LA TIMES: “Is Pixar’s Winning Streak Over?”

Entertainment reporter Patrick Goldstein has some harsh words about Pixar’s Oscar chances in today’s LA Times:

“There’s no guarantee that “Cars 2” will even end up being a nominee with such a crowded field… In fact, the reviews for “Cars 2” were abysmal, with the film earning a lowly 38% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Just how lowly is a 38% rating? Put it this way: “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family” and “Cowboys & Aliens” got higher Rotten Tomatoes scores. It didn’t stop lots of people from seeing the film, but it is bad news for Pixar’s chances of winning the Oscar for animated feature, a category Pixar has won four times in a row and six out of the last eight.”

No doubt Pixar’s had the lock on the top awards the past few years, but Goldstein poses some intriguing questions. Will Cars 2 be nominated? Do any of the foreign or independent films have a chance? What feature is the realistic front runner for animation’s best of year?