'Panda' vs. 'WALL-E'

 

The pudgy-layabout-panda-turned-martial-arts-master pulled it off at the Annie Awards -- and how! -- bringing up the legitimate question about what will happen on Oscar night in the race for best animated feature film.

The Annies -- voted on by industry professionals and fans -- are the Oscars of the animation world, and DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda" swept to a record 15 wins on Friday. (That's out of 24 total trophies, and most of the others were for TV. Seriously, the "Panda" pillaged and plundered).

For Disney/Pixar's "WALL-E"? Bupkis. (Other competitors included the DGA Award- and Golden Globe-winning "Waltz With Bashir," which also went home empty-handed). 

So, now it's "Kung Fu Panda" vs. "WALL-E" instead of a predetermined lock for the latter flick?

If you go by history, that's the case. Since 2001, when animated movies got their own category, the Annies have predicted the Oscars every year except one. (The Annies picked "Cars" and Academy voters went for "Happy Feet" in '07).

Disney's "Bolt" is the third Oscar nominee this year.

So many pundits have thought "WALL-E" was a lock -- yes, us too -- but a total skunk with more than a dozen Annies is no fluke. And we can't say we're sorry to see any seemingly pre-determined Oscar category get shaken up in what's become a contest with few surprises left. A real race? Say it is so.

Comments

[Matt]

Nope, sorry, WALL-E's still a lock. You can't compete with the fact that WALL-E has won nearly every other Best Animated award out there, and has even taken home Best Picture prizes (a feat not matched by the Panda). The only reason KFP might win is if The Academy gets uppity and decides they're sick of people predicting their choices, which would be stupid and I don't think they'd ever do. WALL-E is the Golden Globe winning, Los Angelese Film Critic winning, Online Film Critic Winning, Boston Film Critic winning, best reviewed film of the year. They're not going to make themselves look like fools come Oscar night.

[Martial art schools]

Yeah!The only reason KFP might win is if The Academy gets uppity and decides they're sick of people predicting their choices, which would be stupid and I don't think they'd ever do. They're not going to make themselves look like fools come Oscar night.True i smell another Oscar.

[Martial art schools]

True i smell another Oscar.