We had one film release this past weekend with the potential for Oscar nominations.

Into the Storm

Eighteen years ago, Jan de Bont helmed an original picture about a team of storm chasers seeking research data with their specially-designed scientific equipment that they need to launch into the heart of a tornado. Twister introduced the world to some of the newest and most dazzling effects depicting weather-related phenomena yet filmed. It was rewarded with two Oscar nominations, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. It lost Best Sound to The English Patient and Best Visual Effects to Independence Day.

Genre director Steven Quale brings a new story to the screen another film about storm trackers chasing tornadic activity while giving other thrill-seekers and regular townsfolk an invested interest in the impending EF5+++ (not really a measurement on the Enhanced Fujita scale, but that’s what it looks like in the trailer) that will wipe out all life and heavy machinery in its path.

The film features a number of superstorm events from firespouts to gigantic tornadoes with effects that wouldn’t have even been thought possible when Twister came out in 1996. While the effects in the trailer certainly look impressive, the film isn’t looking like a box office behemoth. In a huge field of Best Visual Effects contenders, a box office (and critical hit) might have been necessary to push this one into the realm of Oscar contender. It could still compete and is likely to make the bake-off list, but I suspect there are too many other options this year for it to get one of the five nominations available.