Happy Birthday, Derek!
As a special totally surprise gift, we've prepared a huge bowl full of bao and we're watching another DreamWorks Animation movie that Derek has never seen -- 2008's Kung Fu Panda! We talk about rhino nipples, the extremely Jack Blackian panda protagonist Po, the criminally underutilized Furious Five, ways in which this movie could've included much more Tai Lung, and whether or not Kung Fu Panda represents a significant change in DreamWorks Animation's storytelling (but we'll never know, because we're STILL not doing a DreamWorks podcast!)
Check out our Special Presentation miniseries featuring non-Pixar movies and television aimed at children and families that include clear, unafraid, and unambiguous depictions of queerness.
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
It's Doug's birthday! As a special surprise gift to him, we're taking to the skies with Toothless and Hiccup to cover one his favorite movies that Derek has never seen -- 2010's How to Train Your Dragon! We talk about this movie's unique depiction of cat-like dragons with bizarre designs, the very 2010 cast, gay bear icon director Dean DeBlois and some of the queer themes he brought to this Viking society, and the ways Dreamworks differs from Pixar (and how we're NOT doing a Dreamworks podcast, dammit!)
Check out our Special Presentation miniseries featuring non-Pixar movies and television aimed at children and families that include clear, unafraid, and unambiguous depictions of queerness.
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
About a week after we dropped our episode on Pixar's latest, Elio, The Hollywood Reporter posted a piece shedding more light on Adrian Molina's original vision for the film.
We were not surprised to learn that the extensive rework of Elio included explicit instructions to make the main character more masculine and less queer-coded. It didn't stop us from being angry about it.
The Hollywood Reporter: Inside ‘Elio’s’ “Catastrophic” Path: America Ferrera’s Exit, Director Change and Erasure of Queer Themes
If you're also sick of Pixar movies that aren't allowed to be gay, check out our Special Presentation miniseries featuring non-Pixar movies and television aimed at children and families that include clear, unafraid, and unambiguous depictions of queerness.
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Refill your glorp and set your translator to podcast, because Derek and Doug are talking about Pixar’s brand new intergalactic adventure featuring a kid who dreams of being abducted by aliens (relatable). We talk all about yet another stunning Pixar world in the Communiverse, how we see ourselves reflected in Elio’s and Glordon’s respective queer journeys, and the best ways to name aliens in a scifi story. Plus, we watch the original teaser trailer before discussing the movie this almost was and the extensive reworking needed to create the movie we actually got.
Film Release: June 20, 2025
Pixar’s YouTube – Elio | Teaser Trailer (June 13, 2023)
Animation Magazine – Pixar Teases Extraterrestrial Adventure ‘Elio,’ Opening March 2024
TheWrap – Pixar Chief Pete Docter Talks New ‘Elio’ Directors, Story and Casting Changes | Exclusive
IndieWire – ‘Elio’ Sneak Peek: 5 Things We Learned About Pixar’s First Intergalactic Buddy Comedy
OnTheRedCarpet – Backstage at Pixar: Go inside making of ‘Elio’ with cast and animators
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Hold My Glorp” by Rob Simonsen
“I think I always had a tendency to be a little different.”
Hamish Steele brings us Flee, an animated documentary about the journey of Amin, a gay man and refugee to Denmark from Afghanistan. We talk about how animation can uniquely serve documentary films, how Amin’s identity as a gay man intertwines with his experience as a refugee, and how this movie repeatedly broke our hearts but also how queerness gave us hope. Also, Hamish talks with us about his experience including queer characters and stories when creating for younger audiences, particularly with regards to his animated series, Dead End: Paranormal Park.
Pre-order Go-Man: Champion of the Earth
Film Release: December 3, 2021
‘Flee’: Creating a New Narrative Language for the Animated Documentary Oscar Contender (IndieWire)
‘Flee’ Writer/Director Jonas Poher Rasmussen Breaks Down a Scene | 94th Oscars (Oscars on YouTube)
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
More from Doug
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Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Free At Last” by Uno Helmersson
“They want you to be like them. I tried to be, but…”
Marquis The Honey Bear joins us for this stop-motion horror collab between Jordan Peele and Henry Selick, which features a diverse cast that includes Raul, a trans boy whose art saves the day. We get into the film’s complex anti-capitalist plot – from an underworld carnival to the prison industrial complex to hair cream that raises the dead – and how it explores so many real-world topics, beautiful bodies, and punk music rarely seen in animation.
Learn more about Ornithomancy, an upcoming short film from Marquis.
