Tag: Abbi Jacobson

Oscar Predictions: Tangles

Based on Sarah Leavitt’s graphic novel about her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, the animated drama Tangles premiered at Cannes and has now played Toronto to fresh reviews. Said to be a major tearjerker, Leah Nelson directs with a voice cast including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Abbi Jacobson, Bryan Cranston, Samira Wiley, Beanie Feldstein, Seth Rogen, Pamela Adlon, Sarah Silverman, Bowen Yang, and Wanda Sykes. Among the film’s producers are its cast mates Louis-Dreyfus and Rogen.

IFC has acquired distribution rights with a planned Oscar qualifying release by year’s end. It might pan out. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 100%. If this gets enough exposure with the animation branch, I could see it nabbing one of the five slots and I’ve had it doing so in my projections for some time. Competition in the coming weeks will be key to see whether it stays there. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Watch: The Mitchells vs. the Machines

As we wait to hear the Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards this Sunday evening (hint: it’s Soul), we have a fresh possibility for the competition next year. Formerly titled Connected, Netflix premieres The Mitchells vs. the Machines on April 30. The computer animated sci-fi comedy comes from director Michael Rianda and is produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (the team behind 2019’s Oscar recipient Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and The Lego Movie franchise). Actors doing voice work include Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Eric Andre, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Conan O’Brien, and Olivia Colman.

The Sony Pictures release was originally slated for theatrical release before the COVID-19 pandemic switched it to streaming. Reviews out today are nearly across the board positive with a current 96% Rotten Tomatoes score. It is early in the year and there’s eight more months of animated hopefuls to come. Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon is already out and could easily make the final cut. Pixar’s Luca (out this summer) is certainly one to keep an eye on. However, Mitchells has already established itself as a contender in the 2021 mix.

My Oscar Watch posts will continue…