Best Animated Film
The Academy has released their noms for Best Animated Feature – usually this came down to a no-brainer. Pixar wins! Except for the year when Shrek beat Monster’s Inc (which is a fact that grows more absurd each year), this has been Pixar’s main category. This year is different. This year there’s lots of competition.
In my mind there are only three contenders here. Pixar’s UP – and amazing film that, for some reason, I liked a whole lot more the first time I saw it. The second time, I liked it a lot, but not as much. Weird. I’ve heard FANTASTIC MR. FOX is amazing and I can’t wait to see it. But to me there’s only one real option. CORALINE. It’s got everything from a wonderfully twisted recreation of Alice in Wonderland that improves on the book immeasurably, while also bringing over some serious scares and memorable moments. My kids and I loved this movie – even if old Button-eyed Mom gives us all nightmares.
“Making up a song about Coraline
She’s a peach she’s a doll she’s a pal of mine
She’s as cute as a button in the eyes of everyone who ever laid their eyes on Coraline”
Here’s the list. Agree? Disagree? Want to put a claim in for 9, Ponyo or Scrooge? Or maybe some obscure film on the list that deserves a shot?
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
November 16th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
I saw 9, Up, Coraline, Monsters vs. aliens, A christmas carol and i’m going to see Fantastic Mr fox when it comes out.
Up was amazing, it was more emotional then most pixar movies. Coraline was really good too. I liked the setting and everything, but my favorite is probably 9. That movie was just awesome. A christmas carol was pretty good, but it’s something i’d only watch once a year.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I REALLY loved Up and Ponyo. Those would be deserving of the award in my opinion. I liked Ice Ace: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, but it wasn’t award-worthy. Monsters vs. Aliens and Astro Boy just plain sucked. I may go see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs once it hits the dollar theater due to my interest in children’s books. But I should hold my final judgement on any of these until I go see the Princess and the Frog movie. –Cary
November 16th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
TheWampaKing is right 9 all the way! And I’m not just saying that because I worked on it.
There’s no arguing Up FTW . But 9, Coraline, and Mr. Fox have a tone that’s new to feature animation and I think that’s worth rewarding. (assuming Fox hold up to it expectation)
I like Cloudy with a Chance and assume it’ll get a nom and Ponyo might be the wild card but I’m worried that a Christmas Carole (or Ebenezer Scrooge and the uncanny valley as I like to call it) will steal it from something more deserving.
But in a fair world it would be Coraline for having the amazing animation and production with a script even I can’t argue beats the hell out of 9. Next time we hire Gaiman!
And for the record, they didn’t announce the nominations, rather the list of films for consideration.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I loved 9, Ponyo, and Coraline, but Up is the way to go. I was amazed at how emotional it was, it really blew me away. I have yet to see Fantastic Mr. Fox though.
November 18th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
The first 10 minutes of UP deserves an award, the rest is still great (Dug) but I’m finding it doesn’t wear as well after the first “Oh my god that was great!” viewing.
Coraline is visionary. (Sellick adapted Gaiman, he turned a mediocre Alice in Wonderland rip and made it into something terrific.) If you have them, watch the making of stuff for Coraline. The painstakingly hand sewn costumes, the Harryhausen stop motion craft, and the detailed and fully to scale – with the dolls – sets. Also, John Hodgeman.
November 18th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Ups beginning was dfinitely the best, I might have cried.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
I think my favorite on the list would have to be 9. I went to see it, honestly believing I wouldn’t like it. I NEVER like movies when I do that, but I thoroughly enjoyed 9. However, I also have to give props to Ponyo. Miyazaki is a genius and a visionary at his art.
January 25th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Thanks Cross_Breed, it’s always nice to hear that people liked the film that I worked so hard on.
Sadly it’s looking more and more that 9 won’t even get a nomination. None of the major (non-animation specific) awards have honored us yet. Though there is one hope, UP might be submitted for best picture which would open a slot up for us.
Personally I think Coraline deserves the win but I really want 9 to just be nominated. 🙂