I am skipping some of the production individual achievement categories. Unless you are really passionate about Fangwei Liee’s work on animated effects in Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, I think its safe to say that we are not qualified to pick those categories so let’s move on to the more fun ones.

Besides, on most of the technical awards, the answer is Pixar. Always Pixar.

Directing in an Animated Feature Production

* Sam Fell, Rob Stevenhagen “The Tale Of Despereaux” – Universal Pictures
* Ari Folman “Waltz With Bashir” – Sony Pictures Classics/Bridgit Folman, Les Films D’ici, Razor Films
* Tatia Rosenthal “$9.99” – Sherman Pictures/ Lama Films
* John Stevenson & Mark Osborne “Kung Fu Panda” – DreamWorks Animation
* Andrew Stanton “Wall•E” – Pixar Animation Studios

Pixar. The answer is always Pixar. I apologize to all of the other nominees but, deep down, you know it as well as I do. Critics love Pixar. Your Panda is cute but he is not a silent film remake of Charlie Chaplin that makes you feel guilty for littering. You don’t have that guy from Cheers as a good luck charm. There may be no secret ingredient, Po, but being in a Pixar movie sure doesn’t hurt.

Directing in an Animated Television Production or Short Form

* Bob Anderson – The Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror XIX” – Gracie Films/Fox TV
* Joaquim Dos Santos – Avatar: The Last Airbender “Sozin’s Comet Pt. 3” – Nickelodeon
* Craig McCracken, Rob Renzetti – Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends “Destination Imagination” – Cartoon Network Studios
* Chris McKay – Moral Orel “Passing” – ShadowMachine
* Alan Smart – SpongeBob SquarePants “Penny Foolish” – Nickelodeon

My pick on this is Treehouse of Horror. Word on the street is that it was the best one yet and, let’s face it, critics love the Simpsons come award time. Doh!

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

* Ben Burtt – Voice of Wall•E – “Wall•E” – Pixar Animation Studios
* Dustin Hoffman – Voice of Shifu – “Kung Fu Panda” – DreamWorks Animation
* James Hong – Voice of Mr. Ping – “Kung Fu Panda” – DreamWorks Animation
* Ian McShane – Voice of Tai Lung – “Kung Fu Panda” – DreamWorks Animation
* Mark Walton – Voice of Rhino – “Bolt” – Walt Disney Animation Studios

A small rant: Remember when this list used to actually be filled with voice over actors and not random live actors? There is no reason whatsoever for Dustin Hoffman or any of those stars to be playing parts in Kung Fu Panda other than to have a star studded premiere. There are perfectly good voice over actors that you could hire for much less, people! Most of the time they are both cheaper to use and better actors! There are exceptions (Robin Williams is worth his weight in gold and Jack Black made that Panda role) but overall, this practice annoys me. Ok, rant is done.

That said, I think the Kung Fun Panda vote is going to be split and that Wall-E or Bolt are going to steal this one (probably Wall-E because of the Pixar rule). That said, sometimes the biggest name just wins so it may be Mr. Hoffman, who I bare no personal ill will. But that Hamster is pretty funny so I am not sure. Eh, who am I kidding. I still bet Wall-E on this one. Even if he did only say like 3 words all movie. 

On a side note, no women in any voice categories? They don’t get their own category? Eve from Wall-E? Jodi Bensen reprising her role as Ariel? Mily Cyrus? No love there?

Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production or Short Form

* Ahmed Best – Voice of Jar Jar Binks – “Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II” – ShadowMachine
* Seth MacFarlane – Voice of Peter Griffin – Family Guy “I Dream of Jesus” – Fox TV Animation/Fuzzy Door Productions
* Dwight Schultz – Voice of Mung Daal – Chowder “Apprentice Games” – Cartoon Network Studios

Everyone loves Seth MacFarlane for some odd reason (I mean, he’s OK but I don’t get all the hype). I think he has this one done deal.

Does it bother anyone else that the writing nomination doesn’t list Dr. Seuss for Horton Hears a Who? It bothers me. A person is a person no matter how dead.

OK, that was the last batch. What are your picks?

This category is hard because I don’t watch any of these shows regularly (though I have in the past) so I cannot speak to the quality of them this season in particular.

Best Animated Television Production

* King of the Hill – 20th Century Fox TV
* Moral Orel – ShadowMachine
* Phineas and Ferb – Disney Television Animation
* Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II – ShadowMachine
* The Simpsons – Gracie Films/Fox TV

There is a lot of really good stuff up there. I am going to have to give this crown to King of the Hill, though. It’s the last year for that show AND Mike Judge is up for a special award that night so I think this might be a lock for Hank Hill and crew.

Or you with me on this? Or am I totally off base?

Trying to pick Annie Award winners, Day 3.

