“Star Wars,” “Mad Max” on visual effects Oscars preliminary shortlist

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has narrowed the visual effects category to 20 films for the 88th Academy Awards — including “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and “Mad Max: Fury Road”, Variety repots.

“The Force Awakens,” which arrives in theaters on Dec. 18, is one of three films that have not yet been released in the U.S. along with “In the Heart of the Sea” and “The Revenant.”

High-profile exclusions include “Cinderella,” “Crimson Peak,” “The Fantastic Four,” “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” “Pixels” and “San Andreas.”

The films are listed in alphabetical order:

“Ant-Man” “Avengers: Age of Ultron” “Bridge of Spies” “Chappie” “Everest” “Ex Machina” “Furious Seven” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2” “In the Heart of the Sea” “Jupiter Ascending” “Jurassic World” “Mad Max: Fury Road” “The Martian” “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” “The Revenant” “Spectre” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” “Terminator Genisys” “Tomorrowland” “The Walk”

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the preliminary shortlist. That number will be narrowed to 10 later this month and the finalists will make their pitch at the branch’s annual bake-off presentation in January.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Jan. 14 and the Oscar ceremonies will he held Feb. 28 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

“Interstellar” won the Oscar in the category earlier this year. The first three “Star Wars” films won the visual effects category in 1978, 1981 and 1984.