Animation, Movies, ReviewsLeave a comment

‘Swapped’ Uses a Familiar Story to Deliver Timely Lessons on Empathy

May 1, 2026May 1, 2026 Michael Lee

Nathan Greno’s Swapped may not reinvent the body swap formula, but it uses it effectively to remind audiences of the importance of seeing the world through someone else’s perspective. Backed by a terrific cast led by Michael B. Jordan and Juno Temple, Netflix’s latest animated film turns a familiar premise into a funny, heartfelt story about empathy, identity, and our relationship with the natural world.

Anime, Gaming, Theme ParksLeave a comment

Universal Fan Fest Nights Strikes Gold for its Second Year

April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 Nikita Francois

Last night, we had the opportunity to attend Opening Night for Universal Fan Fest Nights. From the return of fan favorites to brand new experiences, this year’s opening night showcased bigger and better fandom thrills for guests to enjoy.

Animation, Interview, StreamingLeave a comment

Disney’s ‘Songs in Sign Language’ Reimagines Familiar Songs Through a Deaf Lens

April 21, 2026April 22, 2026 Michael Lee

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Songs in Sign Language, debuting April 27 on Disney+, is an opportunity to bring songs to the Deaf community in ways that feel fully expressive, intentional, and culturally authentic, rather than simply translated and confined to a small box in the corner. In our interview with Disney animator and director Hyrum Osmond (Olaf Presents), Deaf West Theatre artistic director DJ Kurs, and sign language reference choreographer Catalene Sacchetti, we explore why reimagining songs from Frozen II, Moana 2, and Encanto matters.

Animation, Fandom, MoviesLeave a comment

How Neutral Jing Could Have Helped Avoid ‘The Legend of Aang’ Leak

April 21, 2026April 21, 2026 Lauren Lola

In the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, there are options in fighting called jing, which guide how one directs their energy. Of the 85 of them in existence, neutral jing stands out as a particularly methodical approach, where one listens and waits until the moment is right to strike. It’s known as the key to earthbending, as the likes of characters such as Toph and King Bumi specialize in, though there are other characters who have utilized this technique too; such as in Season 3, when Iroh waited until the solar eclipse before breaking out of prison.

Animation, Reviews, Star Wars

‘Maul — Shadow Lord’ is a Strong Yet Perplexing ‘Star Wars’ Animated Series

April 6, 2026April 21, 2026 Lauren Lola

It’s common knowledge that the Star Wars fandom is an extremely divisive one. However, if there’s one aspect of the nearly 50-year-old franchise that most are on the same page about is that the animated series succeed at doing what several of the live-action series don’t always nail: impeccable storytelling, effortless world building, and the bravery to go deep on spiritual and morality-related subject matter.

Animation, Movies, Reviews

‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ is Non-Stop Cinematic Confetti

April 1, 2026April 21, 2026 Sabina Graves

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is out this week, already poised to keep making bank by turning more game nostalgia into a pumped-up franchise for Nintendo and Universal Pictures. Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) reprise their roles as the Mushroom Kingdom’s go-to plumbers to fix and fight well… anything you’ve seen in the games you grew up playing.

Animation, Interview, Movies1 Comment

Directors Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford on the Filipino Roots of ‘Forgotten Island’

March 30, 2026 Mike Manalo

What a week it has been for Filipino representation! Last Wednesday, we got our first glimpse of Dreamworks Animation’s Forgotten Island. On Friday, we unveiled our intimate interview with superstars H.E.R and Liza Soberano. And today, we’re continuing the streak with our conversation with the directors of Forgotten Island and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford!

Animation, Interview, Movies

Feeling the Filipino Pride with H.E.R and Liza Soberano from ‘Forgotten Island’

March 27, 2026 Mike Manalo

This week, Dreamworks Animation and Universal dropped a historic trailer for Filipino film fans everywhere. They revealed the first official look at their latest feature, Forgotten Island; Hollywood’s first Filipino-centric animated feature.

Animation, Reviews, Theme Parks

‘Bluey’ Has Arrived at Disneyland: What Fans Need to Know

March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 Sabina Graves

The Disneyland Resort has officially welcomed Bluey to its theme park universe. The debut of Bluey’s Best Day Ever drew in massive crowds of fans who flocked to Walt Disney’s original theme park during the spring break opening weekend of the experience. As vacation season gets in full swing, expect lines from rope drop at park open, a constantly packed pit of kids on the immersive dance floor, and full houses for performances on peak days.

Animation, Movies2 Comments

How Dreamworks’ ‘Forgotten Island’ Fosters Filipino Culture and Folklore

March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 Mike Manalo

I am a proud Filipino American nerd. As such, I grew up here in the US searching for, but never quite finding, mainstream Hollywood movies that propelled the voice of the Filipino community strongly.

Animation, Theme Parks1 Comment

‘Bluey’s Best Day Ever!’ Brings Play, Heart, and Imagination to Disneyland

March 20, 2026March 21, 2026 Michael Lee

For a show built on imagination, play, and the emotional intelligence of everyday family life, Bluey has always felt bigger than its seven-minute runtime. Now, it’s getting a stage big enough to match because “Bluey’s Best Day Ever!” at the Fantasyland Theatre will be making its debut at Disneyland this weekend.

