There are 27 films that qualified with the Academy for the Best Animated Feature race this year and we’ve already seen four emerge as the strongest contenders. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Turning Red, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish have all nabbed nominations at both the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, so that gives us some indication of how this category is shaping.
On the critics’ awards side, Pinocchio and Marcel (it’s best to just shorten their titles) have essentially shared the wins thus far, with the former slightly in front right now. Most pundits believe del Toro will run away with this prize. And that certainly seems very likely. We know the Academy loves him (last year’s somewhat unexpected Best Picture nomination for Nightmare Alley proved that), and this charming gem has the critical acclaim and industry love to get it over the line.
But I wouldn’t completely discount Marcel just yet. For those who aren’t particularly fond of the darkness and macabre nature of Pinocchio, Marcel offers the perfect alternative choice with its adorably sweet titular protagonist and a simple, heartwarming narrative that’s easy to love. It looks like this race will be a battle of two stop-motion wonders and either would make a stellar eventual winner.
That really leaves that fifth spot wide open at this point. Generally, we presume a non-Pixar Disney title might nab one of the nomination slots. However, the disastrous box office result and fairly tepid reviews for Strange World have all but killed its campaign. While their focus will naturally be on Pinocchio, Netflix has an embarrassment of animated riches, any of which could take the final spot. For now, I’m going with The Sea Beast.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE PREDICTIONS:
1. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix)
2. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (A24)
3. Turning Red (Disney/Pixar)
4. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Dreamworks Animation)
5. The Sea Beast (Netflix)
IN CONTENTION
Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood (Netflix)
The Bad Guys (Universal Pictures)
The Bob’s Burgers Movie (20th Century Studios)
DC League of Super-Pets (Warner Bros)
Drifting Home (Netflix)
Inu-oh (GKIDS)
Lightyear (Walt Disney/Pixar)
Luck (Apple Original Films)
Minions: The Rise of Gru (Universal Pictures)
My Father’s Dragon (Netflix)
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (Paramount Pictures)
The Sea Beast (Netflix)
Strange World (Walt Disney Studios)
Wendell & Wild (Netflix)