The art directors settled on a wonderful quintet to represent their form in 2010. Each of these films (okay, I haven’t seen one of them) manages to showcase art direction in organic ways, even when it comes to the contender with the most robust and vibrant design to offer.
When it comes to the design categories, though, abundance can be an asset. There’s no question about it. The old joke is “Most Art Direction” or “Most Costume Design,” rather than “Best.” And unfortunately, that extends sometimes into the nominations process as nuanced, subtle work is disregarded each and every year. But even with that caveat, this is a handsome slate.
The nominees are:
“Alice in Wonderland” (Robert Stromberg; Karen O’Hara)
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” (Stuart Craig; Stephanie McMillan)
“Inception” (Guy Hendrix Dyas; Larry Dias, Doug Mowat)
“The King’s Speech” (Eve Stewart; Judy Farr)
“True Grit” (Jess Gonchor; Nancy Haigh)