The time has come for the Academy to finally give the VFX Oscar to “War for the Planet of the Apes.” Twice denied for “Rise” and “Dawn,” Weta Digital’s remarkable work on Caesar (Andy Serkis) culminated with a Shakespearean finale. It’s undeniably the best of the field. And coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the original “Planet of the Apes” would make it even sweeter. The Visual Effects Society obviously got the importance of the work, honoring the entire Caesar trilogy, now we’ll see if the Academy makes amends with “War.”
However, “Apes” has been denied before (with the acting branch, in particular, having a bias against Serkis and performance capture) and there is other noteworthy character animation to choose from, including the stunning CG Rachael from “Blade Runner 2049,” the creepy Snoke (Serkis) from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Ego and the de-aged Kurt Russell from...
However, “Apes” has been denied before (with the acting branch, in particular, having a bias against Serkis and performance capture) and there is other noteworthy character animation to choose from, including the stunning CG Rachael from “Blade Runner 2049,” the creepy Snoke (Serkis) from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Ego and the de-aged Kurt Russell from...
- 2/15/2018
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Once again, the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch will decide the five Oscar nominees at a Saturday “bakeoff,” a selection of footage from the shortlisted films, which are dominated by particularly great character work. Three spots likely await “War for the Planet of the Apes,” “Blade Runner 2049,” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
However, that leaves a battle for the final two nominations among “Dunkirk” (the lone invisible-vfx entry), “The Shape of Water,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Kong: Skull Island,” “Alien: Covenant,” and surprise entries “Okja” and “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.” The smart money’s on Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” and Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” but don’t be surprised if Bong Joon-ho’s underdog, “Okja,” knocks one of them out.
The Frontrunners
“War for the Planet of the Apes”
Andy Serkis’ final, remarkable performance as Caesar should finally...
However, that leaves a battle for the final two nominations among “Dunkirk” (the lone invisible-vfx entry), “The Shape of Water,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Kong: Skull Island,” “Alien: Covenant,” and surprise entries “Okja” and “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.” The smart money’s on Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” and Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” but don’t be surprised if Bong Joon-ho’s underdog, “Okja,” knocks one of them out.
The Frontrunners
“War for the Planet of the Apes”
Andy Serkis’ final, remarkable performance as Caesar should finally...
- 1/4/2018
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
There is no shortage of great characters in this year’s visual effects Oscar race, including Caesar’s last stand, the return of “Blade Runner’s” Rachael, a beautiful aquatic creature, an adorable super-pig, and elegant crystal foxes. They not only boast superb high and low technology, but also display emotional nuance or complexity. Therefore, the January 6 bakeoff should be quite revealing, when the Visual Effects branch votes for the five nominees.
Read More: ‘Star Wars, Episode IX’: 8 Huge Questions J.J. Abrams’ Film Will Have to Answer After the Events of ‘The Last Jedi’
Caesar (“War for the Planet of the Apes”)
Andy Serkis’ final, remarkable performance as Caesar should finally earn Weta Digital its much-deserved Oscar for transforming him into a sentient chimpanzee with great nuance and emotional complexity. He’s evolved from infancy to advanced adulthood in this unique “Planet of the Apes” origin trilogy. But in the finale,...
Read More: ‘Star Wars, Episode IX’: 8 Huge Questions J.J. Abrams’ Film Will Have to Answer After the Events of ‘The Last Jedi’
Caesar (“War for the Planet of the Apes”)
Andy Serkis’ final, remarkable performance as Caesar should finally earn Weta Digital its much-deserved Oscar for transforming him into a sentient chimpanzee with great nuance and emotional complexity. He’s evolved from infancy to advanced adulthood in this unique “Planet of the Apes” origin trilogy. But in the finale,...
- 12/21/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
“Blade Runner 2049” offered the most complex set of craft challenges yet for director Denis Villeneuve. He had an ambitious vision for picking up where Ridley Scott left off 30 years later, exploring dystopia, humanity, and memory in a way that was linked personally, emotionally, and intellectually. And that entailed a much more involved collaborative process with master cinematographer Roger Deakins, production designer Dennis Gassner, and the rest of the below-the-line team.
But it first began with lighting, and, for the first time, Villeneuve worked out a thematic visual plan with Deakins that drove the narrative about Ryan Gosling’s blade runner/replicant K becoming “more human than human.” And this visual journey enabled the movie to have a hypnotic, dream-like quality. It began with the opening of Ana’s eye (the memory designer played by Carla Juri) and concluded with K’s last waking, cathartic moment in the snow.
A...
But it first began with lighting, and, for the first time, Villeneuve worked out a thematic visual plan with Deakins that drove the narrative about Ryan Gosling’s blade runner/replicant K becoming “more human than human.” And this visual journey enabled the movie to have a hypnotic, dream-like quality. It began with the opening of Ana’s eye (the memory designer played by Carla Juri) and concluded with K’s last waking, cathartic moment in the snow.
A...
- 11/25/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
One of the great surprises of “Blade Runner 2049” was a stunning CG recreation of the Rachael replicant played by Sean Young in the original movie. The two-minute sequence brings an emotionally stirring reunion with Harrison Ford’s Deckard that required technical virtuosity and subtle performance. This major step in digital human animation should be rewarded with a VFX Oscar nomination.
Body double Loren Peta played the young Rachael (in costume, makeup, and with dotted face) and performed on set with Ford and Jared Leto (as replicant manufacturer Wallace). She was directed by Denis Villeneuve, with Young on set as well for reference. The goal was to merge the two into a perfect replica.
Facial Capture on a Secret Saturday
“Denis really liked Loren’s performance when it was cut together, but part of our plan was to do a facial capture of Loren and Sean,” said Oscar-winning production visual...
Body double Loren Peta played the young Rachael (in costume, makeup, and with dotted face) and performed on set with Ford and Jared Leto (as replicant manufacturer Wallace). She was directed by Denis Villeneuve, with Young on set as well for reference. The goal was to merge the two into a perfect replica.
Facial Capture on a Secret Saturday
“Denis really liked Loren’s performance when it was cut together, but part of our plan was to do a facial capture of Loren and Sean,” said Oscar-winning production visual...
- 10/19/2017
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
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