Best Animated Short Subject

* Glago’s Guest – Walt Disney Animation Studios
* Hot Dog – Bill Plympton Studio
* Presto – Pixar Animation Studios
* Sebastian’s Voodoo – Joaquin Baldwin
* Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death – Aardman Animations Ltd.

Presto was one of the funniest things I have ever seen but I am going to go against my own advice and pick against Pixar this time. I just don’t think that Presto is up to their usual caliber though I think the silliness of it really balanced out the heavy Wall-E well. I am thinking that clay will win the day for Wallace & Gromit here.

If you are just joining us, we are trying to throw our guesses into the ring for our picks for Annie Award winners.

Best Animated Home Entertainment Production

* Batman: Gotham Knight – Warner Bros. Animation
* Christmas Is Here Again – Easy To Dream Entertainment
* Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs – The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
* Justice League: The New Frontier – Warner Bros. Animation
* The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning – DisneyToon Studios

I am really picking blind on this category so I am going to need some help from you guys on this. I think its safe to say, with all apologies to Jim Cummings, that The Little Mermaid doesn’t have a chance in heck. Batman is solid gold this year but that doesn’t mean it will translate into the animated realm. I’m going to pick Futurama. I didn’t watch this special but I was told by friends it was the best of these.

What do you think is going to win it? Or, better yet, what else doesn’t have a chance in heck of winning?

Best Animated Television Production Produced for Children

* A Miser Brothers Christmas – Warner Bros. Animation
* Avatar: The Last Airbender – Nickelodeon
* Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends “Destination Imagination” – Cartoon Network Studios
* The Mighty B! – Nickelodeon
* Underfist: Halloween Bash – Cartoon Network Studios

This list makes me feel really old. I have only ever even heard of 2 of these and only actually watched an episode of one of them (Foster’s). I’m going to go with Avatar because all the hip kids like it these days.

Best Animated Video Game

* Dead Space – Electronic Arts
* Kung Fu Panda – Activision
* Wall•E – Heavy Iron Studios, a division of THQ, Inc.

This one is really easy. This goes to Dead Space. As the only video game actually designed to be a video game int he first place, it has a big advantage over the cheesy movie-tie in games.

Not to get off topic but remember how awesome movie-tie in games used to me? Aladdin for Sega Gensis or Super Nintendo was money! ABABABABABA I say to you and if you don’t heard me, you aren’t a level skipper. (I only skip levels on re-plays, naturally)

I did a little extra effort on this one so that we can all be on the same page. Consider the links below to be your “screeners” so you can watch the commercials and decide for yourself which one is best.

Best Animated Television Commercial

* Giant Monster – Curious Pictures (BC Dairy Commercial)
* Long Legs Mr. Hyde – Curious Pictures (RBC Avion)
* Rotofugi: The Collectors – Screen Novelties (Rotofugi.com)
* Sarah – Z Animation (endgunviolence.com)
* United Airlines “Heart” – Duck Studios (United Airlines)

I am not a big TV watcher so I only saw the Heart one live. I’m not sure if we are supposed to be evaluating only the animation or the ad message but I think the coolest animation is a tie between the Heart one and the Long Legs one. That said, the Rotofugi one was rather creepy and also very funny and the Giant Monster one was adorable. “Sarah” was intense but the animation wasn’t anything all that different. I am going to go with Heart for the win on this one because I know I loved it on first sight.

Keep in mind that I am also a chick. What’s your pick?

Who would you pick for the win? That said, which one do you think the committe will pick?

Hey, if they big guys can do it for the Oscars and Golden Globes, we can sure do it too! Let’s go category by category and try to pick the winners. I’ll give you my rationale and then you weigh in below.

Here is my very uninformed, opinion.

Best Animated Feature

* Bolt – Walt Disney Animation Studios
* Kung Fu Panda – DreamWorks Animation
* $9.99 – Sherman Pictures/Lama Films
* Wall•E – Pixar Animation Studios
* Waltz With Bashir – Sony Pictures Classics/Bridgit Folman, Les Films D’ici, Razor Films

Even without seeing 3 of these movies, I think I can safely say that Wall-E is a lock. Critics and award givers love Pixar. They can do no wrong lately. However, Kung Fu Panda is kind of a dark horse. . .er. . bear. A lot of people really loved this movie and maybe it could take the crown. I really liked it but, in the end, I feel like Kung Fu Panda is kid’s stuff while Wall-E is on another level.

And am I totally selling $9.99 and Waltz short? Yes. But the Annie’s usually favor big studios so if I am discounting them, I think voters will as well.

As for Bolt, I haven’t see it yet and hear its good but I still think it cannot measure up to Wall-E.

But enough about what I think. . . what do you think? What’s your pick to win this? Or, if you were a judge, which would you pick?