Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature

I’m offering winner predictions in all categories for the Oscars as Awards Editor for FilmFactual. Here’s my assessment of Best Animated Feature.

Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature

I’m offering predictions in all categories for the Oscar nominations as Awards Editor for FilmFactual. Here’s my assessment of Best Animated Feature.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature

The competition: Encanto, Flee, Luca, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Raya and the Last Dragon

Previous winners: Soul, Toy Story 4, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Coco, Zootopia, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Brave, Rango, Toy Story 3, Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Happy Feet, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Spirited Away, Shrek
My winner: Coming soon
The facts: Pixar has won eleven times out of fifteen nominations, and has “Luca” in contention this year. Disney, which made “Encanto” and “Raya and the Last Dragon,” has eleven previous nominations and three wins. Sony’s second nominee, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” won this prize three years ago, and now the studio has “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” here. Though there have been a handful of foreign-language films nominated, none have won, marking an uphill battle for “Flee,” which is also up for Best International Feature and Best Documentary. The only other film with an additional nomination is “Encanto,” which is up for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. While the Annie Awards went wild for “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and also gave “Flee” its Indie Feature prize, “Encanto” won the Golden Globe, the BAFTA, and the PGA Award.
Who should win: “Encanto” is one of my favorite movies of the year. But I also really liked “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and would be happy to see that win.
Who will win: It’s hard to tell. The additional bids for Encanto may put it over the top, but now it feels like “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” might overtake it. I’m sticking with the former. “Flee” is also possible, but I don’t think it’s going to win here.

Oscar Nominees: Best Animated Feature

My predictions: 4/5
My ballot: Coming soon!
The nominees: Encanto, Flee, Luca, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Raya and the Last Dragon

I’ve been saying all along that the animated slate from 2021 was terrific, and I would be happy with anything that got nominated. Still, it’s sad to see “Belle” left off as well as three other films that were never going to make the cut, “Poupelle of Chimney Town,” “My Sunny Maad,” and “Vivo.” Both Luca and Raya and the Last Dragon made it in, joining two of my favorites, Encanto and The Mitchells vs. the Machines. And Flee pulled off the historic feat of earning nominations here and in the international and documentary feature races.

My current bet to win: Unless “Flee” can upset, this is going to Encanto.

Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 8th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in all categories.

Last year’s nominees: Onward, Over the Moon, Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon, Soul, Wolfwalkers

My choices: Coming soon!

This year’s locks: Encanto, The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Possible: Flee, Belle, Raya and the Last Dragon, Luca

Unlikely: Sing 2, My Sunny Maad, Poupelle of Chimney Town, Vivo

The rundown: I’m pleased to direct you to my Oscar volley with Timothy from The Film Experience – check out that piece to read all my thoughts (and his).

Forecasted winner: This is going to be Encanto.

AFT Awards: Best Animated Feature

This is the sixteenth category of the 14th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. I’m drawing only from films that were either released or playing at a film festival in the 2020 calendar year. Nominees are pictured in the order in which I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Honorable mentions:
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Onward

The winner: 

Weathering with You told a wonderful and magical story of the power of friendship and belief in the extraordinary.

Other nominees: 

Wolfwalkers
Over the Moon
Soul
Lupin III: The First

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature

The competition: Onward, Over the Moon, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Soul, Wolfwalkers

Previous winners: Toy Story 4, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Coco, Zootopia, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Brave, Rango, Toy Story 3, Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Happy Feet, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Spirited Away, Shrek
My winner: Coming soon
The facts: Only one sequel is nominated this year, and the original “Shaun the Sheep Movie” contended in 2015. That’s the fourth nomination for Aardman, which won in 2005 for “Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.” The only sequels that have every won were “Toy Story 3” and “Toy Story 4” (last year). Representing Pixar, which has won ten times out of thirteen nominations, are both “Onward” and “Soul.” From Cartoon Saloon, which has three previous nominations, comes “Wolfwalkers,” and “Over the Moon” is the second consecutive bid for Netflix, which was nominated last year for “Klaus.” Whereas last year, numerous films won precursors, “Soul” has been relatively dominant, and is expected to win the Annie Award later this week, where all but “Over the Moon” contend for top awards. The only film with a nomination in any other category is “Soul,” which contends for its score and sound.
Who should win: I’m totally fine with “Soul” winning, though I’d be thrilled if it was either “Wolfwalkers” or “Over the Moon.”
Who will win: This award is going to Soul.