Animation, Streaming1 Comment

How Disney Animation’s Short Circuit Turns Personal Stories Into Powerful Shorts

March 19, 2026March 19, 2026 Michael Lee

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Short Circuit has been delivering creative shorts to audiences for the past ten years. The program gives anyone at the studio the chance to pitch an idea in the hopes of being selected to bring their own project to life.

Anime, Theme Parks

‘One Piece: Grand Pirate Show’ is Ready to Set Sail for Universal Fan Fest Nights

March 18, 2026 Nikita Francois

This brand new live stunt show is based on the popular Universal Studios Japan production and will be live within the theme park’s Waterworld stage location during Universal Fan Fest Nights.

Anime, Theme Parks

‘Sailor Moon’ is Coming to Universal Fan Fest Nights

March 12, 2026March 12, 2026 Nikita Francois

Calling all champions of justice! Sailor Moon will be coming to Universal Fan Fest Nights this spring at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Animation, Movies

Netflix Reveals New Look at Skydance Animation’s ‘Swapped’

March 11, 2026March 11, 2026 Michael Lee

A new animated adventure comedy is heading to Netflix. Swapped, directed by Nathan Greno, will feature the voices of Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Tracy Morgan, and Cedric the Entertainer when it releases later this spring. So the streaming service has released new images from the upcoming release.

Animation, Movies, Music

How SZA’s “Save The Day” Captures a Generation Trying to Change the World

March 11, 2026March 12, 2026 Michael Lee

When I joined a select group of journalists to cover Hoppers at the Pixar campus in Emeryville, CA, we did not expect to see Daniel Chong’s film in its entirety. One of the biggest surprises, though, was learning that Grammy Award-winning artist SZA would be performing the film’s end credits song, “Save The Day.”

Animation, Interview, Movies

Yvette Nicole Brown on ‘Zootopia 2’ and the Status of the ‘Community’ Movie

March 10, 2026March 11, 2026 Michael Lee

Yvette Nicole Brown is part of a special group. While some talents have earned EGOT status by winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony, Brown has her own pop culture distinction as a DMPL, having appeared in a Disney, Marvel Studios, Pixar, and Lucasfilm project. Now the actor shares her thoughts on the recognition, being in Zootopia 2, as well as an update on the Community movie.

Anime, Interview, Streaming

Voice Casts From Upcoming Crunchyroll Anime Series Tease What’s Next

March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 Ainsley 'LadyL' Landry

The voices behind some of anime’s most anticipated upcoming stories are giving fans a glimpse at what lies ahead. During a recent press room conversation, the English voice casts from Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2, and the upcoming fantasy series Sentenced to Be a Hero sat down with me to discuss the emotional journeys, philosophical themes, and evolving stakes of their characters.

Animation, Interview

‘Zootopia 2’ Creators Discuss the Film’s Global Success and After Credit Scene

March 5, 2026 Michael Lee

With Zootopia 2 now on Digital and Blu-ray, the BAFTA-winning sequel arrives with new bonus extras, including a peek inside Walt Disney Animation Studios, recording-booth behind-the-scenes, a Shakira music spotlight, and deleted scenes. In this interview, The Nerds of Color speaks with director Byron Howard and producer Yvette Merino about the film’s global impact, its emotionally resonant and timely themes, and that mysterious after-credits feather.

Animation, Movies, Reviews1 Comment

Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ is a Hilarious Avatar Riff That Gets Surprisingly Real

March 2, 2026February 21, 2026 Michael Lee

When it comes to animated originals, few studios do it like Pixar. Their best films keep raising the bar. So when something like Hoppers comes along, you do not just hope it is good. You hope it delivers the kind of craft and storytelling that reminds you why Pixar is still the gold standard. And Hoppers does exactly that. It pairs humorous chaos with emotionally resonant storytelling, memorable characters, and astonishing visuals, while exploring timely ideas about anger, powerlessness, and empathy without ever losing its heart.

Animation, Interview, Movies

‘Hoppers’ Star Piper Curda Talks Heart, Humor, and Mabel’s Playlist

February 23, 2026February 23, 2026 Michael Lee

In Disney and Pixar’s Hoppers, Piper Curda voices Mabel, a passionate animal lover who ferociously follows her heart. She cares deeply for creatures both big and small, though her patience for humankind occasionally wears thin. For Curda, the key was figuring out what kept Mabel consistent, even when the story’s chaos kept escalating.

Animation, Interview, Movies

‘Hoppers’ Director Daniel Chong on 3D Animation and Landing SZA

February 20, 2026February 21, 2026 Michael Lee

Those familiar with Daniel Chong’s We Bare Bears know that his storytelling and visual style thrive on emotional sincerity wrapped in playful absurdity. Hoppers, his feature directorial debut, is an expansion of those principles. During our visit to Pixar’s campus, we learned more about his jump from 2D to 3D and what it took to bring SZA on board for the film’s end credits song.

Animation, Movies, Trailers1 Comment

‘Toy Story 5’ Trailer Reveals How Woody Returns to Save the Day

February 19, 2026February 20, 2026 Michael Lee

Disney and Pixar have released the newest trailer for Toy Story 5, and it feels like the franchise is stepping into something very real. Not another collector’s item. Not a daycare disaster. This time, the toys are up against technology in the form of a cute green frog tablet named Lilypad (Greta Lee)