Holly nominations, Batman!

I can't WAIT to see Wall-E. It looks like it has the same theme and emotion captured in "Batman & Robin."

Yes, the 3rd tier is just guessing. But 1st and 2nd tier already fills 4 of the 5 slots, so there is not much room left for any film and there are a whole bunch of movies that try to squeeze themselves into this last slot.

Of course there were drastic changes over time (there always are), movies like Australia, Miracle at St. Anna and Changeling fell (Body of Lies, Burn After Reading and especially Righteous Kill were never seriously discussed as Best Picture candidates), but the discussion won't change that much at this point of the year. Gran Torino is the last movie that could yet gain momentum.

Let me try:

1st row (sure bets):
- Slumdog Millionaire (critical darling and crowd-pleaser, very positive buzz, my bet for Best Picture win)
- Milk (the Academy loves biopics and there are obvious political reasons, it's a very good and great acted movie on top of that)

2nd row (probable):
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Revolutionary Road
(both have well-known and respected directors and stars, are well written and have excellent production values and a great performances - what can you ask more from a movie, both are in for a big bunch of awards in all major categories)

3rd row (unsure):
- Gran Torino (gaining a lot of buzz lately, too early to call)
- The Dark Knight (the wild card, impossible to predict, I'm not sure the Academy will dig it)
- Doubt (lauded for its ensemble performance and screenplay, but enough for Best Picture?)
- Frost/Nixon (hmm, I'm not sure about this)
... and of course a non-mainstream decision could still emerge (e.g. The Visitor), but I don't believe this will happen.

I know the Academy. There is simply no room left for Wall-E. Definitely.

Yes, that's the best prediction one can make at the moment - very similar to Ratatouille last year. The four sound and soundtrack awards are almost sure bets. Best Original Screenplay is the only really important category and a nomination is not sure, but I think it has a good chance. But it's too soon to say and there's simply too many competition in this category.

Wall-E was a masterpiece of animation and storyelling and deserves every accolade it gets. Not only was it groundbreaking animation, but it was true science fiction, especially before the human element came in. And it was touching, funny, and thought provoking as well.
Nice to see the awards start coming in.

I've sipped the Pixar Kool-Aid for many years...I still do...but I agree Wall-E isn't their best film!

I totally agree with you. I don't understand all the hype for Wall-E. The Incredibles and Ratatouille were much better in my opinion.

if its between this and the darkknight it has to be Wall-E.. other than that i aint seen any of the other suspects...

But Wall-E is not the only film the transcends "kids animation". Last year there we had Persepolis and this it's year Waltz with Bashir. Both films would deserve attention outside of the Animated Film category - probably even more than Wall-E. But neither of them is the right choice for Best Picture, the category is aready over-crowded.

This is a shame for movie history. There are so much difference in movie making between animation and live-action. That is way they started the "best animation" category to begin with. Keep all the animated movies in that category, or remove it. If an animated movie wins the "best picture" award, then the same movie would have to win "best animated" automatically. It would not work out.

I wonder if it's because they don't direct flesh and blood actors? One thing that's probably stood in the way of animated films getting the acclaim they deserve is that the Hollywood voting block is made up by a large fraction of actors/actresses. They appraise the merits of the movie based largely on the actor's performances. It is rather unfair because a) there are voice actors involved in animated films. This is not easy work. b) Animated films are not without acting otherwise as well. The *animators* serve as the actors, working their hardest to get the emotion across in every single pixel or drawing they do. There are definitely animated movies with bad "acting," where they clearly put little effort into those things.

Should clarify. American *film-makers* have not been stuck on them being children's films for decades. The viewership, people awarding films, etc, have been. I think that is starting to change though.

Yes, absolutely. Like Brad Bird said (and is so passionate about!), animation is not a genre, it's a medium. It deserves to be judged along side any live-action film, not just tossed into its own category.

And you've nailed it on "Wall-E."

This is it. It's amazing that a love story, sans any dialogue, between two non-humanoid robots, could be this powerful. "Wall-E" is a great accomplishment.

Absolutely.

Yeah because "Dark Knight," their runner up, would have been so unsafe and offensive to people.

I'm not a fan of the list as a whole.

