Happy leap day.
I was a little surprised that Finding Nemo wasn’t nominated for the Best Picture Oscar this year. Clearly it was the most successful movie of the year, also a huge audience favorite, and arguably a near-perfect film execution. But it was a comedy.
It is likely to win in the Animated Feature category. If last year’s Spirited Away win is any indication of what the Academy is looking for, Triplets of Belleville also stands a chance. I’ve been eagerly awaiting that film for over a year and it has finally arrived in Austin.
In the animated short film category it could be either Pixar’s Boundin’ or Destino, perhaps Roy Disney’s last mark on the Disney studio.
Other films I’m rooting for include Lost in Translation and Whale Rider.
Related old news, Pixar and Disney talks end:
“‘After 10 months of trying to strike a deal with Disney, we’re moving on,’ Pixar chief Steve Jobs said in a statement. ‘We’ve had a great run together — one of the most successful in Hollywood history — and it’s a shame that Disney won’t be participating in Pixar’s future successes.’”
This is the best thing for Pixar. I’m not the only one who has said that Pixar is the new Disney — what Disney was during their golden years, when story mattered more than focus groups. Disney has stumbled before and come back, but it could be years before they can recover from killing off their 2d division.
