Directed by: Nick Park
Written by: Nick Park, and Bob Baker
Produced by: Michael Rose, and Carla Shelley
Voices of: Peter Sallis, Anne Reid

The third installment in the Wallace & Gromit franchise is the best and Nick Park proves that pain staking process of making plasticine animated shorts proves rewarding in the end. Wallace and his lovable dog, Gromit have now created a window cleaning service. They are soon hired by the wool shop owner, Wendelyne to clean up her windows. During the night, Shawne the lamb sneaks into 42 Wallaby Way and starts eating everything. When Wallace finds him, he makes him a sweater. Meanwhile, there's something fishy about Preston. This is a very enjoyable end to the Wallace & Gromit trilogy. It's suspenseful, funny, and a down right classic in short animation. I can't wait to see them return in 2005 for the feature film.

Oscar: Best Animated Short Film

Directed by: Nick Park, and Steve Box
Written by: Nick Park, Steve Box, Bob Baker, and Mark Burton
Based on the short films by: Nick Park
Produced by: Nick Park, Claire Jennings, Peter Lord, Carla Shelley, and David Sproxton
Voices of: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Nicholas Smith, Liz Smith, Dicken Ashworth, Peter Kay, John Thomson

Two weeks after Tim Burton's enchanting Corpse Bride, another amazing stop-motion picture has been released and it is quite possibly the best film of the year so far. Nick Park's classic Oscar-winning duo, Wallace & Gromit star in their first feature-length comedy and the results are wonderful. Rabbits have been eating the vegetables of an English town and Wallace & Gromit's Anti-Pesto business are there to take care of all of them without any senseless killing. When Wallace decides to invent a machine to get the furry little critters to hate vegetables, something goes terribly wrong and now a Were-Rabbit is eating all the town's vegetables. This has been an amazing year for animated films with such funny works like the computer-animated Robots and even the direct-to-DVD Family Guy movie, Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, but Wallace & Gromit is the most enjoyable of them all. Gromit is given a bigger role this time around and he proves to be the funniest silent star since Charlie Chaplin's famous tramp. Ralph Fiennes doesn't provide the usual celebrity voice-work and is completely unrecognizable as the story's villain, Victor Quartimane. Whether you've seen the short films or not, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit comes with a very high recommendation.

Oscar: Best Animated Film

"Film Website" Award: Best Animated Film
Other "Film Website" nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay

Directed by: Nick Park
Written by: Nick Park, and Bob Baker
Produced by: Christopher Moll
Voice of: Peter Sallis

The cheese-loving duo returned by popular demand in this charming cartoon made completely out of plasticine. Wallace is low on money, so he decides to make a room for rent, which is quickly rented by a mysterious penguin. It's also Gromit's birthday and Wallace gives a rather unusual gift, a pair of mechanical trousers "great for walkies." Meanwhile, the penguin starts to kiss up for Wallace's attention and Gromit becomes jealous and runs away. This provides the penguin ample time to get his little scheme to work and uses Wallace as his guinea pig. This new short gives more suspense to the franchise and a lot more laughter as well. Gromit fans will be delighted as once again it is up to him to save the day. It's a film that will make you laugh and cheer, and wonder "how did they do it?"

Oscar: Best Animated Short Film

Directed by: Byron Haskin
Written by: Barre Lyndon
Based on the book by: H.G. Wells
Produced by: George Pal
Starring: Gene Barry, Anne Robinson, Les Tremayne, Robert Cornthwaite, Sandra Giglio, Lewis Martin, Housley Stevenson Jr., Paul Frees

In this classic science fiction by H.G. Wells, the aliens attack for real. When a meteor lands in a small American town, the villagers are first awed. Soon, the martians in the meteor start to attack the people. Soon, more arrive and attempt to destroy, and like cockroaches, they can't be defeated. Maybe There's something much smaller that can stop, though. Orson Welles's infamous radio broatcast is brought to life with the help of some brilliant special effects.

