“None Of The Other Movies Can Really Fairly Compare”: VFX Artists Are Unanimous In What Should Win Best Visual Effects Oscar (But Not What Will Win)
VFX artists provide their honest opinions on what should win Best Visual Effects at this year's Oscars. The Academy Award ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 2 this year. Five films are vying for the Best Visual Effects award, two of which have scored their nominations primarily because of their depictions of CGI simians — Better Man and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Those two movies are joined by three other titles, Dune: Part Two, Wicked, and Alien: Romulus, in a sci-fi-heavy competition for the Oscar.
Now, VFX artists the Corridor Crew break down their thoughts on the Oscar nominees for Best Visual Effects this year. The team mentioned that Wicked gets into murky territory because of how much of the visual product is created through production design rather than visual effects. Looking through the nominees, all three Corridor Crew members evaluating the films would give the award to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Jordan Allen cited it as the film that was "pushing us forward into the next level." Check out the full breakdown from the Corridor Crew below:
Wren Weichman: Wicked, very cool stuff. But I don't think it is near the top of any of these.
Jordan Allen: I would agree. Again, for as good as the work was, there was that grey area, that takes it out of direct contention in my opinion. A ton of the stuff that really drew the eye was production-design oriented. But for me, with these heavy hitters this year, you need all the boxes checked, and that unfortunately unchecks that box for me.
Weichman: I'll be honest. Dune 2, from a visual effects standpoint, extremely well done. The vision is very cohesive. But it's not.
Niko Pueringer: You don't think it should win?
Weichman: It's Kingdom! Come on! It's gotta be Kingdom, I'm skipping all of it! Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes sets the bar so goddamn high that none of the other movies can really fairly compare.
Pueringer: You're right, if this is just a visual effects. Just visual effects. Not movie quality, not how many sequels there are, if it's just visual effects, I probably agree with you. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, maybe Better Man, those would be my picks. Mmm, I'm going to say Better Man, just because Wren said Kingdom already.
Allen: Better Man and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes feel like the ones that are pushing us forward into the next level. That just make my jaw drop, and I can't stop thinking about it.
Weichman: Now Dune: Part Two also has visual effects throughout the entire movie, but they're so seamlessly integrated, it is probably the most effective at making you forget there are effects in it.
Allen: That then comes down to the question of what do you prioritize as a voter? Is it not noticing? Is it not thinking about it? Or is it just pure, raw technical achievement?
Pueringer: Alright, gentlemen, succinctly, what is your pick.
Allen: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes should win. I feel like they're going to give it to Dune 2.
Weichman: I think Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes should win, but you know what, I think Wicked might win.
Pueringer: When I watched that shot of Kingdom the Planet of the Apes, I said it was the best visual effects shot I'd ever seen. So, you're right, Better Man was really, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes should win, I think Wicked's gonna get it.
What This Means For The Visual Effects Category
Voter Priorities Will Heavily Affect The Competition
In speaking about this year's nominees, Corridor Crew makes a very good point in that deciding who should get the award will come down to a question of what people "prioritize as a voter." Of the five movies nominated, both Better Man and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes have very obvious instances of visual effects due to their incessant reliance on motion capture technology. Wicked is a good pick for those focused on overall visual appeal, who might be less worried about the technical nuances between what is production design and what is visual effects.
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It is fascinating that all three evaluators think that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes should win, but none of them think that it will win. Of the movies nominated, Dune: Part Two and Wicked have the best leg up on other nominees because they are also up for several other awards including Best Picture. This gives the films more name recognition that can easily leak into the subconscious of voters, swaying their decisions towards these titles and away from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.
Our Take On The Best Visual Effects Oscar
This Year Will Be A Tough Choice For Voters
As the Corridor Crew mentions, there truly are "heavy hitters" in the Best Visual Effects category at the Oscars this year. I find myself torn between Dune: Part Two and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Both are visual spectacles with copious amounts of VFX shots needed to craft their stories, making either a good pick for the award. With such strong nominees this year, it will be understandably disappointing for several people in the VFX community if Wicked (which is still visually impressive) takes the award despite its heavy reliance on production design.
Source: Corridor Crew/YouTube
The Oscars, also known as The Academy Awards, is an annual awards show celebrating workers in the film industry for their artistic and technical abilities. The Oscars are often considered the most prestigious awards show in the industry and date back to 1929. The 96th Academy Awards will be held on March 10, 2024, and be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC.
