MovieChat Forums > The Secret of Kells (2016) Discussion > Why Kells didn't win the Oscar.

Why Kells didn't win the Oscar.

posted 14 years ago by AgnoscoCausa
5 replies | jump to latest

I think the 2 main reasons why Kells didn't win the Oscar (which it absolutely should have).

Up + Oscar = maximum cash for the industry.

Labeling Up with an Oscar would bring in a lot more cash than labeling a movie like Kells with an Oscar.
The idea is Up will sell well no matter what. But put an Oscar on it and it will sell exponentially better. If Kells got the Oscar it would only help it sell a little bit better.

Kells takes a hit due to the religious undertone. Even though it was not preachy and the religious aspect was very subtle. When there is any religious tone at all it will be viewed negatively by a certain percentage of the population. A movie that is totally neutral like Up is less likely to be rejected by either religious or non-religious people. A movie like Up is designed for maximum win for the most people, primarily with the motivation of profit. But at the expense of artistic quality, depth, character, etc.

It is like the difference between an heirloom tomato and a highly hybridized, genetically modified tomato. The heirloom has the most flavor and nutrition, but does not do as well for the super-mass market like a hybrid.

[–] fyo_films 14 years ago

I would also argue that Up has many merits of its own. They're both remarkable movies in their own right, and I'm just glad the Animated Feature category was as strong as it was, with as much variety as it held.

Everybody runs.

[–] greenjae 13 years ago

i'm atheist but any subtle religious tones didn't bother me in the least. it's set in an abbey, the characters are monks, it's simply context. thats like saying sound of music has religious tones that would annoy people. errmmm not really. of course that was the sixties.

[–] uruseiranma 13 years ago

Well, I liked Kells, and definitely felt it deserved its nomination.

Even so, I probably would have chosen Coraline as a close second (though Bruno Corlais also provided music for both Coraline and Kells, and they both were very well-done).

There's a general thought that it's all about the money, but that can't be true.

How do you explain how Spirited Away won then? The film didn't even crest $15million US, but cleaned up in Japan, outgrossing Titanic.

"Thanks, guys." "So long, partner."

- Toy Story 3 (9/10)

[–] Starfishby 13 years ago

Kells didn't win because Pixar had a better story; it wasn't hollow and abrupt at the end. Therefore, it was the better movie and deserved to win.

Great animation, backgrounds and soundtrack, though.

[–] MonkeyIMDB 8 years ago

Pixar win because Up was HUGE. It was extrem popular got widespread attention.
No way that a small film with limited release get the oscar. Sadly.

Personally i don't understand the fuzz about Up. First half was good but the last was forgettable.

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