Oscar: Best Special Effects
Other Oscar nominations: Best Sound, Best Film Editing

Directed by: Peter Lord
Written by: Peter Lord
Produced by: Jo Allen, and Michael Rose

Peter Lord is a great clamation animator and he proves it once more with this ingenious short called Wat's Pig. Taking place during the Medieval Times, it tells the age old story of two twins separated at birth. One of the brothers becomes a high and powerful prince. The other one lives in a swamp with the title pig. Soon after war is raged on the prince's kingdom, he ends up meeting his long-lost brother. They then fight the enemy and save the day. It's a brilliant satirical comedy that will make you laugh a lot. Like Peter Lord's previous Oscar nominee, Adam, Wat's Pig is not intended for children. Overall, this is a must-own, and all I'm asking is why hasn't Aardman released their non-Wallace & Gromit shorts on DVD yet.

Oscar nomination: Best Animated Short Film

Directed by: Niki Caro
Written by: Niki Caro
Based on the book by: Witi Ihimaera
Produced by: John Barnett, Frank Hubner, and Tim Sanders
Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, Grant Roa, Mana Taunaunu

Very rarely does a film come along that moves your heart. This New Zealand film is sure to bring tears to even the most manly of men. And no, I'm not talking about The Lord of the Rings. I am talking about Whale Rider. This is a brilliant film based on a wonderful book by Witi Ihimaera. Academy Award-nominated newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes plays the role of Paikea, a Maori girl who is the only child in a family. There is a tradition that the oldest male in the family becomes the chief. Paikea attempts to prove to her grandfather that she is chief material. Although, he's stubborn, he loves her. This amazing film avoids the obvious clichés and puts a lot of surprises in place. This is the latest of a string of ethnic films about female empowerment and breaking tradition. Other examples include the British-Indian cross-cultural comedy, Bend It Like Beckham and the surprise smash hit, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. This is a film everyone should see.

Oscar nomination: Best Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)

"Film Website" Award: Best Adapted Screenplay
Other "Film Website" nominations: Best Picture, Best Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)

Directed by: Paul Burness
Written by: Barbara Hammer, and Tedd Pierce
Produced by: Stephen Bosustow
Voices of: Jim Backus, Jerry Hausner

Mister Magoo is the funniest disabled cartoon character in animation history, and this award winner of his is a charmer for any fan of his (or something for anyone who had just seen the Leslie Nielson bomb). Everyone's favourite near-sighted old man decides to take a trip to the cinema to "see" the latest picture. He, however, instead enters an airplane which is being hijacked by a bugler. Magoo, meanwhile, thinks it's all part of the show and loves it. You'll love this cartoon too, even in a post-9/11 era. This animated short film took home the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and deserved it very much and it is a roar a minute, (and like I mentioned one hundred times better then then the live action Disney feature film with Leslie Nielson).

Oscar: Best Animated Short Film

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Written by: Jeffrey Price, and Peter S. Seaman
Based on the book by: Gary K. Wolf
Produced by: Frank Marshall, and Robert Watts
Starring: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy, Stubby Kaye, Alan Tilvern, Charles Fleisher (voice), Kathleen Turner (voice)

Roger Rabbit is the most popular cartoon character in the world. When he is accused of murdering Marvin Acme, the king of Toontown is seeks help in a Toon-hating ditective, Eddie Valiant. The suspects then range from a baby with a passion for cigars, Roger's wife, Jessica, and a mysterious judge. Eddie and Roger soon race against the clock to find Acme's will and make Toontown right again. Cartoon characters fight perfectly with real people in this wonderful comic masterpiece. Bob Hoskins gives a very different performance then he usually does in this Robert Zemeckis-directed picture.

Oscars: Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing
Other Oscar nominations: Best Sound, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography

Directed by: Tex Avery
Written by: Rich Hogan
Produced by: Leon Schlesinger
Voices of: Mel Blanc, Arthur Q. Bryan

In this wildly funny cartoon, Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd meet each other for the first time and the unforgettable lines are said, and live forever. A rabbit hunter goes on hunting for rabbits, but he picks the wrong bunny to mess with. Bugs Bunny is the most intelligent and sneaky cartoon character you'll ever meet, and he pulls off just about anything to fool the poor speech-impediment Elmer. Despite all the terrible things happening, Elmer never gives up and continues to try and catch him. This all soon leads to the classic conclusion with many more adventures with Bugs and Elmer to come. This is the cartoon that really brought Warner Brothers into the spotlight and got them a well-deserved Oscar nomination (which they should have won). Highly recommended for animation buffs and people in general.

