20 minute read
The 2021 Award Season Dossier
A Great Year for Wolves, Lost Souls, Lunar Trips and More By Michael Mallory
Zoinks, what a year! COVID-19’s forced separation of studios and theaters during much of 2020 has meant that most of Hollywood got its action on the download, seriously affecting box-office returns. Despite changes in distribution, however, the year is a remarkably strong one for Oscar contenders, particularly among foreign films. In fact, 2020 might be the first year animated films from other countries outnumber American contenders. A major player in the animated feature sweepstakes this time around is Netflix, which in two years has gone from threatened exclusion from the Oscar table to serving as a lifeboat for the industry overall. Meanwhile, a subtle but potentially game-changing question looms in the Academy’s new diversity criterion for any Best Picture contender. Since animation traditionally has a better track record of diversity than live action, will this mandate make it easier for an animated feature to slide up into the top category? Conventional wisdom holds that the creation of the Best Animated Feature category in 2001 closed the door to a Best Picture nod for any animated film, though the 2021 ceremony might tell us a different story.
BEST BETS:
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
(Aardman Animations, Netflix) Directors: Richard Phelan, Will Becher Release Date: September 22, 2019 (U.K.) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% Synopsis: The human and animal denizens of Mossy Bottom Farm discover a space alien, whom the sheep try to keep safe while Farmer John uses the opportunity to transform his struggling farm into a theme park. Director Talk: “As the first film was coming to an end, we started to have brainstorm meetings about what we could do next with Shaun the Sheep. Richard Starzak, who created Shaun the Sheep, said, ‘What if an alien crashed on the farm?’ And then everyone just lit up, because we realized we’d never made a sci-fi film at Aardman.” — Will Becher The Word: “It’s a very funny movie — and an endlessly, refreshingly cheerful one, which is just as rare.” — Jason Bailey, New York Times Nomination Chances: From the early days of Creature Comforts and Wallace & Gromit shorts, Aardman has had a history of being invited to the Oscar party — and the Bristolbased studio has a way of melting the hearts of animation lovers all over the world.
Over the Moon
(Pearl Studio, Glen Keane Prods., Sony Pictures Animation, Netflix) Director: Glen Keane Release Date: October 23, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79% Synopsis: A young girl channels her grief over the death of her mother to create a rocketship, and flies it to the moon to meet the Moon Goddess. Director Talk: “I love characters that believe the impossible is possible … We all face impossible odds in our life, now more than ever, and nothing can stop a character that sees that goal.” — Glen Keane The Word: “It laudably strives to work many new elements into feature animation. Strange, then, how so much of it seems like someplace we’ve been to many times before.” — Bob Strauss, San Francisco Chronicle Nomination Chances: Exquisite animation, heartfelt emotions and design overcome some convoluted storytelling, putting this in the good chance range.
(Pixar Animation Studio, Walt Disney Pictures) Director: Pete Docter Co-director: Kemp Powers Release Date: December 25, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100% Synopsis: An accident causes a musician/teacher to become separated from his soul, landing him into the “Great Before,” where he helps prepare souls for their eventual human form while hoping to reunite with his own body. Director Talk: “One of my great joys was when we did one of our first audience previews and hearing all these young college-age kids saying, ‘[The film’s protagonist] Joe really helped me process what I’m going through now as a 19-year-old freshman in college.’” — Pete Docter The Word: “It’s sad, funny and beautifully realized.” — Ed Potton, The Times (UK) Nomination Chances: An innovative story, a diverse cast and Pixar magic mean this is probably the closest thing to a sure bet this year. Awards watchers are even predicting that this one may break out of the animation category and enter the Best Feature and Original Screenplay race as well.
Wolfwalkers
(Cartoon Saloon, Mélusine Prods., GKIDS, Apple) Directors: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart Release Date: November 13, 2020 (U.S. theatrical) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% Synopsis: In a time of mystery and magic, a young apprentice wolf hunter befriends another young girl who may be a lycanthrope, leading to the discovery of secrets about herself and her own family. Director Talk: “Wolves are important to Irish folklore. The wolf was seen as a person and a partner, an apex predator rather than a monster that we had to fight against, and that was really inspiring to us.” — Tomm Moore The Word: “A visually dazzling, richly imaginative, emotionally resonant production that taps into contemporary concerns while being true to its distant origins.” — Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter Nomination Chances: Stylistically and thematically, it looks to be a very good bet; from the makers of 2010 nominee The Secret of Kells. All four previous Cartoon Saloon movies have received Oscar nods to date, which is a pretty magical record for a European indie.
