Oscar Nominations 2023: 8 Ups & 9 Downs

2. Surprise: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (Best Animated Film)

Best Animated Feature also has a tendency to be a chaotic field in which championed and acclaimed animated films get snubbed in favour of more mainstream fare which easier catch the eye of lazy voters.

And there was much worry that the near-universally revered Marcel the Shell with Shoes On could miss out on a nomination, especially given its unconventional animated style which some might not immediately appreciate as animated at all.

But Dean Fleischer Camp's stop-motion mockumentary indeed showed up among the five nominated animated films on nomination morning.

While the Oscar is basically Pinocchio's to lose, voters should give themselves a pat on the back for singling out one of the most creative animated features of recent years.