Disney Studios Awards 2009

[ALIASd]

Here's the list of films the studio will be offering for Oscar consideration:

Disney's A Christmas Carol
Partly Cloudy
Ponyo
The Princess and the Frog
The Proposal
Up

Disney RSVP

[Timekeeper]

Ponyo - I have not seen it yet, but it's bound to a good contender.

The Princess and the Frog - See above.

Up - I have seen this and it's a good film.

Partly Cloudy - Good short film.

As for The Proposal, I have not seen it yet, but I will see it soon in the future.


Timekeeper

[ALIASd]

LOS ANGELES — As the buzz on a best-picture nom for “WALL-E” hit a fever pitch last year, one Pixar exec confided to me: “This is it. This is our last chance. After this year, we’re out of the awards game.”

Well, perhaps not.

The Oscar buzz this year couldn’t be higher for Pixar’s “Up,” not only for best animated category but for best picture, thanks to a warm Festival de Cannes playdate and a lucky-to-be-born late blessing of 10 best-picture noms.

A dual accolade would make history: The only instance of an animated movie being nominated for best film was “Beauty of the Beast” in 1991, long before the best animated feature category existed.

A double nomination also would create complications — and not only for Pixar execs who might have to shell out some extra coin on a broader campaign.

Pixar and director Pete Docter might hope that the best-picture momentum will carry it to a victory in the animation category. But for some voters, it could slice the other way, prompting them to choose something else in animation because they’ve already put “Up” high on their best picture ballot. (In that sense, “Up” would be unlucky to be nominated twice.)

Animated films could impact Oscars

[Sosai X]

The Proposal was a typical Sandra Bullock romantic dramedy. Nothing we haven't seen before, and it won't get any major nods. I would love to see Betty White get a nod for BSA. She was the only decent performance in the whole affair.

Disney's A Christmas Carol might do well in the animated awards. Jim Carrey's personification of Scrooge brought a new dimension to the story. It might get a nod for writing or screenplay from previously published material.

Ponyo was a bit too metaphysical, like all Myazaki films. It's meanings and presentation might be a bit beyond most of the Academy voters.

The Princess and the Frog might be the surprise contender in the music categories, but with Randy Newman at the helm, it might be a stretch given his past record with the Academy. It wouldn't surprise me if its music is performed at the Oscar show.

Partly Cloudy is a shoe-in for the best animated short subject. Nobody has ever really come close to Pixar's work.

Up ... will it be nominated for best picture? Now that there are 10 slots, it's almost guaranteed.

But who will the real winners be? It just depends on what kind of mood the Academy is in this year. Probably one of the smaller, limited releases like Sunshine Cleaning or The Hurt Locker will come out with a large number of the nods. Meryl Streep will take BA for Julie & Julia Who would I like to come away with some nods? Black Dynamite of course. It's the most unique and soul-satisfying movie to come around this year. If you haven't seen it, you should.