Analysis

The Oscars Rundown – Visual Effects Awards

The Oscars is a week away and leading up to the grand event, we will be giving a few predictions of some of the big awards. This post will focus on the aesthetically beautiful films that take our breath away. The teams of people who make us marvel. These are the visual effects awards..

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Nominees:

  • Ida – Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
  • Mr. Turner – Dick Pope
  • The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman
  • Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki
  • Unbroken – Roger Deakins

And the predicted winner is:

Tendai’s pick – Robert Yeoman – The Grand Budapest Hotel

The work of a true genius and the touch of an artist. Yeoman made The Grand Budapest Hotel into a masterpiece. From the opening scene right through to the end, he painted the canvas with his creativity, diverted from the norm and brought a sense of wizardry onto the big screen. The Hotel seemed fun, lively, bright, exciting and full of aspects that made you want to jump into the screen and explore for yourself. Amazing work by Yeoman and his team to add that extra dimension into the Grand Budapest Hotel.

Click here to view our spoiler-FREE review for The Grand Budapest Hotel

Dean’s pick – Emmanuel Lubezki – Birdman

One of the major selling points for me was when I heard that Birdman looks like it is one continuous shot. This, for me, seemed like the most incredibly challenging thing in the world. But to do it so fluidly and seamlessly, and not taking anything away from the story itself and framing everything so perfectly and intimately; well, that was something I could not help but admire. It makes the audience feel like they are a character looking on, following our characters on this journey. This incredibly ambitious feat is something that made me fall in love with the art of cinematography all over again. 

Click here to view our spoiler-FREE review for Birdman

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Nominees:

  • Interstellar – Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier – Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
  • Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past – Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer
  • Guardians of the Galaxy – Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould

And the predicted winner is:

Tendai’s pick – Dawn of Planet of the Apes – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist

The opening shot – the close up of Caesar then the camera pulls away – got the movie started. Looking eye to eye with the leader of apes and feeling his presence, was not only an indication of great use of technology, but one could feel Caesar. The movement of the apes, from walking to talking in sign language, was real indicating their advancement in evolution. Their movement was smooth, not exaggerated and did not stutter at any point. The scenery was eye catching and indication that an apocalypse had occurred, and the time of humans was soon coming to an end. It was a world for the apes. Visually, it was beautiful, not a flaw could be seen and definitely worth the statue.

Dean’s pick – Interstellar – Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher

I’m so happy comic book movies are getting the credit they deserve, especially in a category that is so perfectly suited to the genre, but for me, there was only ever going to be one winner this year. As a story teller, Christopher Nolan and his team are brilliant. But sometimes putting that magic onto the screen is not easy and the task is often unfulfilled. But with Interstellar, they didn’t miss. This visually mesmerising film is something only to marvel at and had everyone in pure amazement as to what a visual effects team in this day and age can reproduce. Everything from the wormhole scenes, to the massive tidal wave on uninhabited planets, to gliding through the solar system; everything was so well put together and took us on a journey we would not soon forget.

About the authors: Tendai and Dean floated in a hotel in space before gracefully landing like birds on a planet full of apes.

You can follow Dean on Twitter @deeno15 while you can catch the latest from Tendai @1_platinum

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