Of the ten films that made the Academy’s Visual Effects shortlist, only six make an appearance on this list of nominees from the Visual Effects Society. With considerably more categories than the Oscars, we have to be care to draw too many conclusions. There are two categories that typically have any bearing on the Oscars: Best Visual Effects in a Photoreal Film and Best Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Film. Four of the Academy finalists appear in the regular visual effects category while one appears on the supporting effects category. While that category has sent a nominee to the Oscars on occasion, it’s not a guarantee.

The sixth title I referenced earlier doesn’t appear in either list because it’s animated. Animated films have their own categories, including a category now called Best Visual Effects in an Animated Movie. This is where our sixth contender comes in. Normally, we would discount the animated nominees because it’s been so long since one has gotten the recognition, but with Kubo and the Two Strings dominating its fellow animated films with six nominations to the nearest four, it has to be taken seriously. Dropping Miss Peregrine from the regular visual effects list, you can toss in either Deepwater Horizon or Kubo and the Two Strings and have the final five.

Being absent here also isn’t good for the four films that were left over: Arrival, a rather surprising omission; The BFG, not at all surprising; Captain America: Civil War, somewhat surprising; and Passengers, not that surprising considering its late release and lack of advanced screenings. Arrival is the only title of these four I could see overcoming this major obstacle and it would likely slide in where Deepwater or Kubo might appear.

Nominations Tallies

(7) Rogue One
(6) Doctor Strange, The Jungle Book, Kubo and the Two Strings
(4) Finding Dory, Moana

The Nominations

Best Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

Doctor Strange
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
The Jungle Book
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Rogue One

Best Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature

Allied
Deepwater Horizon
Jason Bourne
Silence
Sully

Best Visual Effects in an Animated Feature

Finding Dory
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
The Little Prince
Zootopia

Best Animated Performance in a Photoreal Feature

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – The Niffler
The Jungle Book – King Louie
The Jungle Book – Shere Khan
Rogue One – Grand Moff Tarkin
Warcraft: Durotan

Best Animated Performance in an Animation Feature

Finding Dory – Hank
Kubo and the Two Strings – Kubo
Kubo and the Two Strings – Monkey
Moana – The Mighty Maui

Best Created Environment in a Photoreal Feature

Deadpool – Freeway Assault
Doctor Strange – London
Doctor Strange – New York City
Rogue One: Scarif Complex

Best Created Environment in an Animated Feature

Finding Dory – Open Ocean Exhibit
Kubo and the Two Strings – Hanzo’s Fortress
Kubo and the Two Strings – Waves
Moana – Montouri Island

Best Models in a Photoreal or Animated Project

Deepwater Horizon – Deepwater Horizon Rig
Rogue One – Princess Leia
Rogue One – Star Destroyer
Star Trek: Beyond – Enterprise

Best Compositing in a Photoreal Feature

Doctor Strange – New York City
Independence Day: Resurgence – Under the Mothership
The Jungle Book
X-Men: Apocalypse – Quicksilver Rescue

Best Virtual Cinematography in a Photoreal Project

Doctor Strange – New York Mirror Dimension
Game of Thrones – Battle of the Bastards
The Jungle Book
Rogue One: Space Battle

Best Effects Simulations in an Photoreal Feature

Alice Through the Looking Glass – Rust
Doctor Strange – Hong Kong Reverse Destruction
The Jungle Book – Nature Effects
Rogue One – Jedha Destruction

Best Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature

Finding Dory
Kubo and the Two Strings – Water
Moana
Zootopia

Visual Effects Society Data

First Awards: 2002 (14)