Pick the animated movie on the Oscar short list that does not belong

By Jen Chaney



"Toy Story 3": To infinity, and the Oscar short list for best animated film. (Pixar/AP)

We now know which movies are officially in contention for this year's Academy Award for best animated feature. Oscar organizers revealed today the 15 films that have landed on the short list -- short list perhaps being a misnomer here -- of candidates. From those 15 candidates, three will become nominees. And out of those three nominees, "Toy Story 3" will ultimately be deemed the winner. So really, this whole thing is a bit of a cartoon charade. But I digress.

All the usual animated suspects made the first round of cuts.

The aforementioned "Toy Story 3"? Check.

"How to Train Your Dragon"? Check.

"Despicable Me" and "Megamind," which would potentially cancel each other out even if their superhero-satire behinds weren't about to be kicked by Buzz Lightyear? Check.

"The Illusionist," the requisite annual animated entry that's critically lauded but that no one's kids will ever see? Total check.

"Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore"? Che--

Wait a minute, what? "The Revenge of Kitty Galore"? A movie with a riff on an inappropriate-for-the-kiddies, James Bond double entendre in its title? A film with a 13 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes? This is on the Oscar short list in this category?

Ladies and gentlemen of the awards-show-tracking jury, I submit the following: the short list for animated movie consideration clearly needs to get much, much shorter.