Disney Officially Pushing Wall-E For Best Picture

John Campea 59 Comments

This is good news and just plain common sense. Amidst all the conversation and debate about whether an animated film should be eligible to be nominated for best picture, Disney and Pixar have decided to force the issue and are now officially pushing for Wall-E to get a Best Picture nomination. And well they should. Wall-E is, so far and hands down, the best picture of the year so far.

Hows this:

ON METACRITIC
Wall-E (#2 Best rated movie of the year behind “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” – 93
The Dark Knight – 82

ON ROTTENTOMATOES
Wall-E – 96
The Dark Knight – 94

Please note, I’m not comparing the number to The Dark Knight to bash on it (I loved The Dark Knight), but simply to show how bloody and unforgivably outrageous it would be for this film… the top rated wide release film of the year (much like Ratatouille was) to not be nominated for Best Picture.

And please no one give me any of this “but there aren’t any live actors in it” bullshit. The name of the category is BEST PICTURE, not “best live action picture”. Wall-E is the best picture and should be nominated and recognized. I applaud Disney and Pixar for forcing the issue and not just letting the Academy quietly brush the issue under the carpet and hope that no one talks about it.

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59 thoughts on “Disney Officially Pushing Wall-E For Best Picture”

  2. I almost agreed with everything that Chillyfreez has said, but SETH’s post is obscenely flawed and I am excluding his subjective claims about the movie. He says “The film had no acting or cultural significance whatsoever” !?

    The movie hints overconsumption(ism) , corporate takeover of every sector, Bush speech, the auto-pilot, the numerous Apple goods.

    If these references are not enough for you, I dont know what culture you belong to.

