The Academy Award nominees were announced Tuesday. From now through the awards, I’ll be looking at nominees in some of the film categories. Today, it’s a look at the nominees for Best Animated Feature. Nominees appear in order of preference for me. The Academy Awards takes place on Sunday, March 10.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
About: This one was released during the summer, the follow up to my favorite animated film Into the Spider-Verse. I enjoyed this and am looking forward to the final installment. Could it become a sequel that wins the biggest prize in animation, just like the first film? That’s possible. It has certainly been a favorite leading up to it and won the top prize for animated films for the critics groups I am part of in Denver and the North American Film Critics Association.

Elemental
About: This Pixar release also came during the summer. I really enjoyed the storytelling. I’ve seen it twice and both times it’s been quite moving. It wasn’t the most high-profile animated film released in 2023, but I am excited to see it included among the nominees here.

The Boy and the Heron
About: This film from Hayao Miyazaki was released in December. It’s a beautifully crafted film and an engaging story. This could be one of the strongest contenders in this category. While I liked a couple other films more, I appreciated the artistry and craft in this film. It will be one to watch during the awards telecast.

Nimona
About: This film from Netflix was released earlier in the year and had seemed to fade a bit. I was mildly surprised to see it make the final field for the Academy Awards after missing the slate in so many other spots. That said, it was a ground-breaking film in terms of its story. It’s a nice nod to the film to see it included in this field and it could be a surprise contender here.

Robot Dreams
About: This film from Neon is an interesting addition. It’s a dialogue-free film about a dog and his robot companion, how they get separated and what happens next. There are some powerful emotional beats in the story, but it felt a bit overly long at times for me. This was probably the biggest surprise for me in this category.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.