The release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie was highly anticipated and it shattered box office records. The film has become a phenomenon and continues to dominate the box office. However, critics have given the movie a lukewarm reception, labeling it as "fine." Interestingly, critics have been raving about another animated movie, Suzume, directed by the renowned Makato Shinkai and distributed by the anime giant, Crunchyroll. It seems that critics wish audiences were flocking to see Suzume instead of Mario.
Suzume has received an overwhelming amount of positive reviews, with critics hailing it as one of Makato Shinkai's best works and one of the best movies of the year. Viewers who have seen it also praise the film, but it appears that Mario's popularity has overshadowed it. Nonetheless, the quality of the film is so exceptional that many believe it should have been nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar at the Academy Awards. Surprisingly, Suzume failed to secure a nomination. In this article, we'll delve into the potential reasons why Suzume was snubbed, by examining the history of animation at the Oscars.
The history of animation and its association with the Academy Awards can be traced back to the 1930s when Walt Disney changed the game by introducing synchronized sound and the first-ever full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This highly successful film paved the way for numerous animated feature films from Disney and other studios. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences took notice and created the category of Best Animated Short Film in 1932 to acknowledge the artistry and technical skill of animated short films.
In 1991, Disney's Beauty and the Beast made history as the first-ever animated film to be nominated for Best Picture, though it ultimately lost to The Silence of the Lambs. Over time, more and more animated films gained critical and commercial success, such as The Lion King, Chicken Run, and Toy Story. However, they were seldom nominated for categories outside of Best Song and Best Score, let alone Best Picture. In response to the growing importance of animated films in the industry, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences introduced the category of Best Animated Feature in 2001. The first film to win this award was Shrek, a computer-animated comedy produced by DreamWorks Animation.
The Best Animated Feature category has celebrated a wide variety of animation styles, from hand-drawn to stop-motion to computer-generated. While some argue that the award may hinder animated films from being considered for Best Picture, it does draw much-needed attention to the art of animation. However, despite its positive impact, the category has been mired in controversy, making it a difficult path for Suzume's Oscar journey.
As for the number of anime films that have been nominated for Best Animated Feature,
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At present, a total of 7 anime films have been nominated for the coveted Best Animated Feature award. These include some of the most iconic films in the genre such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There, The Red Turtle, and Mirai. Interestingly, all but one of these films were produced by the renowned Studio Ghibli, with The Red Turtle being a co-production between them and several French companies. Despite the immense popularity and critical acclaim of these films, only Spirited Away has been able to secure the award thus far, making it the first and only anime film to have won this prestigious accolade. This begs the question - why have the other films been overlooked despite their undeniable merit?
The film industry can often feel like a closed circle, especially when it comes to awards shows like the Oscars. Take a look at the list of nominees and you'll notice that certain studios and distributors tend to dominate the categories. Even when it comes to foreign films, there are certain names that consistently show up year after year. For example, while there have been a handful of Studio Ghibli films nominated for Best Animated Feature, the majority of them were distributed by major American companies like Disney and Sony. It's not impossible for independent studios to break through and earn a nomination, but it certainly seems like an uphill battle.
It's crucial to understand that the Academy Awards operates as an exclusive club. Members are handpicked by the Academy, and as they're predominantly based in Hollywood, they tend to favor Hollywood-made films. When looking at the Best Animated Feature category as a whole, Pixar has taken home 11 wins out of their 17 nominations. Additionally, Disney - Pixar's parent company - has secured 4 wins out of their 13 nominations. When you factor in that Disney also distributed Spirited Away, it becomes clear that Disney has won this category a staggering 16 times out of the 22 years the awards have been presented. It's safe to say that Disney holds a firm grasp on this category, with only DreamWorks, Paramount, Sony, and Netflix managing to win in the years that Disney didn't. This evidence points to a clear Hollywood bias within the Academy.
Another important factor to consider is the cost of campaigning for an Oscar. It's a well-known fact that Oscar campaigns are incredibly expensive, with studios and production companies spending millions of dollars to secure nominations and votes.
One more reason why anime doesn't usually win Oscars is that campaigning is necessary to have a chance of winning. In a year, there are hundreds of movies to watch, and it's difficult to get into the club without some serious campaigning. Disney, DreamWorks, and Sony have the financial resources to print ads, run commercials, and host Academy screenings. However, a company like pre-Sony-acquired Funimation doesn't have millions of dollars to spend on an Oscar campaign for a movie like Your Name, which only grossed about $5 million in America. Even Eleven Arts is just happy that their limited release of A Silent Voice was able to attract ticket buyers. Unless anime receives support from Hollywood actors like To Leslie did, it will never be able to compete with the studios that out-campaign anime every year.
Additionally, most voters do not watch animated films, which makes it even more difficult for anime to win.
When it comes to the Best Animated Feature category, there's a little secret that not many people know about - most members of the Academy don't actually vote for the films in this category. While some members do choose which films to nominate, the majority of the Academy is pretty apathetic towards the award, and often let their children do the voting for them. An anonymous member of the Academy shared their thoughts on the matter with The Hollywood Reporter, saying:
"I only watch the ones that my kid wants to see, so I didn’t see [The] Boxtrolls but I saw Big Hero 6 and I saw [How to Train Your] Dragon [2]. We both connected to Big Hero 6 — I just found it to be more satisfying. The biggest snub for me was Chris Miller and Phil Lord not getting in for [The] Lego [Movie]. When a movie is that successful and culturally hits all the right chords and does that kind of box-office — for that movie not to be in over these two obscure freakin’ Chinese f**kin’ things that nobody ever freakin’ saw? That is my biggest b*tch. Most people didn’t even know what they were! How does that happen? That, to me, is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen."
It's clear that some members of the Academy feel strongly about the Best Animated Feature category, and believe that there are films that are more deserving of recognition than others. However, as long as the majority of the Academy remains indifferent towards the award, it's unlikely that we'll see any major changes in how the category is voted on.
After watching all five nominees, I decided to sit down with the young members of my family to get their input. We all unanimously enjoyed Big Hero 6 and watched it three times without any debate or disagreement. It's clear that animated films have a special place in the hearts of young viewers, which could explain why none of the 22 nominated films geared towards adults took home a win. It's important to recognize the significance of animated films and the joy they bring to younger audiences.
