Sunday
Jul252021
Oscar Predictions: Visuals, Score, Animation, and Sound
Sunday, July 25, 2021 at 2:37PM by Nathaniel R
The Oscar charts are finally going up. Best Animated Feature was the first a month ago but it's been tweaked to reflect Belle, rising, post its special Cannes screening, as well as Disney's stingy release of Luca. We're saving Cinematography and Costume Design for their own posts tomorrow but for now the rest of the Visual charts as well as Score and Sound are up. Yes, we're predicting a strong showing for House of Gucci, Dune, and Eternals in craft categories. Take a look and sound off in the comments.
Reader Comments (17)
Why Luca over Raya? They both did really well with critics, In fact, Raya has a higher metacritic and RT score.
Joe G -- I didn't know this and truthfully I find it shocking.
No Billie Ellish in Original Song? That seems like the only lock among the possibilities
Ben -- i think "lock" is a dangerous word in Original Song. They've historically been unkind to Bond songs (though its true they gave them two Oscars in a row all of a sudden without warning.)
The hairstyles for Damon and Affleck in that trailer for THE LAST DUEL are so distracting. I hope they work in the context of the movie.
It's nice to see some more options in VFX after last year. It's looking like a regular category again!
Thank you for these Nathaniel, a lot to read thriugh and digest.
One question: why do you not consider A QUIET PLACE PART 2 as even a contender for Best Sound? The original did get a nomination. I thought it would be eligible (but then again, this year has been confusing).
I'm confused how The Mitchells vs. The Machines is "polarizing"? It has received critical acclaim for critics and general audiences (see metacritic and rotten tomatoes scores). I know don't love for the movie and have brought up issues (i.e. length), but calling it "polarizing" comes off somewhat shady.
Frank -- no shadiness intended but you're right that might be too strong a wording.
travis c -- that was just a mistake. I shall fix.
I am very much liking your tech enthusiasm for Power of the Dog
I agree that Billie Eilish’s No Time to Die is a lock for a Best Song nomination. Since the scandal of 2011 when the Board of Governors put their collective foot down and extinguished a long legacy of the music branch’s insular politics and peevish unwillingness to recognize much popular music from films, the nominations are different.
Bond is an excellent example. Great songs like Goldfinger had been ignored, but since the shift in determining nominees, the theme songs from both Bond movies subsequently released have not only been nominated but won. No Time to Die, a memorable tune from a hot artist, has much going for it.
If all was right with the world, the Board of Governors would award an honorary Oscar to composer Monty Norman who wrote that ear worm signature melody that has signaled Bond, James Bond for the past 60 years. Is there a more recognizable piece of movie music?
On Best Song, you haven't done your homework. Listen to "Here I Am" from the Aretha biopic. Carole King and Jennifer Hudson really deliver the goods.
Is it possible that the Academy could deem “No Time to Die” ineligible due to it technically being released in the previous year? Yes, it was written specifically for the movie, but its release over a year and a half before the movie is due. Unless I’m remembering incorrectly, wasn’t Jonny Greenwood’s score for There Will Be Blood deemed ineligible because of something similar?
@Joe G
I am a bit surprised... While I mildly liked Luca, I started Raya and switched it off after 15 minutes only.
So far, I'd say The Mitchells vs. the Machines is the frontrunner to win (from what's released).
Yes, I feel like THE MITCHELLS VS THE MACHINES is the frontrunner right now. Right?!?
No West Side Story mentioned anywhere in Best Sound? Ok, you do you.
What about Where is Anne Frank? If it gets distribution this year, I imagine it's at least in 6th place