2017 Oscar Predictions: Best Animated Feature

Studio Ghibli hopes to fend off blockbuster contenders from Disney/Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios this year.

“Finding Dory”

The Academy has been giving out the Best Animated Feature prize for 15 years now, and Pixar has claimed nine victories, the most of any studio. This feat bodes well for “Finding Dory,” the studio’s critically hailed blockbuster sequel to Oscar-winner “Finding Nemo.” In this category, at least, sequels are not a bad thing — “Toy Story 3” took home two Oscars.

“The Red Turtle”

Pixar’s home, Walt Disney Animation Studios, meanwhile, has been on a meteoric rise over the past several years, notching back-to-back wins for “Frozen” and “Big Hero 6” in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The studio is in the midst of another golden age, and this year’s $1 billion global blockbuster “Zootopia” will easily find a place among the year’s nominees, along with their latest princess musical, set in the Pacific Islands, Thanksgiving breakout “Moana,” with three song contenders written by “Hamilton” star Lin-Manuel Miranda.

But while these dominating animation studios have big-time contenders, not to be overlooked is Studio Ghibli’s “The Red Turtle,” which emerged after earning unanimous raves at the Cannes Film Festival, followed by Toronto. Sony Pictures Classics is handling the domestic release and will definitely be pushing for the Oscar, which Studio Ghibli hasn’t won since Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” in 2003.

Stop-motion studio Laika keeps creating strong animated stories and lyrical Japanese fairy tale “Kubo and the Two Strings” is their most visually elegant to date.

“Zootopia”

Also playing well at Toronto was Illumination’s second film of the year, Garth Jennings’ holiday musical “Sing,” which brings a joyous singing contest to life with well-known popular songs.

Frontrunners:
“Finding Dory” (Pixar/Disney)
“Kubo and the Two Strings” (Laika/Focus Features)
“Moana” (Disney)
“The Red Turtle” (Studio Ghibli/Sony Pictures Classics)
“Zootopia” (Disney)

Contenders:
“Miss Hokusai” (Gkids)
“My Life as a Zucchini” (Gkids)
“Sing” (Illumination/Universal)
“Trolls” (DreamWorks/Fox)

Long Shots
“Long Way North” (Shout Factory)
“The Little Prince” (Netflix)
“The Secret Life of Pets” (Illumination/Universal)
“Storks” (Warner Bros.)

source

http://www.indiewire.com/2016/11/2017-oscar-predictions-best-animated-feature-1201688001/