MovieChat Forums > Winnie the Pooh (2011) Discussion > Pooh's Chances for an Oscar

Pooh's Chances for an Oscar

posted 13 years ago by Benjamin_406
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Do you think Walt Disney Animation Studios' latest offering, "Wiinnie the Pooh", has a chance of getting nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, despite its running time of 63 mins?

More curiously, however, how come the Disney Studios has promoted two songs from "Pooh", "the Backson Song" and "So Long" for Oscar nominations instead of "Everything is Honey"? I'm not really complaining about that decision, but I think "Everything is Honey" has a better chance of winning an Oscar for Best Original Song, mostly because of its great mix of musical styles - opera, Broadway and the Sherman Bros. style. (In fact, Pooh Bear is very excellent in acting, dancing and singing in this very memorable sequence!)

So who else is favoring "Everything is Honey"?

[–] gabby_bm 13 years ago

As far as showtunes go, I would have selected "It's Gonna be Great" which is quite reminiscent of Rogers and Hammerstein. But I agree with you and that my favorite tune is "Everything is Honey", both musically and how it's "performed" on the screen.

I just don't think the Oscars will treat the film respectfully enough to nominate it. I think they respect it for its nostalgic properties and sentiments. But not for content which is too simplistic and lacks any sort of "edge" to it. I felt the same way about "Up".

To my surprise, it might get a nomination, but no way in hell it will win the award.

If nothing else, Pooh should get a Lifetime Achievement award.

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[–] DarthSil 13 years ago

Agreed with all ^^^^^^^^

All we can do is keep our fingers crossed. The film is receiving a lot of other nominations in other film award circles, so that is encouraging.

Good luck to Pooh!

[–] Benjamin_406 13 years ago

Pardon me, gabby_bm, but you haven't answered one of these questions: how come the Disney Studios has been promoting two songs from "Winnie the Pooh", "the Backson Song" and "So Long", for the Oscars' Best Original Song instead of just "Everything is Honey"?

Of course, your previous response about Pooh's chances for Oscars 2012 has produced a new question: what makes you think that Disney/Pixar's Oscar-winning film, "Up", hadn't been treated respectfully by the Academy in content? (I mean, "Up" director Peter Docter won an Oscar and thanked the Academy for choosing his film for 2009's Best Animated Feature, along with everyone else from Disney and Pixar. Do you have any evidence in which Docter - or even anyone else from Pixar - didn't see the prestigious organization having full respect to most of the qualities of his movie? )

[–] gabby_bm 13 years ago

You're right, "Up" did win Best Animated feature. I must have been thinking about it's nomination for "best picture". I retract. I'm probably still pissy that it didn't win "Best Picture" which, among the nominees, I thought it was a strong contender.

As far as the songs they've promoted, I think they're focused on "So Long" because it's a solo and representative of the film without it being too specific (can get radio play?). And selling the song is selling Zooey which means double the money for the record labels(?). That's the best guess I've got.

And "Backson" for the exact opposite reasons- because it's the entourage and Pooh-specific- but it also has a quality that the others lack. It's a song that parents and kids can use together and even make up their own words to it. In that, it serves the imagination. My kids often like to make up things that a Backson does that aren't in the song. My 4-year old thought he was quite clever when I asked who spilled in the kitchen and he blamed the Backson. We both laughed and he still cleaned up his mess.

I think most of the charm of "Everything is Honey" is the visuals that go along with the song. Listening to it by itself, without ever having seen the film, it is happy and cheerful, but also simplistic and might I daresay, "childish"? This is, of course, perfect for the movie, but it doesn't really stand out and come alive without the imagery of Pooh swimming in his honey world.

And those are my best guesses.

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[–] Benjamin_406 13 years ago

Gabby_bm, I bet you believe that "Winnie the Pooh" would only get nominated for Oscars 2012's Best Animated Feature, because of the higher award-winning chance of Sony and Aardman's "Arthur Christmas" as 2011's most critically acclaimed animated film (according to Rotten Tomatoes). Well, you better take a good look back at Oscar 2002 Ceremony...

In 2002, Disney/Pixar's "Monsters, Inc." was supposed to be likely to win an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, for it was much more critically successful than Dreamworks' "Shrek" and Nickelodeon's "Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius". But in the end, it was "Shrek" that became the first winner in that category.

Just because "Arthur Christmas" is more critically acclaimed than "Winnie the Pooh" doesn't mean it will be very obvious to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Just don't raise your hope on either of those films too high and anticipate the unexpected. (Who knows what weird choices the members of the Academy Awards would make on that category?)

[–] gabby_bm 13 years ago

The last thing I can ever do is figure out what the Academy will decide. I've been wrong FAR more often than right in predicting the Oscars.

Incidentally, what was the last Christmas-based movie to win a major Oscar? I can't think of one myself.

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[–] Astrolupine 13 years ago

And it didn't even get a nomination this year. It surely must be the length, since this flick was pretty critically acclaimed.

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[–] DarthSil 13 years ago

The length of the film was probably the reason. I just don't get it though. My heart is broken right now - I'm actually crying hearing this news. It truly deserved to be recognized by the Academy.

Oscars, you really fouled up this one!

No matter, Pooh. You're still the best with us.

[–] Wman1996 13 years ago

What really pisses me off is that Puss in Boots got nominated. I'm sure it's good, but for crying out loud Winnie the Pooh is a great film!

[–] gabby_bm 13 years ago

My kids never even mentioned wanting to see Puss-n-Boots again and they were generally bored with it. It was OK to them, as was Kung-Fu Panda which they really lost interest in fast. But Pooh is what they want to see again and again.

I guess the Academy only wants to recognize the computer as the only medium for animation from now on- and only if it appeals to adults with pop-culture references.

Jeez, i thought that at least one of the songs might get nominated.

Screw 'em. Pooh will be around longer and loved far more than 90% of their nominees. So while they can have their little gold men gathering dust on their mantles, I'll be buying Winnie The Pooh DVDs to replace the ones my kids wear out.

Boy, if this wasn't where I put my signature, I'd really let you have it!