Film Release: October 28, 2022
‘Wendell & Wild’ - Henry Selick (THR’s Behind The Screen)
Henry Selick Blames Scrapped Stop-Motion Film ‘The Shadow King’ on John Lasseter’s Interference (IndieWire)
Director Henry Selick Interview: Wendell & Wild Set Visit (ScreenRant)
From Picasso to Sonny Rollins: Pablo Lobato On Designing The Characters Of ‘Wendell & Wild’ (Cartoon Brew)
How Music Supervisor Rob Lowry Curated ‘Wendell & Wild’s Memorable Afro-Punk Soundtrack (Animation Magazine)
Sam Zelaya shares his Experiences as the First Trans Character in a Stop-Motion Animated Film (GenderGP)
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
More from Doug
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Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Raising the Dead” by Bruno Coulais
“My girlfriend’s superhero team are Earth’s only hope. Pretty cool!”
We’re morphing into the only live-action TV show on this miniseries to talk lesbian power couple Izzy and Fern from the final seasons of Power Rangers! We chart their journey from rivals to girlfriends who defy gender norms and team up as Green and Orange Rangers, and explore the whole history of queerness in Power Rangers – including how it reckoned with its early years of on-set homophobia and became a GLAAD award-winner decades later.
Series Release:
February 28, 2021 (Dino Fury premiere)
September 28, 2023 (Cosmic Fury release)
0:47 – Introduction
6:48 – Brief Power Rangers Basics
20:09 – Our Histories with Power Rangers
38:14 – Power Rangers’ History with Queerness
1:08:03 – Additional Dino Fury & Cosmic Fury Firsts
1:14:12 – Izzy Garcia & Fern
1:21:22 – Episode Discussion
Watchlist (episodes with (*) indicate a must-watch):
Power Rangers Dino Fury
1.5 “Winning Attitude”*
1.12 “Super Hotshot”
1.13 “The Matchmaker”*
1.18 “Wires Crossed”
2.5 “Stitched Up”*
2.13 “Love Hate”
2.17 “Things Unspoken”*
2.22 “The Nemesis”
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury
Fern appears in all but the first episode of Cosmic Fury, but these two are her most important:
1.5 “Rock Out”*
1.6 “Take Off”*
Power Rangers: The Road to Queer Representation (Den of Geek)
The Interview Series: Jackie Marchand (The Toku Ladies Podcast)
Michael Taber Tweets His Motivation Behind Power Rangers Character (The Hashtag Show)
Caleb Bendit’s Tweet re: Monty’s identity (Twitter via web.archive.org)
Becky G Reflects on Playing Groundbreaking LGBTQ Character in ‘Power Rangers’ Ahead of Pride Week: ‘I Was So Honored’ (Us Magazine)
Interview with David Yost Part 3 (No Pink Spandex)
Blue Power Ranger David Yost on gay conversion therapy, coming out, and finding peace (Entertainment Weekly)
Original Blue Power Ranger David Yost on gay representation in Netflix's Power Rangers reunion special (Entertainment Weekly)
Pre-order MORPHENOMENAL, by Joshua Moore“Winning Attitude” Tune-In Alert (specialolympics.org)
Simon Bennett: The Making of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury (Blue Screen Reveals)
Tessa Rao: Portraying Izzy Garcia, The First Female Green and LGBTQ+ Power Ranger (Blue Screen Reveals)
Simon Bennett: An Izzy-Fern kiss was shot but had to be edited out because there’s no kissing on PR (reddit.com/r/powerrangers)
Jacqueline Joe Interview | Power Rangers Cosmic Fury | Power Morphicon 2024 (The Illuminerdi)
Interview with Jacqueline Joe | The Orange Cosmic Fury Power Ranger (Anime Secrets)
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
More from Doug
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Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Cosmic Fury Intro” by Bert Selen
“I know in my heart, I’m more woman than anyone!”
Cass from Distant Echoes joins us for this joyful Christmas masterpiece, led by a heroic and unapologetic trans woman in a cast of complex unhoused characters. We explore filmmaker Satoshi Kon’s unparalleled filmography–including the deep empathy that led him to tell a magical story about the queer and homeless experience–along with the imaginative animation from Madhouse, and the reclamation of Hana as a trans character in modern translations despite early missteps.
Film Release: November 8, 2003
For the next couple months, we’re doing a biweekly Special Presentation miniseries featuring a selection of non-Pixar movies & TV aimed at younger audiences and families featuring clear, unafraid, and unambiguous depictions of queerness.
Satoshi Kon’s final blog post (Kon’s Tone)
Interview: Satoshi Kon (AnimeNewsNetwork)
Interview with Satoshi Kon, Director of Perfect Blue (perfectblue.com)
Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist by Andrew Osmond — out of print (check your library system!)
Tokyo Godathers, 2020 GKIDS re-release special features:— Making Of Tokyo Godfathers
— The Process of Animation
— An Interview with Shakina Nayfack
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
More from Doug
More from Derek
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “No.9” by Keiichi Suzuki & Moonriders
“Then I shape-shift, and I’m free.”
