Unofficial Academy Awards Discussion Board

I thought it was bad enough that CATS made the Oscar shortlist for Visual Effects just based off the clips I saw of the horrendous CGI, but now I am reading what the Oscar voters saw were unfinished effects with major errors! What a fucking joke that this shit show made it to the shortlist over the far more impressive visual effects in AD ASTRA. Did Universal Studios buy their way onto the list?

Sabin wrote:The Lion King wins this one

I can see where you'd make that argument, seeing The Jungle Book won. But...1) that was the beginning of the "let's remake all our cartoons as live action" era, not now, when everyone's sick of the trend; 2) a whole lot of critics specifically hated the film's look; 3) the movie, while fiscally successful by any normal measure, probably fell short of Disney's number-one-of-the-year ambitions; and 4) small point, but Jungle Book was taken from a classic piece of literature and thus had a somewhat greater degree of literary respectability.

The Lion King wins this one

Voters in recent years have mostly avoided the fantastical/action genre in favor of whatever film veered closest to a serious movie. (Interstellar the nearest to an exception, but even it triumphed over Rise of the Planet of the Apes) Ad Astra felt like the closest to that this year, and, in its absence, only 1917 or The Irishman could keep that trend going. The Irishman I seriously doubt, but maybe 1917? Otherwise, Marvel might finally get its long-sought Oscar.

VFX Shortlist

“Alita: Battle Angel”
“Avengers: Endgame”
“Captain Marvel”
“Cats”
“Gemini Man”
“The Irishman”
“The Lion King”
“1917”
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“Terminator: Dark Fate”

Precious Doll wrote:I've seen 8 and I'm only interested in seeing Cats & 1917. Late edit: Star Wars makes 3 films I want to see.

Ditto - yes, can't miss the final episode of Star Wars.

I've seen 8 and I'm only interested in seeing Cats & 1917. Late edit: Star Wars makes 3 films I want to see.

Have already seen 13 and the only two others I'm interested in are Cats and 1917.

I've seen 5, will likely see 3 or 4 more.

My only reaction to this list is wondering how many stinkers I'm going to have to subject myself to between now and February. I've seen 6 of the 20, fully expect to see 2 more, and just hope to god most of the nominees come from that 8. The rest of the list looks truly dire.

THIS IS THE LONG LIST

“Ad Astra”
“The Aeronauts”
“Aladdin”
“Alita: Battle Angel”
“Avengers: Endgame”
“Captain Marvel”
“Cats”
“Dumbo”
“Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”
“Ford v Ferrari”
“Gemini Man”
“The Irishman”
“Jumanji: The Next Level”
“The Lion King”
“Men in Black: International”
“Midway”
“1917”
“Spider-Man: Far from Home”
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“Terminator: Dark Fate”


My hunches as of this moment are: Ad Astra, Avengers: Endgame, The Irishman, The Lion King, and Star Wars. But 1917 could also get in.