Golden Globes Animation Category Expanded

The Golden Globes are expanding (is expanding?) the animated film category this year from three movies to five. Of course, since it's the Globes, they could always go to eight one year, you know, just for the hell of it. The move comes a week after the Oscars announced the 20 films in the running for its award, and anything over 16 eligible movies guarantees five nominees, according to new Academy rules. So this provides a little awards season symmetry, which I'm sure you were worried about. I doubt it's a coincidence; MovieWeb tells us that the vote to expand was taken last week among members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and as always with these awards show, the more movies you can get involved, the better for everyone involved. It shouldn't matter a whole lot this year, with Up the biggest favorite of any nominee in any category, but if it holds for the future, it could be a good thing. Of course, if the HFPA (or the Academy, for that matter) ignores more daring animated fare like Coraline in favor of more sizable studio stuff in every case, that won't be any fun. If you're interesting in the specifics of the Globes category now, here's the way the rules are written now:

"Eligible films must be feature-length (70 minutes or longer) with no more than 25% live action. If less than eight animated films qualify, the award will not be given, in which case the films would be eligible for Best Picture. If less than twelve animated films qualify, the category will be limited to three nominations per year."

I suppse all those designations are important, although it's hard to imagine a year in which fewer than eight animated films are bouncing around.