Animated Feature Oscar Watch 2007

Originally Posted By markymouse

Cool. Thanks for the links. Does anyone else agree that the animated short category is weighted toward art animation over popular animation. I can't remember if any Pixar shorts made the list in past years. I love Boundin'. Shame about the Goofy short. Disney should get some credit for trying to bring animated shorts to theaters where more that .01 % of people will see them.

 

Originally Posted By jdub

Briefly, on the animated shorts, I always love the ones from Pixar--in fact, I'd be so shocking as to say I often like them better than the films they precede! I've not seen any of the nominated shorts, but I still think this year's Pixar entry deserves a nom.

Back to the feature-length films:
Now that I've let it sink in, as much as I know the Academy seems to love penguin movies, I really think the third nomination would have been more deservedly gone to "Meet the Robinsons."

 

Originally Posted By mapleservo

I think pretty much all of Pixar's shorts (including Lifted last year) have made the cut for nominations. Gerry's Game and For the Birds both took home awards, along with Tin Toy waaaay back.

I think a good chunk of the "art animation" is actually pretty accessible if you look at it. And I really appreciate the diversity there.

The other thing... considering Pixar always has a strong contender in the Animated Feature category, the Academy is likely a little concerned about having them sweep both categories.

I'd love to see more shorts getting theatrical releases before mainstream films, instead of being relegated to just the little animation film festivals.

 

Originally Posted By FerretAfros

For what it's worth, it looks like there's a pretty good chance that Enchanted will win the best original song, with 3 different nominations. So Close, The Happy Working Song, and That's How You Know are all up, along with Falling Slowly from Once and Raise it Up from August Rush. I haven't heard Falling Slowly, but Raise it Up was entirely forgettable, so that looks promising.

Also, it looks like the surprise nominee (to me at least) is Juno, with 4 different nominations, all in big categories (Lead Actress, Director, Original Screenplay, Best Film).

 

Originally Posted By TheRedhead

I am so glad that Bee Movie and Simpsons weren't nominated. Simpsons was so disappointing, and the thought of Seinfeld having that smug smirk smacked off his face: awesome.

 

Originally Posted By DlandDug

Yes, it is surprising that neither The Simpsons Movie nor Bee Movie made the cut. They did already lose the Golden Globe to the Rat. Simpsons was supposed to be the popular contender. And Mr. Seinfeld certainly did make sure that everyone on the planet saw him talking on and on and on about his little movie.

Brad Bird was interviewed in today's LA Times article about the nominations. He was very gracious in mentioning the other two nominees. He said that Surf's Up took a refreshing "documentary" approach to the material. And he was very pleased that a hand animated indie film, Persepolis, was in the running. He pretty much said that anything that revives interest in traditional animation is a good thing.

Whole article here:
<a href="http://theenvelope.latimes.com/awards/oscars/env-et-oscarani23jan23" target="_blank">http://theenvelope.latimes.com
/awards/oscars/env-et-oscarani23jan23</a>,0,4806171.story?coll=env-oscars

 

Originally Posted By jdub

>>Also, it looks like the surprise nominee (to me at least) is Juno, with 4 different nominations, all in big categories (Lead Actress, Director, Original Screenplay, Best Film).<<

Caramba--I know this is O.T., but I'll respond to this where it lives-- no surprise here! I walked out of "Juno" SURE it would show up in the Oscar nominations.

 

Originally Posted By FerretAfros

While I thought it was a great movie with just enough humor to make it enjoyable and just enough of a message to get it through without being preachy, it just didn't seem like the Oscar type to me. Those movies are usually more...snooty. Juno just seemed to real and natural to get much appreciation from them.

 

Originally Posted By ToonKirby

>but I still think this year's Pixar entry deserves a nom.<

"Lifted" was nominated ... last year.

I wish "Your Friend the Rat" was nominated, but I'm not even sure it was eligible.

 

Originally Posted By mawnck

>>Yes, it is surprising that neither The Simpsons Movie nor Bee Movie made the cut.<<

Oh, I disagree. "Surf's Up" was so clearly superior to those two, I don't think they could've done otherwise. Not that that's stopped them in the past.

 

Originally Posted By jdub

>>"Surf's Up" was so clearly superior to those two<<

I think "Meet the Robinsons" was better, but I do consider "Surf's Up" the best penguin compu-toon out there (but of course, I seem to have missed Bob "Dirty Mouth" Saget's entry in the genre)

 

Originally Posted By mawnck

The Annie Awards were last night, and "Ratatouille" just about swept 'em. "Surf's Up" scored a couple individual achievement awards. "Persepolis" got skunked.

I have my own cynical theories as to how that happened, but I'll keep 'em to myself. Suffice to say that it isn't looking good for "Persepolis" at the Oscars. Sigh.

Best animated short? "Your Friend the Rat."

<a href="http://annieawards.org/35thwinners.html" target="_blank">http://annieawards.org/35thwin
ners.html</a>

 

Originally Posted By mickeycanuck

Ratatouille wins!

 

Originally Posted By DlandDug

Congratulations to Brad Bird and everyone at Pixar! It really IS the Year of the Rat!

 

Originally Posted By dshyates

Yeah Brad. We watched "The Iron Giant" right before the acadamy awards and I had mentioned it was by the guy who did "Rat" and when "Rat" won my kids got to see what he looked like.