Having Dominated the Annie Awards, Can Netflix Win Best Animated Film?

Scene from I Lost My Body

In a year that many are arguing is among the most predictable Oscar nominations in history, there is one field that seems ripe with interesting contradictions. The Best Animated Film category felt like it was set in stone since before the year was over. Disney was scheduled to dominate with two of the biggest films of the year: Toy Story 4 and Frozen II, both sequels to films that won the category previously. However, things began to unravel from there. Frozen II missed the cut entirely. In fact, the studio with a dual nomination was the one that was least expected: Netflix. With I Lost My Body and Klaus, the studio pulled one of the biggest upsets of the year. But, what if this is only the beginning? What if Netflix is on track to beat the major studios in the CGI landscape?

While there's still plenty to argue against this, the news just keeps looking worse and worse for Disney and Pixar. At the Annie Awards, Netflix won 19 awards including Best Feature for Klaus and Best Independent Feature for I Lost My Body. This isn't to say that Netflix has the upper-hand, but it's looking like this may be one of the most surprising upsets in recent years. What lies ahead at an Oscars where Pixar is already being undermined at other awards ceremonies by its competition? One has to wonder what lies ahead if either Netflix film stands a decent chance of beating the big boys. Even if it's a longshot, it feels like a good time to think that things are changing in the Best Animated Film category, maybe for the better.

A Look at The Oscars' New Rules

It has been a while since the fallout of the 91st Academy Awards. With many still mulling over the winners (notably the controversial Best Picture winner Green Book), it's important to look forward to what the future provides. In this case, Academy President John Bailey has released an annual change to the many voting rules for the 92nd Academy Awards. In almost every case, the rule changes are actually fairly exciting and look promising to the bigger picture. Whether it's changing the name of Best Foreign Film to Best International Film, or adding more nominees to Best Hair and Make-Up, the changes at least put the upcoming year on a more optimistic track and will hopefully embody a smoother year for all involved.

R.I.P. Isao Takahata (1935-2018)

Isao Takahata

On April 5, 2018, director Isao Takahata died from lung cancer at the age of 82 in Tokyo, Japan. With a career spanning over 55 years, he was one of the most prominent artists in Japanese animation, specifically alongside Hayao Miyazaki with Studio Ghibli. His film career featured such harrowing films as Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday, and the Oscar-nominated  The Tale of Princess Kaguya. He had a long and storied career, and definitely influenced artists around the world to follow their dreams and make animation something more than empty blockbuster entertainment. His work will live on with its beauty and wisdom.

Long Shot Week: Best Animated Film - "The Breadwinner"

Scene from The Breadwinner

Welcome to the first Long Shot Week, where I will attempt to persuade you to think outside of the Oscar box. While it's too late to change voters' minds, I believe that audiences need to take a moment to look at the other contenders in any category and give them a chance. Long Shot Week is designed as a way to highlight these talents that likely don't stand a chance of winning, but more than deserve a chance to be appreciated for what they bring to the game. In a way, this is my list of "Films that should've won," though it's not always indicative of my favorite. Join me all week as I look at different categories and pose the question "Why not?" in hopes that The Oscars still have a few surprises up their sleeve.

Theory Thursday: My Issues With the Best Animated Film Oscar Category

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

A Look at the New Rules for Oscar Season 2017

Scene from O.J.: Made in America

It is likely that if you saw O.J.: Made in America that you think it's a one of a kind experience. Its journey into the tumultuous celebrity around O.J. Simpson created one of the most fascinating documentaries of 2016. What if I were to tell you that O.J. was a one of a kind experience in another way? The Academy has recently announced their new rules for this upcoming Oscar Season, and there's been a heavy blow to the documentary nominees-to-be. There will no longer be documentaries eligible that are released in multiple parts. This is one of the major rules to come out. Read on to find out new rules involving Best Animated Film, Best Original Score, Best Picture, and more.

"Sausage Party" Enters the Oscar Race... For Some Reason

Scene from Sausage Party

This Oscar season is shaping up to be quite the interesting bunch of nominees. Along with the potential heavyweights like La La Land and Jackie, there have already been big showings in the indie cinema landscape with Moonlight. However, there is one film that is wanting to break into the big boys league that you probably didn't even think about. No, it's not something that would qualify as drama, or even come within two Russia-sized countries of the word "prestigious." The movie that wants to shake up this year's Oscar season is the R-Rated animated talking food movie Sausage Party.

Will "Moana" Make Lin-Manuel Miranda the Latest EGOT Winner?

Scene from Moana

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year, it is likely that you are familiar with the Broadway smash hit Hamilton, which focuses on the life of Alexander Hamilton through a blend of musical styles such as hip-hop. This past Sunday, it won 11 Tonys, including for its creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. While I don't cover theater, it is likely that Miranda is a name that will become recognizable to audiences by the end of this year if just because of the amount of projects his success has granted him. Among the most promising is Disney's new film Moana, which conveniently enough premiered its teaser trailer during Hamilton's big night. While the question could just be if this movie will be great, there's another question about Miranda becoming an EGOT: an impressive feat that he's one Oscar away from completing. While there's not much to go off of, it does look like there's at least a nomination in his wake.

