The expectation going into Oscar season was that The Lego Movie would undoubtedly be nominated and would win for Best Animated Film. This mentality was confounded with the fact that the film was the most profitable animated film of the year, taking in two-hundred-and-fifty-seven million dollars domestically. This perception was immediately taken away with two incidents: First, The Lego Movie failed to garner a win at the Golden Globes, losing to How to Train Your Dragon 2. Then, it failed to gain an Oscar nomination, thus eliminating its possibility of winning. This put How to Train Your Dragon 2 as the main contender this year with the Golden Globe win as the momentum it needs to pull a win. Despite the film being a relatively average animated film, the film has a fiercely popular fan base, which also helps with the film’s momentum in winning. Additionally, a win for this film would honor the original animated film, which was nominated, but failed to achieve a win in 2011 (losing to Toy Story 3). Yet, this isn’t a guaranteed win for How to Train Your Dragon 2, especially with The Lego Movie winning the Critics Choice Award recently. The Golden Globe does have a good track record that is in sync with the Oscars, having only awarded an alternate movie once in 2012 when it gave the award to The Adventures of Tintin instead of the eventual Oscar winner, Rango. If such an upset scenario occurred at the Oscars, the likely choice would be for Big Hero 6 to grab the win. This wouldn’t be a travesty since Big Hero 6 was an unexpected gem that has mostly gone unnoticed with audiences and critics. Having received tremendously positive reviews, Big Hero 6 is one of those rare animated movies that appeal to both children and adults with its mixture of comedy, action, sacrifice, and the occasional life lessons that the film conveys eloquently throughout its narrative. Most noticeable is how the film’s primary character and his creation illuminate a tremendous bond of friendship that audiences easily can identify and find a bond with, a sentiment that is timeless. Therefore, Big Hero 6 may have the capacity to tug at voters’ heartstrings and allow for it to pull a surprise win.
The Nominees:
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Will Win: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Could Win: Big Hero 6
Should Win: Big Hero 6
Play it Again, Dan 
The only thing I can possibly give “How to Train Your Dragon 2” was the curiosity that it garnered within me to pick up the books. On the one side, I was disappointed that the movies were nothing like the books. On the other, I think the books did a better job dealing with teaching lessons on living through childhood/early adolescence and having the presence of bullies in one’s class. I think the nominations came to the movie not because of the direction or actors, but instead had to do with the production studio: Dreamworks.
Looking at the nominees I’m not getting any impression that the choices were because of the material provided within the story but instead are being handed out to the production studios instead as some sort of “Consolation Prize” even with the Oscars. For in order, this is what you’re looking at:
1. Disney
2. Laika Entertainment (indie/overseas studio)
3. Dreamworks Animation
4. Big Farm (indie/overseas studio)
5. Studio Ghibli
I suspect that Studio Ghibli is going to win… It’s been 12 years since they won anything (Spirited Away). Disney is often loved/hated because of the founder’s history during the McCarthy Era, the indie/overseas studios are thrown in to show the judges are “impartial”, Dreamworks is Spielberg and he’s often spurned as much as he is praised.
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All right so I saw Big Hero 6 and have to say — it doesn’t have a chance in HELL to winning. The reason because it relies on the Trope “…A Boy and His X…” A trope that hasn’t won in decades because the judges for the category are like old whores… Impossible to please with trite and often simplistic tropes like the one presented in this movie. Same with How to Train your Dragon 2 because it relies on the same trope through *2* movies.
I will stick with Studio Ghibli and looking through the last 15 years of animated movies that won will change a little to include the Boxtrolls in as a distinct possibility of being a serious contender. Especially after seeing that “Wallace & Grommit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit” one one of those 15 years.
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We shall see what happens on Sunday.
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