In 2022, one of five animated films will join the ranks of Shrek, Spirited Away, Toy Story 3 and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ pick for the year’s best feature animation. The five nominees include entries from Walt Disney Animation, Sony Pictures Animation, Pixar and the independent European studio Final Cut for Real. Three of the contenders debuted directly on streaming platforms. Which of these Animated Feature nominees at the 2022 Oscars is the strongest — and which falls shortest?
In this edition of Ranked, The Film Magazine examines each Animated Feature nominee for the 2022 Academy Awards. We assess overall quality, artistic ambition, social relevance, critical response and audience reception to rank the nominees from weakest to strongest in this: 2022 Animated Feature Oscar Nominees Ranked.
5. Raya and the Last Dragon
Raya and the Last Dragon Review
Raya and the Last Dragon is clearly built from a wealth of ideas, but its storytelling is weighed down by extended exposition and repeated explanations. The film spends a long time establishing its world and rules, which leaves the two-hour runtime feeling bogged down and, at times, dull. Younger viewers are likely to enjoy the adventure more than adults.
Characters are often made to announce locations and facts that are already shown on screen, and that heavy-handed approach to information weakens the narrative drive. The film demonstrates strong world-building and earnest effort in character dynamics, yet the script plays it safe and relies on familiar Disney beats without elevating them. The result is a competent but unremarkable entry in the studio’s catalogue.
There is room for every kind of Walt Disney Animation release, and Raya contains moments of charm, but it does not quite rise to the level of a serious Animated Feature contender. Its nomination raises questions about how it compared to other films released that year.
4. Encanto
A marked improvement over Raya, Encanto became a cultural phenomenon reminiscent of the impact Frozen had with “Let It Go.” The animation is polished and colorful, though not as visually distinctive as some other nominees. Encanto’s greatest strength is its music.
Tracks like “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” captured the public imagination, and the soundtrack consistently reinforces character and plot, functioning like the classic Hollywood musicals that inspired it. Encanto’s vivid palette, playful characters and strong emotional core make it an engaging family film.
The movie earns praise for representation and for exploring themes such as generational trauma and familial duty. While it doesn’t reinvent animation, it successfully revives a beloved storytelling formula with fresh energy. Encanto isn’t the most innovative nominee on the list, but it’s heartfelt, entertaining and resonant.
3. Flee
Flee Review
Flee stands out for its urgency and relevance. The film, which also received recognition in the Documentary and International Feature categories, recounts a man’s harrowing journey fleeing Afghanistan and seeking asylum in Denmark. Its first-person storytelling highlights the long-term psychological effects of displacement and the complex internal struggles migrants endure.
The animation in Flee serves a specific purpose: protecting the protagonist’s identity while immersing viewers in his memories and emotions. This approach builds deep empathy and offers a powerful, human-centered perspective on migration. However, compared with other nominees, Flee is less ambitious in visual spectacle and polish. Its stylistic choices favor intimacy and concealment over technological flourish.
In a year marked by geopolitical upheaval, Flee’s timely subject matter and emotional honesty make it the most socially pertinent animated film among the nominees, though not necessarily the most groundbreaking in animation craft.
2. Luca
Luca Review
Pixar continues to demonstrate its consistent excellence with Luca, a deceptively simple coming-of-age tale set in a sun-drenched Italian coastal town. The film follows a young sea creature experiencing the human world for the first time, delivering warmth, humor and gentle emotional truths. Despite its straightforward premise, Luca manages to be heartfelt and resonant.
Because Pixar excels at visual detail and storytelling nuance, Luca includes charming touches — from expressive seagulls to perfectly realized seaside atmosphere — that reward close viewing. The film has been interpreted as an allegory for identity, belonging and otherness, which is part of its strength: its themes are universal and accessible to younger audiences while offering depth for adults.
Paced with more vitality than some of the studio’s recent releases, Luca is a joyful escape with sincere emotional payoff. It’s a superb family film and a fine example of Pixar craftsmanship, though it stops short of transforming the medium itself.
1. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
The Mitchells vs the Machines Review
Sony Pictures Animation captured something electric with The Mitchells vs. the Machines, echoing the bold stylistic leap the studio first made with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The Mitchells injects a DIY, hyper-energetic aesthetic — playful title cards, social-media flourishes, and inventive textures — that makes the film feel immediate, modern and distinct from mainstream 3D animation.
The film’s teen-centered perspective and rapid-fire humor resonate without ever feeling condescending. It balances heartfelt family dynamics with satirical commentary on technology and media, delivering laughs and action while emphasizing why its story needed animation to be told so inventively.
Originally delayed during the pandemic and ultimately released on a streaming platform, The Mitchells vs. the Machines found a wide audience at home and retained a cinematic scale in its visual ambition. It’s tightly authored, emotionally honest and consistently inventive — qualities that make it the standout animated film of 2021 and the best animated nominee at the 2022 Oscars.
Which of this year’s Oscar-nominated animated features do you consider the standout? Share your thoughts in the comments. Follow The Film Magazine on social media for updates and more curated movie lists.