Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Best Animated Feature 2024 Oscar Race
Hello and welcome,
The Oscars are this Sunday.
I am happy to say my awards season coverage was a little more frequent than last year on other platforms, well at least in January, after that however life got in the way and my coverage became nonexistent. Nonetheless, I can't let the Oscars happen without giving you my thoughts on what’s going to win this Sunday (or more accurately who I think is going to win).
As what has become a tradition, this blog is dedicated to only one category: Best Animated Feature. However, If you want to know my predictions for all 23 categories check out my new episode of In The Mind of Mr. Bee, which I will soon upload to YouTube (If I haven't already).
This year, the Best Animated Feature category looks like it is between 2 movies, with the other 3 whose only real hope of winning is in being a theoretical chance of vote-splitting. As I have done before, I will talk about the movies from least likely to win to the most probable winner. With that out of the way let’s begin:
Robot Dreams
I do see an unlikely scenario where this wins. What it has going for it is that it is well-liked and it has already won a lot of awards this season including Best Feature-Independent at the Annies. However, there are a few problems with this line of thinking, #1, most of the awards it won are from Critics and critics do not vote for the Oscars. #2, the Best Feature-Independent at the Annies has only been around for about 9 years and has yet to be a predictor for this Oscar, but there is a first time for everything. #3, It has missed a lot of nominees at major award shows like the PGA and BAFTA.
Elemental
One thing I have learned in all my years following and covering the Oscars is it’s not wise to bet against Pixar. Out of the 22 years that this award has been presented they have won 11 but I don't think Pixar will add a 12th Oscar to their shelf (at least not this year). Elemental has been nominated but it has not won anything at the Annies. It did get a few nominations (which it did not win) but it was not nominated for the top prize of Best Animated Feature. In all the years since the Oscars and the Annies split winner the Academy they have never gone for a movie not nominated for the Annie (or vice versa). The odds are just not in Elemental’s favor.
Nimona
First off, it would be great irony to see this movie win over Elemental because of Nimona was originally at Blue Sky Studios which Disney shut down soon after they bought Fox,
But I don't see it taking home an Oscar tomorrow. First off, it has not won a lot of awards and most of the awards it has won are from Critics (again, critics do not vote for the Oscars) but it did win 2 Annies for Best Writing and Best Voice Acting for Chloë Grace Moretz, which is more than I can say for Elemental.
The Boy and the Heron
Miyazaki definitely has fans in the Academy and every time he has a movie out it has been nominated and my long-time readers may remember he got an honorary Oscar a few years back. But he has actually only won one time with that being for Spirited Away. This year, The Boy and the Heron has split the Best Animated Feature more or less evenly with Spider-Verse, with The Boy and the Heron winning the Golden Globe and the BAFTA as well as a few others and it won 2 Annies for Best Storyboarding and Best Character Animation.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
First off, it completely stole the Annies, by winning seven out of seven awards, including Best Animated Feature! In 22 years the academy has had a Best Animated Feature category the Oscars and the Annies have only split 6 times. Spider-Verse has also won Critics' Choice and PGA. It is very hard for me to call it the front runner because The Boy and the Heron is strong but in my thinking if in doubt go with the mainstream which would be Spider-Verse,
I have seen 4 out of 5 of the nominated movies, and if I were voting, I would personally give it to Spider-Verse as it is not just the Best Animated Movie but also the Best Movie of the Year. However, the academy has not yet invited me to join (how rude of them)!
Enjoy the Oscars tomorrow!
Goodnight and Bee Happy!™
Mr. Bee
Mr. Bee
Monday, January 22, 2024
Saturday, March 11, 2023
Best Animated Feature 2023 Oscar Race
Hello and welcome,
The Oscars are this Sunday.
I know my awards season coverage has been… well, nonexistent on all of my platforms this year because, quite frankly, there are things in my life just a little bit more important than talking about Hollywood patting themselves on the back. However, I can't let the Oscars happen without giving you my thoughts on what’s going to win this Sunday (or more accurately who I think is going to win).
As I have done in years past, this blog is dedicated to only one category and that is Best Animated Feature. However, If you want to know my predictions for all 23 categories check out my new episode of In The Mind of Mr. Bee which I will soon upload to youtube (If I haven't already).
Unlike past years, this category looks to be a lock for one movie. However, I think it is a little bit more competitive than the experts believe. As I have done before, I will talk about the movies from least likely to win to the most probable winner. With that out of the way let’s begin:
The Sea Beast
The one thing it has going for it is that it's directed by Chris Williams who is a former Disney animator who won an Oscar for Big Hero 6. However, former Disney animators don't have very much luck in this category after they leave Mickey. The Sea Beast has been a no-show at all the other major award shows, with the exception of the Annies, and it is worth noting that it did get a lot of nominations but failed to get 1 win.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
I could see a scenario where it wins but it’s unlikely. The first Puss in Boots was nominated in this category back in 2012 and lost. As far as this one goes has been nominated everywhere but has won 0 but did win 2 Annies (for Storyboarding and Editing). Oh, and it might be worth noting that in the over 20 years since this category was introduced, DreamWorks has only won twice (Shrek and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, respectively).
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
If you want to do a long-shot prediction I would recommend predicting this one as it has been nominated everywhere and is only one of a very few movies that are a winner granted all from critics (critics do not vote for the Oscars). It also won the Annie for Best Animated Feature- Independent which has only been around for 8 years and has yet to be a predictor for this Oscar, but there is a first time for everything.
Turning Red
One thing I have learned in all my years following and covering the Oscars is it’s not wise to bet against Pixar. Out of the 21 years that this award has been presented they have won 11 but I don't think Pixar will add a 12th Oscar to their shelf (at least not this year) for a few reasons. Although it has won a few critic's awards (again, critics do not vote for the Oscars) it has lost everywhere else including the Annies where it won nothing Despite 7 nominations. The odds are just not in Turning Red’s favor
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Let's be honest, this is going to win. It has won almost everywhere including all the industry awards and 5 Annies, including Best Animated Feature, but it's not over till it's over, but in all likelihood, the race is over. Do I need to say more?
As to who I think should get the Oscar, I have seen 4 out of the 5 movies nominated and if we remove Marcel the Shell it’s a close call. Between Turning Red, Puss in Boots, and Pinocchio, I will probably give it to Pinocchio because it’s a movie that will stay with you long after the credits roll, but what a really great field.
Enjoy the Oscars tomorrow!
Goodnight and Bee Happy!™
Mr.Bee
copyright 2020 Bradley Entertainment All rights belong to Mr. Bee and if anybody breaks this copyright they will have to spend ten years as my personal slave, and thanks for your understanding.
image courtesy of Animation Magazine
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