Team Experience Predictions - Round 3: Oscar Shortlists

We're polling Team Film Experience on where the Oscar race stands. This week, Best Picture and the Oscar shortlisted categories.

Both Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and All Quiet on the Western Front received major boosts from the Oscar shortlists.

The Oscars announced the shortlists for ten categories on Wednesday, December 21st. Both Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and All Quiet on the Western Front dominated the mentions, appearing in five categories each. How does this affect the Oscar race? Our team of writers updated their predictions in Best Picture and seven of the shortlisted categories (minus the shorts for now). Click for our predictions after the jump...

Click to read more ...

The 95th Oscars Shortlists Are Here!

by Cláudio Alves

"All Quiet on the Western Front" | © Netflix

Like in the last few seasons, the Academy has announced shortlists in 10 Oscar categories – Documentary Feature, International Film, Original Score, Song, Sound, Visual Effects, and the three Shorts races. As always, there are surprises along with expected honors and the domination of certain frontrunners. One imagines this is an especially sweet batch of finalists for fans of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and All Quiet on the Western Front, who rule over all other contenders with mentions in five different categories. Not far behind, we find Avatar: The Way of Water with four categories.

Expect more commentary at a later time, but for now, let's look over the complete lists and fire off some instant reactions…

Click to read more ...

Oscar Volleys: How Many Pop Hits in Best Original Song?

Team Experience will be discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here's Eurocheese and Baby Clyde...  

"Ciao Papa" in GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO

EUROCHEESE: Well Baby, It's Cold Outside and you know what that means - we're Falling Slowly into awards season, and it's time to name the songs seeking Glory in the City of Stars. There are a few big hits that Take My Breath Away: Rihanna's "Lift Me Up," which seems to be everywhere at the moment; Lady Gaga's "Hold My Hand" in the year's biggest hit that just won't slow down; and the standout song from Del Toro's Pinocchio, "Ciao Papa," which I expect will make the cut. Do you agree these three are solid initial nominees, or do you have High Hopes that rest elsewhere? Any Secret Love that you see near the top of your list?

BABY CLYDE: Hey Mr Cheese, I Just Called To Say I Love You. The Academy must be salivating at the prospect of this year’s nominees. Am I correct in thinking that Rihanna, Gaga, Taylor and Billie Eilish are all legit contenders in this category...

Click to read more ...

April Foolish Oscar Predix Pt 2 - Screenplay, Scores, Song, Sound

Previously: Pt 1 Animated Features

A promo still from SPIRITED © Apple TV+

We're dropping the April Foolish Oscar Predictions daily for a week and that should take us through Cannes when the game shifts again with lots of new information to process. Excuse our sibilant sssssssss today but it's time for the two screenplay categories, and the three sound related categories.

Are There Any Musicals This Year?
Yes but not like last season. 2021 was shocking with 11 musicals released though only three turned into real Oscar players (Encanto, tick tick BOOM!, and West Side Story) This year there are half as many. We're getting a Nicholas Britell scored version of Carmen (directed by Mr Natalie Portman himself Benjamin Milipied), Apple TV+ is releasing Spirited, a new musical take of the constantly retold Scrooge story with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds in the leading roles...

Click to read more ...

Oscar Volley: Who will win Song & Score?

by Team Experience

NATHANIEL R: Hello Matt, Eurocheese, and our special guest Thomas Mizer, who has guest blogged here before and who is an Emmy-nominee as a lyricist for The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. We won't ask Tom to sound off on the Best Song nominees (too close to home) but we do need his input on Best Original Score. In fact, I personally need all of your input on Original Score. I recognize fully that Scores are way up there with Editing in how they can make or break a movie, but unlike with editing (which I am fairly well versed in), I am not particular adept at noticing what composers are doing or how they're doing it. I hate to admit this because I love Nicholas Britell's work (generally speaking) but I honestly didn't realize Don't Look Up had a score. I thought while watching it that it was mostly song cues and dialogue. So I need your collective help. Who are you rooting for and why and who do you think might win? 

Click to read more ...