For this week’s Thursday Movie Picks, run by Wandering through the Shelves, we’ve been asked to list three to five films that have taken home the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
As usual I have based my selection from films I’ve watched.
Shrek (2001)
The Shrek series is one of DreamWorks Animation’s most successful franchises. The films have all taken home big money at the box office: against a budget of approximately $150 million, Shrek 2 had a worldwide gross of $920 million.
The film that started it all, Shrek, was awarded the inaugural Best Animated Feature award and gave us familiar fairytale characters but in a much more humorous and modern manner. It also gave us a talking donkey that goes on to fall in love with a dragon..!
Spirited Away (2001)
Out of three nominations, this is the only title from director Hayao Miyazaki to come away with a win. It tells the story of a young girl, Chihiro, who has become trapped in a strange new world of spirits and gains employment at a bath house run by a sorceress.
As with the other Studio Ghibli productions I’ve watched, it is whimsical and delightful, transporting you to a world that is at once both familiar and magical. The sorceress, Yubaba, reminded me of the witch, Mommy Fortuna, from one of my favourites: The Last Unicorn (1982).
WALL-E (2008)
WALL-E is an absolute gem from Pixar. It gives a glimpse into the existence of the last robot (a Waste Allocation Load-Lifter: Earth-Class) left on an Earth that has been overrun with garbage after all humans have fled to outer space.
It tugs at your heartstrings and you find yourself completely charmed by this lonely robot with a big personality. It’s a film I will continue to watch for years.
Inside Out (2015)
Although aimed at an audience much younger than myself, Inside Out is one of my favourite films. Putting the spotlight firmly on emotions and what makes you, you, it is thought-provoking, heart-warming and educational to boot.
As with many of Pixar’s films it had a positive critical and public response: it is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with 98% and scores 94/100 on Metacritic.
Cinematic Delights 
We match with Shrek! I always laugh at this movie and even the others. I have not seen your second pick or 4th but I have seen parts of Wall-E which, I hope, to one day see all the way through. It seems to speak about what is happening now..more garbage and people getting fatter.
You’re absolutely right, Birgit – WALL-E is very of the moment. It’s such a great film.
All around great picks! To be fair, I looked at the winners for the animated feature category and I’ve apparently watched and liked all of them haha there was no way you could go wrong this week.
I totally agree! There are a lot of wonderful animated features. What do you think: should they have a category of their own or should they go in with Best Picture?
I feel like they shouldn’t necessarily be excluded from Best Picture, but continue to have their own category. Just like Parasite won Best PIcture as well as Best International Feature.