  4. OK, I doubt anyone will read this, as the last post is nine days ago, but I need to get some stuff off my chest about this issue (that is, Wall-E for BP), despite the fact that it seems I arrived a bit late to the party.
    First, the (very valid) idea that it’s unfair for a movie whose genre has its own oscar to be nominated for BP. I’m not exactly sure where I stand on this issue, because I agree that it is unfair, but I also think that, if a movie is good enough, it should be able to transcend the genre category and at least be nominated for BP (see “La Vita e Bella,” 1997). To some extent, I think the Golden Globes have the whole “Best” movie thing more in order, because they give a category to EVERY genre (though I recognize that the Globes will always be Oscar’s redheaded stepchild). To make it all fair, The Academy should have Best Drama, Best Comedy, Best Animated, Best Foreign AND Best Picture (I don’t think other genres, action, horror need specific consideration because they generally don’t lend themselves to meritable filmmaking, and when they do they can be placed in one of the aformentioned categories).
    This classification system, though, doesn’t exist, and so I must also visit the prolific argument that, “Wall-E doesn’t deserve to win because a Best Picture needs real actors.” There is no argument I’ve heard against Wall-E that grinds my gears more than this one. On what grounds do you base this claim? Here’s the thing – the people who make this argument seem to think that, when George Clooney’s movie wins Best Picture, that little statue goes on George’s Mantle. That is not the case. The Best Picture award goes to the producers of the film, as it well should. These are the people responsible for coordinating the entire talent pool that goes into the production of a film. The honor can be carried by everyone who was involved in the film’s production, and anyone will tell you that a live action film is much more than the sum of its actors.
    Now – can and should Wall-E win Best Picture? In my opinion, yes and yes, but I admit that I am not one who is properly informed to make that call. I have seen Wall-E, twice, but I have not seen a single other film that may be considered for BP this year (nor did I see any of last year’s nominees). Generally, I’m the kind of person who will wait for a movie to come on HBO, unless I feel properly motivated to shell out $10 for the big-screen experience. With the exception of “Cars,” (having now seen it on TV, a good decision on my part) I have never missed a Pixar flick at the theater.
    Is Wall-E the best Pixar movie ever made? I’m not so sure. Toy Story was at least close to as good (if not as good or better), plus it was literally genre defining. Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles also deserve mention in the argument.
    But let’s say, for the sake of argument, that Wall-E is the best Pixar movie… Is it the best CGI movie? Well, while I like (the first) Shrek quitte a bit, it doesn’t stand up to anything made by Pixar (except Cars), and there’s really only one other non-Pixar CGI movie that is worth mentioning here – Happy Feet. Here is a movie that caught many of its viewers by surprise. I don’t think anyone went into Happy Feet with elevated expectations, but that was a BEAUTIFUL film. It was a feast for the eyes and the ears, and had its own (and probably more valid than Wall-E’s) environmental points to make. The one drawback to Happy Feet was its overuse (and don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a great actor) of Robin Williams.
    Let’s say, again for argument’s sake, that Wall-E beats out Happy Feet… Does that make it the best animated feature ever? Well, given the above to proposed victories, than I say yes. I will not deny the significance of Snow White, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King or the (apparent) big gun, Beauty and the Beast (though I enjoyed Oliver and Company more than all of them, but I’m a big Billy Joel fan), but I say Wall-E’s got them all beat. Story-wise, there’s not too much to compare. Whereas the above cell animations are all (albeit well-done) adaptation of classic storybooks, Wall-E is an original screenplay. Score one for Wall-E. While they all meet Disney’s standard for visual production value in an animated feature (and Snow White wrote that standard), none stand up to Wall-E’s execution (I know, this is a very subjective topic). Did anybody else find themselves asking themselves when we stopped seeing real actors and started seeing toons on that wall of past Axiom captains? And the scene where Wall-E and EVE finally mutually realize that they’re falling in love (you know, when they’re dancing around in space)? Beautiful. All this, not to mention the contrast presented in “Bleak Earth vs. Beautiful Spaceship…” 2-0 Wall-E. Those other films all had their own original songs, though, many of which were written and/or performed by pop icons… 2-1 Wall-E, but Wall-E still wins.
    NOW… does Wall-E deserve to be mentioned as one of the best FILMS of 2008? I say, whoever says it does not deserve a nomination is in serious denial. Do you want to know what I think makes Wall-E so unique? You’re still reading this so I assume you do… It’s not the environmental message. I agree, this message is not entirely original, it is simply there to give context and perhaps to make the movie a bit culturally relevant. What makes Wall-E unique is this: CGI animation is a filmmaking “wave of the future” realized. What started with Toy Story has become another method by way of which Hollywood can produce more crap. Whereas the crap used to be all hands-on manmade, now the humans in Hollywood can have the computers help them make the crap. Thank you, technology. So what does Pixar do with Wall-E? They say, “Hey, we invented this, we can reinvent this.” and they take this crap vehicle and drive it to an homage to a time before animated features ever existed at all. What makes Wall-E fantastic is that it is, for all intents and purposes, a silent film.
    Okay, the humans on the spaceship talk, but I think this was only done so as not to completely estrange the expected largely under-14 audience. The humans did not need to speak to get across the points they make. The humans’ parts could have easily been played in Tom & Jerry pantomime, if not for the fact that doing so would surely lose the attention of every child in attendance.
    And, without saying anything beyond each other’s names, Wall-E and EVE have given us one of the sweetest love stories we’ve seen on the screen in years. Oh, and by the way, this love story is being played out by inanimate objects. Inanimate objects that will later teach the humans how to be human. You cannot deny how cool that is.
    So, alright, I have not seen ANY of the other movies in the conversation for Best Picture, and I probably won’t until at least after the Oscars next year. I have, therefore, no argument for why Wall-E should be considered THE best movie of 2008, but I hope I have given you a convincing argument for why it should AT LEAST be nominated.
    Thanks for reading,
    Chillyfeez

  6. Sorry guys, I gotta agree with Aaron on this one. Wall-E is second best of the year, TDK wins by a long shot.

    And I’m afraid to mention where Cloverfield is on my best of the year list, but that’s not important. TDK will win

  7. I think Wall-E deserved the nomination and win.

    @Gutpunch:

    If Wall-E doesn’t deserve bets animated film at absolute least, what does? I haven’t seen nor heard of any animated films being close to as good as Wall-E is.

