The critics are praising The Tale of Princess Kaguya, which should be enough to make it a strong contender in the animated feature race already dominated by The Lego Movie and How to Train Your Dragon 2. Big Hero 6 should join the pack once it opens on November 7, based on its groundbreaking animation alone. Book of Life’s reviews are less raves than the other four films. Then there is the Box Trolls.
Right now, most pundits have The Lego Movie to win. Lego the toy brand was in the news recently for finally relenting on splitting ties with Shell Oil under pressure from Greenpeace. But their move to separate paints the brand in a better light and if the brand is no longer tarnished, that relieves a bit of the pressure on the toy company and its movie. It stands as the box office champ currently with $257 million take.
Right behind it is the Tale of Princess Kaguya, Studio Ghibli’s latest movie. Lush and dreamy but more importantly, appeals to adults. Glenn Kenny writes that the film “is a staggering masterpiece of animation based on a very old Japanese folk tale. “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya” is both very simple and head-spinningly confounding, a thing of endless visual beauty that seems to partake in a kind of pictorial minimalism but finds staggering possibilities for beautiful variation within its ineluctable modality. It’s a true work of art.
Kenneth Turan writes, “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” is a marvel of Japanese animation, a hand-drawn, painterly epic that submerges us in a world of beauty. While almost everything about it bespeaks its origins in a culture very different from the West, the delicacy and grace of its sublime imagery create an impact that couldn’t be stronger.”
It looks like the race, as Gold Derby has already proclaimed, is down to those two films for the win.
Third in line right now would have to be the How to Train Your Dragon 2, which not only upped its game with animation but also introduces a strong female character voiced by Cate Blanchett. It is followed by Disney’s Big Hero 6, which could, depending on box office, position itself higher in the animated feature race.
Finally, there is the Boxtrolls, which also looks to be a strong contender out of the gate. It competes with The Book of Life for the fifth slot if there are five.
Which five do you think will get in?
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Cómo entrenar a tu dragón 2 fue decepción?, pero si es la película animada de mayor éxito este año. O es que solo tomas en cuenta las ganancias en USA? Ademas la sosa Monster University no le llega ni a los pies a esta piesa monumental de Dreamworks, para mi, lo mejor en animación de este año y codandose con lo mejorcito en general. Un hurra por Gibli, es que este estudio nunca nos decepciona, al parecer esta película es una magestuosidad.
A mi tampoco me gustó mucho la Lego movie, pero tiene unas críticas envidiables y ahora Big Hero 6, está teniendo unas críticas impresionantes. Definitivamente, este año hemos tendo una fiesta en animación.
I saw book of life this week, and while the animation was unique and colourful, the script wasn’t great and it’s use of music just turned it into a bit of a cheese fest. People in the audience were laughing every time the characters sang, and not in a good way. If only they had come up with more original songs done in a traditional mariachi style rather than giving contemporary pop songs a mariachi-lite flavour to appeal to teens and Tweens.
It’s an excellent Ghibli animation, although I don’t think Kaguya quite has that extra oomph to win the Oscar (depending on other competition). It will need a large groundswell of support behind it in order to win.
Princess Kaguya could maybe get a boost if the overdue narrative (based on The Wind Rises not winning) takes root
G, hell yeah man. You cant go wrong with studio ghibli. I cant wait for this!
Sadly, no one seems to care about Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Though decent, its reception by both the critics and the audience was more subdued than Lego’s and Dragon’s. Yet, it’s a really sleek-looking, smart film, that tries to interest kids in world history in a fun and modern way. There’s also a touching adoption backstory and the threat of separation. I found it very original to reverse normality and have an über-smart dog adopt a human kid and show their father-son relationship blossom. It is especially relevant in a day and age when society is arguing over whether same-sex couples or single parents can raise children properly and be a “real” family.
Looking forward to watching Kaguya, Dragon and Boxtrolls. Despite original visuals, wasn’t too impressed with Lego movie which felt all over the place and like the characters were on exctasy.
Correction: In fact, my Kudos from the previous comment went to both Kenneth Turan and #Glen Kenny for the excerpts of their full reviews, both of which however had yet to be read in full by me.
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Sasha’s choice of Glen Kenny’s original review in brief: (the film) ‘“is a staggering masterpiece of animation based on a very old Japanese folk tale. “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya” is both very simple and head-spinningly confounding, a thing of endless visual beauty that seems to partake in a kind of pictorial minimalism but finds staggering possibilities for beautiful variation within its ineluctable modality. It’s a true work of art.”’
Sasha’s choice of Kenneth Turan’s original review in brief: ‘“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” is a marvel of Japanese animation, a hand-drawn, painterly epic that submerges us in a world of beauty. While almost everything about it bespeaks its origins in a culture very different from the West, the delicacy and grace of its sublime imagery create an impact that couldn’t be stronger.”’
I loved the flow and rhythm of both excerpts originally written by Kenny and Turan respectively when appreciated in my own shining light, not to mention for sentimental reason by which a Japanese effort was being cited in a positive light; so, I personally was of the opinion that, additionally, both excerpts also deserved their own spot here (as in this my second comment, for instance).
I think Song of the Sea could be a very strong contender as well. It is from the filmmakers who created The Secrets of Kells and will be distributed by the always-reliable GKIDS. From what I’ve heard so far it has stunning visuals and strong appeals to critics and adults alike
Thanks for the UPs, Sasha.
From the quoted excerpts only: Kenneth Turan was so kind in his positive remarks on the Japanese anime (animation) The Tale of Princess Kaguya [originally released in Japan around November or so last year] that I’ve felt somewhat a bit guilty for criticizing his reluctance to write a full review on Boyhood as a critic. Anyway, for sentimental reason kudos to Mr. Turan for this one occupational effort of his.
Moreover, good to feel the big, big love, in the night so stiiil, by the professional critics’ groups in the English-speaking cultures for Princess Kaguya.
One thing about which I don’t have to feel worried: re Princess Kaguya there is most likely no spoiler to me as far as I’m concerned, except if they would have decided to make this one a Shyamalanesque version with the real twist in the beginning. xD
(Not voted [yet]: Including the anime Princess Kaguya, to be honest I haven’t seen any of US-eligible contenders yet.)
I hope the Academy keeps some other animated films in mind that are easier to over look like Patema Inverted, made by a young, up and coming Japanese animator.
Patema Inverted trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa7sa-Zd-3E
Also, Attack on Titan is one of the most impactful animated series I have ever seen. It is available on Netflix.
Attack on Titan trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c37Jq9zWd-I