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ryan
@ryangaur.bsky.social
through a maelstrom || bylines: RollingStone, IGN, Empire Polygon, IndieWire, Skwigly, CartoonBrew, OkayPlayer, Animation Mag + more ||he/him || ryanggaur@live.co.uk
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The Nintendo DS is 20 years old!

To celebrate, I put together a retrospective to analyse how Nintendo’s strategy led to the DS’ success, changed Nintendo as a company and whether or not it could work with Switch 2

Check it out 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
November 14, 2025 at 3:23 PM
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
November 13, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Reposted by ryan
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
November 3, 2025 at 3:21 PM
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!
October 30, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Reposted by ryan
Twenty years ago Aardman created a monster. A carrot-gobbling monster that baffled its American investors…
The wild, wacky tale of Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Twenty years ago Aardman created a monster. A carrot-gobbling monster that baffled its American investors...
lwlies.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:47 PM
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
October 30, 2025 at 5:44 PM
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
October 27, 2025 at 2:53 PM
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
October 21, 2025 at 2:47 PM
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
October 15, 2025 at 5:36 PM
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
October 14, 2025 at 1:25 PM
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
October 13, 2025 at 4:08 PM
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
September 18, 2025 at 12:20 PM
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
September 13, 2025 at 5:12 PM
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
September 8, 2025 at 3:08 PM
I interviewed the team behind Sony Animation’s GOAT: www.skwigly.co.uk/tyree-dillih...
August 6, 2025 at 12:06 PM
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
August 1, 2025 at 4:55 PM
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
July 25, 2025 at 12:58 PM
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
July 7, 2025 at 3:51 PM
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
July 7, 2025 at 12:19 PM
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
June 30, 2025 at 11:59 AM
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
June 19, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Elio interviews coming this week, along with a lot more out of Annecy :)
June 17, 2025 at 7:42 PM