Category: Best Visual/Special Effects

As someone who has no interest in watching all of the Marvel films, I had to go into this not care about all the details and continuity I didn’t understand in watching this and there are a whole lot. When Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man receives a rejection to MIT because of previous events, he convinces Benedict Cumberbatch to magic away everyone’s knowledge of Spider-Man but his stupid interference ruins the spell and causes Spider-Men and villains from other universes to arrive in his universe. It’s really a clever and entertaining look into multiverses. As much as the Disney monopoly damages modern entertainment, their bank does mean no hero or villain got forgotten in bringing it all together. I’ve watched the Tobey Maguire trilogy, so it was fun seeing his character work in the new universe. Holland’s Spider-Man is an inept disappointment, so Andrew Garfield easily became my favorite of the three and I may actually check out his version.    

Oscar Nomination: Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Obstinate captain George Sanders of an aged transpacific ocean liner refuses to heed his crew’s warnings to the detriment of a number of souls on the vessel. Married passengers Dorothy Malone and Robert Stack must contend with the results of one of his early bad decisions if they don’t want to be joining those going down with the ship. While boat settings aren’t my favorite, I always enjoy a good disaster film. What keeps this one from being among the greats is that instead of spreading the tension over an all-star cast, most of its attention is focused on the boring couple and their incompetent child. One of the few reprieves from their tale of woe is the well-oiled, muscular command of machinist Woody Strode. 

Oscar Nomination: Best Effects, Special Effects

A rogue wave capsizes a luxury ocean liner on its New Years transatlantic journey. On board is a whole mess of famous passengers who must traverse many dangers to escape the sinking ship. It’s nowhere near as entertaining as the original Poseidon Adventure, but I appreciate that the films don’t shy from killing off well-known characters. Sadly that leaves the film with a lot of humdrum characters toward the end, though I do like the buddy leadership of Kurt Russell and Josh Lucas carrying the group from peril to peril.  

Oscar Nomination: Best Achievement in Visual Effects

This is my third King Kong film and thus far my least favorite. Set during the 1970s, it offers a Heart of Darkness theme with members of a secret government organization joined by Vietnam War soldiers and a war photographer to hunt down Kong. It lays heavily on the era setting with a constant jukebox of songs. Kong isn’t even the main antagonist on the island. Instead skull crawlers that remind me of the monkey creatures in Temple Run are the real enemy. The group never actually leaves the island with Kong and Brie Larson, as the main female character, isn’t Kong’s love interest but also doesn’t have much else to do than take pictures she supposedly isn’t going to share with anyone. In fact there are so many extra characters that there were some I didn’t even notice were part of the expedition until halfway through the movie. What the film does have going for it is that’s very beautiful. Kong is impressive from every angle, but even those visuals are more about style than substance.

Oscar Nominee: Best Achievement in Visual Effects