The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that seven films made the short list in the Visual Effects category for the 81st Academy Awards. They are as follows:
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Iron Man
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
The list was whittled down from a field of 15 movies announced mid-December. Those that didn’t make the second cut for one reason or another are The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Cloverfield, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Hancock, The Incredible Hulk, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Quantum of Solace and The Spiderwick Chronicles.
On Thursday, Jan. 15, all members of the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate three films for final Oscar consideration.
The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22 at 5:30 a.m. (PT) in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater. The Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, Feb. 22 at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.
