Visual Effects Semifinalists

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December 11, 2009

Wesley Lovell

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The Academy has announced 15 films that have gone to the semifinals for the three-spot Best Visual Effects award. As the article states, 8 of these films will be left by the wayside when the final 7 list is selected.

When looking at a list like this, first ditch true animated features (those that are entirely animated, not live action layered with animation). None have ever been nominated. So, take out Coraline and A Christmas Carol. Also take out any non-showy effects pieces like Angels & Demons and Sherlock Holmes. Then you’ll have really 11 films to look through. Anyway, here they are. Enjoy. I’ll be updating my predictions soon.

Beverly Hills, CA (December 11, 2009) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films have been selected as semifinalists for Achievement in Visual Effects for the 82nd Academy Awards®.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

Angels & Demons
Avatar
Coraline
Disney’s A Christmas Carol
District 9
G-Force
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Sherlock Holmes
Star Trek
Terminator Salvation
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2012
Watchmen
Where the Wild Things Are

In early January, the members of the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee, who selected the semifinalists, will narrow the list to seven.

All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films on Thursday, January 21. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Comments

5 responses to “Visual Effects Semifinalists”

Nathan Donarum

December 12, 2009

I didn’t actually think 2012 was all that spectacular. I felt like I was constantly reminded that “this is all CGI”, which just ruined the spectacle for me. Constant reminders that CGI is being used, and OVERLY used at that, don’t warrant praise, in my opinion. It’s one of the reasons why I’m not going to root for Transformers 2, either. It’s just big, loud and useless. Sure, we haven’t seen the world destroyed in quite the way that 2012 depicted it, and perhaps not as detailed (in some aspects), but it didn’t jump out at me as anything special.

As for Where The Wild Things Are, I didn’t get a chance to see it, unfortunately. But from the trailers I can see that that would be the case.

District 9 never felt forced in its use of visual effects. They melded very well into the rest of the film. The aliens, for example, never felt in-your-face like so much CGI junk these days.

As for Star Trek… Although I will admit the visual effects weren’t as amazing compared to some of the other films this year (some of which have been named), perhaps it’s just my inner love of Star Trek that’s rooting for the film. But with just three nominees, I will say I’d probably rather see something else take its place.

Harry Potter never has, and I doubt ever will, astound me effects-wise. They work, but they’re never eye-popping or jaw-dropping.

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Wesley Lovell

December 12, 2009

I think you’re discounting Where the Wild Things Are and 2012 too much. I haven’t seen Avatar yet, but 2012 beats Trek, Potter and District 9 in terms of visual effects easily. Where the Wild Things Are reminds me of Babe, a small, family film that doesn’t do lots, but does it exceedingly well.

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Nathan Donarum

December 11, 2009

From everything I’m hearing, Avatar is already the clear winner for Visual Effects. If it’s really as revolutionary as I’ve been hearing, then perhaps they may even award a special achievement Oscar, as they did for Star Wars? …Hmm.

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Hollywood Z

December 11, 2009

Sorry, I meant to say that the only nomination worthy effects in 1993 were probably The Fugitive, Last Action Hero and Demolition Man.

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Hollywood Z

December 11, 2009

Don’t forget about The Nightmare Before Christmas’ nomination back in 1993. Of course, that was probably due to a complete lack of nomination worthy effects effects. The only possibilities were

From this list, I’m thinking the seven finalists are going to be:
– Avatar
– District 9
– Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
– Sherlock Holmes
– Star Trek
– Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
– 2012

If these hold up, then the three nominees could be:
– Avatar
– Star Trek
– Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (though, I’m still hoping for a Spider-Man 3 sized shut out and they surprise us with 2012 or Harry Potter)

Of course, why are we even thinking at this point there is any doubt who the winner is, we all know it’s going to be Avatar.

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