OSCAR RACE 2008
commentary by Nathaniel R

days until Oscar Nomination are announced

discuss @ THE BLOG

 

Best Original Score - July 11th Predictions

06/12/08 Former nominees John Williams, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard, Dario Marianelli, Alberto Iglesias and Alexandre Desplat are all offering the music branch more than one film. I'm predicting a year when no newbies can break through and nobody can swing double nods.

04/01/08 I'm terrible at this category. It's usually a combo of people they nominate all the time and one newbie. You can count on Williams. He's been nominated for every single installment of the Indiana Jones franchise. The next three are all regulars. I threw in Pipes because his work on Monster House was fun and I like to throw a curveball here and there for year in advance predictions. It's a fantasy so you know the music will be big.
1
2
3
4
5
Thomas Newman
WALL-E
8 nominations
prev: 1,3
John Williams
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
45 noms / 5 wins
prev: 2,1
James Newton Howard
 Defiance
7 nominations
prev: 3,2
David Hirschfelder
Australia
2 nominations
prev: 4,18
Thomas Newman
Revolutionary Road
8 nominations
prev: 8,4
         

Other Distinct Possibilities
6 Alexandre Desplat (1 nom) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button prev: 6,23
7 Dario Marianelli (2 noms / 1 win) The Soloist prev: 7,12
8 John Williams (45 noms / 5 wins) Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince prev: 11,13
9 Douglas Pipes City of Ember prev: 9,5
10 Alberto Iglesias (2 nominations) The Argentine / Guerilla prev: 10,11
11 Nick Cave & Warren Ellis (never nominated) The Road prev: 14,UR
12 Angelo Badalamenti (never nominated) The Edge of Love prev: 12,7

Hmmm....
13 Alberto Iglesias (2 nominations) The Reader prev: 13,6
14 Clint Eastwood (never nominated) Changeling prev: 15,20
15 unknown (unknown) The Duchess prev: 20,16
16 unknown (unknown) Doubt prev: 16,15
17 Dario Marianelli (2 noms / 1 win) Hippie Hippie Shake prev: 17,8
18 Marco Antonio Guimaraes (never nominated) Blindness prev: 23, 19
19 unknown (unknown) Milk prev: 19,21
20 Angelo Milli (never nominated) Seven Pounds prev: 18,10
21 unknown (unknown) The Young Victoria prev: 21, 14
22 unknown (unknown) Miracle at St Anna prev: 22, 23
23 Jeanine Tesori (never nominated) Nights in Rodanthe prev: 24, 9
24 James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer The Dark Knight prev: 25, 24
25

falling out: John Ottman (never nominated) Valkyrie prev: 17, Desplat (1 nomination) Chéri prev: 5, UR
prediction history

July: Australia, Defiance, Indiana Jones, Revolutionary Road, WALL-E
June: Australia, Chéri, Defiance, Indiana Jones, WALL-E
April: City of Ember, Defiance, Indiana Jones, Revolutionary Road, WALL-E

 

Best Original Song - July Predictions
this category is usually a last minute thing. It's difficult to know what's eligible, so let's say... Coraline, Rachel Getting Married, Hancock, Sex & the City and WALL-E as wild guesses before we even know which movies have original songs in them.

 

Best Sound Mixing - July 11th Predictions

07/11/08 minor adjustments

04/01/08 A category that favors musicals --but it didn't last year and this year there aren't any musicals... or at least not big ticket ones. They also like LOUD action, sci-fi, animation, and drama here.
1
2
3
4
5
Iron Man
prev: 1,1
Defiance
prev: 2,2
WALL-E
prev: 3,3
House of Lies
prev: 4,5
Miracle at St. Anna
prev: 5,10
big action. armor. tanks. planes.
lots of guns. war film
animation. outerspace.
spy games
war film.

Other Distinct Possibilities
6 The Dark Knight prev: 7,7
7 Australia prev: 6,4
8 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull prev: 8,6
9 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button prev: 9,15
10 Quantum of Solace prev: 13,13
11 The Soloist prev: 11, 22
12 The Argentine / Guerilla prev: 12, 12

Hmmm....
13 The Incredible Hulk prev: 15, UR
14 Hancock prev: 14, 23
15 Changeling prev: 10,11
16 The Day the Earth Stood Still prev: 17, 17
17 Appaloosa prev: 20, 16
18 Blindness prev: 18, 21
19 The Road prev: 19, UR
20 Milk prev: 16, UR
21 Revolutionary Road prev: 21, 22
22 Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian prev: 22, 14
23 The Reader prev: 23, 18
24 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince prev: 24, 24
25 Cloverfield prev: 25, 25

falling out: Valkyrie (9), Speed Racer (8) ..."9" (19)
prediction history

July: House of Lies, Defiance, Iron Man, Miracle at St. Anna, WALL-E
June: House of Lies, Defiance, Iron Man, Miracle at St. Anna WALL-E
April: Australia, House of Lies, Defiance, Iron Man, WALL-E

 

Best Sound Effects -July 11th Predictions

06/12/08 They like LOUD action, sci-fi, animation, and the war film here. Though last year they managed to notice No Country for Old Men AND There Will Be Blood. No changes for now.
04/01/08 They like LOUD action, sci-fi, animation, and the war film here.
1
2
3
4
5
Iron Man
prev: 1,1
WALL-E
prev: 3,3
Defiance
prev: 2,2
The Dark Knight
prev: 4,4
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
prev: 5,5
big action. armor. tanks. planes.
animation. outerspace.
lots of guns. war film
superhero mayhem. critical respect.
america's favorite archaeologist returns

Other Distinct Possibilities
6 Miracle at St Anna prev: 6,10
7 House of Lies prev: 11,25
8 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button prev: 8,15
9 Quantum of Solace prev: 9,9
10 Hancock prev: 10,19
11 The Argentine / Guerilla prev: 7,12
12 Changeling prev: 12,11

Hmmm....
13 Red Cliff prev: 13,22
14 The Incredible Hulk prev: 14, 24
15 The Road prev: 15,UR
16 Coraline prev: 16,UR
17 The Soloist prev: 17,UR
18 Hellboy 2 prev: 18,23
19 Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince prev: 19,21
20 Appaloosa prev: 24, 16
21 The Day the Earth Stood Still prev: 23, 13
22 Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian prev:20, 6
23 Cloverfield prev: 22, 20
24 The Reader prev: 25, 17
25 Kung Fu Panda prev: 21, 18

falling out: ..."9" prev: 14 / Speed Racer prev: 8 / Valkyrie prev: 7
prediction history

July: The Dark Knight, Defiance, Indiana Jones, Iron Man, WALL-E
June: The Dark Knight, Defiance, Indiana Jones, Iron Man, WALL-E
April: The Dark Knight, Defiance, Indiana Jones, Iron Man, WALL-E

 

Last Year's Race