The nominations for the 96th annual Academy Awards have been announced, and as usual, some of the more interesting nominees can be found in the Best Visual Effects category. Here’s how you can watch all of the nominated films, including Godzilla Minus One and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.
Did your favorite movie of the year, visual effects-wise, make the cut? The biggest snub in this category, in my humble opinion, is Oppenheimer (which didn’t even make the shortlist) but I guess that’s what happens when you commit to doing things in-camera (i.e., practical effects), Christopher! The year’s nominees have only one superhero film, which is actually more common than you might think. While many are chomping at the bit to talk about 2023 as the nadir of several superhero franchises, this isn’t really an indication of anything. There’s usually one, sometimes none, maybe two—and the last time there were more than two superhero films nominated for Best Visual Effects was 2014. That said, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is another snub! I also kind of wish Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves got in there as well. Justice for Jarnathan!
While the visual effects might not be as impressive at home as they were in theaters, we can still appreciate the craftsmanship (and watch some really cool movies) from the comfort of our homes. Hopefully, you already saw all or most of these in theaters and are just anxious to watch again!
The Creator
Gareth Edwards’ science fiction film about a world at war against artificial intelligence was also nominated for Best Sound. This nomination is a little interesting due to a controversy earlier in the year after Reddit users and VFX artists pointed out that the trailer for The Creator used real footage of a real-life tragic explosion in Beirut without really altering it. However, that footage is not in the finished film.
Where to watch: The Creator is streaming on Hulu and available to rent or buy on digital platforms.
Godzilla Minus One
Please congratulate Godzilla, Miss Thing himself, on the franchise’s very first Oscar nomination! Godzilla Minus One was, in some ways, the breakout hit of the holiday season. It’s awesome to see it get recognized by the Academy Awards.
Where to watch: Godzilla Minus One is still playing in some theaters. Toho has yet to announce a streaming or digital release date. It is not yet available on DVD or Blu-ray, either.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The sole superhero nomination goes to the film that served up stunning visual effects with a healthy serving of animal cruelty. And, you know, a rollicking space adventure featuring everyone’s favorite band of Marvel misfits and one very golden Will Poulter.
Where to watch: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is, unsurprisingly, available to stream on Disney+ and available to rent or purchase on all of the usual digital platforms.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
I see the Academy didn’t get the note that the film has been retitled to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. They dropped the Part One (it’s cleaner) and the next film in the action spy franchise will have a new subtitle. That said, if you didn’t watch this movie … what are you waiting for?? Tom Cruise jumped off a cliff! And there’s a train sequence at the end with him and Hayley Atwell’s character that is so exciting; a pitch-perfect combination of writing, editing, and visual effects.
Where to watch: You can stream Dead Reckoning on Paramount+ on January 25 and rent or buy on digital platforms.
Napoleon
Ridley Scott’s war epic starring Joaquin Phoenix was also nominated for Best Costumes and Best Production Design. Don’t get me started on whether or not Scott was snubbed in other categories unless you want to hear a long rant on how he’s owed an apology for the way The Last Duel was treated. This is a good nomination to have! While Napoleon received some criticism for historical accuracies (and trust me, Ridley Scott does not care), you can’t deny that the battles were impressive to look at.
Where to watch: Napoleon will ultimately stream on Apple TV+ for subscribers but, as of now, it is only available to rent or purchase on digital platforms—including Apple TV+ for an additional fee.
(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Published: Jan 23, 2024 06:17 pm