MY OSCAR PREDICTION from last night-
Animated Feature- CARS, HAPPY FEET, MONSTER HOUSE



I turned out to be correct all around. Not that I liked Monster House all that much, it just seemed the buzz around the industry was more for it than the others. I felt Over the Hedge should have gotten one. I liked the facial animation and acting in Hedge. Maybe if we had gotten the five noms instead of three it would have. And the more experimental films like Scanner Darkly and Renaissance were passed by.

My Predictions from last night for Best Animated Short-
Joanna Quinn's Dreams and Desires, No Time for Nuts ( Ice Age Skrat), Don Herzfeldt's Everything Will Be Okay.

The actual nominations went to-
The Danish Poet (NFB) Torill Kove
Lifted (Pixar) Gary Rydstrom
Little Match Girl (Disney) Roger Allers
Maestro Géza M Toth
No Time For Nuts (Blue Sky) Chris Renaud and Mike Thurmeier

Wow, I was way off here. I think Joanna Quinn's Dreams and Desires got robbed. I loved her draftsmanship, style and humor. Maybe the members didn't like fat Birmingham ladies in thongs speaking a brogue thick enough to warrant subtitles? I also thought that even though Don Herzfeldt's designs for Everything Will be Okay are simple, I liked it overall as a film. It reminded me of my time under general anesthesia. Oh well, wait'll next year...

And this Year's Category of Yet Another Randy Newman Song in a Pixar Movie, went to Randy Newman's song from CARS, Our Town.

One thing is certain. Most of the live action movies will garner lots of kudos and excitement while doing little business- Children of Men- $27 million,The Queen- 35 million, so far. Most of these " important films" disappear soon after the award telecast- does anyone remember I am Sam or Boys Don't Cry? Meanwhile every animated feature that doesn't do at least $100 million is considered a flop that makes studio executives run to the rooftops to grasp the landing gear of evacuating helicopters.

Wouldn't it be nice if we in animation could do a film that doesn't have to be a blockbuster to be taken seriously?

Wouldn't it be nice if it rained beer and it was Christmas every day? ( Apologies to A Man for All Seasons)