Sunday, July 16, 2006

First Half Oscar Hopefuls (Part 2)

Update: sorry, links originally excluded...

Continuing the look at the five most likely Oscar nominees from January to June releases...
#3 is all about Toon Town, or rather Oscar's Toon Town, the Animated Feature category. Like most kids I was an animation junkie in my early years. As an adult I still find it a magical form --I was thrilled (and that's maybe an understatement) when Beauty & The Beast managed the impossible and scored a Best Picture nod for 1991 --but my love has been fading rapidly. I've been disappointed in some of the side effects of the CG revolution, one of which is the glut approaching us, darkening the cinematic sky with two many glossy 3D animals and fart jokes

READ THE REST...

Also... Animated Feature Oscar Chart Revamp

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought Cars was fascinating. I wasn't going in with very high expectations because it wasn't as buzzed as the rest of the Pixar films and I mean, it's about talking cars. But I was so pleasantly surprised. It was heartwarming, funny for adults and children, and a great story. Plus, you gotta love the trailer park section at the Nascar race. And the tractor tipping!

The only part that bugged me was that this is the only Pixar movie (besides Toy Story, I guess) where there is a romantic storyline and they choose to do it between characters that cannot possibly procreate. What gives?

John T said...

Cars is easily my least favorite of all the Pixar films, but competing with the Toy Storys, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles is a little bit difficult, so I forgive it. It's certainly the best animated film thusfar this year, and I agree is a (deserved) lock for a nomination. A win may go to something slightly artsier, I'm guessing (ala Spirited Away in 2002).

NATHANIEL R said...

i preferred over the hedge because at least it had spirit. Cars was just slow and maybe overthought. i mean... seriously what was with the cars as flies? they really went overkill.

John T said...

Cars could mark Randy Newman's return to the Oscars, as well, as he hasn't been nominated in five years (since his win). One of the songs could also make it to the Best Song bakeoff.

adam k. said...

What about the Ant Bully and that other film with all the celebrity voicings? I feel like there are a lot of cartoons coming out this year that I'm not clear on.

And unfortunately, the joy of the Beauty and the Beast nomination is not without blemish. Because if you think about it for a sec, the film it pushed out was most likely Thelma & Louise. And that just SUCKS.

NATHANIEL R said...

lets say it was the prince of tides that dislodged thelma --not b&b

Glenn Dunks said...

See, I really liked Cars. As Abhi said, I went in with lower expectations because talking cars! and it just didn't look as good.

But, seriously - that is the best animation I have ever seen. And while I was merely just really enjoying it something clicked about half way through, it was the scene where Owen and Bonnie's cars went driving through the canyon, and from then on I was in heaven. I loved the nostalgia, the animation, the characters. Yes, the story was blah (big city kid goes to country and finds himself whatever crap), but that didn't seem to bug me. It had heart (as do all Pixar) and I just thought it was (to coin a phrase from the time it was waxing nostalgic about) swell.

It was definitely an adults film in the form of a kids talking car movie, though.

Anonymous said...

I thought it a surprise when Ebert & Roeper named the upcoming motion-capture flick "Monster House" the frontrunner for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Then again, Ebert loved "Polar Express," which the AMPAS didn't seem to care enough for even to nominate. Since both these films use the same technique, I don't see what Ebert & Roeper are thinking. Thoughts?

Anonymous said...

How do we know BoyzNtheHood wasn't ahead of Thelma & Louise? Well, yeah, I don't either. :)

douglas said...

f**k ebert!
hehehehehe he has a very awful taste in movies...

anyways...
seen cars, liked it..


seen scanner darkly and actually thought it was superb

Anonymous said...

Hi! Just want to say what a nice site. Bye, see you soon.
»