Oscar Nominees: Best Animated Feature

My predictions: 4/5
My ballot: Coming soon!
The nominees: Onward, Over the Moon, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Soul, Wolfwalkers

With all indications that “The Croods: A New Age,” which is a perfectly good movie, was going to be on this list, we instead get a different choice in the form of A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, which happens to be the only one of these five that I haven’t seen. I’m relieved that the underrated Over the Moon didn’t miss out, and also happy to see Onward and Wolfwalkers join the frontrunner here, Soul.

My current bet to win: It’s going to be Soul.

Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Monday, March 15th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in all categories.

Last year’s nominees: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, I Lost My Body, Klaus, Missing Link, Toy Story 4

My choices: Coming soon!

This year’s locks: Soul, Wolfwalkers

Possible: Over the Moon, Onward, The Croods: A New Age, Calamity Jane, The Willoughbys, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Earwig and the Witch

Unlikely: Ride Your Wave, many others

The rundown: Last year broke the two-year streak of the Golden Globe lineup matching the Oscar list entirely. The difference this time is that the two films that bumped the more high-profile Globe inclusions were expected to do so, and I can’t really think of anything that would this time. Soul and Wolfwalkers are locks, and there isn’t any good reason that Over the Moon and Onward would miss, though more popular sure things have been snubbed in the past. The least likely to translate is The Croods: A New Age, though it easily could too, especially since it joined the other four films as a PGA nominee. I haven’t seen most of the other eligible films, but I’m going to welcome the optimism generated by Nathaniel’s picks over at The Film Experience and hope that, if any of these films get snubbed, Calamity Jane, which I did see and which was a European Film Award nominee and lost to the not-submitted “Josep,” grabs a spot.

For your consideration: The live-action Netflix series seems to be getting more attention, but I really enjoyed Lupin III: The First and would love to see it land a slot.

Forecasted winner: I don’t see a way that Soul loses.

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature

The competition: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, I Lost My Body, Klaus, Missing Link, Toy Story 4

Previous winners: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Coco, Zootopia, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Brave, Rango, Toy Story 3, Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Happy Feet, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Spirited Away, Shrek
My winner: I Lost My Body
The facts: Both “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” and “Toy Story 4” are sequels to previous nominees in this category. “Toy Story 3” won in 2010. “Toy Story 4” comes from Pixar, which has won nine out of twelve nominations, including two years ago for “Coco.” “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” comes from DreamWorks Animation, which has produced twelve contenders and one winner, “Shrek.” Laika, which produced “Missing Link,” has great success with past nominees “Corpse Bride,” “Coraline,” “ParaNorman,” “The Boxtrolls,” and “Kubo and the Two Strings.” Netflix earns its first two nominations in this race for “I Lost My Body” and “Klaus.” This year’s precursors represent a very interesting spread of winners after four years in a row of undisputed frontrunners. “Missing Link” won the Golden Globe. “Toy Story 4” won the PGA and the Critics’ Choice Award. “Klaus” won the top Annie Award and the BAFTA. “I Lost My Body” won the Annie Award for independent film. The only film with a nomination in any other category is “Toy Story 4,” which contends for its original song.

Who should win: My favorite on this list is “I Lost My Body,” and I’m also fond of “Klaus” and “Missing Link.”
Who will win: I’m playing it safe in a lot of other races. Here, I’m going to predict an exciting win for I Lost My Body, though I’m worried that the expected conclusion of “Toy Story 4” might happen instead.

AFT Awards: Best Animated Feature

This is the seventeenth category of the 13th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order in which I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

*One of the best animated films I saw this year, which was eligible for the Oscar, was “Weathering with You,” which I’ll include in my 2020 nominees due to its January release date.

The winner:
I Lost My Body presented an unusual premise and wove a wonderful, immensely watchable and endearing story around it.

