Best Animated Feature feature

Okay, so this is pretty pointless, but also pretty interesting.

What, I ask you, are the chances of an animated film ever getting a Best Picture Oscar nomination now that the Best Animated Feature Film category exists (introduced in 2001)? And given that it took the Academy far too long to even acknowledge animation in the first place, what should have won in this category, had it always existed? And what exactly is the difference between a “Picture” and a “Feature” anyway?

So here it is, a full(ish) list of probable winners from the past couple of decades. And yes, that’s right, my critical judgment is equivalent to the entire Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Impressive, eh?

The actual winners

2008 – Wall-E
2007 – Ratatouille
2006 – Happy Feet
2005 – Wallace And Gromit And The Curse Of The Wererabbit
2004 – The Incredibles
2003 – Finding Nemo
2002 – Spirited Away
2001 – Shrek (Monsters Inc was robbed!)

The official Binky pre-Oscars Oscars

2000 – Chicken Run
1999 – Toy Story 2 (although it’s a very close fight between that,The Iron Giant and South Park)
1998 – Antz
1997 – Princess Mononoke
1996 – Beavis And Butthead Do America (not that the Academy would have anywhere near this - it would have probably gone to the dissapointing James And The Giant Peach)
1995 – Toy Story
1994 – Lion King (a brilliant film, but the only competition it had was The Pagemaster and Thumbelina…)
1993 – The Nightmare Before Christmas
1992 – Aladdin
1991 – Beauty And The Beast (the last – and first? – animated film to be nominated for Best Picture)
1990 – The Rescuers Down Under (seriously - do you know of any other animated films released in 1990?)
1989 – The Little Mermaid
1988 – Akira
1987 – Another depressing year I’m afraid. I can’t find a single recognisable animated film released this year. Any suggestions are welcome.
1986 – Castle In The Sky
1985 – The Black Cauldron
1984 – Can’t find anything here either. Any thoughts?
1983 – Nope, Nothing.
1982 – The Secret Of NIMH
1981 – Heavy Metal

… and then that’s where my research ends. It’s a bit depressing that there are entire years without any recognisable films, but it makes today’s animation industry look amazing by comparison. I’ll try to add to this list from time to time, but let me know what you think so far.