It's a step forward for american film-making though, who has been stuck on animated films being children's movies for decades (with a few exceptions). And there have been many American films before "Wall-E" that have done this, but "WALL-E" could be the first since "Beauty and the Beast" to get that recognition.

"Persepolis" was good, but not amazing. It was not as well made as some of its competition. And those movies have best foreign film they are/were more than eligible for as well. Have not seen "Bashir" yet.

"Ratatouille," "Iron Giant," "WALL-E," "Beauty and the Beast" (which got one), and "Incredibles" to name a few.

I didn't mean they couldn't receive nominations in other categories, but putting a best animated category in pretty much sloughs them out of the best picture category. It would be brilliant for an animated film to break that. Even then, other (non-tech and music) nominations are extremely rare. The only award the movies go home with (outside of music/score ones sometimes) is the best animated award. I think that's imbalanced.

And one doesn't need to be the best film of the year to be nominated for best picture. It needs to be one of the top five. I think there are several situations in which an animated movie would fall there. Perhaps you don't believe an animated film has reached that level yet, but I, and many other people believe animated films have done that at many points.

I'm not sure what the contenders will be until the Academy announces their nominations. But I've seen and loved Dark Knight, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, Synecdoche, New York, Rachel Getting Married to name a few and Wall-E is still my favorite. I think it may appear to be a simplistic. Certainly the bare bones of it is:a cute robot that falls in love with another robot and inadvertently saves humanity from itself. But it is also, for me, a parable about living ones live without risk, living a life as routine and the necessity to break free of ritual. I think the environmental message is a McGuffin. It's a worthy sentiment but it's not what the film is really about. I read the film as a commentary on how consumerism and the love of technology has lulled us into a kind of virtual life where no one actually sees the world anymore or tries to make real contact. I also think the movie is one of the best satires on consumerism and its fall-out since Mike Judge's 'Idiocracy'.

What is so good about it?

The animation is pretty solid so is the message but honestly a masterpiece?

I am starting to think the whole thing is full of subliminal messages to make people love that movie.

My girlfriend loved it , everybody I know loved it... I did not. I thought it was alright nothing more.

To me it was just an other Pixar movie...

I do think Wall-E deserves a best pic nod simply because it *is* the best pic of the year, well, for me at least. I think Incredibles may be Pixar's high-water mark, but Wall-E is... well, as super_aj said, 'a perfect piece of cinema'. A masterpiece, no question. I watched it again on Blue-Ray and was just jaw-dropped at what Pixar accomplished. But realistically, nah, it won't get a best pic nod. It has Best Animated Pic locked. Now, what I would like to see is a Best Director nom for Andrew Stanton. Why has a animated film's director never been nominated?

I've seen Wall-E like 15 times already!

I just can't help it! It's so addicting!

I think I like it more than my younger siblings!

I'm also with shadow, Wall-e is the only movie I've seen this year that I was in love with when I left the theater. I also loved Iron-man and TDK, but none of the others came close to what Wall-e accomplished. I'd call it a perfect piece of cinema, right alongside Citizen Kane (granted completely different genres) they will both be looked back on as timeless masterpieces.

I'm with Jeff G.

I haven't seen Ben Button or Revolutionary Road, so it's hard to quantify those outside of general buzz for everyone's past work. I'll wait until I see the films.

Good reasoning behind Slumdog and Milk, but I don't see those as shoe-ins. Sean Penn is probably a front-runner for acting. Slumdog, like most smaller films, needs a big push from the studio. For what it's worth, your 3rd tier is as much guesswork as someone elses 3rd tier. I dunno.

Going into Autumn, it certainly looked like there were going to be a lot more "sure things," but those films (not just performances)aren't making a lot of lists so far (Righteous Kill, Body of Lies, Changeling, Burn After Reading, Australia, etc) .

I fully acknowledge that an animated film is a longshot, but that is primarily because the majority voting block has some self interest that goes against animation being so highly lauded.

probably right, Kip, but it's not out of the question. I'd like to see a list of all the "sure thing nominations" for BP. More difficult than you might think.

I love wall-e and the dark knight. If they both get nominated, i think the dark knight will win. Thats how i would rank them also. Wall-e is great, but i think the dark knight is a deeper movie, and has more raw emotions.

