Animated-film troika rides again

THE Oscars and Golden Globes may not always see eye to eye, but the groups proved decidedly in tune this year when it came to serenading animated feature films.

Both awards organizations tapped box office favorites “Cars” and “Happy Feet” while giving a nod to the quirky dark horse “Monster House.”

Fresh off his Globe win for “Cars,” Disney/Pixar’s John Lasseter will again go up against directors George Miller (“Happy Feet”) and Gil Kenan (“Monster House”) when they meet at Kodak Theater on Feb. 25.

Lasseter noted that awards campaigning takes a lot of time, but that “ ‘Cars’ is like another child of mine,” making all the effort worth it.

Miller said it seems “unjust that just one person is nominated for an animated film,” since “Happy Feet” is the “most collaborative film I’ve ever made.”

Kenan, a first-time filmmaker and recent UCLA graduate, said he feels like he has been sleepwalking for the last 3 1/2 years.

And how would Kenan react if he won? “It’s unlikely, but I would scream and climb over the seats like Roberto Benigni.”

Unlike the Globes, Oscar allows for five nominees when 16 or more animated films qualify for consideration.

However, this year, the animation branch disqualified Luc Besson’s “Arthur and the Invisibles” late in the nomination cycle when it failed to meet the requirement that no less than 75% of its running time must be animated. With that film eliminated, the field dropped to 15, allowing for only three nominations.

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Oscars will be telecast Feb. 25

The 79th Academy Awards will be handed out Feb. 25. Ellen DeGeneres will make her debut as Oscar host during the ceremony, which will be telecast live on ABC at 5 p.m. from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.