It’s always rather disappointing when the most honoured nominee of the preseason is unlikely to win the Academy Award. That’s the unfortunate situation facing Netflix’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines. With almost 30 wins from the critics groups, the film has been the clear favourite with critics this season. That was only further confirmed when it scored a win with Critics Choice last week. When you add in its eight wins at the Annie Awards including Best Feature and a staggering Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%, it’s rather unfathomable the film isn’t the frontrunner for the Best Animated Feature Oscar.
That’s due to the fact it’s up against a genuine cultural phenomenon in the form of Disney’s Encanto. With its soundtrack sitting at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for nine weeks, merchandise flying off the shelves, and millions of streams on Disney+, the House of Mouse hasn’t seen this kind of pop culture domination since Frozen in 2010. Throw in two additional Oscar nods for Best Original Song and Score, and Encanto feels completely unstoppable.
Encanto has scored wins at the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and PGA. That trifecta is hard to ignore. We’ve also recently learned the ceremony will feature the first (and likely only) live performance of the film’s #1 hit, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” even though it isn’t nominated. Sure, that’s purely a Disney/ABC publicity stunt, but it certainly highlights how confident they are that the film is going to be a winner on the night.
Is there still hope of a victory for The Mitchells vs. the Machines? Well, anything is possible. Netflix has been campaigning the film relentlessly all season and it certainly caters to those Academy members who are tired of seeing Disney constantly win this category. But something as ridiculously popular as Encanto is tough to beat at a beauty pageant like the Academy Awards.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE PREDICTIONS:
1. Encanto (Disney)
2. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (Netflix)
3. Flee (Neon)
4. Luca (Disney/Pixar)
5. Raya and the Last Dragon (Disney)
Will win: Encanto
Should win: The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Possible shocker: Flee
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