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Best Animated Feature Oscar Noms: Who should win?

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As most of us tend to be fans of good animation as well as fans of Star Wars, I thought I'd throw this question out there.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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Clone Wars Volume II should have been nominated, since it is meant to be seen all together.
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I voted for Corpse Bride, but it was a tossup between that and W&G. I, however, am pissed that Animated Features is its own separate category in the first place. A movie's a movie, they're just using different mediums to tell stories. And I agree with Nanner. If ROTS isn't a cartoon, I don't know what is! Nowadays, an animated feature will never have the honor that Beauty and the Beast did by being able to be nominated for Best Picture because they're shunted off into their own category now. Stupid academy...

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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Originally posted by: Adamwankenobi
Clone Wars Volume II should have been nominated, since it is meant to be seen all together.


It's a TV show, not a feature. Moving on. Sorry for double posting.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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I know, but regardless, it blows everything else out of the water!
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Obviously, you haven't seen any of the nominees, Adam. I'm still waiting to see Howl's Moving Castle, since it was playing here when we first moved here, but ended shortly thereafter.

On another tangent, anyone else notice that there were no CG animated titles up for the award this year? So much for the "conventional animation is dead" argument.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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Well, technically, Corpse Bride wasn't made through traditional animation either.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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Stop motion dates back to the early 1900s. That's as conventional as you get. Granted, Corpse Bride was made using HD and instant playback, but the method hasn't changed.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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Originally posted by: GundarkHunter
Obviously, you haven't seen any of the nominees, Adam.


Yes... I have.
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Then I weep for the future.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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Originally posted by: GundarkHunter
Stop motion dates back to the early 1900s. That's as conventional as you get. Granted, Corpse Bride was made using HD and instant playback, but the method hasn't changed.


I'm not saying that it's a new form of animation, because you're right, it's not. I'm simply saying that traditional or conventional animation generally refers to hand-drawn, or so I've heard.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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Now I understand. I'm just thrilled with the fact that stop-motion is finally getting some attention, and thankfully, no one's going to jump on a "stop motion animation's the next big thing" bandwagon, because of how labour-intensive it is.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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I am a traditonal (2D hand drawn) animator, so let me start by saying how glad I am to see all 3 nominees are non-CG movies (I know they include CG elements, but you know what I mean). I was underwhelmed by Corpse Bride, Howl's moving castle was very good indeed but I voted for Wallace and Gromit. The animation was spot-on, the humour was in all the right places, the 1950s B-Horror movie look was perfect. Very clkassy production that took stop motion to new levels and showed how animated movies should be done - with heart and soul, as opposed to the current Disney school of thought (knock 'em out, straight to DVD, sell a bunch of toys).

War does not make one great.

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I am a traditonal (2D hand drawn) animatuon, so let me start by saying how glad I am to see all 3 nominees are non-CG movies (I know they include CG elements, but you know what I mean). I was disappointingly underwhelmed by Corpse Bride, Howl's moving castle was very good but I voted for Wallace and Gromit. The animation was spot-on, the humour was in all the right places, the 1950s B-Horror movie look was perfect. Very classy production that took stop motion to new levels and showed how animated movies should be done - with heart and soul, as opposed to the current Disney school of thought (knock 'em out, straight to DVD, sell a bunch of toys).

War does not make one great.

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Gaffer- I'm with you 100% about there being no need for a special category for animation- it makes it like 'here's your little play area you all go have fun now and leave the *real* movies alone'. As you said- good is good no matter what.

YIYF- I too voted for W&G. Its a wonderful film (and out on DVD today!!!!) and hits all the right marks. "I know what caused this- arson!" *gasp* "Arson?!?!?" "Yes- someone here's been arsin' around!"

I'm a big 'Nightmare Before Christmas' fan and 'Corpse Bride' really didn't move me for some reason. Technically a great acheivement but the plot and pacing seemed off to me.

