Ang Lee could well miss the Best Director cut when the Oscar nominations are announced next week, but even if he does, the “Life of Pi” director is receiving plenty of appreciation from below-the-line branches. The Motion Picture Sound Editors will be feting him in February, and now the Visual Effects Society has followed suit: Lee will receive their Visionary Award, first presented last year to Christopher Nolan, at their awards ceremony next month. VES awards chair Jeff Okun says, “[Lee] pushed the envelope of creation of visual effects for telling a story. In our generation, only ‘Star Wars’ did that.” It certainly won’t be the only recognition “Life of Pi” receives from this particular guild. [Variety]  

Steve Pond offers a comprehensive examination of the 75 tunes in contention for Best Original Song; he calls “Les Mis” track “Suddenly” the “closest thing to a category favorite,” but also “thin and undernourished.” [The Wrap]

The Santa Barbara fest will open with the US premiere of Henry-Alex Rubin’s “Disconnect,” starring Jason Bateman and Andrea Riseborough. I wasn’t a fan at Venice, but it might play better at home. [SBIFF]

Sharon Seymour’s ADG nod yesterday for “Argo” surprised some people, but the film is certainly a meticulous period showcase. She discusses her process. [New York Times] 

On the success of Steven Spielberg’s “anti-campaign” for “Lincoln.” [The Hollywood Reporter]

Speaking of “Lincoln,” Jackson Truax talks to industry legend Ben Burtt about the film’s quietly detailed sound design. [Awards Daily]

R. Kurt Osenlund handicaps the race for Best Supporting Actress, which he deems “the year’s most riches-packed race, and the one with the least room for disappointment.” [The House Next Door]

Susan King looks into the technical magic that went into creating the remarkable tsunami sequence in “The Impossible.” Shame the Academy’s VFX branch wasn’t sufficiently impressed. [LA Times]

Jessica Chastain may be a newish face to most us, but Tim Walker claims an Oscar would be an “overdue reward” for an actress whose success is hardly the overnight variety. [The Independent]

“Why would I ever get cocky? I’m not saving anyone’s life … I’m making movies. It’s stupid.” I’m not bored yet of Jennifer Lawrence’s interview demeanour. [Vanity Fair]