【Kelly the Coed 1 (1999)】

Often overlooked,Kelly the Coed 1 (1999) the Best Animated Feature category has piqued some interest this year because of a few unexpected nominations. But some of us have paid close attention to it for years.

Prior to 2018, voting on the Best Animated Feature and the Best Animated Short nominations were restricted to industry professionals, which allowed smaller, independent movies to be showcased. This year, however, the nomination process was opened up to the whole Academy. Hence, Boss Baby.

And with it comes the worry that a big name will take an Oscar from a more deserving film. But this is far from the first time big studio animated films were honored more than their scrappy competition.

SEE ALSO: There's actually a good explanation for why 'The Boss Baby' got an Oscar nom

Big industry names have a monopoly over the category recently, with Disney and sister-studio Pixar snagging the award for 11 out of the past 16 years.

There have been many overlooked, and perhaps more deserving movies across the years that have lost to bigger names. Here are some highlights that deserved more recognition.

2004: Howl's Moving Castle and Corpse Bride

The winner:Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbitis cute, but the other two films nominated that year—Howl's Moving Castleand Corpse Bride—had more heart to their story. Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castlewith its themes of personal loyalty and compassion against the broader anti-war message stands out, but Tim Burton's quirky Corpse Bride, with its surprisingly elegiac ending, also deserves a nod.

Purchase Howl's Moving Castleon Amazon Prime.

Watch Corpse Brideon Amazon Video.

2007: Persepolis

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The winner:Ratatouille

Ratatouilleis an amazing film and any other year, it would be an undisputed winner. That being said, Persepolisis not only an amazing film, but an important film. Based on a graphic novel by Marjane Santrapi, Perseopolis is Santrapi's autobiographical tale of her coming-of-age during the Iranian Revolution. As indicated by the Hollywood Reporterballots, oftentimes animated films are seen as being solely for children. While we shouldn’t discount the tastes of the youth, this was one year where a more serious, mature film should have been recognized.

Watch Persepolison Amazon Video.

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

2013: Ernest and Celestine

The winner:Frozen

Frozenwas great for the first month it was out but now, nearly five years later, it’s about time we just... let it go. While it definitely stood out musically, storytelling-wise, Frozen was... okay. Its big commercial success overshadowed the quality of the smaller films that year.

One of these smaller films, French studio Les Armateurs' Ernest and Celestine, tells of the unlikely friendship between an orphan mouse and a hungry bear—sounds like it could be kitchsy, but it involves the duo becoming fugitives, navigating tense race relations, and encouraging the pursuit of each other's artistic talents, all with a warm, almost glowing aesthetic.

Watch Ernest and Celestine on Netflix.

2014: Song of the Sea and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

The winner:Big Hero 6

2014 was a pretty good year for animation in general, but amongst the real standouts in the pool, Big Hero 6 fell a little flat.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Cartoon Saloon's Song of the Seaand Ghibil's The Tale of the Princess Kaguyaespecially stood out among the bigger names—two films lumped as "these two obscure freakin’ Chinese fuckin’ things that nobody ever freakin’ saw" by one Oscar voter, per theHollywood Reporter. (For the record, Song of the Seais an international collaboration and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is Japanese).

Both are fairy tales at heart and explore their regional folklore with care—not to mention, each of them is visually stunning, stepping outside the typical big-eyed Disney-esque CGI.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Watch Song of the Sea on Amazon Video.

Purchase The Tale of the Princess Kaguyaon Amazon Prime.

2016: Kubo and the Two Strings

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The winner:Zootopia

Zootopia is a funny movie with a timely message—and characters that could be easily marketed and sold as plush toys. Kubo and the Two Strings, from stop motion studio Laika,is a tale of the power of storytelling, memories, and what makes us human—set against a brilliantly animated feudal Japan. Kubo is one of only two animated films to be nominated in the visual effects category. It may not have had the pop culture references of Zootopia or the infectious soundtrack of Moana, but Kubostands out for its uniquely beautiful animation and timeless story.

Watch Kubo and the Two Strings on Netflix.

This year, Pixar's Cocois basically guaranteed to bring home the prize, but two of the smaller films, The Breadwinner and Loving Vincent deserve more recognition. The Breadwinner, a product of Cartoon Saloon, is done in the studio's unique animation style and tells the story of a young girl growing up in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. BreakThru's Loving Vincentis a biopic about Post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh and the first fully painted animated film—that feat alone makes it stand out.

Coco is a fantastic film with great representation and a poignant theme—but so were these two films, which will likely just get a small round of applause as their names are announced for nomination.

Watch The Breadwinneron Netflix.

Watch Loving Vincenton Amazon Video.

---

Featured Video For You

---

---

Topics Disney Oscars