Mike Tyrkus

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

Movie Review: Avatar: Fire and Ash

Three years after James Cameron revisited the world of “Avatar” in Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), he returns to Pandora to ostensibly conclude his trilogy chronicling the saga of the struggles of the Na’vi for control of their home against human invaders with Avatar: Fire and Ash. While the second film took place more than a decade after the events portrayed in the first film, the third film fol...[Read More]

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Box-Office Weekend: Freddy Gets Bumped

The top two films have again swapped spaces atop the box-office weekend top ten as "Zootopia 2" has reclaimed the top spot by a $6.8 million margin.

Box-Office Weekend: Freddy Takes Over

After only one weekend in the top spot, "Zootopia 2" was chased from number one by another sequel, "Five Nights at Freddy’s 2" by a $20.6 million margin.

Box-Office Weekend: Zootopia Displaces Wicked

A new film took over the top ten over this box-office weekend, as "Zootopia 2" displaced "Wicked: For Good" by $38.6 million.

Box-Office Weekend: Wicked: For Good On Top

The Universal Pictures release "Wicked: For Good" debuted on top of the box-office weekend, taking over first place by an astonishing margin of $140.9 million.

Movie Review: Wicked: For Good

As was the first installment of the cinematic adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked, released in 2024, the sequel (and conclusion to the series), Wicked: For Good upholds the standards set forth by its predecessor and even, as unbelievable as it sounds, improves on the underlying story arc of the original The Wizard of Oz (1939). Now that Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) has assumed the mantle of The W...[Read More]

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Box-Office Weekend: Now You See Me Is Seen

As has been the pattern for a while now, a new release, "Now You See Me: Now You Don't," has managed to take the top spot of the box-office weekend.

Box-Office Weekend: Predator Shows No Regrets

Yet again, a new film adorns the top spot of the box-office weekend as "Predator: Badlands" displaced the top film from last week by a margin of $32.9 million.

Movie Review: Frankenstein

Although there are hundreds of film adaptations of Mary Shelley’s Gothic horror masterpiece Frankenstein known to exist, few have captured the hearts of audiences as did director James Whale’s 1931 version starring Boris Karloff as the Monster. Now, ninety-three years later, Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro has thrown his artistic hat into the proverbial ring providing audiences with his ...[Read More]

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Box-Office Weekend: Regretting You Leap Frogs to Top

A new film has taken over the top spot of the box-office weekend as "Regretting You" clawed its way to number one by just one tenth.

Box-Office Weekend: Chainsaw Disconnects Black Phone

After only one week on top of the box-office weekend top ten, "Black Phone 2" was replaced by newcomer "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc."

Movie Review: Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

The latest film from director Scott Cooper, the musical biography of Bruce Springsteen entitled Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere may feel less like a standard biography of this ilk and more like a deeply earnest and heartfelt ode to arguably astonishingly brilliant piece of artistic creativity and the young man that created it. Cooper’s film chronicles the recording of Springsteen’s 1982 album...[Read More]

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