Rumble

Rumble has built a real following in Australia on Netflix, and in the UK on Netflix among viewers who do not usually seek out animation. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 558 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. A harder one to justify skipping than to start. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Rumble is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Rumble has the visual identity that makes it immediately recognisable, and the writing to back it up. In a world where monster wrestling is a global sport and monsters are superstar athletes, teenage Winnie seeks to follow in her father’s footsteps by coaching a loveable underdog monster into a champion. Every line from Will Arnett and Geraldine Viswanathan lands with more craft than you'd expect. Rumble came out in 2021. Rumble uses the freedom of animation to tell stories live-action could not attempt. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you have been sleeping on Rumble because of the format, the format is not the issue here. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Visually distinctive and narratively ambitious in ways that hold up regardless of format. Worth watching in order from the beginning.