Awards Watch: The Toons

Animation fans and Oscar pundits are abuzz following the Comic-Con preview of Beowulf, Robert Zemeckis' latest foray into "mo-cap" (motion capture) animation. The bottom line is whether the "digitally-enhanced live action" of the film will qualify it as an animated feature under the Academy's newest rules that infer that "any film that begins with live action performance and then uses digital animation to enhance or augment that performance is not eligible."

What is interesting about this new rule (which goes into effect with this year's nominations) is that not only would it have deemed last year's nominee Monster House ineligible, but it may have also affected the eligibility of eventual winner Happy Feet (with its mo-capped dance sequences). If these two movies were left off the ballot, then third nominee Cars would have undoubtedly taken home the gold for John Lassiter and Pixar yet again.

Fast forward from Oscar night to the debut this summer of Pixar's Ratatouille, which displayed this statement prominently and proudly in its end credits:

"100 % genuine animation. No motion capture or any other performance shortcuts were used in the production of this film."

Is it a coincidence that the Academy rules were changed around the same time Pixar felt it necessary to permanently clarify the technology used on their entry into this year's awards race? Obviously having a thing against mo-cap (especially after losing to Happy Feet - that had to hurt), could Pixar have had a hand in changing the rules as to what is and is not an animated feature, at least in the eyes of Oscar?

In the meantime, the jury is still out on Beowulf, but Pixar and their top chef may have an even stronger opponent come Oscar time: Homer Simpson.

Of course, in my eyes comparing Ratatouille to The Simpsons Movie is like comparing the Mona Lisa to a Colorforms set.

Links via Variety.com, Imdb.com, Wikipedia.com, Hollywood-Elsewhere.com, LaughingPlace.com and GoldDerby.LATimes.com.