Before this year, in the 82-year history of the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had only bestowed a Best Picture nomination upon one animated feature film. That film was 1991's Disney classic Beauty and the Beast.
That all changed a few weeks ago. Pixar's Up was nominated for Best Picture, becoming the second animated film in history to hold the honor. It's not a coincidence that this was also the year the Academy chose to nominate 10 films in this particular category instead of just five.
The first big question here is, would Up have been nominated if the five-film format had remained in place this year? With films like The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Avatar, and Up in the Air nominated along with it, it wouldn't have been an easy task for Up.
The other big question is, did Up deserve the nomination?
I believe the answer is undoubtedly "yes." In fact, I'd even argue that Up deserved the nod with or without the 10-film format.
Beauty and the Beast is a modern classic, and perhaps the best Disney movie ever produced. It garnered a nomination in the five-film format, which is a feat in and of itself for any movie, let alone an animated one. There have been some great non-Pixar Disney films since 1991, most notably The Lion King and Aladdin, but none can come close to the greatness shown in Beauty and the Beast.
It was Pixar that changed everything. 1995's original Toy Story marked the dawning of a new era in animated filmmaking. I still considered Beauty and the Beast to be the best even after I watched Toy Story, but there was no denying the fact that we'd be seeing a very different animated movie genre from there on out. And we have.
A curious oddity began occurring after this. The Disney castle still appears before all of Pixar's films, but for some reason, at least in my mind, the bouncing lamp takes them and sets them apart. Disney probably loves having its name attached to these movies, but Pixar seems to be the real genius here.
It's very tough to make an argument as to which Pixar film is best. Toy Story was easily my favorite until it was dethroned by The Incredibles in 2004. However, I think it's safe to say there's a new king in town, and its name is Up.
I'm a sucker for relatable cinema, and that's what Up represents. Before this movie, only one Pixar film had focused primarily on human characters. That was my previous favorite, The Incredibles. But Carl Fredrickson and his young friend Russell are not superheroes; they're a crotchety old man and a fat boy scout. These are normal people you might see on the street any day. Can you get any more relatable than that?
Up's story also sets it apart. Pixar has a knack for being original. The studio has shifted effortlessly from toys to bugs to talking cars to Chaplinesque garbage robots and more. Towards the beginning of Up, we get a montage showing Carl and his wife wander through the ins and outs of life together. The scene is completely wordless, which is amazing considering both the happiness and sadness it evokes. Flash forward a scene or two, and Carl's house is floating away, tied to balloons. I don't know where they get their ideas, but the geniuses at Pixar know how to be blissfully random, and the effects are almost universally good.
And let's not forget one of the most important and integral parts of any Pixar movie: the comedy. I will say with confidence that Up is Pixar's funniest movie. The comedic delivery of voice actors Ed Asner and Jordan Nagai mixes perfectly with the hilarity provided by Dug the dog and Kevin, the rare (female!) bird.
All that said, I believe the best aspect of Up is the lesson it presents. Carl Fredrickson represents the fact that it's never too late to have an adventure. This is not a movie about characters who are forced into an adventure or who need to escape from a tight spot; it's one about a guy who consciously decides to go out and do something crazy. Up is pure adventure, something the film industry shuns all too often. Crystal Skulls don't count.
Many have said that Pixar was a big part of the Academy's reason for switching to 10 Best Picture nominees instead of just five. Finding Nemo, Up, The Incredibles and Ratatouille all rank in the top 50 highest-grossing films of all time. Popular nominees mean more viewers and higher ratings for the Oscar broadcast. It's a sad reason for changing it up so drastically, but I guarantee it's the main one.
That said, Up more than deserves to be considered for the accolade. The Hurt Locker will win, with Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air and Avatar hot on its heels. That's only four frontrunners. Who's to say the Academy wouldn't have made Up the fifth, if the old format had remained? I guess we’ll never know.
All I’m saying is, don’t count out an animated movie. Up’s nomination may or may not have come simply as a result of the changed format. It’s nice to know, however, that the honor went to one of the best ever.