Birthday Take: Tim Burton in "Frankenweenie" (2012)

Scene from Frankenweenie

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Check This Out: A Video of Chris Farley's Version of "Shrek"

Scene from Shrek

Nowadays, Shrek is remembered as one of the most successful animated franchises in history. Its tale of an ogre who skewered fairy tale and pop culture became a cornerstone to the zeitgeist throughout the past 14 years with four films, one spin-off, and endless merchandise. It was also the first film to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. While Shrek has developed into its own metaphorical monster with Mike Myers turning in one of the most recognizable voice works of the decade, things would have looked a lot different with original choice Chris Farley. After 18 years, audio has been released for the version that could have been with Eddie Murphy reprising his role as Donkey. To say the least, it's an interesting look into alternative history.

A Brief Look at Stop Motion Films at the Oscars

As Oscar season rapidly approaches, it becomes exciting to speculate who the nominees will be. For instance, has anyone paid consideration to the Best Animated Film category yet? While we have already seen Inside Out, which was great, there's still a whole slew of animated movies to come - including another Pixar movie with The Good Dinosaur. However, there's something more interesting to ponder. Who are the outliers going to be? Last year saw The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Song of the Sea overcome steep odds to land nominations. Is this the year where we see another stop motion film get nominated? I am talking specifically about today's release of directors Mark Burton and Richard Starzak's Shaun the Sheep Movie.

Ranking Pixar's Best Animated Feature Winners

Pop Quiz: How many times has Pixar won Best Animated Feature? To some, the notion is to believe that it has won every time out of the gate. However, as noted yesterday, this fact may not be entirely true. While the studio has earned an impressive 7 of the 14 wins, there's been a few that have missed the cut, including Monsters Inc. and Cars - and some didn't even get nominated at all. However, with Inside Out coming out Friday and looking to be a strong contender for an eighth victory, it feels like a good time to not necessarily rank all of Pixar's films, but only those that have won an Oscar. Who comes out on top? You'll have to read on to find out.

Check This Out: "Monsters Inc." and "Shrek" at the Oscars

It is hard to believe, but there was a time when the Best Animated Feature wasn't a category at the Oscars. With each passing year, it has become one of the more significant categories. Even in 2015, there's still major contention as to what makes the final nominees, including big juggernaut Pixar, who has won the category 7 of the 14 times despite being absent the past few years. With Friday's release of Inside Out, it feels like a good time to revisit the category's first year in which things all kicked off with a very animated gimmick that hasn't been done since.

Birthday Take: Dean DeBlois in "How to Train Your Dragon" (2010)

Scene from How to Train Your Dragon

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

The First Trailer For "The Good Dinosaur" is Fun Historical Rewriting

This is going to be a great year for fans of archaeology. With Jurassic World weeks away, it has recaptured audience's interest in the creatures that once walked this Earth. However, there's another one out there for those looking for a lighter, friendlier take on dinosaurs. Coming this Fall, it's the return of Pixar with their second film of the year following this month's Inside Out. With the first trailer released for director Peter Sohn's The Good Dinosaur, we get a sense of what to expect if things didn't go according to plan. It may not have much, but it definitely has enough to get me excited.

Birthday Take: Wes Anderson in "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (2009)

Scene from Fantastic Mr. Fox

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

A Look at the 20 Eligible Best Animated Film Nominees

Scene from How to Train Your Dragon 2

On the heels of the Best Foreign Film and Best Documentary eligible nominees coming out, the Best Animated Film nominees are officially out. While the others have an impressive quantity, those in this category have been narrowed down to 20 films featuring a lot of the familiar names. As a result, it isn't nearly as exciting, but should help us to get a better understanding of how the race could shape out. As per usual, I will list all of those selected for competition and then provide whatever commentary I want immediately following.

Review: "The Boxtrolls" is a Great Family Film with Innovative Style

The invaluable gift of animation is the ability to create limitless worlds and breathe life into weirdly shaped characters. It is escapism at its finest and with great stories in tow, the medium has the ability to provoke and create a lasting cultural impact. Laika Studios feels like a revolutionary force because in a world full of CGI landscapes, few are choosing to do anything interesting. The painstaking dedication to stop motion not only means that they will stand out, but that they have to pack a punch on each outing to compensate for long intervals between films. With their latest film, The Boxtrolls, they continue to expand on the potential of animation with one of their most fluid and ambitious films yet. While not entirely as pleasing as their previous output, it reflects a continuing need for animation to be as exciting as it once was.

"The Tale of Princess Kaguya" Trailer Debuts with a Simpler Form of Beauty

It has been awhile since there has been any real discussion on the Best Animated Film category. Along with The Boxtrolls opening up this Friday, it seems like an excellent time to get an update. While How to Train Your Dragon 2 and The Lego Movie lead the pack, there's a lack of strong competitors out there to make this an exceptional year. However, while Studio Ghibli head Hayao Miyazaki has retired, his company still continues to flourish, at least for a little while long. With director Isao Takahata's The Tale of Princess Kaguya, there is a change of pace for animation: hand draw animation with water colors. With a successful debut at Toronto International Film Festival and the first trailer recently released, it is time to start considering the international cinema that may be applicable in this category.

My Top 10 Favorite Best Animated Feature Nominees

Ratatouille

This past weekend, How to Train Your Dragon 2 opened in theaters, and I was very ecstatic about it. I still consider it to be something of a masterpiece that will hopefully find more legs as its box office history continues. With the expectations of it topping next year's Academy Awards, it got me thinking: what are my favorite Best Animated Feature nominees? In the category's brief, 13 year existence, it has celebrated the growth of a style that used to be a lot cruder. However, it has also shown the progression effectively, especially as computer technology has trumped traditional technique and has taken some films into new artistic zones.