Friday, September 03, 2010

Competitive Cartoons

Now with Mea Culpaish Add On.

DWA isn't fooling around.

DreamWorks Animation has officially launched the Oscar race for 2011.

This week, the company took the unusual move of mailing out For Your Consideration fliers of its highly-regarded "How to Train You Dragon," throwing the movie in contention for not only best animated feature but also for best picture of the year (among other categories). ...

When all the brush is celared away, I think the race will come down to Toy Story 3 and How to Train Your Dragon, with (maybe) Despicable Me as the long shot.

The question is, will the Academy bestow its little gold man on the second acclaimed sequel of a well-loved ground-breaker, or give the statue to a newer candidate that hit a home run with audiences and critics?

I really have no idea, although many might give the edge to Dragon, simply because its the first of its kind.

Add On: Rushing through this post in the early morning, I zoned on the fact that Tangled (also Megamind) have yet to be released and will certainly qualify for consideration. Obviously, either one ... or both could be in the running. And certainly being released at the end of the year rather than the start won't hurt. As I say in comments, my mistake for not taking the upcoming releases into account.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

No love for Tangled at all?

pp said...

"simply because its the first of its kind."

The first of it's kind? That same story has been told many times before:

- Lilo & Stitch
- Free Willy
- E.T.
- Iron Giant

I liked "Dragon", but it's not as good as TS3.

You don't have to be a genius to tell that the movie will be nominated for best picture, best animated feature, best original screenplay...

And I'm sure that Tangled will be also nominated for best animated picture (and surely for two of its songs).

Anonymous said...

Go Go Dragon!
Go Go Jeffrey!
Go Go Gadget!

Anonymous said...

"The first of it's kind? That same story has been told many times before"

Yeah like how the toy story 3 story has been told before in.... Toy story 2 and 1.

Dragon was a much better film, sorry but it just was.

Anonymouse said...

Dragon is the frontrunner for sure. They'll have a lot of momentum when they sweep the Annies.

I liked Toy Story 3 and wouldn't mind if it won, but there is considerable backlash against Disney/Pixar now (see: this blog and a majority of its commenters). Everybody hates Goliath and all that. I'm sure there's talk amongst Academy members about how evil the empire is becoming and it would be nice to knock it off its pedestal a bit with a worthy winner (which Dragon obviously is).

Anonymous said...

It will come down to Toy Story 3 and HTTYD but ultimately T3 will win since not only did it do better both critically and financially but also the academy by giving the Oscar to T3 would feel they honour in this way the whole Toy Story Trilogy.

If there are five nominations this year in the best animated feature category, i'd like to see:

1)Toy Story 3
2)How to Train Your Dragon
3)Tangled
4)The Illusionist
5)My Dog Tulip

Anonymous said...

Dont forget "The Black Stallion"

And yeah, it's funny how Steve totally forgot Tangled was even coming out this year.

Anonymous said...

I'm a Disney Pixar fan, and I'm guessing Dragon will win.

The Academy always gives in to the original story when facing a sequel. Both were superb films, and garnered nearly equal critic reactions, while toy story made more money, I just can't see the academy giving a sequel the win.

Anonymous said...

You mean like when "Return of the King" swept the Oscars?

Anonymous said...

Go Go Gadget!

Anonymous said...

You mean like when "Return of the King" swept the Oscars?

There are exceptions to any rule -- Godfather II was probably the best example of a sequel that all but outshone the original -- but the bottom line is: an animated feature is unlikely to ever win Best Picture ... and an animated sequel? Fuggedaboudit.

rufus said...

"No love for Tangled at all?

it's not even out yet!?!

We, "Disney haters", haven't even seen it...not that I'm gonna go to the theater to see it. It just does not interest me.

"Tron II" however....


rufus

Anonymous said...

The ONLY reason Dragon OR Toy Story 3 might win anything is because those studios have the resources ($$$$$$$$$$) to bribe Academy members at Hollywood parties.