  11. Matt, TDK was dark because in the time the film took place, gotham went through rough times. im sorry Matt, but Wall-e sucked incredibilly. TDK was dark cuz of…hmm lets see… TWO-FACE, THE JOKER, THE MOB,
    and wall-e was…like any other pixar film.

  12. Okay, I really truly loved WALL-E. One of the best animated films I’ve ever seen. I wept at the end. Awesome movie.

    Having said that, I really don’t know how I feel about the possibility of it being nommed for Best Animated Picture AND Best Picture. Is that really fair? Why not have categories for Best Comedy Picture as well? The animated feature category has always been a bit of a WTF to me. If that genre can have its own category, why can’t other genres have one as well? I may be way off (wouldn’t be the first time), but I’ve never been a fan of the category. I get that they are trying to give animated work recognition, and rightfully so, but if an animated movie is good enough to win a separate category, why not put it in the Best Picture race? It’s always felt like they are saying, “Well, we don’t want to repeat the controversy of the Beauty and the Beast nomination, so we’ll put them over here, FAR away from our hallowed category”.

    Now, I say this, but if my complaint is to be believed, then you’d have to nom the Best Documentary feature in the Best Picture category as well, and that isn’t right either, sometimes. It’s not a perfect system and never will be, which is part og what makes it so much fun to discuss.

  13. I would put WALL-E for Best Picture, and *heck no* to The Dark Knight. It was good, it wasn’t Best Picture good. It’s incredibly overrated and not Best Picture material at all, so it just makes me shake my head to those that say it was better and deserves it more. But then, what can you do, angst-ridden teenagers will always prefer the unnecessarily dark film to the one with a hopeful, optimistic, positive tone. At the end of WALL-E: the story is resolved with a happy, sensible conclusion. At the end of TDK: he runs away…whoop-de-doo! WALL-E for Best Picture, easily.

  17. This is stupid.There’s no way Wall E should be nominated.The film had no acting or cultural significance whatsoever.It’s very disappointing that although almost all of Pixars films were in deed better than this one,Wall E might be nominated for best picture.I ask anyone to tell me what was special about this film,yet I have never heard a satisfying response.That is because there is no good response to that question.Take the Dark Knight for instance:Brilliant acting,Moving characters,Inspiring drama,and excellent,on-the-edge of your seat action.Now take Wall E:None of the above.Some people have said that Wall E was cute and heartwarming,fine,but does a film deserve best picture because its warm and fuzzy.NO.Although I’ve heard people say that Wall E was inspiring I have to disagree,first of all he’s a character who is hard to relate to(being a trash picking-up robot)second one loses interest because the film drags,and third any inspiration one may feel is lost as soon as they leave the theaters because we’ve absolutely no reason to care about what happens to Wall E apart from the fact that he’s cute.It seems to me that everyone puffed this film up to be somthing its not,right now critics say “Wall E was a great film”and we follow blindly against our better judgment.I guess guess people just think it’s just respectable at this point to follow along and worship Wall E even though this film barely hits mediocre.

  20. I cant wait to see Wall-E but TDK is the best of the year so far, thats the same with Rataouille (and i liked a lot), its not even close of the greatness of TWBB or No Country, animation is awesome but i take any of those 2 above any of pixars (I love Toy Story 1 & 2 and a few others) but maybe because im older i prefer my movies more ”adult”.

  21. I didn’t really like Wall E, even my kids (5,9,12) weren’t over impressed and it’s one of the few films they haven’t asked for on DVD when it comes out. I just found it too slow. The Incredibles would have been an excellent nomination at the time. I haven’t seen Dark Knight yet so I can’t comment on that.

