2014 Oscars: Animation Nominees

Let's see if they can avoid screwing up this time.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:

• The Croods
• Despicable Me 2
• Ernest And Celestine
• Frozen
• The Wind Rises

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

• Feral
• Get a Horse!
• Mr. Hublot
• Possessions
• Room on the Broom

Although I'm rooting for Frozen, I wouldn't mind if Wind Rises won as it's apparently a good movie in its own right. I plan to see it when the English dub comes out.

The only short film this year I've even heard of, much less seen, is Get A Horse. Rooting for that one as well. Cleverness and innovation need to be encouraged.

edited 16th Jan '14 12:08:10 PM by Mort08

I'm not familiar with Ernest and Celestine, but it basically looks like a contest between Wind Rises and Frozen.

Reaction of Miyazaki enthusiasts seeing that The Wind Rises got nominated:

By the way, Get a Horse! sounded really promising. Is it somewhere on the internet?

edited 16th Jan '14 1:32:54 PM by TargetmasterJoe

But Ernest & Celestine is a 2012 movie, dub or subs notwithstanding.:/

edited 16th Jan '14 1:45:43 PM by Grounder

There's just a few clips, and they're all from before the part where it gets cool. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney puts it up to build interest, though.

edited 16th Jan '14 1:56:11 PM by Mort08

Seriously, why are The Croods and Despicable Me 2 on there and Monsters University isn't? It wasn't up to Pixar's earlier standards, but it was still a good movie (and got better reviews than either Croods or DM 2).

Of the films that are on there, I'm rooting for Frozen, and think it has a good chance.

Normally I'd say they left it out because it was a sequel, but we've got Despicable Me. My best guess is that 1) the Monsters Inc movies are sillier than most Pixar fare and 2) the backlash from last year got to them.

Considering Disney is actively campaigning for both Frozen and the Wind Rises, it wouldn't surprise me if they intentionally shut out Monster's U to keep the votes from being split.

Best Animation this year is really a two horse race this go around. 2013 was a pretty weak year overall. Frozen is the favorite and The Wind Rises is the wild card.

edited 16th Jan '14 3:19:57 PM by Lionheart0

Obviously, Frozen will win it all since it's frozen.

Also, The Croods is a good movie. It deserves a nomination. Not the win, obviously. That should go to Frozen. And it probably will, since the Golden Globes are usually indicative of the Oscars.

edited 16th Jan '14 6:46:47 PM by TommyX

Except for The Adventures of Tintin. <_<

edited 16th Jan '14 8:33:55 PM by Lionheart0

Ever since the list of eligible films for the animated feature category was made public, I was wondering if one of the G Kids entries would be able to slip in. I was seriously surprised that none of their (four!) entries for last year made the cut, so I'm glad to see Ernest & Celestine in there this year (honestly, I assumed that A Letter to Momo never had a chance, because of its sheer lack of exposure). Given that Ernest & Celestine is competing against three mega-hits from major studios and a contender from one of the most famous animation directors of all time, I don't think it has a shot at winning, but I'm glad to see lesser-known films being promoted in this category regardless.

Considering Disney is actively campaigning for both Frozen and the Wind Rises, it wouldn't surprise me if they intentionally shut out Monster's U to keep the votes from being split.

Ahh. That's the best explanation I've heard yet (Monsters University wasn't significantly sillier than Pixar's usual fare, and had strong character development and some good twists, so I think it was at least as good as DM 2 and The Croods). A problem with oligopolies in film.

I'll admit that Frozen is a better film than MU - the first time I would say that about Disney and Pixar films made in the same year. I think Pixar peaked with Up and Toy Story 3, both of which were basically perfect - I'd have given Up Best Picture over Hurt Locker and Avatar.

What's Ernest and Celestine like? I've never heard of it.

edited 17th Jan '14 12:09:12 AM by WarriorEowyn

I've only seen two of the films on the list, but I think that everyone's right by saying that either Frozen or The Wind Rises will get it.

The Croods was a surprisingly heartfelt movie, but I doubt that it will win.

If How To Train Your Dragon 2 lives up to it's hype, I can see Dreamworks finally getting their recognition next year.

On a side note, with so many reviews raving about Scarlett Johansson's vocal performance in Her, isn't it about time the Academy starts a Voice Artist Category?

I mean, there's been a lot of vocal performances over the years that people have raved about, but they have never really been honored (Eddie Murphy, Ellen Degeneres, and especially Andy Serkis).

edited 17th Jan '14 10:08:02 AM by Lionheart0

It probably won't happen until most of the members die.

My money is on The Wind Rises - weather the movie deserves it or not, they will want to give it to Miyazaki to make up for all the awards he didn't get.

The only other films to come out since Spirited Away, which won, was Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo. Neither were really the best animated films of their years.

It's gonna be hard to tell which one is actually better until the American release of Wind Rises actually comes out. It's 8 points behind Frozen on Rotten Tomatoes, but 10 points ahead on Metacritic.

I'm just going to be cynical and say they've already got it reserved for Miyazaki because he's retiring.

I feel I must inform you it is one of his several Ten Minute Retirements.

edited 17th Jan '14 3:06:22 PM by Grounder

They should've awarded Miyazaki an Honorary Oscar this year.

edited 17th Jan '14 3:30:31 PM by Lionheart0

The guy's 73. I wouldn't rule out the possibility of it being real this time. If it isn't...well, the movie winning will just piss us off even more, won't it?

I saw The Croods and I found it pretty average, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 or even Epic were better, I don't see why it got nominated (but then again these are the Oscars, they are always about Hollywood Agendas) I don't really care who wins, I just watch the show for the pomp and circumstance.

To be honest I'm halfway convinced Miyazaki's career will end when he's found slumped over his desk midway through his latest (and sadly last) final production. At this point 5 of his 11 theatrical films have been his final film.

The obsolette old white dude brigade at the Oscars probably didn't care to watch any of this at all. The Croods? really. And MU was the best animated film this year. This is bollocks.