THR‘s awards analyst Scott Feinberg ranks the current Oscar odds for the top 8 animation contenders
Rango (Paramount): The category’s only lock, this comedic Western voiced by Johnny Depp got raves and boffo box office in March, and has stayed at the forefront of the awards discussion ever since.
The Adventures of Tintin (Paramount): This 3D adaptation of the bestselling comic books combines traditional animation and motion capture in unprecedented ways, exciting some voters and turning off others.
Cars 2 (Disney): This category always makes room for Pixar films, and this hyperkinetic 3D sequel improved on the original in terms of quality, if not box office.
Puss in Boots (DreamWorks): Shrek won the first-ever Oscar for best animated feature. People can’t help enjoying this witty 3D prequel of sorts. Will history repeat itself?
Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks): The 2008 original was nominated for an Oscar; the 3D sequel has a similar storyline but handles its action sequences more impressively.
Happy Feet Two (Warner Bros.): Most critics knocked the thin, convoluted narrative of this 3D sequel to 2006’s animated Oscar winner, but Time’s influential Richard Corliss wrote a love letter of a review.
Rio (20th Century Fox): No element of this 3D flick has been hailed as extraordinary, but all are better than average, and that may be enough.
Arthur Christmas (Sony): Sony Animation’s top contender should rake in big dough over the holidays, but didn’t go over all that well at its recent Academy screening.