  22. Hey Bigsampson

    You said:

    “i think that actors who are real and are acting deserve to be recipients of a movie or atleast have some major force to make it a best picture”

    Acting has it’s own category. Acting is only 1 component of what makes a movie. Just because actors in a live action film are “real” doesn’t mean they’re the only real performances. Physical actors or artificial ones still have to deliver PERFORMANCES. Golum in LORTR for example.

    Many other factors go into what makes the best movie. Direction, story, script, visuals, music, atmosphere, etc. etc. etc.

    Live actors or fake ones is irrelevant. The performance is what counts, real or artificial. Even then it’s just one part of what makes a movie.

    Wall-E is the best picture of the year (but that’s subjective)

  23. “It’s just a popularity contest. They don’t give a shit about the art of films.”

    Considering only 1 of all the films nominated for Best Picture last year made $100 million (Juno), that pretty much blows your statement right out of the water

    idk i think that the statement he said is actually true….about 10 friends that i no went to see it at the movie theatres…i asked them why…and they said (all of them too) someone told them they should see it cause the internet was buzzing about the film…i personally thought juno was maybe 7/10 ….my opinion is that wall e was good and the reason why it was so popular is it was a kids movies…..i mean really i think that actors who are real and are acting deserve to be recipients of a movie or atleast have some major force to make it a best picture…IMO wall e doesnt do that as much as TDK where IMO it seemed like the actining was just awesome and there was a lot of acting too not like 10 min of dialogue then 2 hours of action…the real deal IMO.

  24. Hey Ksmred,

    You’re entitled to your opinion, and that’s cool. My only contention with your previous statement was “It’s only a popularity contest”. Considering that other than Juno none of the other films finished in the top 20 boxoffice that year… it was hardly a “popularity contest”

  25. There will be blood – $40,218,903 (USA)
    No Country for Old Men – $74,273,505 (USA)
    Atonement – $50,921,738 (USA)
    Michael Clatyon – $49,024,969 (USA)
    Juno – $143,492,840 (USA)

    Considering they are either low budget/arthouse films, they all made respectable returns. What do you expect, films like these to break 100 million dollars? That’s just crazy. Of course, they are not going to make 100 million dollars. That’s for blockbusters to do. We are living in a society where Saw is the shit and Chiwawa movie is the top dog at the box office.. It’s a miracle for an indie film to break 100 million dollars, let alone 50. Juno broke 100 because it wasn’t an arthouse film (for another words: slow film). It appealled to a lot of people. There are rarely room for arthouse or foreign film audiences. That is why I prefer Cannes over Oscars. While Oscars is fun to watch wiht its glorious stars and their fancy dresses, it solely celebrates American films (like you said, BEST PICTURE is best picture, but animation/foregin/documentary/etc gets screwed over), where Cannes celebrates cinema, period. I don’t know where I am going with this… but what I am trying to say is.. your film either has to be english speaking/live action/have recognizable faces/and have to make some amount of money if you want to get nominated. My humble opinion.

  26. Hey there ksmred2

    You said:

    “It’s just a popularity contest. They don’t give a shit about the art of films.”

    Considering only 1 of all the films nominated for Best Picture last year made $100 million (Juno), that pretty much blows your statement right out of the water

  27. I don’t know why people care about the Oscars. They have the crappiest taste in films and history shows it. I am so sick of seeing actors or directors pushing so hard to win one, and if they do win it. They will now be known as “an oscar winning…” If you look at the directors who have never won an oscar…
    It’s just a popularity contest. They don’t give a shit about the art of films.

  28. Wall-E won’t win Best Picture, it won’t even be nominated. It will however win Best Animated Feature, even though it doesn’t deserve it.

    And The Dark Knight won’t be nominated or win either. It will most likely be nominated for Best Supporting Actor and of course a crap load of technical Oscars.

  30. Hey Alfie,

    To each their own man. I respect that you didn’t like it. Fair enough. But it is the #1 rated wide release movie of the year. Just saying.

    But hey… I didn’t like Blade Runner

  31. of all the things I have disagreed with you over the years john your over the top love of wall e is quite possibly the biggest.