We’re talking with Katie from Novel Gaming about Nimona, the fantastic queer movie from Annapurna Animation that almost wasn’t. We dig into the origins of Nimona’s initial studio home, Blue Sky Studios, and how even when we’re not covering Pixar movies, we can’t escape Disney.
Film Release: June 30, 2023
For the next couple months, we’re doing a biweekly Special Presentation miniseries featuring a selection of non-Pixar movies & TV aimed at younger audiences and families featuring clear, unafraid, and unambiguous depictions of queerness.
Disney raised concerns about a same-sex kiss in the unreleased animated movie 'Nimona,' former Blue Sky staffers say (Business Insider)
In-depth interview: Behind the creation of ‘Nimona’s’ unique animation style and compelling story (AnimationXpress)
The Second Coming of Megan Ellison (THR)
Nimona Co-Writer Lloyd Taylor On The World Of Animated Feature Films (The Screenwriting Life)
ND Stevenson On Nimona, Bearing Your Queerness, And Staying Hopeful (TheGamer)
Interview with Nimona’s ND Stevenson (Off Colour)
Nothing Captures the Heart of My Queer Anger Like Godzilla (them)
Trans Lifeline (US): 877-565-8860
Trans Lifeline (CAN): 877-330-6366
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US, Call & Text): 988
Check out more from Novel Gaming!
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
More from Doug
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Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Gold Guns Girls” by Metric
"So… is Falling With Style gonna cover Win Or Lose?"
Nope! Instead, for the next couple months, Doug & Derek—and some guests!—will be doing a biweekly Special Presentation miniseries featuring a selection of non-Pixar movies & TV aimed at younger audiences and families featuring clear, unafraid, and unambiguous depictions of queerness. We talk more about it in this introduction.
Here's what you can look forward to:
Disney Pulls Transgender Storyline from Pixar’s ‘Win or Lose’ Streaming Series (THR)
Ex-Pixar Staffers Decry ‘Win or Lose’ Trans Storyline Being Scrapped (THR)
‘Win Or Lose’ Transgender Actress Speaks Out After Disney Cuts Her Storyline (Deadline)
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
More from Doug
More from Derek
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
We're answering your questions about Pixar and animation! First, we talk about the recent exposé from former Pixar employees about the state of the studio -- including corporate mandates, anti-queer sentiment, layoffs, and lots of other unpleasant news. Then, we discuss our favorite animated movies, the difference between 2D and 3D animation, Pixar characters on Survivor, and more!
Check out a compilation of all three of today's AMAs on Patreon!
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
We're recording an Ask Us Anything episode across all the podcasts Doug and Derek do together (Falling With Style, Walloping Websnappers, and Skreeonk) and we'd love to get your questions! Send them however you'd prefer -- email, discord, social media, etc. -- by the evening of Tuesday, September 17 (EST).
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
It's been a year since we've talked about a Pixar movie, but Derek & Doug are back! And so are the emotions in the mind of Riley Andersen as she navigates being thirteen years old. With four new emotions to manage and the legacy of one of Pixar's best to live up to, how does this sequel nine years in the making stack up?
Film Release: June 14, 2024
Bloomberg Businessweek – Disney Is Banking On Sequels to Help Get Pixar Back on Track
Inside Total Film – Pete Docter and Kelsey Mann + Inside Out 2, Ryan Condal + House of the Dragon S2, Sasquatch Sunset, Ultraman: Rising, Àma Gloria, Freud’s Last Session
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna – 196 | Inside Out 2 Writers Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein
The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna – 197 | Inside Out 2 Director Kelsey Mann and Writer Meg LeFauve on How To Approach A Sequel,
Part of The Glitterjaw Queer Podcast Collective
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “The Puck Drops Here” by Andrea Datzman from Inside Out 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
We’re doing something we’ve never done before—we’re recording an episode about a movie that’s still in theaters! Elemental is an immigrant story and romcom, and the odds seemed stacked against it long before it was released. But why? With just one viewing under our belts, we attempt to sort through all the criticism to find what feels fair and what doesn’t.
Film Release: June 16, 2023
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Grand Redux” by Thomas Newman
For more by Derek & Doug, check out Walloping Websnappers: A Spider-Man Podcast on the Four-Eyed Radio Network!
Well, we did it. Derek and Doug watched every movie currently in the Pixar Animation Studios canon and don’t have any other movies to talk about until Elemental comes out. So what better time to look back on the entirety of the canon, reflect on Pixar’s nearly-thirty years of feature films, and update our personal rankings.
Film Release: n/a
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Stasis" by Eagle-Eyed Tiger
For more by Derek & Doug, check out Walloping Websnappers: A Spider-Man Podcast on the Four-Eyed Radio Network!
