Animation & the Academy Awards

[Bob Repas]

Apparently, if at least 16 films are submitted for a particular Oscar
category, the Academy's rules state that they can up that category from
three to five nominees. And apparently that's happening to the animated
films category this year. There are 20 films currently sitting as possible
nominees for Best Animated Film:

"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel"
"Astro Boy"
"Battle for Terra"
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"
"Coraline"
"Disney's A Christmas Carol"
"The Dolphin � Story of a Dreamer"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs"
"Mary and Max"
"The Missing Lynx"
"Monsters vs. Aliens"
"9"
"Planet 51"
"Ponyo"
"The Princess and the Frog"
"The Secret of Kells"
"Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure"
"A Town Called Panic"
"Up"

Now it's popssible "Up" may actually get nominated as Best Picture, so they'd
probably withdraw from inclusion in the animation area. "The Dolphin - Story of
a Dreamer" doesn't look like it's being released in the U.S. At least, there's
no U.S. release date on IMDB. It's already out in South America.

"Mary & Max" was supposed to release in the U.S. on November 9, but I haven't
seen hide nor hair of it in any theaters. Likewise, "The Missing Lynx" (aka
"El lince perdido") opened in the US last Nov. 6, 2008(!), but I certainly don't
remember ever seeing it come through. It has another release at the Latino
Film Festival in Los Angeles -- which is what qualifies it for submission to
the Academy, I guess.

So, from all these, which ones do you think will be the five Best Animated
Film nominees? My selections are:

"Up"
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"
"Coraline"
"Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"

If "Up" is pulled for Best Picture, then I think "Disney's A Christmas Carol"
will take its place. I don't think Disney will pit "A Christmas Carol" against
"Up", which is why I left it off the list with "Up" on it.

-Akea-

[Steve Gattuso]

First, academy rules would exclude "Alvin and the Chipmunks" from the
category, as it's more live action with animated elements.

Second, Disney won't pull "Up" from any category it's nominated for.
Mr. Lassiter would see to it.

Third, I would replace "Ice Age" with "Mary and Max," and "Cloudy"
with "Ponyo." in the nominees.

Last, "A Christmas Carol" sucked rocks through a straw. Disney's not
going to waste time to push for it.