Disney's #Zootropolis2 has made over a billion dollars since its theatrical release. Skwigly contributor @ryangaur.bsky.social caught up with director Jared Bush and producer Yvett Merino to discuss the technical challenges of the second film www.skwigly.co.uk/jared-bush-y...

I interviewed the director and producer of ZOOTOPIA 2, Jared Bush and Yvett Merino! We discuss: - the difficulty of worldbuilding - twist villains - crafting great character animation Check it out on @skwigly.bsky.social

My friend Kelvin, one of the most promising rising voices in film journalism, launched his substack today Do yourself a favour and check out his first post www.punishedforsincerity.com/p/barry-lynd...

The list of top tier animated Christmas movies is surprisingly short, but there’s a great history of animated films that feel perfect for the Christmas period I made a list of the best ones to have the most fulfilling end to 2025 Check it out on @nexuspointnews.com

With ELLA MCCAY out this week, I spoke to its stars Emma Mackey and Spike Fearn! We discuss: - being surrounded by comedy legends - biting into heavy dialogue - their first cinema memories Check it out on @everymancinema.bsky.social

I interviewed Yasuhiro Aoki, director of Studio 4°C’s CHAO! We discuss: - his career as an animator working on shows like Sailor Moon and Evangelion - finding a new spin on A Little Mermaid - the importance of layout Check it out on @skwigly.bsky.social

RANKING: Finally had time to sit down and put together some words about every film I saw during this year’s London Film Festival! A few things here I was desperate to write about, especially my number one Check it out on my newsletter

Had a blast at MAF a few weeks ago Q&A’ing all over the place and making so many new friends. Already looking forward to next year, got some exciting talks cooking :)

Embrace Kirby 🫂

For @rollingstone.com writer @ryangaur.bsky.social reviews Kirby Air Riders — a soothing balm for everyone who's pissed off and disillusioned with modern gaming. www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...

REVIEW: KIRBY AIR RIDERS is good, old fashioned fun – a game that could’ve dropped in 2003, for better and for worse Ultimately it feels like a reset button for the current gaming industry. Reject Modernity, Embrace Kirby Check out my review on @rollingstone.com.web.brid.gy

REVIEW: Richard Linklater’s NOUVELLE VAGUE is full of fascinating, conflicting ideas but runs into a tedious loop Still, it’s fascinating to see this corner of film history come to life Check out my review on @whatsonnetflix.bsky.social

Netflix’s IN YOUR DREAMS drops this week, and I interviewed its director, Alex Woo! We discuss: - channelling personal trauma into the film - directing remotely from Hong Kong - screening the film for animation nerds at MAF Check it out on What’s On Netflix

Happy to have spoken with @ryangaur.bsky.social for this story on retro gaming. 🔥👾 www.backmarket.co.uk/en-gb/c/tech...

2025 has seen a retro gaming boom To get to the heart of why, I interviewed industry experts about the woes of the modern gaming landscape, cycles of nostalgia and the joy of retro gaming Check it out on @backmarketofficial.bsky.social

I wrote this! I interviewed Steve Box and Aardman co-founder Peter Lord! We discuss: - crafting the famous dogfight - DreamWorks’ impact on the film - UK vs US filmmaking Give it a read!

Twenty years ago Aardman created a monster. A carrot-gobbling monster that baffled its American investors…

WALLACE & GROMIT: CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT is 20 years old, and I interviewed its director Steve Box and Aardman co-founder Peter Lord! We discuss: - crafting the famous dogfight - DreamWorks’ impact on the film - UK vs US filmmaking Check it out on @lwlies.com

Nintendo’s VIRTUAL BOY turned 30 this year, and I spoke to former VP of marketing, Perrin Kaplan, about trying to sell the thing We discuss: - initial promise in the idea - finding optimism in the failure - working with Miyamoto and Iwata Check it out on my Substack

REVIEW: Netflix’s THE TWITS has a very narrow goal of pleasing a very young audience, making for a tough sit for anyone outside of that It’s positive message is appreciated but if you’re older than 10 years old, this one’s going under your head Check it out on What’s On Netflix

I interviewed Phil Johnston, director of Netflix’s THE TWITS! We chat: - adapting it from series to feature - balancing light and dark tones - adapting Quentin Blake’s drawings to 3D Check it out on What’s On Netflix

REVIEW: POKÉMON LEGENDS: Z-A is another step in the evolution of the franchise, boasting an addictive new battle system However, familiar problems stop this from becoming the Pokémon game we’ve all been dreaming of Check it out on @RollingStone

POKÉMON LEGENDS: Z-A is out this week, and to celebrate I ranked the top 10 non-mainline games in the franchise! Stadium, Colosseum, Legends Arceus and Mystery Dungeon are all eligible. People who know me already know what I put at the top Give it a read on @ign.com

