19 Responses for "Best Animated Feature Contenders"

1. S.T. Stevens November 11th, 2009 at 11:52 pm 1

   So why is something like Alvin and the Chipmunks considered an animated film but a film like Avatar or District 9 isn’t?

2. Luke November 12th, 2009 at 12:47 am 2

   What a beautiful-looking spread! Here’s hoping Ponyo can hold on long enough to make the final five…

3. Daniel November 12th, 2009 at 12:50 am 3

   What a great year for animation.

   Does anyone know if The Secret of Kells is any good?

4. Glenn November 12th, 2009 at 1:37 am 4

   Avatar wouldn’t have been submitted. Hence…

5. Bill W. November 12th, 2009 at 7:28 am 5

   Eventually all movies will be animated.

6. sister aloysius November 12th, 2009 at 7:37 am 6

   two new photos [and an interview] of ‘the lovely bones’:

   http://access-saoirse.com/

7. Free November 12th, 2009 at 8:13 am 7

   Glad about MARY & MAX and to see the nominees go to 5 again.

   But I have to ask, why the fuck is ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS on this list? As someone else mentioned, it’s not entirely animated, and we all know it’s going to be really, really awful.

8. Sasha Stone November 12th, 2009 at 8:14 am 8

   That’s so great.

9. TAC November 12th, 2009 at 8:24 am 9

   Just give it to Up right now. I don’t care how good Mr. Fox or Coraline are, Up is the winner.

10. OscarMovieBuff84 November 12th, 2009 at 9:00 am 10

    I was overjoyed when I heard the animated field was going to hit 16. I have a nephew who I take to see a lot of these all year and I think five is just right.

    In order of preference: Up, Mary and Max, Coraline, Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs, A Christmas Carol (I’ve yet to see Fantastic Mr. Fox & Princess and the Frog in that case I’d substitute the last two for these two).

    Yes Ponyo has the Miyazaki pedigree but I don’t see it as one of his best. Cute but not as good as the rest here. I could also see Ice Age 3 with it’s 800+ mil. worldwide sneaking in (WTF?)

11. John November 12th, 2009 at 10:14 am 11

    Well, I know I will be in the acute minority, but I absolutely hated ‘Mary and Max’.

    SO depressing. No child will like/get that. And I’m sorry. Call me old-fashioned. Call me severe. But THAT story, told in ANIMATION (which is very good, I confess) just does not work for me; emotionally, aesthetically, or otherwise.

    The cutesy parts irked me. The serious parts felt regurgitated from 1,000 dramas I’ve seen before. And who didn’t guess that ending?

    I’m sure it’s SUPPOSED to be life-affirming and all that. But I’m sorry, just didn’t do it for me, at all.

12. Nick K. (and a talking fox) November 12th, 2009 at 10:46 am 12

    John, it wasn’t supposed to be for kids. While I did see the ending coming, I really applaud Elliot’s decision to underplay the scenes that could have gone into sappy melodrama. It’s emotion was genuine, and I really dig the combination of the cartoonish with the realistic. It makes looking at reality a little more easy. It wasn’t supposed to be “life-affirming”, but rather illustrate the value of friendship, the *real* value of friendship, especially when you’re lonely and isolated. It was melancholy, but I felt the ending was (although predictable) quite beautiful. It’s a lot gutsier than any other animated film I’ve seen this year, and one of the most emotionally resonant ones I’ve seen in some time (Up was good, but it retreated back into safe territory before things got too serious. Mary and Max did no such thing).

13. John November 12th, 2009 at 11:06 am 13

    I also didn’t like UP. haha

    No, I see what you’re saying, Nick K..

    I just didn’t care for it. Good animation aside. It annoyed and depressed me more than anything else

14. Ryan Adams November 12th, 2009 at 11:28 am 14

    With an early score of 89, Fantastic Mr Fox has just passed Up’s 88 on metacritic. There are bound to be haters out there too, so that could change drastically throughout the day.

    I just updated the Fantastic Mr Fox review post with an unusual observation:

    Here’s an interesting development we don’t see every week. Since last night’s reviews first appeared on metacritic — two of the scores have been adjusted upward. Scott Foundas’ and Sheri Linden’s reviews have both jumped 10 points, from 90 to 100, and from 80 to 90, respectively. One has to assume that it was the critic himself who asked for the numerical score to be fixed. Looks like we’re seeing a rare situation when critics don’t want to be perceived as underestimating a movie. They love it, and they want to be sure we know how much they love it.

15. Awards Daily Origins: Alfredo November 12th, 2009 at 2:36 pm 15

    The Dolphin is peruvian!

16. Glenn November 12th, 2009 at 9:23 pm 16

    John, Mary & Max isn’t aimed at kids.

17. Of the Day – Episode 14 – 11.12.09 | Film Misery November 12th, 2009 at 11:48 pm 17

    [...] (After the jump.) A reader of Awards Daily has compiled a collage of stills from all 20 of the shortlisted nominees for Best Animated Feature. [Awards Daily] [...]

18. Chris Price November 13th, 2009 at 4:15 am 18

    Ryan, I LOOOOVVVVEEEDDD The Fantastic Mr. Fox and I am officially rooting for it for Animated Feature and a BP nod. WOW, it was a great movie. So full of imagination, style and wit. Maybe my favorite movie of the year. No joke.

    I think this is my top 10 of the year right now based on what I’ve seen:

    1. Fantastic Mr. Fox
    2. The Brothers Bloom
    3. A Serious Man
    4. Up
    5. The Hurt Locker
    6. Black Dynamite
    7. Precious: Based On The Novel “Push” By Sapphire
    8. Inglourious Basterds
    9. Drag Me To Hell
    10. Adventureland

19. Eric January 20th, 2010 at 7:20 am 19

    A Christmas Carol has a hell of a chance of winning. Robert Zemeckis is really the Miyazaki of motion capture.