Countdown to Oscar Night: Alternative Films

Best Animated Film
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4

At one point I had three animated films in my top 10 of 2019 (Klaus, Dragon 3, and Frozen 2). The quality line between traditional films and "cartoons" is blurring a bit more each year. Every movie on this list is worth the watch. I Lost My Body is especially groundbreaking with the maturity of its story and visuals. As far as picking a winner, this may be one of the hardest of the night. Does the Academy pick the best movie (Klaus), the most groundbreaking (I Lost My Body), the most tedious to produce (Missing Link), or the most successful (Toy Story 4)? I'm gonna follow the money I guess... Also, Frozen 2 was better than the first and is the best animated movie of 2019.... fight me.

My Ballot
Klaus
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Toy Story 4
Missing Link

My Pick to Win
Toy Story 4

Shamefully Snubbed 
Frozen 2

Best Documentary Feature
American Factory
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland

Another list with some just plain essential films. Specifically For Sama and Honeyland do things that I've never seen before in films and are both beautiful and heartbreaking. That being said, my least favorite of the bunch (American Factory) is my pick to win. The Obamas produced the movie, so I don't think the Academy will be able to resist an appearance from Barack or Michelle.

My Ballot
For Sama
Honeyland
The Edge of Democracy
American Factory

My Pick to Win
American Factory

Shamefully Snubbed
Fyre

Best International Feature
Corpus Cristi
Honeyland
Les Miserables
Pain and Glory
Parasite

This is the only category where I have missed seeing two of the nominees. Les Miserables and Corpus Cristi are only in big cities right now...  Oh well. The nominees I have seen are pretty great, but this is an uneventful category because it is the easiest pick of the night: even if Parasite wins nothing else, it has this one sewn up.

My Ballot
Parasite
Pain and Glory
Honeyland

My Pick to Win
Parasite

Shamefully Snubbed
I Lost My Body