Other nominees:
Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles 
Missing Link
Abominable
Frozen II

Oscar Nominees: Best Animated Feature

My predictions: 4/5
My ballot: Come back later this week!
The nominees: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, I Lost My Body, Klaus, Missing Link, Toy Story 4

I’m so happy that I Lost My Body made the cut – it’s such a great film. I’m just sad that there wasn’t room for other fantastic picks like “Abominable,” “Weathering with You,” or “Bunuel in the Labyrinth of Turtles.” I’m also sad that How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Toy Story 4 made the cut over a superior sequel, “Frozen II,” that got snubbed. Klaus is another great choice, and I’m also happy about Globe winner Missing Link.

My current bet to win: I think Missing Link will win.

Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Monday, January 13th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories.

Last year’s nominees: Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs, Mirai, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

My choices: Coming next week!

This year’s locks: Toy Story 4, Missing Link

Very likely: Frozen II

Possible: I Lost My Body, Klaus, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Unlikely: Abominable, Weathering with You, Bunuel in the Labyrinth of Turtles

The rundown: Two years in a row now, the Golden Globe lineup has matched this list entirely. While that’s still possible this time, it’s far from guaranteed. Of the three sequels in contention, Toy Story 4 and Frozen II feel safer than How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, but it’s hard to know. Globe winner Missing Link isn’t in much danger of being snubbed, and the fifth Globe nominee, “The Lion King,” wasn’t submitted. Two Netflix productions seem like they might be able to crack this field: I Lost My Body and Klaus. Despite its Critics Choice and PGA nominations, Abominable isn’t looking like it’s going to earn a slot. I’m hoping for two foreign-language GKIDS films, Weathering with You and Bunuel in the Labyrinth of Turtles, but neither seems to have built up enough steam at this point. There are also twenty-three other eligible films, but I wouldn’t count on any of those to upset.

Forecasted winner: I think Missing Link repeats after the Globes.

AFT Awards: Best Animated Feature

This is the seventeenth category of the 12th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order in which I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

*Fun note – this is one of just two categories in which my list matches up 100% with the Oscar list.

The winner:
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was a marvelous and unexpectedly original reboot of a franchise with so many film entries that a novel approach seemed impossible, equally wondrous in its plot as its animation.

Other nominees:
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Isle of Dogs
Mirai
Incredibles 2

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature

The competition: Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs, Mirai, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Previous winners: Coco, Zootopia, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Brave, Rango, Toy Story 3, Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Happy Feet, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Spirited Away, Shrek
My winner: Announcing shortly after the Oscars!
The facts: Both “Incredibles 2” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet” are sequels to previous nominees in this category – “The Incredibles” won in 2004, and “Wreck-It Ralph” contended in 2012. “Incredibles 2” comes from Pixar, which has won nine out of eleven nominations, including last year for “Coco.” “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is from Disney, which boasts three wins out of then nominations, most recently for “Zootopia” in 2016. “Isle of Dogs,” directed by six-time nominee Wes Anderson, is the second nominee from American Empirical Pictures after Anderson’s 2009 film “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is Sony’s second nominee after “Surf’s Up” back in 2007. “Mirai” is the first film to contend from Studio Chizu. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” took the top prize at the Annie Awards (and all six other categories in which it was nominated), while “Mirai” claimed the best independent feature award. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” also won the Golden Globe, the Critics’ Choice Award, and the PGA Award. The only film ever to win all three and then lose the Oscar was “Cars,” but it’s unlikely that a “Happy Feet” would upset this year. The only film with a nomination in any other category is “Isle of Dogs,” which contends for Best Original Score.

Who should win: This is a great list. My favorites are “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
Who will win: There doesn’t seem to be any film likely to knock out Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Oscar Nominees: Best Animated Feature

My predictions: 5/5
My ballot: Come back in February!
The nominees: Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs, Mirai, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

At least this category was safe from surprise snubs, with the expected list making the cut. Mirai was the most vulnerable, and it’s in, which is great, and I’m breathing a sigh of relief that Ralph Breaks the Internet didn’t get snubbed. Incredibles 2 is the other sequel here, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse should still be the frontrunner even though Isle of Dogs is the only film in this category with another nomination, for Best Original Score. These are pretty much the only animated films I saw this year, so I’m on board!

My current bet to win: I’m backing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 22nd. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories.

Last year’s nominees: The Boss Baby, The Breadwinner, Coco, Ferdinand, Loving Vincent

My choices: Coming in February!

