Categories One-by-One: Original Song

[MaxWilder]

As usual, Tee demonstrates that “certainty” is foolish!

[Mister Tee]

Okay -- I watched Eurovision and The Life Ahead, and gave a re-listen to the other three songs, and have come to the firm conclusion that...I dunno.

It's possible voters will view the three end-credit-songs-from-political-films as so much the same (even their titles feel close to interchangeable) that they'll look to one of the other two. I did feel, watching the films first time around, that Speak Now was the best of the three, and my re-listen confirms it's the most ballad-y, thus likely to have the broadest appeal.

The Husavik case makes me wish more than ever it was a normal year and I could know whether the film was a Ferrell box-office success or a washout. It's clearly given the most elaborate in-film showcase of any nominee, but it matters how many people (and subset, Academy voters) ever watched the film. For much of AMPAS, Ferrell is the guy who does a half-assed routine while presenting an award every year; they don't know from his movies. (The push for Husavik also reminds me a bit of the one for A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow, and that one ended in disappointment for fans.)

Unmentioned by most about the Diane Warren song is that it's entirely in Italian. There aren't a lot of Oscar-winning songs in a foreign language -- as far I can recall, Mona Lisa (though voters were familiar with the Nat King Cole English version), Never on Sunday (again, there was an English version by Connie Francis), Il Otro Lado del Rio, and Jai Ho. The last three were from films that competed in major or semi-major categories; The Life Ahead is up for nothing else -- and we have no idea if anyone's watched it. On the other hand, it's a pretty enough melody. And, remember, when Randy Newman finally won, it was in a year where a favorite was hard to pinpoint.

[Jefforey Smith]

I think this one is between "Lo Si (Seen)" and "Speak Now,"

Agree, with "Speak Now" from One Night in Miami... having a competitive edge. Diane Warren's overdue status could factor in, yet it took many years for AMPAS to cut Randy Newman any slack.

[MaxWilder]

My Letterboxd review of Eurovision: “ Someone tell me why this is 15 minutes longer than Dunkirk.”

Despite that, I recommend it. Will Ferrell is tiresome and too old now for these man-child characters, but Rachel McAdams is terrific. (Watch the “Husavik” video—who knew she was such a convincing a lip-syncher?) Dan Stevens is great, too, in a role that upends expectations.

“Husavik” is the only nominee with even a chance of being remembered in five years. That could make a real difference.

[criddic3]

I think this one is between "Lo Si (Seen)" and "Speak Now," though either of the two best pic nominees could win it if they sweep somehow.
"Husavik" could do it, but songs from comedies don't really fare that well. "It Might Be You," "Ghostbusters," "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space," "Look What Love Has Done," "Blame Canada," "A Fool in Love," etc. I doubt that Eurovision will break the rule there.

[gunnar]

I ended up enjoying Eurovision a lot more than I expected. It's not a very good film overall, but it could be fun. I agree with Mister Tee about it's length. I don't know if the song will win, but I did like the song as well.

[Mister Tee]

Do I need to see Eurovision?

Let me ask that another way: if I watch it just for the sake of knowing why this song is going to win, am I going to have an okay time?

A) I wouldn't presume it's going to win, but...

B) I wouldn't call it painful. I don't usually watch Will Ferrell comedies -- a little of him goes a long way for me -- but I found there were some things in it that made me laugh. Not really enough to justify 2+ hours, but enough I wasn't moved to kill myself.

[Sabin]

Do I need to see Eurovision?

Let me ask that another way: if I watch it just for the sake of knowing why this song is going to win, am I going to have an okay time?

[anonymous1980]

The nominees:

"Fight for You" from Judas and the Black Messiah
"Hear My Voice" from The Trial of the Chicago 7
"Husavik" from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
"Io Si (Seen)" from The Life Ahead
"Speak Now" from One Night in Miami...

If you ask me, hands down, the Oscar should be going to "Husavik". Not only is it the best song in the bunch, it's also the only song that actually has a narrative function within the film and not just a song that was added into the end credits like the four other songs. Its only detriment is that the film it's from isn't really an "important" movie and the film isn't as well-received as the other films in this category. Voters looking for a "respectable" option could vote for one of the two end credit songs from Best Picture nominees and one from a film with important nominations somewhere else. But which one? They also have similar-ish themes too. They could cancel each other out. Yet another option would be to finally give an Oscar to Diane Warren who is on her 12th nomination without a win. It's an okay song but from a slightly more respectable film.

Which one will win? I have no idea but I'm going with "Husavik" because recently, this category seems to either go to songs from big well-known music artists ("Skyfall", "Love Me Again", "Writing on the Wall") or songs that have a function within the narrative of the film they're from ("Let It Go", "Remember Me", "City of Stars") or both ("Shallow"). There are no big well-known music artists in the mix (I doubt a lot of Academy members over 50 even know who H.E.R. is) so I guess "Husavik" it is.