One Category at a Time: Visual Effects

I'll try to keep this post short and sweet, because let's face it: There's no bigger slam dunk this year than Gravity's impending victory for the Best Visual Effects Oscar. This is hardly arguable, even for detractors of the film. But as locked up as the award is, there are still a few tidbits of trivia worth mentioning...

My Award nominations: Visual Effects

Let's be honest: For just about everybody, this year's visual effects contest has basically consisted of one movie, and then everything else. But that doesn't mean that the pretenders shouldn't be acknowledged for their stellar work.

So read about the best Visual Effects work of the year (plus the other four) after the jump.

Visual Effects Society nominations

Gravity predictably dominated today's nominations by the VES, picking up a field-leading eight nods. Pacific Rim came in second with six, while The Hobbit and Iron Man are third with five. It ultimately doesn't matter, as we know who's taking Oscar in a spacewalk, but I do hope the VES sees fit to throw the odd bone to a few of those also-rans. They looked mighty good too.

Nominees and my commentaries after the cut.

Review - Iron Man 3

Some quick thoughts on Iron Man 3:

Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is a “piping hot mess”. His words, not mine. Suffering severe anxiety and PTSD over last summer's alien attack in The Avengers, he takes comfort in tinkering with his small army of mechanical suits after hours, while his harried sweetheart Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow in fine form) worries alone.

Early Oscar predictions - Part 3

We're taking a look at Best Animated Feature and three of the visual craft categories this week; Cinematography, Editing, and Effects. Next week we'll complete the visual crafts with Production Design, Costume Design, and Makeup.

Best Animated Feature

Another unrequested Pixar sequel (well, prequel) doesn't have me all that titillated, but the steadily increasing quality of Disney's output these last few years has me excited for their upcoming musical fantasy Frozen, based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen. If Pixar and Dreamworks disappoint, that might also open the doors to GKIDS' art house titles, which this year includes 2012 Cannes entry Ernest & Celestine.