Grab a meat-bread-meat sandwich and strap in, because it’s a space epic, it’s a time-travel sci-fi flick, it’s a hero’s origin story, and… it’s a film within a film? That’s right, Derek and Doug are talking about Lightyear, the Pixar movie that tackles the question, “What inspired the Buzz Lightyear toy anyway?” It’ll probably never be able to escape its legacy and context, but we’re doing our best to untangle just what works and doesn’t about this Toy Story spin-off.
Film Release: June 17, 2022
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Infinite MOEtion” by Michael Giacchino
For more by Derek & Doug, check out Walloping Websnappers: A Spider-Man Podcast on the Four-Eyed Radio Network!
U Know What’s Up! Derek and Doug are joined by Theresa Berry to talk about what instantly became on of their favorite Pixar movies: Turning Red! It’s the movie that took us back to the early 00s when boy bands ruled the world and one that celebrates tween cringe instead of condemning it. An unabashed tale of puberty inspired by 90s anime, video games, and teen TV movies. Enjoy!
Film Release: March 11, 2022
Theresa on Instagram: @thet_thinks
Theresa on Twitter: @thet_thinks
Theresa on Facebook: thet_thinks
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “U Know What’s Up” by 4☆Town
For more by Derek & Doug, check out Walloping Websnappers: A Spider-Man Podcast on the Four-Eyed Radio Network!
Silenzio Bruno! It’s time for Derek and Doug to enjoy a perfect summer in the Italian Riviera. That’s right, we’re talking about Luca, a truly lovely film about three kids who find friendship in a small coastal village and one that resonated instantly and powerfully with the queer community. What makes this relatively quiet and straight-forward Pixar outing such a powerhouse? Dive in deep with us as we get into all the details.
Film Release: June 18, 2021
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Beyond the Solar System” by Dan Romer
For more by Derek & Doug, check out Walloping Websnappers: A Spider-Man Podcast on the Four-Eyed Radio Network!
Get in the zone, because we’re about to get existential. Derek and Doug are joined by Melissa Mowry to discuss a movie about living, dying, inspiration, and disappointment. We’re talking about Soul, Pixar’s first film to feature a Black protagonist and Black co-director, Pixar's first and a very rare occurrence in American feature-length animation. How does Pixar tackle telling a universal story through the lens of a Black musician in New York City? Well, there’s plenty to praise and plenty to shine a critical light upon. Grab a slice, put on some jazz, and enjoy.
Film Release: December 25, 2020
Melissa’s website: www.melissamowry.com
The Blk Print: www.theblkprint.net
Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa.mowry/
Melissa on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mel.mowry
Read More on Soul:
VOX: https://www.vox.com/culture/22176927/soul-review-pixar-disney-jazz
NPR: https://www.npr.org/2020/12/25/948998059/in-soul-jon-batistes-music-helps-bring-pixars-first-black-lead-to-life
Bertolt Press: https://bertoltpress.com/2021/02/06/how-pixar-portrays-jazz-in-their-new-movie-soul/
New York Post: https://nypost.com/2020/12/29/pixars-soul-blasted-by-viewers-over-tina-feys-character/
Scary Mommy Blog: https://www.scarymommy.com/soul-pixar-black-character-represntation-harmful
Pods & Interviews:
Black ‘n’ Animated review: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5gdmi-fb4b96
Double Toasted interview with Kemp Powers: https://youtu.be/fErY4zd4IK0
Princess Weekes’ video essay: https://youtu.be/trWcSj9TQMo
Variety interview with producer Dana Murray: https://variety.com/2020/film/spotlight/soul-murray-cannes-kemp-powers-1234646745/
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Bigger Than Us” by John Batiste
For more by Derek & Doug, check out Walloping Websnappers: A Spider-Man Podcast on the Four-Eyed Radio Network!
We’ve made it to the year 2020, which means we’ve made it to a very unique era of Pixar movies for a number of reasons, some intentional and exciting, some certainly incidental and unfortunate. Derek and Doug are talking about Onward, the suburban fantasy about two brothers reconnecting through an adventure to… revive their dead dad for just one day? Yep! How does this fantasy world stack up to other Pixar-crafted universes? Which characters land perfectly and which feel hindered by unusual narrative decisions? And did Onward REALLY invent gay people? Join us on this epic adventure to find out!
Film Release: March 6, 2020
E-mail us: pixarpodcast@gmail.com
Doug on Twitter: @ickybooley
Derek on Twitter: @DerekBGayle
Theme song features: “Stasis” by Eagle-Eyed Tiger | Source
Closing song: “Through the Fire and Flames” by Dragonforce
For more by Derek & Doug, check out Walloping Websnappers: A Spider-Man Podcast on the Four-Eyed Radio Network!
