Nick Spake (Cartoon Contender)

Excited to announce that I've written a trilogy, "Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows,” exploring the medium across the #Oscars, #Emmys, #Annies, & more. Vol 1 and 2 are available now. Vol 3 is coming soon. Learn more at CartoonContender.com.

The aesthetic of #Blaise falls somewhere between realism and caricatures, which suits the film's bleakly offbeat tone. My review: cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie… #Cannes

I don't give out five stars often, but Leah Nelson's #Tangles is an emotional triumph that I'll remember while making my best of the year list. My review: cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie… #Cannes

#WeAreAliens is not only Kohei Kadowaki’s debut feature, but the first film from Nothing New. It's an impressive feat with animation and characters that feel equally grounded, capturing the fond and regretful sides of childhood memories. My review: cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie… #Cannes

My interview with Kohei Kadowaki, whose debut feature #WeAreAliens is premiering at the 2026 #Cannes Film Festival. cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie…

#IsGodIs, the debut feature from Aleshea Harris, burns with passion. My review: flickreel.com/is-god-is-revi…

Laika has released the first trailer for #Wildwood. Will this be the film that finally brings them a Best Animated Feature Oscar? cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie… @LAIKAStudios @FathomEnt

#Obsession is what Jordan Peele’s Twilight Zone reboot should’ve been. Although the setup is familiar, the execution is twisted, dementedly funny, and disturbing in all the right ways. My review: flickreel.com/obsession-revi…

@mrbrianrowe @LCJReviews They did finally invited her amid the recent diversity push, but she said, “Fine, but I’m not filling out any more damn paperwork.”

@mrbrianrowe @LCJReviews Great video! When I interviewed Vicky Jenson, the co-director of Shrek, she told me that she wasn’t automatically offered AMPAS membership even after the film got the Oscar nod. Same for Shark Tale, which she co-directed.

NEW VIDEO! Why Shrek won the first Animated Feature Oscar! With special guest Jackson Murphy! youtu.be/D10Jfgcy7EI?si…

Now that physical bootlegs of #AvatarAang are circulating, I think the odds of Paramount reversing their decision are slim to none. Paramount did this to themselves, but the 10 million+ who illegally watched the film also did it dirty. cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie…

Aleshea Harris blends dark comedy, revenge fantasy, and Blaxploitation in her debut feature, which burns with spirited performances across the board. Sterling K. Brown, in particular, should be in the Best Supporting Actor conversation for his devilish turn. #IsGodIs

The Girls Who Played with Fire. #IsGodIs

In addition to "The Truman Show," the protagonist in #Decorado weirdly reminded me of Larry Gopnik in "A Serious Man." "A Serious Mouse," if you will. cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie…

@NextBestPicture @dancindanonfilm In honor of Mother’s Day, what are some of your favorite movie memories shared with your mom?

Please submit your questions for Ep 491 of the #NBPpodcast and we’ll do our best to answer them on this week’s show. Anything #Cannes, #FilmFesival, #MovieNews, #Film, #Cinema, #Trailer, #AwardsSeason related or something personal is ok. Thank you & enjoy! #FilmTwitter #FilmTwt

@RStawnyczy87048 @NextBestPicture Technically, Wolf House and Ne Zha 2 weren’t submitted, so they snubbed themselves. Still would’ve been cool nominations.

@NextBestPicture Out of the international animated movies that were snubbed this decade so far which of these movies do you think deserved an Oscar nomination the most? The Wolf House, Belle, Inu-Oh, Suzume, Ne Zha 2?

I gave the first 8 episodes of #MaulShadowLord 4 stars. Having finally seen episodes 9 and 10, I think I’ll up the season to a 4.5 overall. cartooncontender.com/news-and-revie…

A flawless victory? #MortalKombatII comes close enough. My review: flickreel.com/mortal-kombat-…

RIP Ted Turner (1938-2026).

#MortalKombatII is another sequel to a video game movie that isn’t going to win over those who weren’t high on the previous entry. Gamers, however, will be won over by the bloody as hell fatalities, fan favorite characters, and the fact that it’s still better than “Annihilation.”

Okay, let’s see if this tops Annihilation. #MortalKombatMovie