Oscars 2024 Review: 10 Ups & 6 Downs

5. The Boy & The Heron Upsets Spider-Man (Best Animated Film)

The Boy and the Heron
Toho

A possibly controversial opinion now, but perhaps the only big surprise win of the night to be genuinely disappointing was The Boy and the Heron's win for Best Animated Feature over easy favourite Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Much as Hayao Miyazaki is an undeniable industry legend, his latest work ranks among his weaker efforts to date, and this win ended up feeling more like a consolatory career Oscar than one that was fully deserved in its own right.

That the Academy's entire voting body gave it the win over the decidedly more popular Across the Spider-Verse is genuinely surprising, though may be a result of the Academy's notorious bias against sequels - and also potentially the perception that the Spider-Man sequel's cliffhanger ending makes it "only half a movie."

While this win is a good indication that the Academy no longer simply selects the safest, most mainstream option for Best Animated Feature - as, historically, they just pick the Pixar movie - in this case, the most popular nominee would've actually been the right choice.

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Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.