The Minnesota Movie Digest: Practically Hoping for an Uprising
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 films:
- The Sun Never Sets
- Sheep in the Box
- Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
- The Kidnapping of Arabella
- The Mandalorian and Grogu
- In the Grey
Brian Eggert – Deep Focus Review
On Deep Focus Review, Brian reviewed:
Brian also returned to KARE 11 Saturday to share his takes on Practical Magic 2 and The Uprising.
Check out more of Brian’s work by joining his Patreon community.
Hunter Friesen – The Cinema Dispatch
At The Cinema Dispatch, Hunter reviewed Hope, Practical Magic 2, and The Uprising. He also previewed everything he’ll be seeing at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, which can also be read at the Eden Prairie Local News and the Woodbury News Net.
Jay Gabler – Duluth News Tribune
For Film Comment, Jay reviewed Matthew I. Thompson’s book On Life Support: Eco-Dystopian Cinema in the Long 1970s.
Kyle Goethe – Goat Film Reviews
This week, we have reviews for two new releases and another Ted Lasso episode!
- [Early Review] Practical Magic 2 (2026)
- [Early Review] The Uprising (2026)
- [TV Review] Ted Lasso: “Don’t Jump Around Much Anymore”
Jason Hemming – Cinema Recall
Late to the party, but here are some recent reviews and episodes by The Vern at Cinema Recall:
- Is Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma one of the year’s best?
- Looking back at The Red Shoes’ (1948) many influences on other directors and movies
- Random Thoughts of a Movie Insomniac
- Two cult classics are discussed in our retro episode on Valley of the Dolls and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls
- The Vern is joined by his friend Sheri to review the latest from director Adam Wingard ( The Guest) with Onslaught
- Ashley joins The Vern to discuss their thoughts on Practical Magic 2
Jakob Kolness – JakobTalksFilm
Over on JakobTalksFilm, Jakob posts his Final Emmy Winner Predictions (including a ranked list of all of this year’s nominees) as well as an Indie Film Review Catch-Up on titles such as Buddy, Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, Maddie’s Secret, The Magic Faraway Tree, Our Hero Balthazar, and Rose of Nevada.
And on Best Animated Podcast, Jakob discusses Disney Pixar’s Finding Nemo (w/ guest Ben Djerf) and Sylvain Chomet’s The Triplets of Belleville (w/ guest and fellow MNFCA member Mark McPherson!)
Be sure to follow him on Twitter, BluSky, and Letterboxd! Be sure to follow Best Animated Podcast on Twitter, Blusky, and Instagram
Mark McPherson – Movies With Mark
Reviews:
Brian Orndorf – Blu-Ray.Com
Film Reviews:
- The Weight
- Mr. T: I Pity the Fool
- Practical Magic 2
- The Fix
- On a String
- The Uprising
- Why Did I Get Married Again?
Blu-ray/UHD Review:
Nicholas Palodichuk – St. Paul Filmcast
Reviews for The Uprising and Hope. An interview with filmmaker Brit Jorgensen.
Keep your eyes peeled for the latest film critiques, reviews, and news from the Minnesota Film Critics Association! 🎬🍿
Minnesota Film Critics Association 