Oscar for Best Animated Feature 2013

[Sotiris]

It may be early to discuss the possible 2013 nominees but I'd like to know what your predictions are for the 2013 awards.

As per Academy rules, 8 to 12 eligible films are required for a field of three nominees, 13 to 15 for a field of four, and 16 or more for a field of five.

The submitted features for 2013 are the following.

01. A Letter to Momo
02. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
03. Despicable Me 2
04. Epic
05. Ernest and Celestine
06. Fake
07. Free Birds
08. Frozen
09. Khumba
10. Monsters University
11. Planes
12. Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie –Rebellion–
13. Rio 2096: A Story of Love and Fury
14. The Apostle
15. The Croods
16. The Legend of Sarila (aka Frozen Land)
17. The Smurfs 2
18. The Wind Rises
19. Turbo

Notes

• Anomalisa is scheduled to complete production in 2013. It will be approximately 40 minutes in length. It needs to be over 40 minutes to qualify as a feature. It is unknown whether it will receive an Oscar-qualifying run in 2013.

• An Oversimplification of Her Beauty received an Oscar-qualifying run but it is unknown whether it will be deemed eligible since it contains live-action footage.

• Approved for Adoption is not eligible since it contains a high amount of live-action footage. It was submitted in the Best Documentary category instead.

• Battle of the Kings: Rostam & Sohrab is planned to be screened in the U.S in 2013 but it is unknown whether it will receive an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Berserk Golden Age Arc III: Descent has secured a North American release but it is unknown whether it will receive an Oscar-qualifying run in 2013.

• Blue Exorcist: The Movie received a theatrical release in select theaters but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Cheatin' did not complete production in time for an Oscar-qualifying run in 2013.

• Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie! received a theatrical release in select theaters but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Chhota Bheem and the Throne of Bali was expected to be released in the U.S. in June/July 2013. It is unknown whether it was indeed released and whether it received an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Consuming Spirits was not eligible because it was released in a nonprofit theater instead of a commercial one.

• El Santos vs. La Tetona Mendoza was scheduled to be released in the U.S. in 2013.

• Escape from Planet Earth was eligible as it received a wide release but was not submitted for consideration.

• Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet Home has secured a North American release but it is unknown whether it will be released theatrically in 2013.

• Hell & Back was scheduled to be released in 2013.

• Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? will receive a theatrical release in select theaters but it is unknown whether it will receive an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Jay & Silent Bob’s Super Groovy Cartoon Movie received a theatrical release in select theaters but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Leo the Lion was scheduled to be released on August 30, 2013.

• My Little Pony: Equestria Girls received a theatrical release in select theaters but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Pinocchio has secured a North American release but it is unknown whether it will be released theatrically in 2013.

• Postman Pat: The Movie – You Know You're the One was scheduled to be released in the U.S. on November 27, 2013.

• Santapprentice (aka Santa's Apprentice) was scheduled to be released in the U.S. on December 06, 2013. It would not had been eligible since it was originally released overseas in 2010.

• Silver Circle received a theatrical release in select theaters but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• The Art of Happiness has secured a North American release but it is unknown whether it will be released theatrically in 2013.

• The Last Flight of the Champion received a theatrical release in select theaters but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• The Smurfs 2 was submitted for consideration but it may be disqualified like its predecessor. In 2011, The Smurfs was included in the Academy's list of submitted entries but it was ultimately disqualified for not meeting the Academy's requirement that animation must be featured in at least 75% of a film's running time to be considered eligible.

• The Snow Queen received a theatrical release in select theaters but not an Oscar-qualifying run.

• The Trick or Treaters was scheduled to be released on October 25, 2013.

• Thomas & Friends: King of the Railway – The Movie was screened in the U.S. but did not receive an Oscar-qualifying run.

• Top Cat: The Movie received a theatrical release in select theaters but was not eligible as it was released outside the U.S. in 2011.

• Walking with Dinosaurs was not submitted for consideration even though it was eligible.

• Wolf Children was going to receive an Oscar-qualifying run at Laemmle's Town Center 5 between September 27-October 03 but the engagement was cancelled at the last moment for unknown reasons.

[qindarka]

1. Planes
2. Turbo
3. Postman Pat: The Movie - You Know You're the One
4. The Nut Job
5. Escape from Planet Earth

Winner: Planes (which will also be a Best Picture nominee)

[estefan]

What? No The Snow Queen? I always found it unusual that The Smurfs was deemed ineligible, when that same year, Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 was okay. Pretty sure there were more Smurfs in the former than Chipmunks in the latter.

Anyway, I think the nominees will be:

The Croods
Epic
Ernest & Celestine
Frozen
Monsters University

[PatrickvD]

1. Frozen
2. Ernest & Celestine
3. Monsters, University
4. Turbo
5. A Letter to Momo

VERY early. And I can easily see PIXAR bias rearing its ugly head if Monsters University turns out much better than expected. And the Japanese trailers have led me to believe it will surprise.

[thelittleursula]

Monsters University will win. I'll bet you two cookies on it.

[PatrickvD]

Sotiris, I notice Epic in your top 5. Maybe you should watch the latest trailer... and weep:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0afRTYtTnQ

This thing makes Ferngully look like A Streetcar Named Desire.

Epic-fail.

[RodryCroft]

1. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
2. Epic
3. Frozen
4. Monsters University
5. The Croods

And I think Disney should win for once, so... FROZEN!!!
BTW. I've only seen The Croods, and I really didn't like it, but I'm sure it will get a nomination :/

[estefan]

Sotiris, I notice Epic in your top 5. Maybe you should watch the latest trailer... and weep:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0afRTYtTnQ

This thing makes Ferngully look like A Streetcar Named Desire.

Epic-fail.