LONGER SHOTS
Bombay Rose
(Cinestaan Film Co., Netflix) Director: Gitanjali Rao Release Date: December 4, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82% Synopsis: Three stories of love set against the metropolis of Bombay interconnect through a red rose. Director Talk: “A painted, frame-by-frame, 2D animated film is considered a huge labor, but it was still less of a labor for me than to find people who had faith in the film and were ready to take a risk and put their money into the film.” — Gitanjali Rao The Word: “The film itself is beautifully animated, the color palette dripping in bright and vibrant colors, even in the darkest of moments.” — Katie Hogan, Zavvi Nomination Chances: This opulently beautiful, Hindi-language romance is a festival fave, and its hand-crafted artistry will draw attention, giving it a fair shot at an Oscar nod.
The Croods: A New Age
(DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures) Director: Joel Crawford Release Date: November 25, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72% Synopsis: The prehistoric Crood family find themselves having to keep up with the Bettermans, a more evolved clan, and then must join forces with them to save their children. Director Talk: “In the first movie, Eep and Guy meet each other and they’re in love. But they’re the only two teenagers in the world, so of course they love each other. Through the course of this story, we challenge what their relationship means, and why they should spend their future together.” — Joel Crawford The Word: “It’s a conventional animated movie, but it’s funny and sweet and it’s not like every animated movie needs to reinvent the wheel.” — Chris Hewett, Minneapolis Star Tribune Nomination Chances: 2013’s The Croods received an Academy nod, establishing the franchise’s credentials and name recognition among voters, but this year might be too competitive for the sequel to score.
Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary
(Maybe Movies, Nørlum, Indie Sales) Director: Rémi Chayé Release Date: Limited release is planned in the U.S. in the first quarter. Rotten Tomatoes Score: Not Available Synopsis: A beautiful look at the imagined childhood of the plucky Western heroine as she takes her of her younger siblings and helps the family travel across the Oregon Trail, circa 1863. Director Talk: ““Our movie is about a girl that crosses the cultural fence between genders. It’s also about the price she pays for doing so. It’s a movie that says that you don’t have to be defined by the strict traditions and gender stereotypes associated with being a girl. I hope that the public will leave the theater feeling that they have actually met Calamity Jane and know a lot more about this fascinating figure.” The Word: “Calamity favors the simplicity of the line in an explosion of colors, a very judicious visual strategy which also highlights the bluegrass music composed by Florencia Di Concilio. But most of all, Chayé find the perfect balance to please all generations of viewers as they follow the adventures of a new female hero, the valiant and endearing flagbearer of the legitimate conquests of the female condition.” Fabien LeMerceier, Cineuropa Nomination Chances: Although its surprise last-minute arrival on the list of this year’s contenders might limit its exposure, the movie’s painterly qualities and powerful message of gender equality and championing those who fight gender stereotypes are irresistible. The film won the top prize for Best Animated Feature at Annecy and Best Children’s Film at Cinekid 2020.
Earwig and the Witch
(Studio Ghibli, GKIDS) Director: Gorō Miyazaki Release Date: December 30, 2020 (Japan); Early 2021 (U.S.) Synopsis: A headstrong young orphan named Earwig is adopted by a self-absorbed witch and taken to a magical, mysterious house where a battle of wills ensues. Director Talk: “Nowadays, in our country, there are many adults and few children. It must be tough for these children, so few of them having to deal with so many adults. It was while I was thinking about this that I got to know Earwig, and I realized, ’That’s it!’ How does Earwig deal with the annoying adults?” — Gorō Miyazaki Nomination Chances: The name Miyazaki — writer Hayao and his son director Gorō — alone might be enough to garner serious consideration, but it’s not a slam-dunk. It’s Studio Ghibli’s first CG-animated feature, and that may dampen the spirit of 2D purists.
