‘Moana’ Review: There’s No Telling How Far Disney’s Shameless Remakes Will Go [C-]
When Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story was announced, there was immediate skepticism. The 1961 original is one of the most renowned movie musicals... 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
‘Couture’ Review: Angelina Jolie is Coming Apart at the Seams in Alice Winocour’s Underwhelming Fashion House Drama [B-]
Angelina Jolie is a special type of movie star. After being one of the biggest box office draws of the 2000s, she’s slowed down significantly... Read More
‘Disclosure Day’ Review: What Spielberg Wants to Know Is, Can We Get a Little Closer? [A-]
The truth is out there, and we all know it. To many of us, living in contemporary society requires constant vigilance in order to not... Read More
‘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
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
‘Moana’ Review: There’s No Telling How Far Disney’s Shameless Remakes Will Go [C-] 
Bleecker Street Acquires U.S. Rights to Rachel Zelger-led Thriller ‘NDA’ with Penn Badgley, Amy Ryan 
‘The Invite’ Screenwriters Will McCormack and Rashida Jones on What Makes Long-Term Relationships Work Inside Four Walls 
TIFF51: Sian Heder’s ‘Being Heumann,’ ‘Prima Facie’ with Cynthia Erivio to World Premiere at 51st Toronto International Film Festival 