This one kind of seems like a no-brainer, but then you never really know what the cinematographers are going to think is the best cinematography. According to some of those in the know, the Avatar cinematography is more visual effects than actual lensing. Whatever it was, though, it worked to a degree that is almost impossible to comprehend. If Avatar is weak on story and originality, it is strong on its visuals. Strong is an understatement. It is mind-boggling.
But the truth is, we’ve had “mind-boggling” visual effects/cinematography before this, just not wrapped up in a prestige pic with emotional impact. I’m starting to wonder that we should be back to thinking, it’s not if Avatar will win Best Picture, it’s how many Oscars will Avatar win? It can’t win screenplay or acting — not nominated there, but it can win in the techs. And the love for the film could push it over in a sweep of the techs, along with best pic.
They will throw Bigelow a bone with Director, maybe THL wins Screenplay and that will be all she wrote. The Academy can pat themselves on the back for finally awarding a woman Best Director but the more popular, box office success will prevail ultimately. ¬† Either way, cinematography on the 27th of February, in two days, is expected to go to Avatar.¬†¬† If it doesn’t go to Avatar, that isn’t a good sign at all.
If it isn’t Avatar, I’d say the next in line is Inglourious Basterds, just by the way these things are usually judged. Either it’s the prettiest movie by a long way, or it’s a film everyone loves anyway and they just want to give it lots of awards. The White Ribbon would be the critics’ choice, but that film will not win the Oscar probably – so it may not win the ASC. That seems too obscure of a pick for them, if you look at the charts below.
Inglourious Basterds may be the only film that can really challenge Avatar in this category.
Of course, if The Hurt Locker wins, that would be unusual but it would show continued support for that film in the tech categories. We still haven’t heard from the Cinema Audio Society (but we except that to go Avatar’s way as well).
ASC Nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography:
won ASC | Won
Oscar
*nominated for Best Pic
+Won Best Pic
2009
| Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker | Barry Ackroyd, The Hurt Locker* |
| Christian Berger, The White Ribbon | Christian Berger, The White Ribbon |
| Dion Beebe, Nine | Bruno Delbonnel, Harry Potter |
| Mauro Fiore, Avatar | Mauro Fiore, Avatar* |
| Robert Richardson, Inglorious Basterds | Robert Richardson, Inglorious Basterds |
2008
| Roger Deakins, Revolutionary Road | Tom Stern, Changeling |
| Claudio Miranda, …Benjamin Button | Claudio Miranda, …Benjamin Button* |
| Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight | Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight |
| Roger Deakins, Chris Menges, The Reader | Roger Deakins, Chris Menges, The Reader* |
| Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire | Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire+ |
2007
| Roger Deakins, Jesse James | Roger Deakins, Jesse James |
| Roger Deakins, No Country | Roger Deakins, No Country+ |
| Robert Elswit, There Will Be Blood | Robert Elswit, There Will Be Blood* |
| Janusz Kaminski, Diving Bell | Janusz Kaminski, Diving Bell |
| Seamus McGarvey, Atonement | Seamus McGarvey, Atonement* |
2006
| Emmanuel Lubezki, Children of Men | Emmanuel Lubezki |
| Dick Pope, The Illusionist | Dick Pope, The Illusionist |
| Robert Richardson, The Good Shepherd | Guillermo Navarro, Pan’s Labyrinth |
| Deam Semler, Apocalypto | Wally Pfister, The Prestige |
| Vilmos Zsigmond, The Black Dahlia | Vilmos Zsigmond, The Black Dahlia |
2005
| Batman Begins, Wally Pfister | Batman Begins, Wally Pfister |
| Brokeback Mountain, Rodrigo Pietro | Brokeback Mountain, Rodrigo Pietro* |
| Good Night, and Good Luck, Robert Elswit | Good Night and Good Luck, Robert Elswit* |
| King Kong | New World, Emmanuel Lubezki |
| Memoirs of a Geisha | Memoirs of a Geisha, Dion Beebe |
