Awards Season Update: Visual Effects, Best Makeup, USC Scripter

  

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 81st Academy Awards ®. The films are listed below in alphabetical order:

“Australia”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
“Iron Man”
“Journey to the Center of the Earth”
“The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”

“On Thursday, January 15, all members of the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.

AMPAS make-up branch has picked (they’ll whittle it down to three):

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
“The Reader”
“Synecdoche, New York”
“Tropic Thunder”
“The Wrestler”
*no love for ‘Prince Caspian’, but I love the ‘Hellboy II’ and ‘The Wrestler’ picks*

And this year’s USC Scripter Award nominees are: (Winner announced on Jan. 30th)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Iron Man (WOW!) *Would be hilarious if it showed up on the WGA’s list too…..nah….*
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC)Â  will announce their nominees soon – maybe even tomorrow, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Director’s Guild (DGA) are Thursday.

FYI: Director Christopher Nolan (‘The Dark Knight’) will receive the ASC’s Board of Governors Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to advancing the art of filmmaking. Nolan will receive the award during the 23rd Annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards celebration on February 15, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.