Avengers: Infinity Wars (2018)

I am moving swiftly through the short list of nominees for Visual Effects, which will translate into nominees in a number of categories once they are announced, and amazingly a lot of them are already available.
So here goes.  If I hadn't been keeping up with the Marvel movies these last few years (they always seem to score a nomination or two, and so I watch them within that context), I would never have been able to follow the story line in this one.  There are the Avengers, there is the Justice League, there are the Guardians of the Galaxy.  This is probably one of the most star packed movies of the year, so much possible talent up on the screen.  And yet, it is just one long all out battle for the Infinity stones with Thanos, in every corner of the universe (including Wakonda--it didn't take long for that movie to move into the mainstream of Marvel).  There are a number of tight corners, and super hero faced with difficult dilemmas, but largely there is just visual effects, non-stop from start to finish.