‘Mortal Kombat II’ Review: Our Champions Have Leveled Up for Round Two [B]
Early in Mortal Kombat II, the braggadocious character Johnny Cage is introduced. He’s obviously modeled after Jean-Claude Van Damme and other action stars who were... Read More
Cody Dericks
Cody Dericks has been obsessed with movies and awards ever since he first grabbed a giant coffee table book about the Oscars at the Scholastic Book Fair. He’s been consuming every type of film ever since. In addition, he’s an avid theatre lover and always has thoughts and opinions on all things to do with Broadway and the Tony Awards.
He currently resides in Chicago and is a proud member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. He also writes and podcasts for Next Best Picture and co-hosts his own podcast “Halloweeners: A Horror Movie Podcast.” You can follow him on Twitter, Letterboxd, and Bluesky @codymonster91
2026 Chicago Critics Film Festival Reviews: ‘Black Zombie,’ ‘The Last One for the Road,’ ‘Loafers,’ ‘You Had to Be There’
Black Zombie (Dir. Maya Annik Bedward) Zombies have been used in nearly a century’s worth of cinema in arguably more varied ways than any other... Read More
‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ Review: Careful the Spell You Cast, Children Will Listen (and Sometimes Kill) [C]
Lee Cronin has literally made quite a name for himself. Just seven years since his debut feature The Hole in the Ground premiered at Sundance,... Read More
‘Our Hero, Balthazar’ Review: Jaeden Martell and Asa Butterfield Astonish in Oscar Boyson’s Look at Teenage Dirtbags, Baby [B+]
Internet attention can be fickle, to put it lightly. The almighty algorithm (all hail!) favors human behavior that would normally be considered anti-social or extreme.... Read More
‘Tow’ Review: Rose Has Plenty to Byrne But In Woefully Uninspired Vehicle [C+]
To the delight of many a gay, Rose Byrne recently received her first Oscar nomination for her shattering, darkly hilarious performance in If I Had... Read More
A Guide to the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Documentary Short Films
Best Documentary Short Film has an infamous reputation for being one of the more difficult categories to conquer. Because of their obviously abridged length, they... Read More
A Guide to the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Live Action Short Films
Hardcore Oscar fans know that the Best Live Action Short Film category has a rocky history when it comes to featuring quality nominees. Almost every... Read More
A Guide to the 2026 Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films
For Oscar fanatics, Best Animated Short Film is always one of the easiest Oscar categories to complete, if for no other reason than the nominees... Read More
‘Kokuho’ Review: The Vibrant World of Kabuki is Spectacularly Recreated in Lee Sang-il’s Resilient Character Study [B+]
There are plenty of films about artists. It’s seemingly one of the go-to professions for screenwriters to explore. How many films have we seen –... Read More
‘Ella McCay’ Review: James L. Brooks Aims to Mine a Nostalgic Relic but Comes Up With Something Mildly Dated [B-]
Very quickly into its runtime, Ella McCay establishes itself as a fantasy. After the narrator (Julie Kavner) introduces herself with “I’m the narrator” (there’s no... Read More
2027 Oscar Predictions: BEST ACTRESS (May) 
Colman Domingo to Receive Variety Creative Conscience Award at 50th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Frameline50) 
Interview: Ildikó Enyedi on Working with Tony Leung and Léa Seydoux and Her Triptych Storytelling in ‘Silent Friend’ 
Winners Announced for Golden Gate, Audience Awards of the 69th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM)