Oscars 2022: Best Cinematography Predictions

Denis Villeneuve’s long-awaited adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” (Warner Bros.) is like a cerebral “Star Wars” meets “Lawrence of Arabia,” with its dangerous mix of politics and religion, centered around Timothée Chalamet’s messianic Paul Atreides. It was photographed in large format by Emmy-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser (“The Mandalorian”), who alternated between the digital Alexa LF and IMAX 65mm cameras (for Paul’s surreal dreams and visions on the harsh and desolate desert planet Arrakis, shot mainly in Jordan). Other environments include the autumnal-looking water planet Caladan and the goth-looking planet Giedi Prime, which makes for quite a diverse color palette. Fraser also took the unusual step of creating a Kodak 35mm negative and scanning it back digitally for a more analog experience in theaters.