It's rare that a film is written so well that a love story will seamlessly propel a plot forward, all while having the small themes parallel the larger ones. Good writing and better execution.

well said, Jeff

Kelly - you are right on with the comments in this thread. It's a shame that, like animation, people underestimate what is being done by Pixar in the wider context of filmmaking. Wall-e represents not only the very best of animation, but the VERY BEST of a filmmaking ideal and process that is being left for dead in Hollywood. The film, and filmmakers, deserve to be recognized on this higher level for a number of reasons.

Again, if you look at parts of the whole and how they add up, it is hard to ignore the creative achievement of Wall-e as a Best Film contender. Few films operate on so many different levels and do it with such grace. I'm floored by it (but I guess that is obvious).

I thought Wall-E was a very good movie, but not on the level of the Brad Bird's Pixar offerings. I just don't get what was so fantastic about it.

"This would not be the first year that an animated film has been widely viewed as one of the absolute best films of the year."

I'm very curious to hear the other animated movies you consider worthy for a Best Picture nomination. I don't think the Best Animated Feature category is meant as a 'ghetto' for animated movies. Last year Ratatouille scored no less than 5 Oscar nominations, including one in the important screenplay category. This doesn't sound like a 'ghetto' to me. In fact I believe that this was already too much recognition for Ratatouille. Animated movies are already treated fair, but I have yet to see an animated movie that is good enough for the Best Picture award.

L.A. Critics always like to show themselves off as trendsetters.

But WALL-E will not be nominated for Best Picture. It'll win Best Animated Feature hands down, but a BP nod is completely out of reach. This year's race is too crowded.

The nominations WALL-E will get: Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing

I dont get it. Its an important step to the Academy Awards, but not important enough to get a film nominated. Yeah, nobody cares.

There's no need for The Dark Knight to worry about Wall-E, but it's unlikely it will take Best Picture home anyway. I think it will be nominated for at least six Oscars (but the number is inflated by the less important technical categories) and Heath Ledger will probably receive his last honor. But in the Best Picture category I would bet my money on Slumdog Millionaire.

Absolutely agree with everything you've said, Kelly. Best Foreign Language Film is the same type of deal, unfortunately. Of course most Americans can't be assed to see those movies, anyway...

Numerous high profile film critics, especially the LA film critics and the NY film critics are important steps in the road to the Academy Awards. I don't agree with several of their choices, but their opinion is important and influential. But I'm pretty sure Wall-E will neither win Best Picture nor will it be nominated.

I really do not get Wall-E...
Can someone please explain what was so good about it?

Wait so...who cares about the LA film critics?

This is absolutely the truth. Films like this transcend the category and absolutely deserve to compete against the big shots.

It was created because people objected to animated movies never garnering a best picture nomination. I'm not denying there are good points to the category- better some recognition than none, mainly. But whether intended or unintended, it has marginalized animated films to keep to their own little category. This would not be the first year that an animated film has been widely viewed as one of the absolute best films of the year, but has been relegated to the consolation prize of best animated film. Now the golden globes has stepped in, but unlike the Oscars, you can't even get a nomination in both categories there. It's against the rules.

No, there aren't many that are better than it. I expect that many, many more critics will be agreeing with that statement.

I am rooting for this film all the way to the podium. It is one of the few films I have ever seen that had my jaw on the floor. The love story between Wall-E and Eve was pure art. There were moments in the film were I sat forward, hands on my chin, just gazing at the screen in wonder and awe. I mean seriously, the final scene has one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful moments I have ever seen on film.

I want more experiences like that at the movies.

No offense to the makers of Wall-E but the LA critics are cowards and went with a safe, inoffensive choice.

best animated feature category is fine for lesser films like Shrek and Madagascar to compete with. but Pixar films transcend "kids animation" - these are great pictures that deserve to go head to head with Slumdog, Benjamin Button and Frost/Nixon etc etc.

You are completely wrong. The Best Animated Feature is there for animations to have any chance at all of getting an Oscar. There year is no exception, there are many better feature films than Wall-E.

I should point out (so that the Batman tears don't run too rampant over): No Country for Old Men didn't win any of the LA Film Critics awards last year, it didn't even get Runner -Up in any category. So, while this might have an impact on Oscar voting, it's not a definitive predictor and thus, not quite time for people to start rioting dressed as the Joker.

that sucks.

WALL-E > Dark Knight.

Ouch. That's gotta sting.