I think "Epic" looks pretty awesome. It certainly looks like a departure for Blue Sky as it seems more action-adventure than goofy comedy (though we do get a bit of that with the slugs, but they've made me laugh in all of the trailers). And while the story definitely seems reminiscent of Ferngully, I think that film's problem wasn't the story, but rather the execution of it which was very bogged down by its environmental message. You can quote this post if I'm wrong, but I predict this will be Blue Sky's How to Train Your Dragon, the movie that shows they can make something dramatic and majestic which wows everybody.

[PatrickvD]

I think "Epic" looks pretty awesome. It certainly looks like a departure for Blue Sky as it seems more action-adventure than goofy comedy (though we do get a bit of that with the slugs, but they've made me laugh in all of the trailers). And while the story definitely seems reminiscent of Ferngully, I think that film's problem wasn't the story, but rather the execution of it which was very bogged down by its environmental message. You can quote this post if I'm wrong, but I predict this will be Blue Sky's How to Train Your Dragon, the movie that shows they can make something dramatic and majestic which wows everybody.

You did see that trailer, right? Beyoncé and Pitbull?



I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but this trailer made my interest drop to rock bottom. I'd say it's off the radar completely for the animated feature Oscar now.

[estefan]

Why? Did those two write and direct the movie? If the script is strong and Chris Wedge's direction is passionate enough, that will be enough to make this a winner. The visuals already look like they trump those in every previous Blue Sky film.

But we will see what the reaction is in two months.

[qindarka]

I think "Epic" looks pretty awesome. It certainly looks like a departure for Blue Sky as it seems more action-adventure than goofy comedy (though we do get a bit of that with the slugs, but they've made me laugh in all of the trailers). And while the story definitely seems reminiscent of Ferngully, I think that film's problem wasn't the story, but rather the execution of it which was very bogged down by its environmental message. You can quote this post if I'm wrong, but I predict this will be Blue Sky's How to Train Your Dragon, the movie that shows they can make something dramatic and majestic which wows everybody.

You did see that trailer, right? Beyoncé and Pitbull?



I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but this trailer made my interest drop to rock bottom. I'd say it's off the radar completely for the animated feature Oscar now.

Wouldn't write it off just yet. I find plenty of film trailers to be awful, they aren't very representative of the full movie.

[Sotiris]

What? No The Snow Queen?

Wizart's Snow Queen hasn't secured a U.S. theatrical distribution as of yet.

And the Japanese trailers have led me to believe it will surprise.

Don't believe the Japanese trailers. They make films look better than they actually are.

Sotiris, I notice Epic in your top 5. Maybe you should watch the latest trailer... and weep.

It's not that bad. The international trailer is much better though. Sure, the film's premise is not the most original out there but I like the visuals and storywise it seems much better that Blue Sky Studios' usual fare.

You did see that trailer, right? Beyoncé and Pitbull?

Although Pitbull's character seems a bit obnoxious and redundant, Beyoncé's character actually looks pretty interesting.

[Pokeholic_Prince]

I'll say:

Epic
Turbo
Frozen
Monster's U
Despicable Me 2

Epic has the best trailer by far of all the other animated films that have trailers. I hate "Ferngully," but "Epic" looks amazingly good, hopefully it's not plagued with Blue Sky's brand of kiddie humor. I want to be more on the line of Robots, which is their best film to date.

I would have completely counted out "Despicable Me 2," but the new trailer is actually pretty good. It looks to delve into Gru and the girls relationship.

"Turbo" and "Monster's U" look decent, but nothing special, but I hope I'm proven wrong.

"Frozen" sounds the most exciting. Mainly because of all the mystery and Disney's current streak of gold.

[Disney's Divinity]

I don't know a lot about many of these films (they usually don't come on my radar until commercials/etc.), but I don't need to know the other candidates to know Monsters already won when it was put into production.

[PatrickvD]

And the Japanese trailers have led me to believe it will surprise.

Don't believe the Japanese trailers. They make films look better than they actually are.

If I didn't know any better I'd say you're referring to Brave....

[Sotiris]

If I didn't know any better I'd say you're referring to Brave.

How did you guess?

And it's not just Brave, the Japanese trailer for Tangled also made the movie look better than it actually was.

[DisneyEra]

If I didn't know any better I'd say you're referring to Brave.

How did you guess?

And it's not just Brave, the Japanese trailer for Tangled also made the movie look better than it actually was.

Come on Sotiris, you didn't like the Pink song in Tangled's 1st US trailer? Or what about the rough-draft trailer that added that Miley Cyrus remake "Girls just want to have fun"?

[DisneyJedi]

A little too early to make assumptions. I don't know if Monsters University would win, even if it is a Pixar movie, mainly because it's a sequel/prequel. The only animated sequel (let alone only sequel altogether) I know that won the Oscar was Toy Story 3. Heck, Cars 2 didn't even GET nominated because of its reception.

[pap64]

Oh wow... This year might actually be the weakest in terms of animated output. Of the ones mentioned, I see The Croods being Dreamworks's sole representative as Turbo looks to be Pop Culture driven Dreamworks, whereas Croods has a well known director behind the helm, and is a visually creative film. For Pixar, unless Monsters U turns out to be even worse than Cars 2 it will be in, but as excited as I am for that I don't see it as being Pixar as their absolute best. Frozen could be a surprise, but it is too early to tell since we have nothing about it save for early renders and concept art. Epic from Fox may also have a chance. Planes is too commercial for it to gain anything, and Despicable Me 2 and Cloudy 2 may have a chance IF they manage to surpass the originals.

But yeah, this year is rather tame compared to the lineup we had last year.

[Pokeholic_Prince]

I wanna change my list

The Croods
Epic
Frozen
Monster's University
Turbo