CRITICS CHOICE 2011 :

"Arthur Christmas" is a 3D computer animated holiday film about Santa's son, Arthur, who must undertake an important mission before Christmas morning. The film is produced by Aardman Animations, the same company that produced "Chicken Run" and the Oscar-winning "Wallace & Gromit" series. The film has strong reviews, with 92% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes, and it has also been nominated for Golden Globe and Annie Awards for Best Animated Feature.

This sequel received good reviews and made a bundle at the box office. The first "Kung Fu Panda" was nominated for Best Animate Feature at the Oscars and Critics' Choice, but lost both races to "WALL-E." "Panda 2" could also be an Oscar contender, but it was snubbed by the Golden Globes in favor of "Cars 2."

"Puss in Boots," spun off from the "Shrek" franchise, did big business at the box office, but that's no surprise considering the popularity of the "Shrek" franchise of which this is a spin-off. Critics have given it decent reviews. It's also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature.

One of the most financially successful and best reviewed animated features of 2011, "Rango" could win this category. It has an impressive 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and made $123 million in the United States. Johnny Depp lends his voice to the lizard the film follows.

Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin" could walk away with the prize. Critics have called the film charming and thrilling, though some have reservations about the aesthetic. Motion-capture films have proved controversial to animation purists.