83rd Annual Academy Awards

http://www.slashfilm.com/analysis-15-films-eligible-2010-animated-feature-oscar/

* Forgot to post my picks yesterday. Thought of it at the last minute, but I assumed the winners this year were obvious. Turns out that I was mostly right but was off on two big ones: Best Director and Best Picture. I figured The Social Network had both categories locked -- but failed to realize that one could easily describe The King's Speech in a single sentence using such words as "inspiring," "historical drama," and "who overcame." That shit's like catnip to the Academy.

Now, I'm not trying to sound snarky here. Well, maybe a little snarky. But I haven't seen either film yet (watching The Social Network tonight) -- but my gut tells me that the Academy pulled another Rocky this year. I'm sure The King's Speech is an excellent film, but I wonder how it will hold up over time next to The Social Network, Inception, and Toy Story 3.

* Speaking of Toy Story 3, Best Animated Feature Film needs to be split up into two categories: Best Animated Feature Film Made by Pixar and Best Animated Feature Film Not Made by Pixar.

Of course, they deserve it almost every year. And with Cars 2 coming out this year, someone else has good shot at the statue next year.

* Trent Reznor is now an Academy Award-winning composer. The Wolfman is now an Academy Award-winning film. Two things I never thought I'd hear in my lifetime.

* OK, out of words for the day. Let me wrap this with a few "what the hell?" questions:

Inception grabbed a bunch of technical awards, but wasn't even nominated for Film Editing? If there's one area that Inception terrorized every other film, kicking all the little boy films in the junk and pulling all the little girl films' pigtails, it would be Film Editing.

Shouldn't Christopher Nolan be up for Best Director instead of Best Original Screenplay? Inception is a strong yet fragile story -- top-heavy with exposition -- that worked because of Nolan's direction of his own screenplay. Also, if this guy can pull off The Dark Knight Rises, he will be five for five for absolutely jaw-dropping, kick-ass films. Few directors have ever had a streak this good.

Can an actor be nominated for voice acting? Should a category be made for this? 'Cause seriously, Tom Hanks as Woody...

Tron 2 didn't receive a single nomination, when it should have easily been up for Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, and Best Out of Nowhere Ziggy Stardust Impersonation by an Esteemed British Actor in a Feature Film.