Regretfully I haven't seen 'Howl's' yet but Miyazaki never fails to impress. But too many great films in a row form a director/studio make it hard to pick one outstanding one.
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Unfortunately, animation will always be relegated to a "ghetto" in North America. No matter what advances are made in the medium, it will always be considered a "kid's" medium. That being said, I'm impressed that none of the nominees this year are traditional family fare. Some may yell and scream about, say, Madagascar not being nominated, and while Madagascar was mildly entertaining, it didn't hold a candle to any of this year's nominees. W & G is about as close as we get to what North America defines as "family-friendly", but like any of the W & G shorts, it defies this category by being smart and accessible even to people who think they've "outgrown" animation.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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Man I'm lame. I still have yet to see any of the movies on that list.

4

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Madagascar is such a 'meh' movie. Definitely not oscar worthy. In order to meet that criteria, a film should be well animated AND a good film. Dreamworks have failed to deliver anything decent (storywise) apart from the original Shreck, in my opinion.

I rememeber when I was doing my animation degree, there was this guy who was hot shit - a totally awesome animator. But his ideas and scripts were so run of the mill and well...just no good.

War does not make one great.

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Two of them are out on DVD as of today. Get with the program, DC.

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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Well, I haven't seen Howl's Moving Castle, so I can't raelly comment on it, but I'd give the Oscar to Wallace and Gromit, myself. Not only because I enjoyed that more, but it just seemed like something new, at least to the big screen. Corpse Bride seemed more a rehash of NBX than anything else.
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I voted for W&G as well. Weird to not see any Disney stuff up there for a year, isn't it?

Do you think Chicken Run would've won in the year it came out since the best animation award didn't exist back then?

Gaffer, I agree that it sucks that it needs its own category for recognition. But you know that these movies would never win jack if this category didn't exist. So I'll take it. If it means more recognition for lesser-known animation films simply by being nominated, great!
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Remeber that year when Jimmy Neutron was nominated? WTF? There must have been just 3 animated films made that whole year.

Disney doesn't even make proper 2d animated movies anymore, so I'm not surprised they haven't been nominated. Straight to DVD sequels that cheapen your company's reputation don't count (and certainly aren't oscar worthy). Disney is no longer an innovative entertainment studio - they are a soulless corporation. Uncle Walt is turning in his grave.

War does not make one great.

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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father

Disney doesn't even make proper 2d animated movies anymore, so I'm not surprised they haven't been nominated. Straight to DVD sequels that cheapen your company's reputation don't count (and certainly aren't oscar worthy). Disney is no longer an innovative entertainment studio - they are a soulless corporation. Uncle Walt is turning in his grave.


Let's hope John Lasseter continues to kick ass and take names. I really respect the guy and all he's created or helped to ensure was created. He's the new Walt IMHO or at least as close as we're going to get these days and if it wasn't for his work Disney would have gone into another hibernation period as it did throughout the 70s/early 80s.

Sadly if there were no animated film category I doubt *any* of these films would have been nominated for much, with the slight possibilty of 'Howl's' for foreign language film.

Disney's animated entry this year, Chicken Little, was very very 'meh'. I *did* see it in the theater but only because I happened to be near a digital projection theater showing it in 3D. I'm a 3D geek and is WAS some amazingly clear 3D. But I essentially forgot the film when I walked out of the theater. Seriously- I think I forgot about it *entirely*. And that's scary!
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Originally posted by: greencapt
Disney's animated entry this year, Chicken Run, was very very 'meh'. I *did* see it in the theater but only because I happened to be near a digital projection theater showing it in 3D. I'm a 3D geek and is WAS some amazingly clear 3D. But I essentially forgot the film when I walked out of the theater. Seriously- I think I forgot about it *entirely*. And that's scary!

Do you mean Chicken Little? That looks extremely 'Meh'.

I'm getting really sick of animated film makers thinking all they need to do is throw in a few weak pop-culture references and recreate a few classic film scenes with a 'comedy' twist. It takes more than that, so much more.

War does not make one great.