2004
| The Aviator* | The Aviator* |
| Collateral | House of Flying Daggers |
| The Passion of the Christ | The Passion of the Christ |
| Ray* | Phantom of the Opera |
| A Very Long Engagement | A Very Long Engagement |
2003
| Russell Boyd, Master and Commander | Master and Commander* |
| Andrew Lesnie, ROTK* | City of God |
| John Schwartzman, Seabiscuit |
Seabiscuit* |
| John Seale, Cold Mountain | Cold Mountain |
| John Toll, The Last Samurai | Girl with the Pearl Earring |
2002
| Michael Ballhaus, Gangs of New York |
Michael Ballhaus, Gangs of New York* |
| Pawel Edelman, The Pianist | Pawel Edelman, The Pianist* |
| Conrad Hall, Road to Perdition |
Conrad Hall, Road to Perdition |
| Ed Lachman, Far From Heaven | Ed Lachman, Far From Heaven |
| Rodrigo Prieto, Frida | Dione Beebe, Chicago+ |
2001
| Roger Deakins, Man Who Wasn’t There | Roger Deakins, Man Who Wasn’t There |
| Bruno Delbonnel, Amélie | Bruno Delbonnel, Amélie |
| Don McAlpine, Moulin Rouge* | Don McAlpine, Moulin Rouge* |
| Andrew Lesnie, LOTR | Andrew Lesnie, LOTR* |
| John Schwartzman, ASC (“Pearl Harbor”) | Slawomir Idziak – Black Hawk Down |
2000
| Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon |
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* |
| Gladiator | Gladiator+ |
| O Brother, Where Art Thou? | O Brother, Where Art Thou? |
| The Patriot | The Patriot |
| The Perfect Storm | Malèna |
1999
| American Beauty+ | American Beauty+ |
| Snow Falling on Cedars | Snow Falling On Cedars |
| Sleepy Hollow | Sleepy Hollow |
| The Insider | The Insider |
| The Sixth Sense | The End Of the Affair |
1998
| The Thin Red Line | The Thin Red Line |
| Shakespeare In Love | Shakespeare In Love+ |
| Saving Private Ryan | Saving Private Ryan* |
| Elizabeth | Elizabeth* |
| The Horse Whisperer | A Civil Action |
1997
| Titanic+ | Titanic+ |
| Amistad | Amistad |
| Kundun | Kundun |
| L. A. Confidential | L. A. Confidential* |
| The Boxer | The Wings Of the Dove |
1996
| The English Patient+ |
The English Patient+ |
| Evita | Evita |
| Fargo* | Fargo* |
| Fly Away Home | Fly Away Home |
| Michael Collins | Michael Collins |
| The Ghost and The Darkness |
1995
| Braveheart+ | Braveheart+ |
| Apollo 13* | A Little Princess |
| The Bridges of Madison County | Sense and Sensibility* |
| Batman Forever | Batman Forever |
| Crimson Tide | Shanghai Triad |
| Se7en |
1994
| Shawshank Redemption | Shawshank Redemption* |
| Legends of the Fall | Legends of the Fall |
| Love Affair | Red |
| Forrest Gump | Forrest Gump+ |
| Wyatt Earp | Wyatt Earp |
1993
| Searching for Bobby Fischer | Searching for Bobby Fischer |
| The Piano | The Piano* |
| Heaven & Earth | Farwell My Concubine |
| Schindler’s List | Schindler’s List + |
| The Fugitive | The Fugitive* |
1992
| Hoffa | Hoffa |
| A Few Good Men* | The Lover |
| Howards End* | Howards End |
| The Last of the Mohicans | Unforgiven+ |
| A River Runs Through It | A River Runs Through It |
1991
| Bugsy | Bugsy* |
| JFK | JFK* |
| Prince of Tides | Prince of Tides* |
| Hook | Thelma and Louise |
| Terminator 2 | Terminator 2 |
1990
| Dances with Wolves | Dances with Wolves+ |
| Dick Tracy | Dick Tracy |
| Avalon | Avalon |
| Godfather III | Godfather III* |
| Ghost* | Henry and June |
1989
| The Abyss | The Abyss |
| The Bear | The Fabulous Baker Boys |
| Blaze | Blaze |
| Born on the Fourth of July* | Born on the Fourth of July* |
| The War of the Roses | Glory |
1988
| Mississippi Burning | Mississippi Burning* |
| Tequila Sunrise | Tequila Sunrise |
| Rain Man | Rain Man+ |
| Unbearable Lightness of Being | The Unbearable Lightness of Being |
| Dangerous Liaisons* | Who Framed Roger Rabbit? |
1987
| Empire of the Sun | Empire of the Sun |
| The Last Emperor | The Last Emperor+ |
| Matewan | Matewan |
| Someone to Watch Over Me | Hope and Glory* |
| The Untouchables | Broadcast News* |
1986
| Peggy Sue Got Married | Peggy Sue Got Married |
| The Mission | The Mission* |
| A Room with a View | A Room with a View* |
| Star Trek IV | Star Trek IV |
| The Karate Kid Part II | Platoon+ |
