Pixar’s Up Hoping For a Best Picture Oscar

The Best Animated Feature Category is fairly new to the Academy Awards, being introduced only seven years ago back in 2002. Since the development of this distinction, the opportunity for animated films to be considered for the biggest award of the night (Best Picture), have become slim to none. According to Reuters, Pixar’s summer hit Up, may force the Academy to take a second look at their selection process.

For the 2010 Oscars, a dramatic change will take effect for the Best Picture Category. The nominees will expand from 5 to 10, giving more movies the opportunity to fight for the night’s top prize. Up was one of the best critically reviewed and commercially received films of the year, and with 5 extra slots open, it may find itself fighting against some live action fare.

The first and only time an animated film has been nominated for Best Picture was in 1991 for the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast. Up is looking to follow in those history making steps to surpass the confines of the Animated Feature category. Up director Pete Docter, told Reuters that his film should be judged in the same way as any other, regardless if it’s live action or not.

“We happen to use computers to be telling the story, but it’s first and foremost about the storytelling, just like anything else.” he said. “For the world to look at it that way as well, that would be great.”

With there being so many Best Picture spots available for the taking this year, many are wondering if there will be enough high quality films available to fill the void. Only time will tell what will make it to the Oscar ballot.

Do you think Up deserves to be nominated for Best Picture of the year?