Often times, just filming reality is not enough. Especially nowadays, the visual effects artists are called upon for image enhancements that the audience might not even be aware is being enhanced with a visual effect. The more obvious visual effects tend to win this honor however, ranging from the days when visual effects meant staging an outer space scene with miniature models to the use of green and blue screen to composite actors over different backgrounds, to the groundbreaking CGI effects that can now produce unimaginable worlds, all through the use of a computer. One can almost track the growth of visual effects in film history by seeing these choices the Academy has made for the Best Visual Effects Oscar.
2025:
AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH
2024:
DUNE: PART TWO
2023:
GODZILLA MINUS ONE
2022:
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
2021:
DUNE
2020:
TENET
2019:
1917
2018:
FIRST MAN
2017:
BLADERUNNER 2049
2016:
THE JUNGLE BOOK
2015:
EX MACHINA
2014:
INTERSTELLAR
2013:
GRAVITY
2012:
LIFE OF PI
2011:
HUGO
2010:
INCEPTION
2009:
AVATAR
2008:
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
2007:
THE GOLDEN COMPASS
2006:
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
2005:
KING KONG
2004:
SPIDER-MAN 2
2003:
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
2002:
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS
2001:
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
2000:
GLADIATOR
1999:
THE MATRIX
1998:
WHAT DREAMS MAY COME
1997:
TITANIC
1996:
INDEPENDENCE DAY
1995:
BABE
1994:
FORREST GUMP
1993:
JURASSIC PARK
1992:
DEATH BECOMES HER
1991:
TERMINATOR 2 : JUDGMENT DAY
1990:
TOTAL RECALL
1989:
THE ABYSS
1988:
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT
1987:
INNERSPACE
1986:
ALIENS
1985:
COCOON
1984:
INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
1983:
RETURN OF THE JEDI
1982:
E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL
1981:
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
1980:
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
1979:
ALIEN
1978:
SUPERMAN
1977:
STAR WARS
1976:
(tie) KING KONG & LOGANS RUN
1975:
THE HINDENBURG
1974:
EARTHQUAKE
1972:
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE
1971:
BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS
1970:
TORA! TORA! TORA!
1969:
MAROONED
1968:
2001 : A SPACE ODYSSEY
1967:
DOCTOR DOLITTLE
1966:
FANTASTIC VOYAGE
1965:
THUNDERBALL
1964:
MARY POPPINS
1963:
CLEOPATRA
1962:
THE LONGEST DAY
1961:
THE GUNS OF NAVARONE
1960:
THE TIME MACHINE
1959:
BEN-HUR
1958:
TOM THUMB
1957:
THE ENEMY BELOW
1956:
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
1955:
THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI
1954:
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
1953:
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
1952:
PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE
1951:
WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
1950:
DESTINATION MOON
1949:
MIGHTY JOE YOUNG
1948:
PORTRAIT OF JENNIE
1947:
GREEN DOLPHIN STREET
1946:
BLITHE SPIRIT
1945:
WONDER MAN
1944:
THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO
1943:
CRASH DIVE
1942:
REAP THE WILD WIND
1941:
I WANTED WINGS
1940:
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD
1939:
THE RAINS CAME