Kill It and Leave This Town
(Bombanierka, Extreme Emotions, Outsider Pictures) Director: Mariusz Wilczyński Release Date: February 22, 2020 (Berlinale); December 3, 2020 (North America) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100% Synopsis: A grieving man enters a city of his own creation inside his head, which is accessible to other entities. Director Talk: “In my own way, I wanted to finish an interrupted conversation with my parents. They are gone now, and I had no time to talk to them or take better care of them when there was still time … You tell your parents, ‘Let’s talk tomorrow,’ but sometimes there is no tomorrow.” — Mariusz Wilczyński The Word: “Although the story is not easy to follow, the anger behind it is so virulent that it sweeps the narrative along on a wave of rage and repulsion.” — Deborah Young, The Hollywood Reporter Nomination Chances: A highly personal, adult art film, some 14 years in the making, employing stark, rudimentary animation in multiple media to evoke deep emotion … the high-art-loving members of Academy may eat this up with a lyźka.
Lupin III: The First
(TMS Entertainment, Marza Animation Planet, GKIDS) Director: Takashi Yamazaki Release Date: October 18, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100% Synopsis: Based on the long-running manga franchise, third-generation gentleman thief Arsene Lupin III battles a consortium of neo-Nazis for a dangerous diary and amulet left by an archaeologist during World War II, which contains the secret to vast wealth. Director Talk: “What I did with Lupin was not something that I could normally do in Japan in live action, but it’s not like I was like trying to do different things just because this is CG. I was really thinking about what I wanted to do with the film if I were to work on Lupin.” — Takashi Yamazaki The Word: “If I was initially worried about how well Lupin III would translate to 3D CG, these (probably underpaid) animators blew my mind and put my fears to rest. All the character designs, backgrounds and action moved as smooth as silk.” — Courtney Lanning, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Nomination Chances: Given its acclaim in Japan and its response here, chances are fair that this CGI action-adventure will earn golden man recognition.
No. 7 Cherry Lane
[Far Sun Film Co.] Director: Yonfan, with animation by Zhang Gang Release Date: November 20, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86% Synopsis: Set in 1967 Hong Kong, this lush, sophisticated and very grown-up movie centers on an English tutor who falls in love with both his student and her cultured Taiwanese mother. The Word: “Intellectually intoxicating and stylistically sumptuous, this romantic oddity about the passage of time evokes the grand elegance of a Wong Kar-wai epic infused with mature droplets akin to anime like Belladonna of Sadness or Millennium Actress.” — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times Director Talk: “I witnessed mass demonstrations, and bombings, experienced the curfews and the fear, and I saw violence and bloodshed. Those were Hong Kong’s colonial days. We knew nothing about human rights and democracy. Looking back, I’m amazed at how nonchalant and lackadaisical I was. Now history is repeating itself, 52 years later. I wonder what today’s young people will think when they reminisce about 2019, many years from now.” —Yonfan The Word: The movie was a festival favorite in Venice, Toronto, Busan and Tokyo, and has received raves from critics. However, it may be a little too languid for the voters with lower attention spans, spoiled by the fast pace of Pixar and DreamWorks movies.
Onward
(Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures) Director: Dan Scanlon Release Date: March 6, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88% Synopsis: Two elf brothers go on a magical quest to try and revive their dead father for a day. Director Talk: “We wanted to tell the story about these kids getting this chance to meet their dad. And we thought, well, that’s magic. I don’t know how else you do it. And that led to the fun of, ‘What if this was a fantasy story? And what if it was a very modern one?’” - Dan Scanlon The Word: “There’s something here for everyone, even if the overall package isn’t likely to go down as the next Disney/Pixar ‘classic.’” — James Berardinelli, ReelViews Nomination Chances: Acknowledgement that Onward is Pixar at B-game level, in direct competition with the studio’s A-game (Soul), weakens its chances.
On-Gaku: Our Sound
(Rock’n Roll Mountain, Tip Top, GKIDS) Director: Kenji Iwaisawa Release Date: December 11, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: Not yet available. Synopsis: Buddy comedy about three delinquent teenagers who form a rock band to try and impress girls and show up a rival gang. Director Talk: “If we’d tried to animate the orthodox way, I don’t think we’d have been able to produce an animated feature. I’m convinced that rotoscoping is what let us finish the film, however long it took.” — Kenji Iwaisawa The Word: “A wee 71-minute hand-drawn animated feature about three high school lunkheads who form a band, the film’s minimalist expression breaks the mold of Japan’s bigbudget studio-cloned anime glutted with mind-bending sci-fi conundrums or elaborate time-slip-body-switching fantasies.” — Maggie Lee, Variety Nomination Chances: Although it wooed the audiences at the Annecy and Ottawa animation festivals, this ultra-indie still might have a hard time persuading Academy voters to ignore bigger and splashier films.
The Willoughbys
(BRON Studios, Netflix) Director: Kris Pearn Co-directors: Cory Evans, Rob Lodermeier Release Date: April 22, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90% Synopsis: Tired of their neglectful parents, the four Willoughby children set out to banish their folks and raise themselves, leading to a series of darkly bizarre adventures. Director Talk: “I never wanted the film to feel mean, even though there were dark things in the film. I also never wanted the film to feel affected. I wanted all the characters to be optimistic and have an earnestness because that’s what I find funny.” — Kris Pearn The Word: “Though it tends to feel disjointed as a whole, The Willoughbys thrives when it embraces its grim plot and lets mischief reign.” — Natalia Winkleman, New York Times Nomination Chances: Despite its critical success and innovative visuals, the film’s relative obscurity in such a competitive year may diminish its chances, but don’t count it out yet. The story’s neglectful and downright abusive parents are also hard to stomach.
NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT…
Children of the Sea
(Studio 4°C, GKIDS) Director: Ayumu Watanabe Release Date: May 19, 2019 (Japan); Sept. 1, 2020 (U.S. home video) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61% Synopsis: An alienated teenager named Ruka meets two strange brothers, and together they discover a spiritual connection to the sea and the life within it. Director Talk: “I always have the main character face the child within me when I create characters. What’s always difficult is waiting for them to move. I’m always careful not to get ahead of the characters when advancing the story.” — Amuyu Watanabe The Word: “Children of the Sea is yet another animated fantasy based on hackneyed tropes, like sprite-like martyrs, the guiding hands of fate, and vague nostalgia for a pre-technological past.” — Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com Nomination Chances: Not distinctive enough from other anime adventures with children and sea creatures to really stand out.
Jungle Beat: The Movie
(Sandcastle Studios, Sunrise Prods., Timeless Films) Director: Brent Dawes Release Date: June 26, 2020 (U.S. streaming) Rotten Tomatoes Score: Not available. Synopsis: African safari animals adopt a young space alien, and then come together to thwart the efforts of its conqueror father to take over the planet. Director Talk: “How could I justify that these [previously mute] animals could suddenly speak? Is it some sort of mad scientist who’s invented this thing? And I just settled on the fact that there’s this alien technology because this alien needs to be able to communicate with the planets he’s going to. So that was the start of it.” — Brent Dawes The Word: “Sweet, wholesome family fare that should win the approval of parents and hold the attention of younger viewers.” — Alan Hunter, Screen International Nomination Chances: Based on the popular South African TV series, the film is kid-andfamily-friendly to the max, but unlikely to warm Oscar’s heart.
Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train
(ufotable, Aniplex, Funimation Films) Director: Haruo Sotozaki Release Date: October 16, 2020 (Japan); 2021 (U.S.) Synopsis: Members of the Demon Slayer Corps go on a dangerous mission to investigate the disappearances of people on a seemingly-endless train and face some pretty hideous demons in the process. Director Talk: Not available — Sotozuki-san appears to work sans publicity. The Word: “It is a show full of action, but also one that strikes you on an unexpected emotional level.” — Rachel Freeman, The Pop Break Nomination Chances: A record-breaking hit in Japan, the uphill challenge for this feature film adaptation of a popular manga and television series will be to break through the fan base to reach mainstream Academy voters.
