Best Animated Feature - 2016: Zootopia, Moana, Kubo, Zucchini, Red Turtle

[BadAtGender]

So, yeah, it's early yet in the year. The '15 Oscars haven't even happened yet. But we've already had one major animated feature in KFP3 and a second is rolling out across the world to pretty rave reviews (Zootopia). So I think it's a fine time to get the discussion rolling on what next year's Oscar race is going to turn out like for my favorite medium.

 

In general, this seems like a top-heavy year. Last year was pretty light on the high end, with only one DWA film, nothing from WDAS, and a lackluster second film from Pixar. So we had a nice assortment joining almost assured winner Inside Out on the ballot. For 2016, though, there's a lot coming out from the big guns.

 

Disney's got three features, two from WDAS, which is on a roll as of late, notching two straight wins in '13 and '14. Pixar still isn't quite back in their prime mode, but Inside Out showed the studio can return to form. All three films here, Zootopia, Moana, and Finding Dory, are going to be in the mix unless there's some major flubs.

 

DWA's had a rough time business-wise of late, with canceled projects and studio closures happening to scale back 2014 to one film (Home) that turned out to be a surprise hit. They've already released their highest profile film of the year in KFP3, which does have some pedigree for a nomination, both previous films in the series garnered one. But it's also got a really early released date and reviews aren't ecstatic. As for Trolls, well, it feels like it's more of their low-brow comedy than critic-wooing emotion at the moment.

 

LAIKA has made three films and gathered three nominations for them. While The Boxtrolls was a big surprise at the time, snagging a spot instead of The LEGO Movie, it makes a lot of sense in retrospect. As one of only two major stop motion studios in the world, it seems pretty guaranteed that Kubo is going to get a fourth nomination, unless the response is absolutely dire... and possibly even then.

 

Illumination has a double-film year for the first time, and seems destined to clean up financially with at least one of them. Secret Life of Pets should do well. Sing is... not looking good at the moment, but who knows. However, the studio's strategy doesn't seem geared toward awards recognition. DM2 did receive a nomination, but in retrospect it's a very confusing one and is one of the strangest nominations the animation branch has ever done. If one of these films is going to be in the mix, they need to up their quality game significantly.

 

Sony's got The Angry Birds movie, which feels like an also-ran. Talking animals are BIG this year, and against Zootopia and Finding Dory, things would need to be really special to stand out. A too-late adaptation of a mobile video game doesn't feel like it.

 

Warner Bros. has their first feature since The LEGO Movie in Storks. Again, talking animals and a big question as to whether it's got a chance at a nomination. For CGI features, the rule tends to be go big or go home, with the vast majority of mid-tier efforts not getting a nod even if they're critically well received. Much like most of Sony's efforts, I don't see WB making that jump unless they start spending Disney money. Or at least Dreamworks money.

 

Blue Sky hasn't had a nomination since the first Ice Age. I don't think that's going to change this year.

 

What else? There's always some interesting foreign or indie efforts which can garner a lot of praise. Cartoon Saloon doesn't have anything this year, so won't be gunning for a third nomination. Likewise, Studio Ghibli has shuttered its animation division and we'll likely not see anything from that direction. Still, something could surprise.

 

As it stands, I'd guess that four of the five spots are going to be as such:

 

Zootopia

Moana

Finding Dory

Kubo of the Two Strings

 

I feel like the fifth slot could go to either The Boy and the Beast, Mamoru Hosoda's latest feature, or The Little Prince. I'm assuming that neither qualified for last year's Oscars, though, so someone could correct me if I'm wrong. Hosoda hasn't gotten a nomination yet, but his previous three films have all gotten pretty stellar acclaim and he feels like the best successor to Miyazaki that Japan has at the moment.

Edited January 27, 2017 by DamienRoc

[WrathOfHan]

Boy and the Beast was eligible for this year but wasn't nominated. Current predictions:

 

Finding Dory

Kubo and the Two Strings

The Little Prince

Moana

Zootopia

[CoolioD1]

2015 was the best year ever for the category in terms of nominees. probably won't ever be topped.

[AniNate]

Assuming they meet expectations four slots seem locked in. Little Prince has good reviews but I wonder if something like Sausage Party could end up crashing in. Real curious to see how the first trailer looks for that. Should be coming fairly soon.

[BadAtGender]

2 hours ago, tribefan695 said:

 

Assuming they meet expectations four slots seem locked in. Little Prince has good reviews but I wonder if something like Sausage Party could end up crashing in. Real curious to see how the first trailer looks for that. Should be coming fairly soon.

 

Eh. Sausage Party is computer animated, so it's going to be tough unless they're spending a ton of money. Little Prince is stop motion, which gives it a huge leg up.

 

As LEGO showed, even ecstatic reviews may not be enough.

[filmlover]

I think Lego was hurt by the fact the last 15 minutes revealed that the movie was taking place in the imagination of a live-action little boy.

[AniNate]

LP has an early release going against it, too. If not Sausage Party I could see it losing to another indie. I'd say what if I had access to IMDB right now

[Jake Gittes]

The Little Prince is 1/3 stop-motion at the most, the rest is CGI. It's quite good though, so I could see it getting a nom. 

[Chriss]

Not sure if the Little Prince book is also really a thing in the US. If not, I'm thinking it will be hard for it to get a nom.

[BadAtGender]

5 hours ago, Chriss said:

Not sure if the Little Prince book is also really a thing in the US. If not, I'm thinking it will be hard for it to get a nom.

 

Familiarity in the US isn't really required for a nomination. The voting there is done entirely by the animation branch, not the Academy as a whole. Also I believe in order to vote they have to watch all potential nominees, so it's not a selection based on popularity so much as a comparison of all the films.

 

Heck The Boy and the World got a nom and barely anyone even knew it existed before that.

[Impact]

Very early predicts:

Finding Dory
Moana

Secret Life of Pets

2 foreign films

[AniNate]

Zootopia's all but a lock with its reviews barring collective Academy idiocy

[SLAM!]

Early Predictions

 

Moana

Kubo and the Two Strings

Finding Dory

Storks

Phantom Boy (Correct me if Phantom Boy has already been eligible for a previous year; Phantom Boy is from the same team behind A Cat in Paris)

[Kalo]

Zootopia

Moana 

Kubo and the Two Strings

Finding Dory

The Little Prince (or some indie animation that no one has heard of)

[Gamb1993]

Zootopia

Finding Dory

The Little Prince

Kubo and the Two Strings

A GKIDS release

[AniNate]

Come on, guys, don't just say "some indie film". Put a little thought into it, since the top four are pretty obvious guesses.

Imdb advance search is good for finding possible contenders

[CoolioD1]

moana

zootopia

kubo and the two strings

the little prince

tribefan's choice

[Impact]

Forgot about Kubo! What is odd was I was thinking of that right before I put up my early predicts!

Just now, CoolioD1 said:

 

tribefan's choice

Oh yes Tribefan's Choice. I've heard so much about that film!

[AniNate]

moana

zootopia

kubo and the two strings

the little prince

tribefan's choice

I know I stanned for The Good Dinosaur but it's still funny that you would associate Finding Dory with me

[CoolioD1]

no that meant "random indie that i can't be bothered to research". it's a reference to that thing you said 3 posts ago. it's funny that you would think i even remember who stans for what these days.

Edited February 26, 2016 by CoolioD1