Oscar Watch: 'Short list' of 19 animated films released
Posted Tuesday, November 5, 2013 at 4:41 PM Central
by John Couture
According to a press release from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, there are a total of 19 films that have made the "short list" for consideration for Best Animated Feature. Last year, 21 films competed for nominations while 18 films were submitted for consideration in 2011.
Since the number of films considered is greater than 15, there will be five nominations for Best Animated Feature. Had the number of films submitted fallen below 16, then only three films would have gotten nominations.
All of the following films will be considered for nominations for Best Animated Feature and they can be considered for other Oscar categories, including Best Picture, if they meet the requirements set forth in those categories. The 19 films officially to be considered are:
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
- The Croods
- Despicable Me 2
- Epic
- Ernest and Celestine
- The Fake
- Free Birds
- Frozen
- Khumba
- The Legend of Sarila aka Frozen Land
- A Letter to Momo
- Monsters University
- O Apóstolo
- Planes
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie – Rebellion
- Rio: 2096 A Story of Love and Fury
- The Smurfs 2
- Turbo
- The Wind Rises
For those scoring at home, last year I nailed 3 out of 4 locks, but missed completely on my wild card pick when The Pirates! Band of Misfits came out of left field to snag a nomination. Looking at this year's contenders, I know that four films are guaranteed nominations: Despicable Me 2, Frozen, Monsters University and The Wind Rises.
I just can't see the Academy failing to include Hayao Miyazaki's last film and Cars 2 is the only Pixar film that failed to secure a single Oscan nomination. Despicable Me didn't get a nomination, but I think its sequel is due and Frozen just has all of the earmarks *cough* Disney *cough* of a surefire nomination.
So, that leaves one spot open and I'm going to go out on my proverbial branch and give the nod to The Croods. It garnered decent critical reviews and a big box office number, so it will probably sneak in there for the fifth nomination.
The 86th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 16, 2014, while Oscar Sunday is March 2, 2014.