Will Win: The Aviator
Should Win: (tie) Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events/A Very Long Engagement
Art Direction usually doesn’t stray far from Costume, and this year will be no exception. However, it should be noted that the respective annual Guild awards for each of these went to Snicket’s. But those guild members make up a small fraction of Academy voters. (Artists nominate their peers – costume designers nominate costume designers and so forth – but EVERYBODY votes on the winner). Still, if I’m wrong about Costume Design, I’ll probably be wrong in the same direction for this and Snicket’s will take home two.
Which would be cool. The Art Direction in that film is near-flawless and some of the most creative I’ve seen in years. However, the hyperreality of period piece Engagement is unparalleled. Art director Aline Bonetto helps create a world that at once evokes a time and a place and is yet unlike any place that has ever been. So I’d be happy to see either, or both, take home the gold.
MUSIC (SCORE)
Finding Neverland
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events
The Passion of the Christ
The Village (really?)
WILL WIN: The Passion of the Christ
SHOULD WIN: The Passion of the Christ
Honestly, I have no idea. But, I know as often as not this award skews quirky. And by “quirky” I mean a little out of left field. Not The Village. Now this is probably the only time the word “left” will be associated with The Passion, but here goes. This score sounds unlike any of the others. It’s plaintive, eerie, choral, yet inflected (appropriately enough) with Middle Eastern overtones. I don’t know. I see it winning the same way Frida did back in the day.
That’s also what makes it my favorite of these five. That, and I really don’t remember very much from the others. I think Finding Neverland kind of went “da-de-da-da-de-doo-doo…” Nah, I just made that up.
And how did Clint Eastwood and Howard Shore (Aviator) get left out this time? I’m not saying those were great scores, but those are some pretty heavy hitters to get sidelined. Now if you actually wanna talk great scores, let’s talk about The Incredibles. Let’s talk about I Heart Huckabees. Okay, not a great score. But it was the only one I was humming as I left the theater this year. That one DID go “De-da-de-da. De-da-de-da.” I’m only partially making that one up.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
I have always found the Foreign Language category a poor measure of world cinema. In fact, the approach of having the country of origin submit a film itself is dumb, closing the door on many other fine films, and leaving it open to politicking.
Fix yr italics, David - nice post