Editor’s Opinion on Best Visual Effects

Cover Illustration by Melissa Richardson

The official list of Oscar Nominations is out!! A few weeks ago, I saw the breakdowns of each potential film that could be nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar through the Bake Off. During this time, I made my list of the ones I would like to see in the top 5. After seeing the official results, I am surprised by some that got nominated and others that were left out of the list; however, I am not disappointed with the nominees. In this article, I will list the Oscar Nominations for Best Visual Effects and share my opinion on why they should or should not win the Oscar. 

1. “All Quiet on The Western Front”

I am a big fan of war movies, but I have yet to witness the story behind this film. After watching the Visual Effects Bake Off and seeing all its Oscar nominations in other categories, I am super intrigued about why this movie got nominated. So I am definitely adding this film to my watch list. Comparing its visual effects breakdown to others shown at the Bake Off, I was very surprised that it was included in the top 5. The visual effects were not something out of the ordinary; they were focused on invisible effects and explosions like many other war movies. The supervisors could have portrayed more excitement or confidence in the opportunity of being a possible Oscar nomination during the Bake Off. Now that they are part of the top 5, I wonder if they are as surprised as I am. Will “All Quiet on The Western Front” win? I highly doubt it because it has some massive competitors. 

2. “Avatar: The Way of Water”

Many say that the Best Visual Effects Oscar is already given to this film, including me. Objectively, the crew did a fantastic job creating this film’s gorgeous visuals. They didn’t work that many years for nothing. If it were to win, I would even say it earns the award. However, this may sound contradictory, but from a subjective point of view, I don’t want “The Way of Water” to win this Oscar. First, almost everything we see on the big screen is entirely digital except for the actors’ performance. Unlike the first Avatar, there is barely any practical and digital harmony seen on the big screen except for motion capture and minimal human interaction with the avatars/creatures. Comparing it to the first one, we see a repetitive pattern; it is the same concept of motion capture technology but pushed forward by even more beautiful renders. Apart from this, I believe the story is not as good as the visuals. A good film should not just have great visual effects but also a great story that goes with it because if not, that render time to bring the product to life might have been in vain. Will “Avatar: The Way of Water” win the Oscar? Most probably, but other films should also be given a chance. 

3.  “The Batman”

This movie was the first feature film to use virtual production with LED volumes, which has not been seen before in cinema. This new technology and innovation to bring this story to life make “The Batman” an Oscar-worthy film. Apart from this, the crew did not limit themselves and pushed the performance of the batmobile scenes with digital and practical effects. The mystery of Batman was executed beautifully in this film, so I am thrilled it is part of the top 5. Will it win the Oscar? It is uncertain, but it would be great if it did. 

4. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

I have always been a fan of the Black Panther story. Seeing this film moved me more than expected, both visually and story-wise. I was amazed to see the visual effects breakdowns in the Bake Off and their approach to underwater photography with both dry and wet footage. It has high competition regarding this key element since underwater footage is also seen in “Avatar: the way of Water”. Will it win the Oscar? Hopefully!! Even if it doesn’t, I am thrilled to see it nominated for Best Visual Effects. 

5. “Top Gun: Maverick”

I am biased in favor of this film, with both the story and the visual effect approach. Before attending the Bake Off, I was already amazed by the visual effects of this movie and how it was all primarily practical. After seeing the visual effects breakdowns, I was even more impressed by how they used GPS tracking technology to add the digital asset on top of the practical performance. I am thrilled Top Gun: Maverick is part of the nominees; I would have been disappointed if it weren’t. Will it win the Oscar? I would love for that to happen because it is definitely at the top of my list. 

Seeing the list of final nominees for Best Visual Effects, I was surprised that films like “Jurassic World: Dominion” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” were not nominated. However, I am pleased with the top 5 list. I am looking forward to seeing who will win the most longed-for award. If you want to learn more about other Oscar nominations, make sure to read our contributor’s article (Kat Nitti) on the Best Animated Feature Film and check out the Academy’s Official Website. Also, if you missed this year’s Visual effects Bake Off and want to learn more about the visual effects of these nominees, you can read about it in our previous article.