Comments on: Movies: The rat that got ripped off

By: Flaming Icarus

Flaming Icarus — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:00:38 +0000

But do animated films really deserve an equal shot at earning the title of best picture?

Yes. And I’m sure it’d be quite possible for a film to be simultaneously nominated for Best Animation and Best Picture because…

John M. #3: For instance, “Pan’s Labyrinth” should have been a shoo-in for best picture last year, but it was in Spanish.

Actually, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was nominated for Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film, so it is definitely possible to get nods in two “Best Film” categories.

And if “Best Foreign Language/Best Picture” is possible, then wouldn’t it seem plausible that “Best Animation/Best Picture” could also be possible? Just a thought.

The assumption that Ratatouille missed out on a Best Picture nom because it’s an animation may, I say ‘may’, be premature.

Report comment to moderator

By: TJ

TJ — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:23:36 +0000

SteveG, # 11: Would you consider a movie like “Silence of the Lambs” to be a “horror” film? Or what about westerns as genre films? At least two in recent memory have won Oscars for Best Picture (”Unforgiven” and “Dances with Wolves”), although both were genre-busting westerns to a certain extent.

Just asking.

Report comment to moderator

By: TJ

TJ — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:19:58 +0000

The missus and I went to see “No Country for Old Men” last evening. The ending is a little quirky, but the more I thought about it (and the movie as a whole), I loved it. We don’t see a lot of movies in the theaters, but this one will be hard to beat. I checked on the villain in the film, Javier Bardem, and he’s won just about every best supporting actor award to this point he could possibly win. One reviewer called him the most memorable screen villain since Hannibal Lector. Not a bad comparison, except he has better table manners.

Report comment to moderator

By: John M.

John M. — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:56:24 +0000

Alissa, I actually did realize they were the same category, I guess my post was a little disorganized.

That’s interesting about the backers’ nationality though. Hmmm…

Report comment to moderator

By: RobHays

RobHays — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:15:13 +0000

I can see the argument. Brad Bird has yet to make a bad movie, and in fact several of his films probably could’ve passed for Best Picture material if they’d been live-action. Heck, I’m of the opinion that The Iron Giant is the best animated film I’ve ever seen, and it’s definitely better than American Beauty (which won the Best Picture & Best Director nods the year it came out).

Report comment to moderator

By: SteveG

SteveG — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:07:19 +0000

NJLawyer: They’re different kinds of movies, but the Best Picture category doesn’t specify best live action movie … I don’t have a great problem with animated movies being excluded, but I can see an argument for why they shouldn’t be.

Actually, “Best Picture” does seem to have some unwritten rules. It never goes to “genre” films (science fiction, fantasy, horror) … The Return of the King won in 2003, but it seems to be the only one that ever has. Musicals win sometimes, and so do history-based period pieces, but not anything with fantasy elements other than singing and dancing.

There are not a lot of comedies on the list either, though there are a few. Serious, weighty realistic drama seems to be what the academy favors.

Report comment to moderator

By: NJLawyer

NJLawyer — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:57:11 +0000

Alissa, aren’t they producing two very different products when they have a film with real people and a film with animated characters? At least, I think they are.

Report comment to moderator

By: alissa

alissa — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:36:11 +0000

John M:
In re-reading your comment, maybe that’s what you meant?

Yes, I agree the Oscars are a bit messed up. They’ve had some bad exclusions this year. Basically, I’m going to be watching for Jon Stewart.

Report comment to moderator

By: StuBob

StuBob — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:35:57 +0000

The line between “live action” and “animated” is pretty blurry these days. An awful lot of what we saw in the Lord of the Rings or the Chronicals of Narnia is computer generated.