I was glad to see the Oscar nominations too. It won’t, and probably shouldn’t, win Best Picture, but it should get a lot of creative technical awards. It easily the most beautiful and visually stunning movie I have seen in a long, long time. One of very few movies that elevates the 3D format to true art. If it doesn’t win Visual Effects, then I’ll stop believing in God. 
But then why align the characters so closely with the “real” animals?
The movie really only works if the 2nd story is the true one.