Local Critics
Local Passion
Founded by Dakota Arsenault, Thomas Stoneham-Judge, and Matthew Simpson, the Cascadia Film & Television Critics Association is a group of passionate film fans who have come together to uplift, support and grow the Pacific Northwest criticism community and to feature and promote diverse voices and talents our home region of Cascadia of North America, which encompasses British Columbia (Canada), Washington State (USA), and Oregon (USA).
Our Leadership
Dakota Arsenault
Co-Founder
Dakota Arsenault is one of the founding members of the CFTCA. In 2015, he created Contra Zoom Pod, a podcast that he hosts and produces, where they go back and forth about film. His favourite movies include The Life Aquatic, 12 Angry Men, Rafifi and Portrait of a Lady on Fire. He originally hails from Toronto but now calls Vancouver home!
Matthew Simpson
Co-Founder
Matthew Simpson is a freelance film critic and podcast host from Vancouver, Canada. He co-founded and hosts the Awesome Friday Podcast, which he can be heard weekly on. He also writes for several outlets, including Exclaim and That Shelf. His favourite movies include Airplane!, The Hunt for Red October, and Columbus.
Thomas Stoneham-Judge
Co-Founder
Thomas Stoneham-Judge is a Rotten Tomatoes accredited film critic based in Washington State.
Our Members
Taylor Baker
Member
Taylor Baker lives and works in Seattle, Washington. He co-founded Drink in the Movies in 2018 with Michael Clawson. Drink in the Movies is a film podcast and website featuring reviews, interviews with industry professionals, and festival coverage. When he’s not rewatching Logan Lucky, he can often be seen drinking coffee, playing with his cat, and on most evenings, with his back on the mat learning BJJ.
Taylor Beaumont
Member
Taylor is a Vancouver-born and -based film enjoyer—and occasional writer—who is investigating the way films and moving images weave themselves through the fabrics of our existence—how these medias affect our approaches to and our conducts within the world; how these medias shape our perceptions of the world, and how we, in turn, shape our medias. He is also interested in new music and alternative comics and discovering intersection points between all sorts of different art forms. His writing can be found on This is ForReel, while his silly little art projects can be found on his Instagram. Feel free to bother him if you’ve got bud or bad Canadian film recommendations.
Simon Best
Member
Simon is an English writer who now lives in Vancouver, BC. He is a film and game critic and co-host of the Awesome Friday Podcast. His favourite Marvel movie is Ghost Rider 2: Spirit of Vengeance. He once ghosted Sir Alec Guinness, so bear that in mind if you ever take film advice from him.
Michael Clawson
Trustee
Originally from Colorado, Michael is a film critic based in Seattle, Washington. In 2018, Michael co-founded Drink in the Movies with Taylor Baker, a film podcast and website featuring reviews, interviews with industry professionals, and festival coverage. When he’s not obsessively watching movies, Michael also enjoys discovering new music, reading, and spending time with his wife, Gabi. Michael is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.
Christopher Cross
Member
Christopher Cross is a Victoria-based film critic who has written about film for over a decade. He’s written for various online publications, including Tilt Magazine, Goomba Stomp, Drink in the Movies, NextBestPicture, BagoGames, and others. Currently, he writes for his own website, Asynchronous Media, while occasionally freelancing for other outlets. His love for film began later in life and was born out of a love for storytelling and the way a film can convey emotion through visuals, just as powerfully as it can through words. Though his passion for film seems undying, Christopher is also an avid fan of video games, craft beer, metal music, attending live events, and bikepacking through the Pacific Northwest’s gorgeous vistas.
Marta Djordjevic
Member
Marta Djordjevic is a Vancouver-based freelance film journalist and podcast host of McFly’s Movie House. She currently contributes to /Film, a Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes-approved publication, providing film commentary and criticism. Marta’s versatility extends beyond traditional journalism. Her feature for Gusher Magazine, displayed at MoMA’s Design Store, and her work with the movie app Reelay highlight her diverse skill set. A familiar face in the online world, Marta runs the well-respected Instagram account @marta.mcfly, where she fosters discussions on cinema. Working with Warner Brothers Canada, Elevation Pictures, the Vancouver International Film Festival, and GEMFest and guesting on numerous podcasts underscore her multifaceted career.
Bill Harris
Member
Bill Harris is a podcast host from Victoria BC , Canada. Follow his thoughts on the Green Screen of Death podcast and the After The Credits podcast. Enjoys the genius of the film HACKERS.
Leanne McLaren
Member
Leanne McLaren is a radio broadcaster on Move Radio in Vancouver, BC. She has covered the Vancouver International Film Festival for ten years with her film reviews online and on air. She’s also covered the Toronto International Film Festival and Whistler Film Festival. Leanne has had a passion for film since her early teens, falling in love with the cult classics of the 1980s and 1990s. Her favourite films are Dazed and Confused, Crybaby, Hairspray (1988), The Lost Boys and Beetlejuice.
Todd Pengelly
Trustee
Though he grew up in the American Deep South, Todd Pengelly is now a Vancouver-based film critic, cat mom, and trustee for CTFCA. His words appear all over the Internet, from That Shelf podcasts to ForReel.com. He believes every movie can be perfect; it’s just a matter of getting there. Todd’s favourite movies include Ikiru, The Worst Person in the World, and, of course, Clue.
Nick Tiffany
Member
Nick Tiffany is a film critic in the Seattle area who’s spent the last decade writing for publications in the Northwest and Houston areas! He currently writes and records for his self-published site NT Movie Reviews and has covered multiple film festivals between Seattle and Houston. In addition to his love of talking movies, Nick also enjoys interviewing talent and sharing under-seen films with larger audiences. When he’s not watching movies, you can find him perusing film art and technology books! James Cameron is responsible for his love of film!
Darren Zakus
Member
Darren Zakus is a Vancouver-based film and television critic. Starting off on his own to ensure his friends only watched the best movies and television series, Darren later joined the team at Movie Scene Canada in 2022 and has since then covered major film festivals across Canada and the United States. Leaving no genre unturned, Darren will watch anything from horror, romantic comedies, or even the buzziest international features in addition to blockbuster releases and musicals, which are his bread and butter. If he isn’t at the movie theatre or binging the latest streaming series, you can probably find Darren hiking the local mountains, reading a good book, or enjoying one of Vancouver’s many craft breweries. BIO
Eric Zhu
Member
Eric Zhu is a film critic and film programmer based in Seattle, Washington. In 2022, he founded his newsletter, The Insert, where he writes about new releases with a focus on arthouse films and whatever classic films he’s watching at the moment. Outside of The Insert, Eric also enjoys listening to music, jumping rope, and playing the viola.
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