Cars t's no surprise that this CGI film from animation powerhouse Pixar drove away with a whopping $244 million at the box office last summer. It has the three things that make a great  animated
	film: incredible visuals, well chosen voice talent (Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy) and a story kids love. In Cars, Lightning McQueen is a racecar living in the fast lane until he is detoured into a forgotten town on Route 66 where he learns that life is about the trip, not the destination. From the thrilling opening nighttime race to the dusty, faded facades of Radiator Springs, the animation is amazing. While some argue it is one of Pixar's weaker offerings story-wise, it is still the front-runner in this category.
	Happy Feet et's face it, penguins are cute. They are also very "in" right now-just look at the success of last year's March of the Penguins. In Happy Feet, young Mumble (voiced by Elijah Wood) can't sing to save his life but he is a natural-born tap-dancer. The problem is singing a heart-song is crucial in the penguin world. When he is ostracized by his own community, he finds new friends and uncovers what is causing the food shortage for the penguins. With its happy-tappy soundtrack, eco-friendly message and beautifully animated landscapes (ice never looked so nice), Happy Feet is probably Cars' biggest competition for the prize this year.
	Monster House he other nominees in this category might have happy cars and some happy feet but this film from Sony's fledgling animation division features one very unhappy house. In this spooky tale, the star is a decrepit structure that seems to be alive and may devour an entire neighborhood if three young kids don't step in to stop it. Despite its pedigree (it was produced by Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg) and its smart script, the only thing that could hold it back from the big prize is that it was animated using performance capture technology -- a style which some voters may feel gives the film's human characters a look that is a tad too realistic for their tastes.