Academy Awards Controversy: Wall-E Gets Snubbed For Best Picture Oscar

Even though the technology has progressed so much in the last few years, animated films just can't get real respect. That's the reaction that movie geeks across the globe are having to the list of nominees for the 81st Academy Awards, announced today, with the notable exclusion of Wall*E for Best Picture. A bunch of the commenters at movie news site Ain't It Cool are mad. Here's one example:

WALL-E was amazing and it would have been nice to see it recognized, but now that they have the Animated category you will likely NEVER see an animated feature make it for BP.

Courtesy of Disney/Pixar and AMPAS

There's a good case to be made that it was a mistake to nominate Wall*E only for Best Animated Feature and not Best Picture. It got a better critical reception than any of the movies nominated for the most prestigious award. As of today, Rottentomatoes.com says that Wall*E has a 96 percent positive rating based on an aggregation of movie critic reviews. That's higher than the Tomatometer registers for any of the five Best Picture nominees:

The Reader -- 60 percent

Milk -- 92 percent

Slumdog Millionaire -- 95 percent

Frost/Nixon -- 91 percent

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -- 72 percent

The Dark Knight--another movie the geeks are mad got snubbed--comes in at 94 percent. Better than four out of five ain't bad.

by USNews

Heath Ledger's Family Still 'Nursing Broken Hearts'

by People

Heath Ledger's family gathered at an Australian beach to remember the actor, who died a year ago and is now being honored with an Oscar nomination for The Dark Knight.

"We are still all nursing broken hearts," older sister Kate Ledger said Friday in Perth. "Like anyone who loses a family member, it has opened our eyes to the intense suffering and painful journey that is death."

Kate and two half-sisters, Ashleigh Bell and Olivia Ledger, stood under clear blue skies at the Indiana Tea Room on Cottesloe Beach, one of Ledger's favorite spots and the site of his wake after his funeral. Ledger's father, Kim, and mother, Sally Bell, were also in attendance but did not speak to the media.

Ledger, 28, died of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. He left behind his 3-year-old daughter, Matilda, with actress Michelle Williams.

"Michelle is doing an amazing job with 'our girl' and together we will cherish every moment of her steps through life," Kate Ledger said.

The actor's younger sister, Ashleigh, acknowledged his Oscar nomianation Thursday for his wicked portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight, noting that "in Heath's words, he had 'the time of his life.'"

"Although we would love to have him here with us, we are so proud and so excited on his behalf," Ashleigh said. "We will take this opportunity today to honor his wonderful life and take comfort in knowing Heath will continue to touch future generations through this amazing art form."

She added: "What an unbelievable legacy he has left for Matilda and our family."

The family enjoyed a commemorative lunch in the Indiana Tea Room after speaking with the media.

by People!