Everyone tends to ignore the technical awards at the Oscars, but they’re important. Hollywood’s effects wizards are out their honing their craft, and changing the way your movies will look for decades to come. Which is why the inclusion of a movie like Poseidon on this year’s list of effects nominees is such a slap on the face. The movie sucks, and the effects are a sub par version of what James Cameron did on Titanic last century. It’s an insult to effects artists everywhere to put it on there.
To remind you of what good effects work is all about, Popular Mechanics has compiled a list of the Top 10 F/X Scenes in Movie History. Though after looking over the list, it might be better re-titled as the 10 most important F/X scenes in movie history. Their list points out those effects moments that changed the way we thought about and the way movies were made for years to come.
Here’s their ordered list with commentary on each from me. Some of them are no-brainers, but a couple of them are real surprises. For a full explanation on their choices, click over to PM.
1. Star Wars (1977) - No brainer!
2. Tron (1982) - First movie to use computer effects on a large scale. Excellent choice.
3. Terminator 2 (1991) - Another no-brainer. Cameron is always pushing the medium. A liquid metal CGI milestone.
4. Cliffhanger (1993) - This one surprised me, but they make a good case for it. It was the first movie in which actors were held by wires which were later digitally removed.
5. Jurassic Park (1993) - Yet another no-brainer. Photo-realistic CGI creatures for the first time.
6. Forrest Gump (1994) - I’ve always thought people make a bigger deal out of inserting Tom Hanks into history than it deserves. Still, it’s a first.
7. The Perfect Storm (2000) - Crappy movie, but the first realistic CGI water used to make a giant wave.
8. Lord of the Rings (2001) - WETA’s Massive changes the way big battle scenes are done with artificially intelligent characters and armies.
9. The Polar Express (2004) - Motion capture milestone, but is that a good thing? Motion capture is creepy.
10. The Day After Tomorrow (2004) – Photorealistic model of New York City. Big deal. Come on, where’s The Matrix instead of this?
