The Alliance Lately: Issue No. 87

The Gotham Awards took place Monday, Nov. 27, meaning award season is underway.

Members of the MNFCA are certainly ready for the season, already having reviewed potential contenders “Saltburn,” “May December” and “Maestro. Plenty more was released in the month of November, though, from a “Hunger Games” prequel to a new Disney animated feature.

Those and more were reviewed by Minnesota critics. See below what the Alliance has been up to lately.

Tyler Strandberg

Strandberg reviewed the “Hunger Games” prequel “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” for InSession Film and the drama “Saltburn” for Cinefied.

Nicholas Palodichuk

For their series Kyle and Nick on Film, Palodichuk was joined by fellow MNFCA member Kyle Goethe to discuss the new historical epic “Napoleon” and the slasher flick “Thanksgiving.”

Mark McPherson

At his site, McPherson reviewed new releases “Napoleon” and “Wish,” as well as the documentary “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.”

Ruth Maramis

On FlixChatter, Maramis reviewed new films “The Holdovers,” “Quiz Lady,” “Next Goal Wins,” “Wish” and “Dream Scenario.” She also wrote a recap of memorable Thanksgiving moments in television.

Matthew Liedke

At his site, Liedke reviewed Netflix’s assassin character study “The Killer” and the horror film “Thanksgiving.”

Matt Hambidge

For News From the Couch, Hambidge reviewed “The Hunger Games; Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and “Wish.”

Paul McGuire Grimes

For his series Paul’s Trip to the Movies, Grimes reviewed new films “Bottoms,” “The Killer,” “Next Goal Wins,” “Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” “Wish,” “Saltburn” and “May December.” He also appeared on Twin Cities ABC affiliate KSTP’s series Twin Cities Live on Nov. 10 and 17.

Kyle Goethe

At GOAT Film Reviews, Goethe reviewed several horror flicks including two from 1984, “The Dungeonmaster” and “Terror in the Aisles,” as well as 1999’s “Lake Placid.” He also reviewed the new fantasy dramedy “Poor Things.”

Hunter Friesen

At The Cinema Dispatch, Friesen reviewed new films “Napoleon,” “Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” “Saltburn” and “Maestro.”

Brian Eggert

For Deep Focus Review, Eggert reviewed new releases “Next Goal Wins,” “Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” “May December,” “Saltburn,” “Napoleon,” “Wish,” “Thanksgiving,” “Maestro” and “Monster.” He also wrote about 1935’s “Captain Blood.”

Eli Brau

On Cinephile Corner, Brau reviewed 2023 releases “The Killer,” “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” “Fair Play,” “Cobweb,” “The Pigeon Tunnel,” “Next Goal Wins,” “Birth/Rebirth,” “Wish,” “Leo,” “Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” “The Holdovers,” “Afire,” “Thanksgiving” and “Saw X.”

He also wrote about two of David Fincher’s works, 2002’s “Panic Room” and 2008’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” Additionally, he ranked films by Fincher through the director’s most recent film, “The Killer.”

Joe Botten

For his site, Botten reviewed recent releases “Next Goal Wins,” “Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” “May December,” “Dashing Through the Snow,” “The Treasure of Foggy Mountain,” “Wish,” “Genie,” “Leo,” “Saltburn,” “Napoleon,” “Maestro” and “Loop Track.”

He also published two articles covering the Toronto International Film Festival, find parts 1 and 2.