Up Floats Away With Three VES Awards… Or Is That Just A Special Effect?

As far as I can tell, no special effects are needed for you to believe that Pixar dominated at the 8th Annual Visual Effects Society Awards.

The studio’s latest theatrical release, Up, took home three awards last night including one for the film’s iconic, elderly protagonist! Wins like this continue to be exciting, especially with the outstanding climate for ‘toons in 2009.

More on that later. The full list of VES accolades for Pixar follow:

• Outstanding Effects Animation in Animated Feature
For Up: Alexis Angelidis, Eric Froemling, Jason Johnston, Jon Reisch

• Outstanding Animated Character Award
Carl Fredricksen: Carmen Ngai, Brian Tindall, Ron Zorman and Ed Asner

• Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
For Up: Gary Bruins, Pete Docter, Steve May and Jonas Rivera

As previously announced, Pixar co-founder and President, Ed Catmull, was also honored with the Georges Méliès Award for Pioneering by the Visual Effects Society! I don’t think there’s anyone out there more deserving.

As I’ve said time and time again, Up’s wins are extra special because the film is competing against an assortment of diverse mediums in a year with an unusual number of positively reviewed feature animated films. Icluded in that list are Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Ponyo, and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. But one must not forget that these awards are given for amazing visual effects, something that Monsters Vs. Aliens and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs certainly didn’t lack.

As far as "live" action films go, the usual suspect, Avatar, also took home three awards. The film’s creator and Titanic director, James Cameron, even left the ceremony with a Lifetime Achievement statuette.

Check out the full list of winners here including those for TV and commercials!

Congratulations to all of the above on these well deserved wins! Your thoughts?

(via CGSociety)