Because of the way the academy has crunched down the Oscar season, you have to look at positioning your key titles to take advantage of that.
Some of this may have to do with the rental market, which is where more of this direct-to-video product ends up going. We've seen a consistent decline in this category since 2003, but it seems to be accelerating.
They spend a lot of money promoting them. (Computer generated-animated films) are rare and appeal to the kid audience which makes them a multiple viewing event. Kids play the same movie over and over and over again.
It's a poor marketer who can't sell the same title five or six times.
The Best Picture win kind of gave it a second wind. Plus, a lot of people never saw this film.
Once it starts, no one's going to hold it.