Collider:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has unveiled its shortlist of 10 films that will contend for the Best Visual Effects Oscar. The films that have made the cut include The Dark Knight Rises, Cloud Atlas, Skyfall, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and Disney’s John Carter. The list is full of impressive blockbuster fare from 2012, but as we were reminded last year (Hugo over Rise of the Planet of the Apes) the winner of the category tends to favor a Best Picture nominee. As Ang Lee’s adaptation of Life of Pi includes stunning visual effects and is an early favorite to land a Best Picture nomination, prognosticators would do well to keep their eye on that film as the race moves forward. That said, there’s not exactly a lack of great work to thumb through, so this should be an interesting category. (Cloud Atlas, Culture, John Carter, Life of Pi, Skyfall, Snow White & The Huntsman, The Academy Awards, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)