Oscar Winner Predictions: Best Animated Feature

The competition: Kubo and the Two Strings, Moana, My Life as a Zucchini, The Red Turtle, Zootopia

Previous winners: Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Frozen, Brave, Rango, Toy Story 3, Up, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Happy Feet, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Spirited Away, Shrek
My winner: To be announced soon!
The facts: This category has existed since 2001. Both “Moana” and “Zootopia” come from Disney, which has won twice out of eight previous tries, for “Frozen” and “Big Hero 6.” The Japanese Studio Ghibli has won once out of six tries, back in 2002 for “Spirited Away,” and now contends for “The Red Turtle.” Laika has been nominated four times before, and this year contends for “Kubo and the Two Strings.” “My Life as a Zucchini” is the thirteenth foreign-language nominee in the history of this category. A number of the filmmakers behind these entries have been nominated once or twice before but none of them have won.

Who should win: I had trouble getting into “The Red Turtle,” enjoyed “Moana,” liked “Kubo and the Two Strings,” and was a big fan of “Zootopia.” But nothing impressed me as much as the one I saw list – “My Life as a Zucchini” – a sophisticated, endearing, and moving film that I think should take home this award. I would be fine if “Zootopia” did also, which is far more realistic.
Who will win: I imagine that it’s going to be Zootopia.