The format is a little different from the previously posted Category Highlights because there are not as much of a history for the category for past wins to be a strong indicator, not are there many other major awards that single out animated movies.

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

• The Corpse Bride
• Howl's Moving Castle
• Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

• This is a competitive category in which every - Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit will win.
• I'm a fan of all three and have two of them on DVD, (Howl's Moving Castle won't be released until March 7th). But Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is nearly a lock for Best Animated Feature.
• Nick Park is an Oscar favorite winning three Oscars for short films, and this is his first chance at the Feature Film category. Add in the best reviews for a wide release this year, the PGA win and the 10 Annie Awards and this film is practically guaranteed to take home the hardware.
• Director Hayao Miyazaki is widely regarded as the greatest director currently working with the medium of Cell Animation. However, Howl's Moving Castle is also widely regarded as his weakest film since his first one, which was made more than 25 years ago. It is worth noting that a weak film for Hayao Miyazaki is still better than 90% of the films out there.
• You have to feel sorry for the makers of The Corpse Bride. They make an amazing movie, but it has almost no chance of winning the Oscar this year. A significant reason for that is because the leading contender is also a Stop-Motion Animated film. Had the other films been digitally animated, for instance, then The Corpse Bride might have gotten more votes because its medium would have been unique. However, as it is, it's hard to image too many people voting for the second best Stop-Motion Animated film of the year, no matter how good it is.

Curious George prize pack including a T-shirt, hat and soundtrack.

Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment bring Curious George, the original "monkey see, monkey do" chimp, to the screen in an all-new animated adventure based upon the beloved tales that have been enchanting readers for more than 60 years. George, the inquisitive little guy with an insatiable taste for adventure, sets off in a brand new tale for the big screen, where his spunky and fun-loving nature endears him to new friends he meets along the way and (of course) lands him in a series of (mis-)adventures.

Curious George is now in theatres.

- C.S.Strowbridge

Date posted: 2006-02-21