Oscar Got It Wrong!: Best Animated Feature 2011

The Contenders:

A Cat in Paris
Chico and Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango (winner)

Chico and Rita (Chico y Rita)

Format: Streaming video from NetFlix on laptop.

It seems that I’ve got a knack for picking the strange one out of the list of animated features for a given year. In a year where the nominees include Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rango, Chico and Rita (or more properly Chico y Rita) is definitely the odd film out. This is not just because of its old school animation and unique art style. This is a film definitely not for the kiddies. It’s a tale of love, romance, betrayal, and music set in Cuba in the 1940s. Among other reasons to keep the kids out of the room, Chico and Rita features full-frontal cartoon nudity not too far in.

Chico (Eman Xor Ona) is a jazz pianist, and a good one. He’s looking for a break in the music business along with his manager, Ramon (Mario Guerra). In fact, he’s got a song to enter in a competition, with a prize of a month contract at a resort hotel; he just can’t find the right singer. That right singer is Rita (Limara Meneses). When Chico sees her and hears her sing, he’s immediately smitten.