This year’s locks: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Isle of Dogs, Incredibles 2

Very likely: Ralph Breaks the Internet

Possible: Mirai, The Grinch, Early Man

Unlikely: Ruben Brandt, Collector, Smallfoot, Tito and the Birds, MFKZ

The rundown: Last year was the first and only time that all five Golden Globe nominees in the corresponding category, and I’m betting that’s going to happen again. Usually, there are foreign contenders waiting in the wings with plenty of buzz, but this year, Mirai is already ahead with a Golden Globe nomination and an Annie Award citation for Best Animated Feature – Independent. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse should be safe in a year that “Black Panther” is being invited to the Best Picture category, and there’s no reason to suspect any ill will towards Isle of Dogs or Incredibles 2. I’m very worried that Ralph Breaks the Internet, which I loved, could go the way of “The Good Dinosaur” and be snubbed, but I think it’s safe because there just aren’t contenders strong enough to knock it out. The Grinch is one possibility that earned a Critics’ Choice Award nomination and Producers Guild bid, while Early Man was the other Best Animated Feature nominee from the Annie Awards. Smallfoot could also earn votes as a somewhat popular choice. Of the three other eligible independent Annie picks, Ruben Brandt, Collector is the one with the highest profile, while Tito and the Birds and MFKZ aren’t nearly well-known enough to place. There are also fifteen other eligible films, but I wouldn’t count on any of those to upset. This year could be a pretty standard but worthwhile one.

Forecasted winner: Unless another film surges, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse takes this.

AFT Awards: Best Animated Feature

This is the seventeenth category of the 11th Annual AFT Film Awards to be announced. The AFT Awards are my own personal choices for the best in film of each year and the best in television of each season. The AFT Film Awards include the traditional Oscar categories and a number of additional specific honors. Nominees are pictured in the order in which I’ve ranked them. Click here to see previous years of this category.

Runner-up:
The Red Turtle

The winner:
Coco was a smart, touching look at death and how living family members can remember those who are gone with sweet characters, a lively soundtrack, and an overall positive message about relationships for children and adults alike.

Other nominees:
My Life as a Zucchini
The Breadwinner
Loving Vincent
Ferdinand

Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature

The competition: The Boss Baby, The Breadwinner, Coco, Ferdinand, Loving Vincent

Previous winners: Zootopia, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Brave, Rango, Toy Story 3, Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Happy Feet, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Spirited Away, Shrek
My winner: Announcing shortly after the Oscars!

The facts: “Coco” co-director Lee Unkrich won this award for “Toy Story 3” in 2010. “Coco” is from Pixar, which has won eight out of ten nominations. “The Boss Baby” is from Dreamworks, which has won two out of eleven nominations. “Ferdinand” is from 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky, which have earned several nominations apiece but no wins. “The Breadwinner” joins “Song of the Sea” and “The Secret of Kells” as the third nominee from the Irish Cartoon Saloon. “Loving Vincent” isn’t affiliated with any previously-nominated distributor or production company. “Coco” won the Golden Globe, the Critics’ Choice Award, the PGA Award, and the Annie Award. The only film ever to win all four and then lose the Oscar was “Cars,” and there’s no “Happy Feet” this year with a serious shot of upsetting.

Who should win: Two of these films were the last two I watched in any category. “The Boss Baby” does not belong here, and I think there are very few people who would argue that. “Ferdinand” is a perfectly good movie, though it’s not the best of this bunch. Both “The Breadwinner” and “Loving Vincent” address adult themes in creative and compelling ways, but nothing compares to the wondrous, seemingly universally-adored “Coco.”

Who will win: There are some years where this category isn’t locked, but we have a film in the vein of “Inside Out” and “Frozen.” There’s no way that Coco doesn’t take home the award.

Oscar Nominees: Best Animated Feature

My predictions: 4/5, picking “The Lego Batman Movie” over “The Boss Baby”
My ballot: Come back in February!
The nominees: The Boss Baby, The Breadwinner, Coco, Ferdinand, Loving Vincent

I think this is the first time that the Golden Globe lineup has been replicated exactly, proving that Oscar voters really don’t like Legos and that they’re willing to give “The Boss Baby” a nomination in its place. I still have to see that, “Coco,” and “Ferdinand,” and I’m glad to see that neither of the mature entries in this race was snubbed. More once I’ve seen this field.

My current bet to win: I think it’s safe to say that Coco is far ahead.