Disney/Pixar are contemplating pushing Ratatouille for the Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards, but the Mouse House is worried that such a push, might diminish their chances of winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar. As you probably know, Beauty and the Beast is the only animated film to ever be nominated for Best Picture, losing to Silence of the Lambs in 1992. Five years ago the Academy created the “Best Animated Feature” Oscar to reward the animated film’s which have been clearly given the shaft in the Best Picture category.

Ratatouille is one of the best reviewed films of the year, and of all time (with a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with over 195 reviews). Brad Bird’s film is already ranked in the top 100 films of all time on IMDb with an 8.4 user rating (44,000+ votes). In my opinion, it definitely deserves to be in contention for the top prize.

The New York Times reports:

“Under the academy’s rules, films nominated for best animated feature are automatically considered eligible for best picture. Similarly, their actors - though delivering only voice performances - are eligible for general acting nominations, though none have ever received one, and their writers and directors are similarly eligible for general awards.”

I was having a discussion about this dilemma with one of my friends and he asked: “If Ratatouille won Best Picture, wouldn’t that mean that it automatically wins best animated feature?” And the answer is no, even though my friend brings up a great point founded in logic. But the Academy doesn’t work on logic, but instead on politics and who spends more money on their “For Your Consideration” campaign.

“Members could vote for the film in both categories. But Oscar campaigners assume that many would choose just one - a dangerous situation, given the small voting pool and the razor-thin margins that can determine a winner.”

What do you guys think? Should Ratatouille be nominated for Best Picture?