9. The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
After the 2009 ceremony, the AMPAS increased the number of Best Picture nominees from five to 10 at the most. I say "10 at the most" because the two previous ceremonies only had nine nominees. There was an uproar for the Academy not nominating "The Dark Knight" for Best Picture. Given that there were only nine Best Picture nominees this year, "The Dark Knight Rises" could slide in as the 10th nominee with no substitutions. Lee Smith deserved a nomination for Editing. In the nearly two hours and 45 minute-long movie, 72 of those minutes were filmed with IMAX film stock. The rest was made with 35 mm film stock and 70 mm film stock. The latter was used as a substitute for IMAX during scenes with dialogue. Three different film stock sizes were used by the film's director of photography, Wally Pfister. Most of the shots were made with one format in between cuts. But one shot used two formats. When Selina Kyle takes Batman to Bane in the sewers, notice the shot when Batman walks onto the catwalk and the gate shuts behind him. It goes from 35 mm to IMAX the moment the gate hits the floor. The first time I saw TDKR in a digital IMAX theater (first time ever, opening weekend), this went unnoticed to me. At some point during the fight I had realized that it was in IMAX, taking up the entire screen. But I didn't know when the transition was made. Go to the scene, pause it, and step frame by frame as the gate shuts. I would also have given a Costume Design nomination to Lindy Hemming, the costume designer, as well the the costume effects supervisor, Graham Churchyard (one nomination total, not two separate nominations). Hemming spent two years designing Bane's jacket. She took inspiration from a Swedish army jacket and a French Revolution frock coat. But it was Churchyard who designed Bane's mask. I also liked the change to Dr. Crane's jacket. The raggedness at the shoulders and elbows gives a subtle reference to his alter ago as Scarecrow. Bane's costume is the highlight. But recognition also goes to the Batsuit (which was redone yet again), Selina Kyle's catsuit, the attire of Bane's mercenaries, and even the uniforms of the prisoners in the pit.