Review: LONG STORY SHORT is my favourite show of 2025 and Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s masterpiece It’s a 10-episode speedrun through a family’s life that feels just as emotionally satisfying as 10 seasons of TV. An absolute miracle of a show Check it out on @skwigly.bsky.social

It’s Mario’s 40th birthday, and instead of baking a cake like that hack Peach, I ranked all of his 2D platformers. Like a real friend Was a joy to replay all of these and find the little details that make them all unique Check it out on @ign.com

I interviewed Ugo Bienvenu and Natalie Portman, director and producer of ARCO We discuss Portman’s role as a producer, comparisons to Ghibli and breaking down complex ideas for children Check it out on @cartoonbrew.bsky.social

I interviewed the team behind Sony Animation’s GOAT: www.skwigly.co.uk/tyree-dillih...

THE BAD GUYS 2 is a solid improvement on what made the first film pop The slick action is in place along with that smooth editing and fun animation style, but the film stumbles in an honest attempt at more mature themes and a more complex plot Check out my review on @IGN

I interviewed Todd Harris, showrunner of Eyes of Wakanda: www.animationmagazine.net/2025/07/eyes...

Mind Game reference!

THE BAD GUYS 2 is out today in the UK, and I interviewed its director Pierre Perifel! We discuss - lessons learned from the first movie - referencing Lupin III and Mind Game - recent structural changes at DreamWorks Check it out on @skwigly

With DONKEY KONG: BANANZA out this week, I ranked every Nintendo 3D platformer! I wanted to reward the smooth satisfaction you get from making a jump and the games that give you the confidence to try crazy stuff Check it out on @ign.com

ANNECY 2025 I AM FRANKELDA, the first Mexican stop-mo feature, is maximalist madness. One of the most joyful experiences I’ve had with a movie for a while, a dedication to human creativity Check out my review on @skwigly.bsky.social

ANNECY 2025: THE LAST BLOSSOM (Housenka) is my pick of the festival, a Scorsese-esque character study of a gangster with a massive bleeding heart at its core Check out my review on @skwigly.bsky.social

KPOP: DEMON HUNTERS is a good movie It looks unbelievable, Imageworks are wizards and I don’t get how they do it. On the other hand, the story and character work just about limps over the line Check out my review on @discussingfilm.net

Elio interviews coming this week, along with a lot more out of Annecy :)

ANNECY 2025: I reviewed NIMUENDAJÚ, a rotoscoped biopic that’s one of the best examples of both the animation and storytelling technique It looks great and invites you to question the integrity of its main character Check it out on @skwigly.bsky.social

That’s me done for Annecy 2025! Incredible week. Met some heroes. Got to hang out with my buddies. Wrote my fingers off. Best place in the world, I love this festival. More to come! Au revoir!

I spoke to the team behind K-POP: DEMON HUNTERS We get into cultural specificity, innovating animation and the environment for POC stores Check it out on @animag.bsky.social

MARIO KART WORLD is out in the… world… so I ranked each game in the series! Some are more polished than others, but some introduce unique mechanics worthy of replaying them today. But which comes out on top? Give it a read on @IGN

DREAMWORKS: SHOOT FOR THE MOON is a new documentary detailing the history of the studio from the artists’ perspective I interviewed its creators about the process of making the film and their discoveries along the way Give it a read on @cartoonbrew.bsky.social

ANNECY 2025: Following on from yesterday’s previews, Netflix dropped a whole bunch of info about new TV series such as SPLINTER CELL, MAGIC THE GATHERING and MINECRAFT adaptations as well as new shows from Matt Roller and Nick Kroll I rounded up all the info for @animag.bsky.social

I played nearly two dozen games at Summer Game Fest this year — including Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, and Crimson Desert — as well as a sexy killer farming sim and a stop-motion game that led to a discussion where the devs and I cried. @rollingstone.com www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-g...

ANNECY 2025: Today CRUNCHYROLL had their studio focus panel and I collected all the key takeaways Check it out on @animag.bsky.social

ANNECY 2025: LONG STORY SHORT is the new show from Bojack Horseman creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg I interviewed Waksberg about family, religion, AI, streaming and much more Give it a read on @indiewire.com.web.brid.gy

I met Matt Groening

ANNECY 2025: today Netflix unveiled STRANGER THINGS: TALES FROM ‘85 and IN YOUR DREAMS I rounded up all the new information dropped at the panel! Check it out on @animag

ANNECY 2025: Genndy Tartakovsky’s FIXED is a disappointment The raunchy humour doesn’t work and only serves to drag down Genndy’s most visually interesting projects in years Check out my review on @discussingfilm.net

Formed 40 years ago, Studio Ghibli have a reputation for purity in animation I interviewed two Ghibli experts to talk about where that reputation comes from and whether or not it stands up to scrutiny Check it out on @indiewire.com.web.brid.gy

This is why you should get a Switch 2