Oscar nomination: Best Animated Short Film

Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Written by: Baz Luhrmann, and Craig Pearce
Based on the play by: William Shakespeare
Produced by: Baz Luhrmann, and Gabriella Martinelli
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo, Harold Perrineau Jr., Dash Mihok, Pete Postlethwaite, Miriam Margolyes

The Monatagues and the Capuletsare two fighting families in Verona Beach. When their quarelling has gone too far, the Prince decrees that if anyone fights, they will be executed. Romeo Montague is a love-struck teenager, who wants a girl badly. He then sneaks into a Capulet party, and quickly falls in love with Juliet Capulet, and vice versa. They later marry secretly only to be disturbed when Romeo kills her cousin, Tybalt. Romeo is banished, and Father Laurence divises a plan to get them back together. Placing the classic love story in a modern-day setting seems like a strange idea at first, yet it works. Baz Luhrmann has made an incredible world, yet still using the bard's words. Although a bit far from reality at times, this version doesn't compare with the 1968 classic, yet it's still interesting theatre.

Oscar nomination: Best Art Direction

Directed by: Mel Stuart
Written by: David Seltzer
Based on the book by: Roald Dahl
Produced by: Stan Margulies, and David. L. Wolper
Starring: Gene Wilder, Peter Ostrum, Jack Albertson, Roy Kinnear, Julie Dawn Cole, Michael Bollner, Paris Themmen, Denise Nickerson

Roald Dahl is a literary genius up there with Charles Dickens, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dr. Seuss. When it comes to writing a screenplay, he doesn't really sour, though. Charlie Bucket is a poor boy who loves chocolate, but is only able to get some on his birthday. One day, the fabulous chocolate maker, Willy Wonka does a contest to find five children to visit his factory. He places a golden ticket in five chocolate bars, and there's a chocolate buying frenzy all over the world. Soon four tickets are found, and the children including a spoiled rich girl, and television-obessed maniac. One day, Charlie finds some coins in the ground, and uses them to but a chocolate bar, which just happens to have a golden ticket inside. During the visit to the factory the children see some wild inventions, and soon each one disappears. Dispite some impressive sets and a brilliant performance by Gene Wilder, this film fails to have an interesting screenplay, and the many songs are just boring, and forgettable (except maybe the "Ompaa Loompa" theme). Just stick to reading the classic Roald Dahl book.

Oscar nomination: Best Original Song Score and/or it's Adaptation

Directed by: Peter Weir
Written by: William Kelley, and Earl W. Wallace
Produced by: Edward S. Feldman
Starring: Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Luka Haas, Danny Glover, Josef Sommer, Jan Rubes, Brent Jennings, Alexander Godunov

In this wonderfully written drama, Harrison Ford plays John Book. He's a detective who meets an Amish boy called Samuel, who witnesses a murder. John takes Samuel to the police station several times to look at possible criminals. He finally finds the murderer, who happens to be John's old partner. When he finds out about the boy finding the murderer goes after John, who decides to hide with the Amish until the trial. Now he must take their way of life, while fixing his car at the same time. He also becomes attracted to Samuel's mother, Rachel. This film incredibly scripted, and brilliantly directed by Peter Weir. John Book is probably Harrison Ford's first big role, not counting Han Solo, and Indiana Jones.

Oscars: Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing
Other Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor (Harrison Ford), Best Director (Peter Weir), Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography

Direced by: Victor Fleming
Written by: Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf
Based on the book by: L. Frank Baum
Produced by: Mervyn LeRoy
Starring: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Margaret Hamilton, Frank Morgan, Clara Blandick, Charley Grapewin

The Wizard of Oz stands as the film that probably everyone from every generation has seen once, and it deserves that recognition very much. This film like Star Wars, and E.T. shouldn't been explained, because the plot is so well known, but I will recap for those who don't remember this magical feature. Dorothy and her little dog, Toto are swept by a tornado and land in the magical land of Oz. Following the yellow brick road, she encounters a scarecrow in need of a brain, a tin man who wants a heart, and a lion who would like some courage. Throughout the film, she is followed by the Wicked Witch of the West, who is after her ruby slippers. This film is a classic and although it doesn't stand in my top fifty films of all-time, it's an enchanting experience with lively music, and a great performance from Judy Garland.

Oscars: Best Original Score, Best Original Song ("Over the Rainbow")
Other Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Special Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Color Cinematography