We are now at the half-way point for our 7 Days to Oscar Morning coverage. We take a glimpse today at Oscar’s newest category, Best Animated Feature as well as Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. As a reminder, the 82nd nominations will be announced on Tuesday morning, February 2, 2010.

When we get into tomorrow’s update, we’ll start taking a look at the acting awards including the two supporting trophies and the music categories.

Best Animated Film

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Wesley, Tripp)
Coraline (Wesley, Peter, Wes)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Unanimous)
Ponyo (Peter, Tripp, Wes)
The Princess and the Frog (Unanimous)
Up (Unanimous)

Comments

Wesley Lovell: Since its inception, the category has only given a five-wide field once before, so precedent is a bit diffcult to establish. However, what’s clear from even the three-nominee competitions is that a majority are critically acclaimed and those that aren’t were either popular at the box office or peers voting for the established animation studios. First, we’ll go with what’s guaranteed a spot. Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and the Frog and Up are all pretty assured. Pixar hasn’t failed to get a nomination in this category and Disney has also gotten more head-scratching nominations than any studio (having employed most of the voters in this branch for years before they branched out. Fantastic Mr. Fox is that critically acclaimed, unusually-animated feature that earns nominations. That leaves two spots. The most nominated film at the Annie Awards almost always takes one of the nominations. This year, that effort was Coraline, leading Up 10 to 9. Of the films going in, not a single one of them doesn’t have strong critical support. We have no film that’s more populist than it is critically acclaimed. I give that nomination to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It’s just the kind of film that this group would go for in the wake of Bolt, Surf’s Up, Monster House, Shark Tale and Jimmy Neutron. Of course, one should never count out Hayao Miyazaki who’s not only won this award, but has also earned nominations in previous contests. But Ponyo wasn’t nearly the success of Howl’s Moving Castle and that film had far less stiff competition for a spot, so I count it as a solid 6th place contender, but not as a nominee. Alternate Prediction: Ponyo
Tripp Burton: This category has three powerhouse nominees here—Perennial Pixar nominee Up, critical darling The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Disney’s return to form The Princess and the Frog. None of those should miss out here. For the other two slots, there are three strong contenders. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs has a big box office to propel it and Ponyo has filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, who already has garnered two nominations in this young category. The film left out is Coraline, which is a very possible dark horse. Alternate Prediction: Coraline
Wes Huizar: Alternate Prediction: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Best Art Direction

Avatar (Unanimous)
Bright Star (Peter)
District 9 (Wesley)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Wes)
Inglourious Basterds (Unanimous)
Nine (Tripp, Wes)
Public Enemies (Peter)
Sherlock Holmes (Unanimous)
A Single Man (Tripp)
Star Trek (Wesley)

Comments

Wesley Lovell: Before the Art Directors Guild split out Period and Fantasy as separate categories, combining them, they never picked the final five, usually picking up three or four. Before that, when they gave out only one trophy for all Art Direction, they were a little more successful. However, since they split to three categories in 2006, they have twice pulled all five through (2 from fantasy, 3 from period in one year and 1/4 the next), but last year, they only picked 3 of the eventual nominees reverting to their pre-three-category ways (The Duchess and Revolutionary Road were not on their list) and even then it was 2 from period and one from fantasy. So, we should probably expect at least from the period list and one from fantasy and then pick the other from what remains. Avatar will be the guaranteed fantasy entry. The three period selections I’m guessing would be Inglourious Basterds and Sherlock Holmes and possibly A Single Man, which wasn’t nominated, but evokes an era not currently covered by the potential nominees. That leaves one (maybe two) spots. I’m going to pull in District 9 from fantasy as one of my selections and then the second I’m going to go wit Star Trek. Yes, this brings three fantasy and only two period, but I think with such strong Sci-Fi work and each being rather distinctive in their presentations, that we could very well see a reverse of past trends. Alternate Prediction: Public Enemies
Tripp Burton: As with most of the tech awards, Avatar should be a lock in the category. Nine’s art direction was the one thing praised consistently in reviews, so it should make it in here. A Single Man has designer Tom Ford behind it and should impress these voters, while Sherlock Holmes and Inglorious Basterds fill in the last two slots, although The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is breathing down all their necks. Alternate Prediction: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Wes Huizar: Alternate Prediction: A Single Man

Best Costume Design

Avatar (Tripp)
Bright Star (Unanimous)
Coco Before Chanel (Wesley)
Inglourious Basterds (Wesley, Peter, Wes)
Nine (Unanimous)
A Single Man (Tripp)
Where the Wild Things Are (Peter, Wes)
The Young Victoria (Unanimous)

Comments

Wesley Lovell: The Costume Designers Guild moved to three categories a year before the ADG, so we have an extra year to look at. Prior to 2005, when they had two categories, their inclusions were sporadic, before two categories, it was seldom a match. Since they went to three, they’ve gotten three, four or five through with four being most common. The CDG has been more lopsided in their transfers. Last year, all four that carried through were from period films (Australia was the odd-nominee out). The year before, the same thing. Four from period and a period/fantasy (Across the Universe) was the Academy’s off nominee. In 2006, all five made it through with three from period and two from contemporary (a very odd occurrence, but one film, The Devil Wears Prada, was about fashion and the other, The Queen, was about royal garb). Then 2005 had three, two from period, one from fantasy with Mrs. Henderson Presents and Pride & Prejudice coming through. So, I’m starting by picking three guaranteed from period and then pulling the other two after I see what’s left. From period, I’m taking Coco Before Chanel, Nine and The Young Victoria. While Nine has certainly begun to fail in many categories, there was an abundance of stylish period garb in this film and I can’t imagine them going for such quantity (that and a seamstress/costume designer happens to be one of the central characters). For the other two outside spots, I pick popular costume designers Janet Patterson (Bright Star) and Anna B. Sheppard (Inglourious Basterds). Both are from period films, but one has fantasy elements and both have been nominated by the Academy before, so they already have the name recognition, plus they are the kinds of costume periods this group loves. Plus, I find it hard to imagine this group not picking at least one of the Best Picture nominees and Nine’s chances are very limited. If there’s a potential upset here, it will most likely either be from CDG-nominated Sherlock Holmes, CDG-nominated The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus or non-CDG-nominated A Single Man. Alternate Prediction: Sherlock Holmes
Tripp Burton: This category generally has one or two period pictures that show up nowhere else on the ballot but compete hardily here. This year, look for those two to be The Young Victoria and Bright Star. A Single Man and Nine are visual, more modern period pieces that should impress here. Then there is Avatar. Alternate Prediction: Sherlock Holmes
Wes Huizar: Alternate Prediction: Coco Before Chanel