What stands out about this year’s presumed favorites in the Best Visual Effects Oscar race is how they represent three extreme examples of the three most specific variations of so-called movie magic.
James Cameron’s mega-budget “Avatar: The Way of Water” is the culmination of more than a decade of work toward creating an entirely fabricated fantasy world that appears almost entirely real. It’s a crowning achievement in terms of CGI effects, coupled with state-of-the-art motion capture and some old-fashioned “just do it for real” underwater photography to create an almost unprecedented cinematic experience. Even if audiences know that Pandora isn’t real and that the Na’vi are a fictional species, the immersive 3D experience is all about selling the notion of trusting your lying eyes.
By contrast, the high-flying aerobatics of Joseph Kosinski’s “Top Gun: Maverick” are a master class in practical magic. As has become Tom Cruise’s unofficial signature in recent years, specifically when he plays Ethan Hunt in the “Mission: Impossible” sequels, the film’s real-world on-camera spectacle complements a non-fantastic story it presents. real stunts, authentic vehicular mayhem and real actors sitting in the cockpit (or on a sailboat) for a genuine sense of authenticity. “Top Gun: Maverick” is the triumph of the plausible, the notion of being amazed because you know (or think) they really did it.
The next most plausible winner, even if it’s a comparative dark horse, is “Everything Everywhere, All At Once.” The borderline, mind-bending multiverse action-comedy from directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert is a striking example of top-notch visuals in the service of a wild fantasy narrative. The twist is that it was produced for around $25 million. The Michelle Yeoh-starring vehicle features an endless barrage of perfect audiovisual marvels brought to life not by an established effects house with a huge budget, but by a small team overseen by Zak Stoltz. The achievement on offer here is pure quality on a shoestring budget with minimal equipment.
(Remember 2016, when “Ex Machina” and its $15 million budget surpassed “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “The Martian”?)
“Avatar: The Way of Water” is a triumph of the impossible, “Top Gun: Maverick” is a victory of the plausible, and “Everything, Everywhere All at Once” is a testament to offering so much for so little. The movies couldn’t be more different, and yes, all three have their share of practical magic and CGI. It would be almost the opposite of a fair fight.
Although the same is true for almost every category of the Oscars. As Humphrey Bogart once said: “The only honest way to find the best actor would be to let everyone play Hamlet and the best one win. Of course you’d get some pretty funny Hamlets that way.”
Sure, the likes of “RRR,” “Jurassic World Dominion,” and the various comic book superhero movies of the year (“The Batman,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” etc.) could end up in contention. However, he expects the battle of the best visual effects to come down to these critically acclaimed three. If so, it will truly be an honor to be nominated.
