The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have unveiled the fourteen animated films in the running for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars next year, listed below in alphabetical order. Only three of these films will make the cut in terms of nominations, as no fewer than eight films but fewer than sixteen films need to be in the “eligible” field. In my mind, “WALL-E” owns this award, nothing will even come close, but right now I am thinking that “Kung Fu Panda” and “Waltz with Bashir,” despite its darker subject matter, will round off the nominees (others agree with me), assuming “Bashir” gets its LA Oscar qualifying run in time. If not, perhaps “The Tale of Despereaux” will take its place. Having only seen a few of these, I’m just saying.
• Bolt
• Delgo
• Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!
• Dragon Hunters
• Fly Me to the Moon
• Igor
• Kung Fu Panda
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
• $9.99
• The Sky Crawlers
• Sword of the Stranger
• The Tale of Despereaux
• WALL-E
• Waltz with Bashir
[this post provided by our friends at Fataculture]
Editorial Playlist note: let “Wall-E” take it, but no, Best Picture nomination for it, thanks. Also, let’s note, between just “Wall-E” “Kung Fu Panda,” ‘Madagascar 2’ and “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!,” you have a world wide box-office total of $1.5 billion dollars. Outside of ‘Madagascar,’ which just opened and surely will add to this ridiculously high cume, you have three animated film in the top 15 worldwide grossing films of 2008. Pretty damn good testament to the reach and powere of animated films, huh? If you don’t have kids and happen to hate them, don’t hold your breath, they’re never going away anytime soon.