The best animated Oscar 2017 conversation often starts and ends with "Kubo and the Two Strings," but the landscape that year was far richer than a single champion. While La La Land dominated the live-action conversation, the animation category showcased a stunning diversity of styles and storytelling, ranging from the handcrafted charm of stop-motion to the breathtaking scale of CGI. This was a year where the technical artistry matched the emotional depth, creating a field of contenders that remains highly respected to this day.
Defining the Category: A Year of Artistic Excellence
To understand the best animated Oscar 2017, one must look beyond the winner and examine the incredible shortlist. The Academy's recognition that year validated a wide spectrum of animation, proving that the medium is not confined to a single aesthetic or demographic. The films nominated for this honor represented a global conversation, with stories that were intimate, epic, dark, and deeply funny. This diversity made the competition for the top prize particularly fierce and meaningful.
Spotlight on the Contenders
The primary contenders formed a constellation of distinct visions. "Kubo and the Two Strings" offered a heartfelt, visually stunning odyssey rooted in Japanese folklore, celebrated for its tangible, stop-motion wonder. "Zootopia" emerged as a cultural phenomenon, using its animal metropolis to deliver a sharp, timely satire on prejudice and ambition. "Moana" captivated audiences with its Polynesian-inspired world and a powerful story of self-discovery, while "How to Train Your Dragon 2" expanded its universe with surprisingly emotional depth. "The Good Dinosaur" presented a more somber, melancholic take on the classic tale, and "Inside Out" provided a groundbreaking psychological allegory set inside the human mind.
The Winner and Its Lasting Impact
When the envelope was opened and "Kubo and the Two Strings" was announced as the winner, it felt like a triumph for traditional craftsmanship in a digital age. The film’s meticulous blend of 3D printing and hand-finishing for its stop-motion characters created a texture and depth rarely seen on screen. Its narrative, while familiar in its hero's journey, was delivered with a poetic grace that resonated with both critics and general audiences, cementing its place as a modern classic of the medium.
Beyond the Oscar: The Category's Hidden Gems
However, focusing solely on the winner of the best animated Oscar 2017 risks overlooking the incredible work produced that year. Films like "The Red Turtle," which competed for the Best Animated Short, exemplified the power of minimalism and visual storytelling. Furthermore, the success of the main nominees signaled a healthy market for auteur-driven animation, encouraging studios to take creative risks. The legacy of this year is not just one film, but a demonstration that animated cinema can be sophisticated, challenging, and universally appealing.
