Godzilla Minus One Winning The Oscar For Best Special Effects Is The Best Thing To Ever Happen At The Oscars
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Max Nocerino 
Max explores the potential seismic shift caused by Godzilla Minus One winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
Does GODZILLA MINUS ONE winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects represent a landmark change in the Academy’s approach?
The Oscars is probably the most anticipated media awards show in the world (or at least America). I had great fun filling out the Oscar ballots with my family on a cold Sunday night. My sister was dreading this year’s Oscars. She felt it would be too predictable, expecting Oppenheimer to take home all the awards. While it did take home Best Picture and Director, there was something magical brewing in the ether this year.
AWARDING SCI-FI
The Academy has long been critiqued as “snobby” by what they consider a good movie. I find it almost insulting when Marvel or Star Wars movies are nominated for special effects. The Academy seemed to hate the very stuff that drives this website. I remember how The Rise of Skywalker lost out to 1917 for Special Effects in 2020. I’m sure 1917 was a great movie. However, the special effects were nothing compared to ILM’s work on the finale of the Skywalker Saga.
It’s tough to beat the Star Wars franchise. ILM always sets the standard for special effects (all the way back to 1977). Still, because 1917 was a war movie, it automatically seemed to be selected. Just as the Academy finally threw Leonardo DiCaprio a bone and gave him the Oscar for Best Actor for The Revenant. Sure, he’s an incredible actor, but the decision was likely made due to the immense pressure created by the media around Leonardo’s lack of an Oscar win.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
So, when the Special Effects category rolled around, I tried to be innovative and select Napoleon based on that “Oscar formula.” Which film do you think won the award? Godzilla Minus One. Wha-?! A GODZILLA MOVIE WON AN OSCAR? Surely this cannot be true? I must have fallen into an interdimensional portal to another universe where gravy-flavored ice cream exists and fish fly.
How could the Academy pick a Japanese monster movie franchise over the more “sophisticated” choices? Godzilla, the main character, is a creature who can’t even talk, and the plot of Godzilla has always been smashing buildings and smashing each other. Don’t get me wrong. I am a huge fan of Godzilla and watched the 2014 reboot on its opening day in theaters. However, my interest waned once the franchise began exploring new sub-genres, and now I know he is fighting Kong.
Godzilla Minus One is a standalone film released in the United States only on a limited basis. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to it, but now I’m eager to see it.
A MONSTER SURPRISE
The key takeaway from this piece is that sometimes life surprises you, and the underdog gets his or her due. I am so surprised and proud that the Academy gave this movie a chance and judged it for how it was, not just what it was. It almost seems like an oxymoron to provide Godzilla with an Oscar. The visual effects could have been stunning, although I couldn’t tell from the trailers. However, Thomas Storai, our reviewer, raved about it in his review. Regardless, my interest is piqued, and I will consider reviewing it in the future if I have the opportunity to watch it.
I’d like to thank the Academy…..
Max Nocerino is a regular Staff Writer for The Future of the Force. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter where he shares his love of the Force frequently!
