Hey, guess what! Looks like this new Pixar movie might be worth seeing!

Yep, the latest film from the most consistently impressive filmmaking team at work in the world today is almost here. I’m so thrilled to be reviewing movies in the age of Pixar. What a joy to get to see their films with audiences while the paint is still fresh on the canvas.

I said it last year, and I’ll say it again: If this thing is worthy of a Best Picture nomination, let’s start making noise about it. Last year was another embarrassment to the Academy, in my opinion, as they passed over WALL-E for The Reader and… well, in my opinion… four other films that didn’t affect or inspire me half as much as Pixar’s movie. Most feature films have so many visual effects added to them, I don’t see why animation should be boxed into its own category. (The Return of the King was half-animated, wasn’t it? So was Benjamin Button. They weren’t boxed into their own category. They racked up so many nominations it wasn’t even funny, and Return of the King won Best Picture.) If Pixar deserves it, and I suspect that they will… then this should be the year that the pathetic excuses are brushed aside and the studio is given the accolades they’ve earned.

Here come the raves: Todd McCarthy and Roger Ebert.

And tomorrow, I anticipate a tidal wave of reviews as the film opens the Cannes festival.

I am so pleased for Pete Docter and the Pixar team, buttons might just start popping off my shirt.