Oscar Prediction: Cinematography

the next prediction: Achievement in Cinematography.

the nominees are:

• Batman Begins
• Brokeback Mountain
• Good Night and Good Luck
• Memoirs of a Geisha
• The New World

i think cinematography may be the most underrated part of the filmmaking process. a major portion of watching a film is the fact that it is a visual medium. what we see with our eyes makes all of the difference when we watch a film. what makes a feature length film different from your home movies are things you never think about when filming--film stock, lighting, angles and lenses. to me, Achievement in Cinematography should reward a film that is visually stunning.

that's why i am happy that the Academy nominated Batman Begins. it was one of my favorite films of the year, and it was visually stunning. so much of the Batman mythos depends on the mood generated by the film. that said, however, my prediction is Brokeback Mountain.

When you see an Ang Lee film, you know you've seen it. Lee's work is always visually stunning. Brokeback Mountain is no different. The Wyoming landscape is almost a character of the film itself, and you understand why this beautiful place is so special to Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist. if the cinematography wasn't this good, Brokeback Mountain would just be another place.

next: Best Adapted Screenplay