film.every.day.

Perhaps there will come a year when Oscar realizes that animated films are not lesser animals to be led to awards-season slaughter. In fact, with the Best Picture category expanded to ten films for 2010, I’d be surprised if at least one of the following films is not included, and perhaps even three.

But we’re here to talk about Best Animated Film. And the nominees are (or should be)…

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Up

Coraline

Ponyo

Mary & Max

Avatar

Yes, folks, Avatar is an animated f*$#ing film. Over half of the movie is computer-generated, and the other half feels like it was acted by computer-generated actors. So here it is. I’m hoping including them here inspires some to seek out Mary & Max and Ponyo, they’re worth the trouble.

But the award for Best Animated Film goes to…Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Welcome to the award that’s basically the red-headed stepchild of the script competition, the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

And the nominees are…

Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche, In The Loop

Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up In The Air

Neil Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, District 9

Scott Cooper, Crazy Heart

Nick Hornby, An Education

Everyone seems to think Up In The Air has this award locked up, and they’re probably right. It’s a wonderful film, perfectly timed to tap into the current state of the country. But I think the playing field should be more level, as all of these films are just as deserving, and in the case of one, even more so.

And the doorstop goes to…Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Scripts. You remember what those are, right Oscar? Screenplays are the wonderful creations of talented writers like David Mamet, Alexander Payne, Eric Roth and Ben Affleck. (Okay, that might be an exaggeration.)

To make your life easier, Oscar, here are the six scripts you should nominate for Best Original Screenplay…

Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter, (500) Days of Summer

Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker

Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds

Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man

Scott Moore and Jon Lucas, The Hangover

Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, Up

Yeah, get over it people, there’s a massive hit comedy and an animated film in there. If you haven’t seen these films, warm up your Netflix queue and spend the weekend catching up. From the non-stop intensity of Boal’s The Hurt Locker to Moore and Lucas’ lost Vegas weekend, these are not only the best original screenplays produced in 2009, but they’re great and fun movies.

And the anatomically-incorrect statue goes to…Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker.