Focus Review
On Deep Focus Review, Brian reviewed the following titles:
For his Patreon community, Brian posted a new entry in his essay series, The Definitives, about John Sturges’ Bad Day at Black Rock (1955).
Finally, Brian appeared on the latest episode of The CineFiles. He and Chris Hrapsky discuss Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, Pillion, and Magnolia (1999).
Hunter Friesen – The Cinema Dispatch
At The Cinema Dispatch, Hunter reviewed Pillion and Crime 101. He commenced his series on the 50 best films of the 2020s on his Instagram page.
Jason Hemming – Cinema Recall
Jason “The Vern” Hemming releases another episode of Random Thoughts of a Movie Insomniac, with short reviews of: The Running Man (2025), Marty Supreme, The King of Comedy, The Testament of Ann Lee, and more.
On Cinema Recall’s website, you can read his review of the Oscar nominated Documentary, Mr. Nobody Against Putin.
Over on Rabbit Hole Podcasts, check out a new episode of The Rotten Truth, a podcast that looks at low scores on Rotten Tomatoes to see how bad they really are. On this edition, Donnie Roberts and The Vern watch the feature film debut of controversial comedian Andrew “Dice” Clay, and his feature, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.
Jakob Kolness – JakobTalksFilm
Over at JakobTalksFilm, Jakob reviews Gore Verbinski’s wild Good Luck, Have Fun, Dont Die, the Sam Riley-starring resort-set thriller Islands, and continues to catch up on Sundance reviews with Rock Springs!
Be sure to follow him on Twitter, BluSky, and Letterboxd!
Erik Larson – Hamline Oracle
Erik hosted the February edition of the Secret Movie Night at Emagine Willow Creek and selected “Ace in the Hole” (1951). Thank you to everyone who showed up!
Ruth Maramis – FlixChatter
Review: SCARLET (2025) – A medieval princess on a vengeful quest in this Hamlet-inspired action fantasy anime feature
Review: Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die – Sam Rockwell lets it rip in this wild, wacky, chaotic anti-AI sci-fi satire
Review: CRIME 101 (2026) – Hemsworth & Ruffalo reunite in this stylish, moody Michael Mann-esque heist flick
Connect with FlixChatter on Letterboxd and social media » Instagram | Twitter | Bluesky
Paul McGuire Grimes – Paul’s Trip to the Movies
Paul is here with new reviews, articles, and a fun interview to share!
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die – Review
Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry Interview – Crime 101
Paul’s Weekly Newsletter – Remembering James Van Der Beek
Book Review – The Last Kings of Hollywood by Paul Fischer
Follow Paul across social media @PAULSMOVIETRIP, on Letterboxd, on YouTube, and Patreon.
Mark McPherson – Movies With Mark
Film Reviews:
Brian Orndorf – Blu-Ray.Com
Film Reviews:
- Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie
- Tyler Perry’s Joe’s College Road Trip
- Goat
- Crime 101
- Wuthering Heights
- Hellfire
- Cold Storage
- By Design
- The Mortuary Assistant
- Misdirection
Blue-ray/UHD Reviews:
Nicholas Palodichuk – St. Paul Filmcast
Film Reviews:
Podcast interview with actress Gael Palen
Tyler Strandberg – Cinefied
Tyler’s latest on Cinefied dives into pop chaos with The Moment and rides into Westeros lore with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, two very different worlds united by sharp storytelling and big swings.
Keep your eyes peeled for the latest film critiques, reviews, and news from the Minnesota Film Critics Association! 🎬🍿
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