WALL-E
Scandal: When it comes to earning Best Picture nods, will animated films ever escape being categorized as a niche?
The Issue: On a lighter, yet still important note, several Oscar snubs, such as Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky, have left folk shaking their heads. Namely one in particular, which points to the fact that, although technology has progressed, there's a certain reluctance to embrace animation in the Best Picture category -- as well as actors who give voice to animated characters; think the utterly overlooked Andy Serkis as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings.
What the Press is Saying: "There's a good case to be made that it was a mistake to nominate Wall*E only for Best Animated Feature and not Best Picture. It got a better critical reception than any of the movies nominated for the most prestigious award. As of today, Rottentomatoes.com says that Wall*E has a 96 percent positive rating based on an aggregation of movie critic reviews. That's higher than the Tomatometer registers for any of the five Best Picture nominees."
-- Matt Bandyk, U.S. News & World Report
Leave it alone?: We have a feeling this gem will get a highly coveted award, one way or another. So all's good.
Wrongness-meter: 2 out of 5 stars