Lego Movie Directors bitter as Fathers walking through toy-rooms

One could say the directors of the Lego Movie wish the Board of directors at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences would step on as much lego as it took to create the movie for the slap in the face they gave the movie for not nominating it.  The Lego Movie, directed by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, was not nominated for best animated film for this year's oscars, but did however win the BAFTA award for best animated feature.

(Directors of Lego Movie holding their awards)

Usually the British Academy Film and Television Arts awards are spot on in picking the films that later win American Oscars, but this year was not the case.     For their acceptance speech, Miller and Lord parted with "You guys win the award for best Academy.  This is the end of the awards road for us, so we can say whatever we want.  There's no one left to impress," effectively making a stab at the Oscars.  I support the directors in their views because their movie was better than any animated films Disney produced that oscar season; there was no reason why it should not have been nominated.

Academy Award's Best Animated Feature contendors

It was reported yesterday that 18 films have qualified to eligible to be nominated as Best Animated Feature at this year's Academy Awards. The qualifications for what can be nominated as Best Animated Feature have changed as well, putting those involved in making the films on their toes in the hopes that their film can still qualify. The changes are as follows:

1. The need for the Board to vote to activate the category each year was eliminated, so the Animated Feature category is now permanent with no need for the Board to vote on its existence. Eight is still the minimum number of eligible releases for a competitive category.
2. If there are right to twelve features that year, two or three of them may be nominated. This new rule eliminates the minimum of three rule and allows the possibility of only two films to run against each other, so, in theory, a third, "lesser" film can be dropped
3. If thirteen to fifteen films qualify, a maximum of four films can be nominated, which now allows for more than three films to be nominated if less than sixteen animated films are released in a year
4. If sixteen animated films are released and all qualify, a maximum of five may be nominated, this allows the committee to nominate less than five if they choose to.

These new rules won't change much about the Academy Awards nomination process, however the category has become permanent which is very exciting.

The 18 films that qualify are as follows:
1. Rango
2. Kung Fu Panda 2
3. Puss in Boots
4. Rio
5. Cars 2
6. Gnomeo & Juliet
7. Mars Needs Moms
8. Winnie the Pooh
9. The Smurfs
10. Happy Feet Two
11. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
12. Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil
(and the ones I have never heard of so I've provided the trailer for anyone else who isn't familiar with them)
13. The Adventures of Tintin (release date December 21, 2011)

14. Arthur Christmas (release date November 23, 2011)

15. Alois Nebel (released September 29, 2011, for more on the film visit the Wikipedia page)

16. A Cat in Paris (release date December 15, 2010, for more on the film visit its IMDb page)

17. Chico & Rita (released November 19, 2010, for more on the film visit its IMDb page)

18.Wrinkes (I couldn't find the trailer for this, but for more information you can visit the Wikipedia page)

So what do you guys think? What will be nominated? I definitely think Rango will make the ballot, but other than that I want to wait and see how The Adventures of Tintin and Arthur Christmas do in the box office.