Ride Your Wave
(Science SARU, GKIDS) Director: Masaaki Yuasa Release Date: February 19, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93% Synopsis: A young surfer falls in love with a young firefighter, who previously saved her life, and after his drowning finds his spirit in the waves. Director Talk: “It’s a story about our instincts with regards to water. While it’s a movie about surfing, the main theme is really ‘riding the waves’ … the waves of life.” — Masaaki Yuasa The Word: “It doesn’t constitute Yuasa’s top effort, but it’s inviting enough to persuade audiences unfamiliar with him to dip their feet and then fully dive into the profundity of his imagination, where wonder awaits.” — Carlos Aguillar, The Wrap Nomination Chances: Fair at best, since it would have to break through a plethora of highly regarded anime films this year.
Scoob!
(Warner Animation Group) Director: Tony Cervone Release Date: May 15, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48% Synopsis: Scooby-Doo and the gang face their greatest challenge in outer space, as they battle (with the help of several other classic Hanna-Barbera characters) Dick Dastardly’s plot to unleash the hellish dog Cerberus on the world. Director Talk: “I like to challenge the characters. I feel like they’re real people. Scooby and Shaggy’s friendship is so strong I think it’s inspiring to people, I think it’s one of the reasons we still watch the characters.” — Tony Cervone The Word: “Beyond the improved computer animation compared to the hand-drawn origins, sequences worthy of attention are too few and very far between.” — Brian Lowry, CNN.com Nomination Chances: A CG valentine to classic HB buffs, it’s unlikely to get away with a nomination from those meddling Academy voters.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
(Paramount Animation, Mikros Image, Nickelodeon Movies) Director: Tim Hill Release Date: August 14, 2020 (Canada); Early 2021 (U.S. PVOD) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77% Synopsis: SpongeBob and Patrick seek to rescue SpongeBob’s snail pal Gary, who has been kidnapped by King Poseidon and taken to the lost Atlantic City. Director Talk: “Everyone comes together to help SpongeBob because of all the things he has done for them. It’s a celebration of creativity and humor, and by extension, it’s an homage to what Steve [Hillenberg, SpongeBob’s creator] gave to all of us during his lifetime.” — Tim Hill The Word: “‘I’m so confused,’ said my 10-year old, reacting to the movie’s strange distractions and delights while barely hanging onto the throwaway plot.” — Radheyan Simonpillai, NOW Toronto Nomination Chances: Everybody loves SpongeBob, though like its previous franchise features, this one is unlikely to soak up a nomination.
Trolls World Tour
(DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures) Director: Walt Dohrn Co-Director: David P. Smith Release Date: April 10, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 70% Synopsis: Six different Troll lands, each governed by a style of music, face a threat from hard-rocker Queen Barb, who wants to impose her sound on all the others. Director Talk: “In talking to some rock bands and reading a lot about rock people, they are very hardcore and passionate about their genre. That’s what allowed us to tell that story from the rock point of view.” — Walt Dohrn. The Word: “Trolls World Tour is not a mind-blowing cinematic achievement, but it is exactly what kids, and parents, need right now.” — Randy Myers, San Jose Mercury News Nomination Chances: A very long shot.
A Whisker Away
(Studio Colorido, Toho Animation, Twin Engine, Netflix) Directors: Jun’ichi Satô, Tomotaka Shibayama Release Date: June 18, 2020 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93% Synopsis: A lovestruck adolescent girl discovers a magic mask that enables her to turn into a cat, which she hopes will gain her attention. The Word: “What A Whisker Away loses in terms of flow and legibility, it makes up for in its celebration of the fullness of human life.” — David Erlich, IndieWire Nomination Chances: It will be a daunting struggle for this cat to break through this year’s pack and find its patch of light.
Last-Minute Surprise?
Connected
(Sony Pictures Animation, Lord Miller Productions) Director: Mike Rianda Release Date: TBD (Fall/Winter 2020) Synopsis: Mechanical devices of the world unite and try to take over, leaving it up to the roadtripping Mitchell family to save the planet. Director Talk: “What is great about humanity that can’t be replaced by robots? … What about technology is going to bring us together and what about technology is going to pull us apart? Those all seem like really interesting things to talk about and things to explore over the course of a movie.” ─ Mike Rianda Nomination Chances: At press time, we were waiting to find out whether Sony was going to release this much-anticipated title in time for this year’s awards. In the past the Academy has smiled upon films whose themes involved the collision of technology and humanity. Early word praises the easy-going humor, likeable characters and clever mix of 2D elements and CG visuals. Come on, movie release overlords, make this happen!