It has very little to do with fairness and actual quality.

Haven't you all seen the documentary about the behind the scenes realities of the Academy Awards????
Oh thats right. It wasn't shown in THIS country........it would cause an outrage!!

ALL politics and shameless promotion.

Anonymous said...

Cute film for the kiddies, but "best picture?". I don' THINK so.

Anonymous said...

"The ONLY reason Dragon OR Toy Story 3 might win anything is because those studios have the resources ($$$$$$$$$$) to bribe Academy members at Hollywood parties."
Of course, them being very well-liked films with the critics and public also helps. ;-)

Anonymous said...

The ONLY reason Dragon OR Toy Story 3 might win anything is because those studios have the resources ($$$$$$$$$$) to bribe Academy members at Hollywood parties.

It has very little to do with fairness and actual quality.

Haven't you all seen the documentary about the behind the scenes realities of the Academy Awards????
Oh thats right. It wasn't shown in THIS country........it would cause an outrage!!

ALL politics and shameless promotion.



WHOA! NO WAY!.........

It's America dude - learn the rules.

Anonymous said...

"Haven't you all seen the documentary about the behind the scenes realities of the Academy Awards????
Oh thats right. It wasn't shown in THIS country........it would cause an outrage!!"


I'm interested in this, what's the name of the film? Google isn't helping...

Dragon FTW!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...I'm a member of the Academy and often on the nominating committee for Best Animated film. If there are bribes going around then I'm getting screwed. How can I get hooked up with all these things!

Anonymous said...

I'd have to go with the Dragon too. Toy Story 3 was just another retelling of the same story the other two films told: TOYS GETTING BACK TO ANDY. Only difference in TS3 was that the angst factor was pushed to the limit, IMO over the limit, and the darkness level was almost absurdly overdone. I have no desire to see it again. Dragon was just a lot more fun as a movie. But then, so was Despicable Me.

Steve Hulett said...

No love for "Tangled" at all?

Truth to tell, I totally blanked on it, focussing on pictures that are already out.

My mistake.

Anonymous said...

I'm predicting TS3 will take it.

It was written by academy award winning screenwriter Michael Arndt, I think that holds a lot of weight. I also think they'll want to honor the much-beloved franchise of Toy Story as well. It's a well made and well regarded movie that has made a ton of money.

Anonymous said...

Mark my words, Toy Story 3 will take the best animated film Oscar.

How to Train Your Dragon will NOT get a nomination for best picture.

Not that any of this is fair, but its definitely going to go that way

Anonymous said...

Mark my words, Toy Story 3 will take the best animated film Oscar.
How to Train Your Dragon will NOT get a nomination for best picture.


And as usual, DW either completely misunderstands why the Academy keeps trying to give Pixar Best Picture nominations, or else Jeffrey has a serious Daffy Duck complex. :)

(Either way, the sentiment for "Toy Story 2 never got one!" is no contest against "We gave you one for Shrek, now go home!")

Anonymous said...

"throwing the movie in contention for not only best animated feature but also for best picture of the year (among other categories)"

...Ehh. They ALL do that.

(Namely, because Picture is the only non-exclusive category, it's found on about 90% of all FYC flyers, and, even plain ol' technicals like Alice or Prince of Persia would suggest "Best Sound Editing, Costume Design, and Picture".
That don't mean they get it, but it's worth a nasty laugh to see them try.)

Anonymous said...

These back-and-forths are always so dumb.

Few if any of you have a clue how AMPAS works....hell, even the members aren't as focused as you seem to think they are, one way or another. In many ways they're a lot more qualified as the voters on the final winners(NOT the nominating committees)just do not consider animation their alpha & omega, but just films. I assure you the vast majority are "gee, I liked that" and far, far less about digs at this or that CEO. At least as far as animated films go.

Justin said...

I liked both Toy Story 3 and How to Train Your Dragon and would be happy if either of them won. I honestly can't pick between them.

Site Meter