The three films nominated for best animated feature are an interesting mix: Ratatouille, a computer-animated Pixar film about a rat who becomes a great chef, directed and written by Oscar winner Brad Bird; Persepolis, a sparsely drawn, largely black-and-white French film based on the graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi that takes an autobiographical look at growing up in revolutionary Iran; and Surf's Up, another computer-animated film about penguins. Persepolis will be playing at the Michigan Theater beginning February 15.

You know, this really brings out why I really hate that Best Animated Feature Oscar. Back in '91, Beauty And The Beast was in the Best Picture category with the rest of them. '95, Babe was in there. Now with this Best Animated Feature, there is no hope of an animated film winning. I bring this up here because saying Persepolis is in the category as Ratatouille and Surf's Up... well, clearly it doesn't belong. Ugh. Whatever. I've been mad at the Oscars ever since they gave Best Picture to How Green Was My Valley over Citizen Kane.