The Minnesota Movie Digest: Den of The Last Showgirl
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.
Joe Botten – The MN Movie Man
After a (brief) winter’s nap, The MN Movie Man is back with a sleigh full of reviews of both new and recent films!
If you still have your Christmas Tree up (he does), sit back, pull up the Yule Log on YouTube and enjoy these late presents: Birdeater, Memoir of a Snail, I’m Still Here, A Complete Unknown, The Brutalist, Babygirl, Queer, Hard Truths, Nightbitch, September 5, The Damned, Nosferatu, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, Bloody Axe Wound, Mufasa: The Lion King, The Man in the White Van
Be sure to follow The MN Movie Man on Instagram, Letterboxd, and Facebook for his weekly hot takes and other updates between newsletters!
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:
He also has reviews for a couple classic movies:
Lastly, in their movie rankings section, he updated his ranking of every Luca Guadagnino movie and ranked the best movies of 2014.
Brian Eggert – Deep Focus Review
Brian reviewed the second season of the AppleTV+ series, Severance.
He also wrote a new essay about Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (1999), exclusively for his Patreon subscribers. Readers can purchase access individually or join Deep Focus Review’s Patron community to access it.
Hunter Friesen (The Cinema Dispatch)
At The Cinema Dispatch, Hunter reviewed Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.
Kyle Goethe – Goat Film Reviews
Over on the GOAT Film Reviews YouTube Channel, you can find Video Reviews for Daddy’s Head and Conclave:
On the GOAT Film Reviews Website, you can find an Early Review for the 2025 sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera!
New Episodes of Kyle & Nick on Film:
Matt Hambridge – Break Time Reviews
On his newly revamped website, Break Time Reviews, Matt released his Top 10 Movies of 2024. And for FandomWire, he kicked off 2025 with a review of the heist sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera.
C.B. Jacobson – Picturegoer
In this week’s issue of the “Picturegoer” newsletter, thoughts on the coal-in-your-stocking holiday offering “Red One”; Robert Ryan in Robert Wise’s masterful boxing noir “The Set-Up”; the kung fu classic “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin”; Prince’s befuddling, beautiful vanity project “Under the Cherry Moon”; Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss bicker in “What About Bob”; and a book of George Lucas interviews.
Follow the link: https://picturegoer.substack.com/p/picturegoer-vol-2-issue-50-red-one
Catherine Krummey – Veg Out Recipes
Catherine paired the family-friendly favorite “Happy Feet” with penguin popsicles on Veg Out. Plus, she celebrated Letterboxd’s Year in Review release with a reel highlighting her stats. She also continued her FYC Friday series with quick thoughts on documentaries about three iconic women and other 2024 releases.
Ruth Maramis – FlixChatter
Paul McGuire Grimes – Paul’s Trip to the Movies
Paul has new reviews and interviews for 2025! Plus, a look back at 2024
Mark McPherson – Movies With Mark
Film Reviews
Brian Orndorf – Blu-Ray.Com
Film Reviews
- Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
- Love of the Irish
- Eat the Night
- Laws of Man
- Birdeater
- Survive
- The Prosecutor
Blu-ray/UHD Reviews
Nicholas Palodichuk – St. Paul Filmcast
New Episodes of Kyle & Nick on Film:
Tyler Strandberg – Cinefied
Over on Cinefied, Tyler wrote about the dystopian game show Beast Games, noting the striking parallels between Survivor and Squid Game, and dived into how these competitions reflect the harsh realities of wealth inequality and human desperation.
Keep your eyes peeled for the latest film critiques, reviews, and news from the Minnesota Film Critics Association! 🎬🍿
Minnesota Film Critics Association 