Nick Spake
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Nick Spake
@cartooncontender.bsky.social
67 followers 56 following 710 posts
Author of “Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows.” Available here: https://a.co/d/1Jm5ipo Entertainment Writer at WatchMojo, Flickreel, and Story Monsters Magazine. Member of Phoenix Film Critics Society and HCA. Visit CartoonContender.com
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · Aug 16
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. Animation is ready for the next step. Learn more at CartoonContender.com.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 7h
Jeremy Allen White's performance as Bruce Springsteen is draped in sweat and tears... especially the sweat. My review of #Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere: www.flickreel.com/springsteen-...
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere Review | Flickreel
Even if it doesn’t reach the heights of A Complete Unknown, Deliver Me from Nowhere is a thoughtful examination of a crucial turning point in Springsteen’s career and mental state.
www.flickreel.com
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 8h
#DeliverMeFromNowhere is less about recapping #BruceSpringsteen’s life and more about understanding who he is as a person and artist. It does so by focusing on a specific period as he looks back on his past while grappling with a present that promises success, which scares him.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 10h
“Hey, the guy from Super Bowl XLIII,” said every millennial. #Springsteen
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 12h
Awesome, albeit all too brief. Only had a short time to talk with him at Phoenix Fan Fusion, but he also signed a Darkwing Duck comic I had!
cartooncontender.bsky.social
Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 1d
Not an animator, but I tried to get in touch with Jeffrey Katzenberg for an interview. His reps declined, although many animators from Disney’s 90s Renaissance were eager to talk.
cartooncontender.bsky.social
Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 1d
Between "Flow" and now #DogOfGod, Latvia has gone from an Oscar winner centered on a cat to another potential Oscar player about a dog… or a werewolf, if we’re getting technical! cartooncontender.com/news-and-rev...
Will Latvia’s Dog of God Follow in Flow’s Footsteps? | 2026 Oscars Best International Feature
Between Flow and Dog of God, can Latvia get back-to-back Oscar nominations?
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 2d
Netflix doesn’t seem to be pushing Genndy Tartakovsky’s #Fixed for Oscar consideration. That could mean that they’ll submit it for Emmy consideration instead or they just didn’t bother to include it on their FYC page. #InYourDreams #KPopDemonHunters #LostInStarlight #TheTwits
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 4d
No surprise, Guillermo del Toro was tailor-made to direct #Frankenstein. Similar to Peter Jackson’s “King Kong,” del Toro delivers a retelling that might not surpass its 30s counterpart. Overall, though, the film is a feat of production values and atmosphere with a beating heart.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 4d
Is this the one with Abbott and Costello? #Frankenstein
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 5d
For all of the new additions, #TheTwits stays true to an overarching message across Roald Dahl’s books: most adults are evil, stupid, and out to get you. You gotta appreciate that honesty! My review: cartooncontender.com/news-and-rev... @netflix.com
The Twits | Review
While the comedy here mostly hits its mark, The Twits can get a little heavy in the commentary department.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 6d
2025 has given us a few horror sequels, some of which you might ignore. #BlackPhone2 is one you shouldn’t let go straight to voicemail, however. My review: www.flickreel.com/black-phone-...
Black Phone 2 Review | Flickreel
Black Phone 2 is a natural evolution of its predecessor, expanding upon the lore in ways that feel carefully planned out.
www.flickreel.com
cartooncontender.bsky.social
Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 6d
#BlackPhone2 is not only a worthy follow-up to its predecessor, but it’s also the best “A Nightmare on Elm Street” movie since Wes Craven was running the show. In addition to delivering the creeps, it expands upon the mythology in ways that feels natural.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 6d
Kind of a missed opportunity that they didn’t have Ethan Hawke film one of those “silence your phone” PSAs. #TheBlackPhone2
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 6d
Last year's #EuropeanFilmAwards winner for Best Animated Feature Film was Flow, which ultimately won the Academy Award. Could one of these eight films follow? cartooncontender.com/news-and-rev...
8 Animated Films Shortlisted at 38th European Film Awards | Arco, Little Amélie, & More
Arco & Little Amélie or the Character of Rain are among the shortlisted animated features for the 38th European Film Awards.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 8d
What do you think will be nominated for the Best Animated Short #Oscar at the 98th #AcademyAwards? cartooncontender.com/news-and-rev...
2026 Oscars | 21 Potential Best Animated Short Contenders
Cartoon Contender looks at 21 animated shorts that are eligible for the 98th Academy Awards.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 9d
Diane Keaton won an #Oscar for playing Annie Hall, but did you know that she also won for voicing the Queen from "Snow White?" Well, kind of... cartooncontender.com/news-and-rev...
Diane Keaton Won an Oscar for a Voiceover Role (Kind Of)
The late Diane Keaton's Oscar-winning performance in Annie Hall is also *technically* a voiceover role.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 9d
Diane Keaton voicing Snow White’s Evil Queen in “Annie Hall.” Does that technically make this the first Oscar-winning voiceover performance?
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 9d
One of the greatest Best Actress wins from one of the greatest actresses overall. RIP Diane Keaton (1946-2025).
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 10d
Does the sixth and final season of #SolarOpposites tie up all of the loose ends in a satisfying manner? For the most part, yes, although, in typical Solar Opposites fashion, the season is primarily an excuse to partake in more hijinks. My review: cartooncontender.com/news-and-rev...
Solar Opposites Season 6 | Review
The Solar Opposites have reached their final frontier.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 11d
#KPopDemonHunters, a Best Picture #Oscar nominee... hear me out! cartooncontender.com/news-and-rev...
2026 Oscars | Will KPop Demon Hunters Get Into Best Picture?
Does KPop Demon Hunters have enough fans in the Academy to get a Best Picture nomination?
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 12d
Here's hoping that the audience turnout for #Roofman is through the roof. My review: www.flickreel.com/roofman-revi...
Roofman Review | Flickreel
Roofman is also a surprisingly thoughtful film about a man who does the wrong things, not always for the right reasons.
www.flickreel.com
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 12d
Channing Tatum gives one of his best performances in #Roofman, a true story that sounds absurd, but garners real sympathy for a criminal who does the wrong things not always for the right reasons.
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 12d
Let’s see what shenanigans Channing gets himself into and, more importantly, if he can get himself out of said shenanigans. #Roofman
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 12d
Let's just see if it can get a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture - Musical or Comedy. Then maybe we'll talk. ew.com/2026-oscar-f...
Can 'KPop Demon Hunters' get Best Picture Oscar nomination?
The road to the 2026 Oscars is officially underway. We're breaking down the frontrunners and what's still to come, as well as potential dark horses — can 'KPop Demon Hunters' break into the Best Pictu...
ew.com
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Nick Spake @cartooncontender.bsky.social · 13d
No surprise that Greta Lee is the best thing that #TronAres has going for it. My review: www.flickreel.com/tron-ares-re...
Tron: Ares Review | Flickreel
Tron: Ares touches upon the pros and cons of AI, but it’s mainly an excuse to indulge in spectacle.
www.flickreel.com
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