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Can an animated movie win Best Picture Oscar?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by NickMordo, Feb 24, 2011.

  1. NickMordo

    NickMordo Active Member

    I saw a story on Good Morning America today about Toy Story 3 and whether it could win Best Picture at Sunday's Oscars, and it seemed to be a split decision. One of the movie's producers (obviously) said, "Why not?" and said it was the top-grossing animated movie of all time, but more importantly, one of the best movies of the year. It had a great story, got great critical reviews, was a fitting end to an amazing trilogy, and this was amid huge expectations.

    Sadly to say, I don't think an animated movie ever will win Best Picture just because I think the Academy frowns upon it and considers it more part of the "kid" genre. I know it doesn't matter in the end, but interesting to think about.
     
  2. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    Why not? Avatar nearly won last year.

    Toy Story 3 being animated is irrelevent to its chances. The Social Network was better. And because from all accounts The King's Speech is even better than that. (I have yet to see that one.)

    Up had more buzz last year and didn't come close. Toy Story has no chance to win. But not because it's animated.
     
  3. billikens

    billikens Member

    It has a few things working against it, most notably what TSP said: It wasn't the best movie, or the second best movie in the field. I suppose there's a chance King's Speech and Social Network could split votes, which would open the door for darkhorse like TS3, Black Swan or one of the others who haven't won much at award ceremonies this year, but I think King's Speech is going to walk away with it.

    As for the overall question, with the "Best Animated Film" category as one of the options, I wouldn't bet on an animated film ever taking the Best Picture prize (I'd disagree with Avatar being an animated movie, although I understand the argument). The Best Animated option gives voters an easy way to rationalize voting a live-action film over an animated one for Best Picture.
     
  4. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    It'll never happen. Ever.

    I think voters discount it in large part because some of the major facets to making a film - physical acting, direction, cinematography - are rendered moot by a team of people behind a computer.

    Say what you want about 'Avatar,' but A) It didn't win, and B) Heavy special-effects-laden films don't often even make it into the conversation.

    I think Academy voters still place high value on a director standing behind a camera, framing a shot and telling his/her actors what he/she wants out of a scene. Much too high a value for them to seriously consider voice actors' performances and a director's mouse-clicks as the best picture of the year. Especially when there's a best animated film category as well, as others have noted.

    The closest comparison I can think of is the way 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' was widely hailed as an amazing movie, but despite winning four Oscars and being nominated for 10 (second most nominations behind 'Gladiator,' which had 12), it did not win Best Picture. Again, the voters had an easy out, giving it Best Foreign-Language Film and handing Best Picture to 'Gladiator.'

    I think we'll see a foreign language film win best picture long, long before we ever see an animated film win it.
     
  5. Wenders

    Wenders Well-Known Member

    As much as it pains me to admit it, no.

    There are still too many Academy snobs who look down on the animated genre. Toy Story 3 was the best movie I saw last year (because I didn't see The King's Speech until January) and being someone who grew up with the Toy Story franchise, I thought it was an incredibly fitting end to the trilogy. Of course, I also think Pixar can do no wrong and every year, makes a better movie than the year before. Considering that they set the bar pretty high from the start, that's an achievement.
     
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