Yesterday, we reported about the 17 films submitted for nomination at this year’s Golden Globes.

So now, without further ado, the nominees in the Golden Globes’ category of Best Animated Feature are: Disney’s Big Hero 6, Reel FX’s The Book Of Life, LAIKA’s The Boxtrolls, DreamWorks Animation’s How To Train Your Dragon 2 and Warner Bros.’ The LEGO Movie!

Courtesy of Cartoon Brew, we have also received written reactions from all the nominees (with the exception of Big Hero 6). Notice how a few of them point out how this year was a great year for animated movies (and it really was).

From the makers of How to Train Your Dragon 2:

Director and writer Dean DeBlois: “Over three years ago, we started this journey on a research trip to Norway and Svalbard. As a filmmaker, what has been so gratifying is to have had the experience of traveling all over the world and seeing how Toothless and Hiccup have resonated with audiences. I’m so proud of our cast and crew and also want to congratulate the other nominees. It’s been a great year for animation and I’m humbled to be in their company. Today’s nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press is the icing on the cake of an amazing year for us-so thanks to all at the HFPA for a great wake-up call.”

Producer Bonnie Arnold: “What a great way to wake up! I can’t wait to get to the studio and celebrate with our crew. It seems like yesterday when we debuted this film overseas at Cannes and then at the Annecy Film Festival. To see the reaction from international artists and audiences was overwhelming and today, to be recognized by the Hollywood Foreign Press, is such wonderful feeling. I am so proud of our director/writer Dean DeBlois and to see his passion for the characters and vision for telling such a heartfelt story honored with a nomination. Thanks to everyone at the HFPA for making our day!”

From the makers of The Book of Life:

Director Jorge Gutierrez: “Like getting suckered punched by a thousand cherubs, I woke up to the fantastic news of our film’s Golden Globe nomination. This made my heart dance and my mustache grow a least a full inch! Reel FX, 20th Century Fox, Guillermo del Toro and everyone on our crew could not be more thankful. I’m thrilled that an honor like this will encourage more people all over the world to discover and experience the labor of love that is The Book of Life. To the HFPA, I don’t know what you guys are drinking but please let me buy you the next round. Salud!”

Producer Guillermo del Toro: “I am thrilled and honored for the recognition of our film and its innovative multi-cultural approach. We are all so grateful!!!”

From the makers of The Boxtrolls:

Directors Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable: “Wow! We are especially thrilled with this nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association because it honors the hard work of over 300 artists and animators from all over the world. The Boxtrolls would never had been done without the amazing dedication and craftsmanship of these people and the vision and leadership of Travis Knight, who gathered us all together in the mists of Portland, Oregon and gave us the opportunity to contribute to the wonderful legacy of this animation style. We want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for including us alongside all these other fantastic nominees.”

Producer Travis Knight: “How wonderful! My sincere thanks to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for honoring The Boxtrolls with this nomination. Nearly 10 years in the making, The Boxtrolls was a labor of wholehearted love crafted a frame at a time. From the inky black puppet mines in Portland to the well-appointed recording studios in London, our production was blessed with diverse and passionate artists of the highest caliber: brilliant actors, visionary directors, and a sublimely gifted crew. I’m so pleased that their prodigious talents have been so meaningfully recognized.”

Producer David Bleiman Ichioka: “I’d like to express my delight and appreciation to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its nomination of The Boxtrolls for this year’s Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Animated Film. There are so many great animated films this year! The medium is branching out and growing in wonderful ways, and we’re happy to be part of it. It is both gratifying and humbling to be included in such a talented group of nominees.

This nomination recognizes the efforts of a crew of over 300 women and men at LAIKA who worked for years on the picture, each expressing their unique talent and love for the medium of animation through their sacrifice and tireless work. Guided by our masterly directors, they have painstakingly hand-crafted the most complex stop-motion feature film ever, and it was an honor to work alongside them on this adventure. So many outside the studio also contributed immeasurably to THE BOXTROLLS. Our electrifying cast, superb composer, and the rest of The Boxtrolls family created a world of image and sound out of what often seemed like thin air.”

From the makers of The LEGO Movie:

Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller: “We are so excited to be nominated for a Golden Globe. The only kind of globes we have are made of cardboard or whatever normal ones are made of. We’re incredibly proud of our accomplice Chris McKay, along with the rest of an amazing crew and cast who brought so much passion and artistry to a film that could have easily been so much less. It’s a great year for animation and we’re grateful that a film called The LEGO Movie can be appreciated and recognized in this way. Everything in the world may not actually be awesome, but this really is.”

As Amid Amidi points out, in the eight years that the Golden Globes has presented the animated feature award, the winner of the category has gone on to win the Oscar six times. Whether or not that will be the case this year has yet to be seen.

Hosted for the third and reportedly final time by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, NBC will air the Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday, January 11 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.

In the meantime, a huge round of applause (and my own personal congrats) to the chosen nominees!

What do you think? Are you satisfied with the nominees? Did anyone have a favorite that got snubbed?

EDIT: It’s come to my attention that Big Hero 6 directors Don Hall and Chris Williams actually did respond to their nomination. From moviecitynews.com (all credit goes to aquapyro for the link):

DIrectors Don Hall and Chris Williams: “We are honored to receive this Golden Globe nomination from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for Big Hero 6! We share this nomination with our incredibly talented team who worked tirelessly to bring this beautiful film to the screen.  We can’t wait to give them a big Baymax fist bump!”