    I know we all get different things out of films but I just wish I had seen the same print you saw because the one I saw was 50% amazing and then 50% sleep inducing.

    The first half of wall-e is pixars greatest work. I thought I was about to se the greatest animated film of all time and then they leave earth and the film for me absolutely falls to bits and becomes just a really boring cartoon. It disappointed me greatly.

  32. “The name of the category is BEST PICTURE, not “best live action picture”

    In that case, Man on Wire (a documentary) should be nominated. I have been calling it the best film of the year since August when I saw it, because there simply won’t be a better film than this captivating masterpiece.

  33. Flashback to the partnership meeting between Pixar and Disney,,,

    Sign with us, and will ensure your films get Oscars!!! Were Disney and we control the world !! Aaahahaaahahaaa!!!

  34. Hey Raddy,

    Ummm…. ok. Show me exactly where in this, or any other post I’m “bitching” about The Dark Knight?

    I just put up a post about how Dark Knight will get nominated for best picture.

    Think a little bit before embarrassing yourself

  37. Anything that changes the snobbish perception of animation is good, so people see that it is a film making technique and not a genre in itself. A nomination should do this, win or not.

  38. I have not seen Wall-E. I have no desire to see Wall-E. Until I read this site and the fanatical love for it. I now am interested in seeing this but I have a hard time ever thinking of an animated picture for Best Picture. I just don’t get it-cartoons have their place-and I’ve seen really enjoyable ones (Toy Story for sure) but Best Picture? I have never thought one should be in that category but then again I couldn’t stand There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men last year so perhaps I’m out of touch.

  39. @Noname

    You seem to not like any of these movie that have a chance of being nominated. The Dark Knight, Wall-e. My question is (and I’m not trying to be a dick or anything) what would YOU pick for Best Picture?

  40. Sorry…… but Wall E is easily the most over rated movie of the year. There were no human characters of interest and no emotional connection to any part of the narrative. But for me the worst part was that the film was just downright boring. Give me a flawed Dark Knight or even In Bruges any day over Wall E. See it is somewhat hard to critique Pixar movies because they are so well made in terms of production and visual but Wall E just did not do anything for me. My humble opinion only.

  42. I actually would like Wall-E to be nominated, but I hope The Dark Knight wins. TDK deserves to win this. I actually haven’t seen many of these films like In Bruges or many others. I’d nominate The Dark Knight, Burn After Reading, and Wall-E. And, I have to say, I think TDK will be hard to beat. For me, nothing better has come out this year than TDK. I loved Wall-E, but it’s in second place for me.

    Hope to see all these titles at the Oscars this year!

    Oh, and Ross, I’m pretty sure that Gone Baby Gone came out last year (note: the last time I mentioned that to someone, they told me they were from the UK)

  45. Right now, before a lot of the “Oscar bait” films get released, yes I would personally nomiante WALL-E for best picture. Here are those I would nominate:

    4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
    The Dark Knight
    WALL-E
    Gone Baby Gone
    Tropa De Elite (Elite Squad)

  47. I’m still standing behind my statement that “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” will win best picture. Judging by the trailer alone, that film just looks awe-inspiring! Also, Gran Torino could have a fair shot as well…you’ll never know. Eastwood is an academy titan, and in all of Million Dollar Baby’s simplicity; like Gran Torino looks to have…it could win too. Once again, I’m only juding by trailers…so please don’t chew my head off.

  49. If Beauty and The Beast can do it, so can Wall-E, regardless of the best animated category. I agree with you 100% John.

    Maybe it SHOULDN’T be nominated for best animated because of the live action Fred Willard. lol

  52. I don’t know, studios tend to campaign for everything even if there’s no real chance of getting top awards. Basicly, if they campaign it as a Best Picture nominee it has a better chance of raking in smaller awards even if it doesn’t really have a chance at the top prize. For example, there have Best picture FYC ads for Beowulf, Pirates of the Carribean 2, and Casino Royale

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