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Over the course of nearly a hundred years, the Academy Awards have shown a tendency to favor specific films and performances over others. For example,The Academy Awards show a strong preference for biographical films and their acting performances., and average dramas often take precedence over genre films or lighthearted comedies. Then there’s the serious neglect of animation in the top categories. As of this writing, only three animated films have received best picture nominations, and even those were mostly overlooked in other major categories simply because they were made in animation. Animation enthusiasts are all too familiar with the annual frustration of watching this high-profile awards show overlook some of thetop animated films of all time.
Concealing this frustrating trend are five particular animated films that received no Oscar nominations. Most of these titles were released after the establishment of the best animated feature category, making their total lack of recognition even more puzzling. However, just because they couldn’t break through the Academy’s indifference toward animation doesn’t mean they should be overlooked. In fact, reflecting on their failure to receive Academy Award attention only highlights the excellence of their animated storytelling.
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A Town Called Panic
The most stunning animated movies ever createdhighlight the magnificent pleasures that this painstakingly detailed art form can create. The slow process of stop-motion filmmaking often leads to movies that focus on breathtaking beauty or reflective moments about life. However, for the 2009 film “A Town Called Panic,” this technique brings forth non-stop and absurd humor. Directors Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar adapted their French TV series of the same name into a chaotic journey centered around Cowboy (Aubier) and Indian (Bruce Ellison) attempting to build a barbecue pit for their friend Horse (Patar). A defective online order of bricks sets the trio on a wild adventure around the world.
The world of “A Town Called Panic” is deliberately designed to resemble a collection of children’s toys moving about. This gives the film’s “anything goes” narrative a perfect fit, as it feels like something a child might imagine on the spot. This unpredictability contributes greatly to the hilarious moments, as it’s genuinely hard to guess what jokes will appear next. Aubier and Patar’s silly style showcases real talent in exact timing, as seen in memorable scenes like Horse “playing” a piano. That’s just one of the many amusing delights and punchlines in “A Town Called Panic,” all contained within 76 minutes of stop-motion magic.
Chicken Run
When ranking all DreamWorks Animation films from least to most preferred, the titles created in collaboration with British animation studio Aardman often rank at the top. Although the partnership was short-lived, the three Aardman/DreamWorks films showcased the former studio’s signature humor and visual imagination at new and exciting levels. This achievement was evident right from the start with 2000’s “Chicken Run.” The story of a group of chickens attempting to flee their harsh farm, “Run” was an exhilarating mix of prisoner-of-war movie tropes without compromising its striking and foreboding visuals to cater to the film’s intended audience.
On the flip side, directors Nick Park and Peter Lord managed to extract significant comedic value by pairing funny visuals and the clumsy chicken characters with elegantly crafted nighttime scenes. In addition, the effort to portray antagonistic figures such as Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) as truly formidable added genuine, engaging tension to the story. Even better, Aardman’s energetic stop-motion animation is a pleasure to watch in “Chicken Run.” The physicality involved in using clay is one of the key advantages of this storytelling method, enhancing how emotionally immersive this world becomes.
Unfortunately, “Chicken Run” received no Oscar nominations. Interestingly, its failure to be nominated for best picture is said to have led to the establishment of the best animated feature category. Nevertheless, its exceptional craftsmanship has remained, particularly when contrasted with several inferior DreamWorks films.
Paprika
The meticulously crafted animations by director Satoshi Kon, known for creating movies such as “Tokyo Godfathers” and “Perfect Blue,” are remarkable accomplishments. They stand out particularly for their exaggerated and dreamlike imagery. Kon took full advantage of the endless possibilities offered by traditional animation to create mind-bending visuals that seem to come directly from a hallucinogenic dream. The ambitious nature of Kon’s films was vividly showcased in 2006’s “Paprika,” where reality and dreams merge, a scenario that only researcher/psychiatrist Dr. Atsuko Chiba (Megumi Hayashibara) can resolve.
The following experience feels like wandering through a disorganized dream, featuring unique visual styles and color palettes for different settings. Viewers of Chiba and “Paprika” are constantly surprised by what comes next, resulting in an engaging movie experience. The powerful use of bright red and green colors alone is sufficient to hold your attention on the screen. Despite Kon’s previous works that have blurred the boundaries between reality and artificial worlds, “Paprika” stands out with its particularly daring embrace of the unexplainable.
Frustratingly, none of Satoshi Kon’s films, such as “Paprika,” have ever been recognized with an Academy Award nomination. However, nothing comes close to the achievement of directing a film as full of creativity as “Paprika.”
Mary and Max
In 2009, the world of animation experienced a remarkable year. From “Ponyo,””Up,””Fantastic Mr. Fox,””A Town Called Panic,” to “The Secret of Kells,” there were numerous outstanding films that were easy to discover. Among the less noticeable but equally powerful releases of that year was “Mary and Max,” the first stop-motion animated film by renowned director Adam Elliot. The story follows Mary (Toni Collette) and her letter-writing friend Max (Philip Seymour Hoffman), two individuals who are vastly different. Despite being separated by geography and having very different lives, they form a deep connection and find solace in their friendship.
Elliot has consistently embraced dark, and sometimes violent, elements in his creations. His movies like “Harvie Krumpet” and “Memoir of a Snail” showcase stylized characters, yet delve into genuine and distressing facets of daily existence that many live-action films avoid. This bold storytelling and thematic courage shape a deeply moving story, further enhanced by exceptional voice acting from Philip Seymour Hoffman, who brings deep layers and authentic insight to Max’s perspective.
In the meantime, the animation that brings Mary and Max’s worlds to life is truly remarkable. The rough yet tangible environments, which are all in shades of gray, convey a powerful feeling of aging and damage. “Mary and Max” is an emotionally devastating experience that also reminds audiences that comfort and support can be discovered in any person or place.
It’s a Truly Stunning Day
Filmmaker Don Hertzfeldt is known for his distinctive scribbly animation style that often hides deep insights. Since his breakthrough short film “Rejected,” the simple, flawed visuals in Hertzfeldt’s work have contained sharp observations about modern society and the nature of existence. In 2012, Herzfeldt created his greatest achievement with “It’s Such a Beautiful Day,” a journey following an ordinary man named Bill, who battles memory issues. The film’s surreal animation and editing perfectly and unsettlingly mirror Bill’s troubled mind, making it an idealanimated film for horror enthusiasts. The main character lacks a sense of stable reality, so the audience also does not experience any consistency.
Among the many remarkable aspects of “It’s Such a Beautiful Day” is its ability to sneak in powerful emotional blows while also delivering absurdly funny scenes, perfectly matching the style of a director who introduced the world to the line “my spoon is too big!” However, “Beautiful Day” truly shines in its portrayal of existential despair. The relentless passage of time contributes to an overwhelming sense of bleakness that will deeply affect any viewer. The increasingly chaotic visuals and the sorrowful psychological forces driving this visual descent are equally compelling.
Metacritic reports that there are just 24 nearly flawless animated films.. It’s not surprising that “It’s Such a Beautiful Day” is one of them.
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