For what it's worth (which in the end doesn't really shed any new light), I found this comment posted on the Rope of Silicon Oscar site:
"As I sit here with my Oscar ballot - yes, you read that right (I am a Sound Branch member who’s been nominated once himself) - I am faced with a conundrum: Ben’s work in WALL-E is absolutely brilliant, and is so crucial to the making the whole thing work that the movie would probably not be so affecting without the genius in his vocals for Wall-E… but the work of the other nominees is masterful as well. And Ben already has four Oscars.
The supervising sound editor of TDK has one for MASTER & COMMANDER. The other sound editing nominees have none. The re-recording mixers of WANTED have a load of past nominations, and one has two Oscars. One of the re-recording mixers of BUTTON has two wins also, but his mix partner who handled the sound effects, and who also supervised the entire brilliant sound job, has none, and he’s widely admired in the sound community for the inventiveness of his body of work, all for David Fincher. The TDK mixers have never won, and that was a very challenging mix. The SLUMDOG folks are all new to the Oscar party.
I guess you can tell I take prior wins into account when facing my ballot. I like to see the grace of Oscar spread around. Will I reveal here how I decide to vote? Sorry, Academy rules are strict about that - I really can’t.
BTW - Brad’s explanation of what the Sound Editing and Sound Mixing categories are about is basically correct. Suffice it to say that the editors are responsible for providing everything that you end up hearing in the mix; this can run to literally hundreds of tracks and often requires a huge amount of fresh recording of sound effects, then redesigning them to fit what we see on screen. But, if the material isn’t high quality and well organized, the mix will suffer badly; if the editors provide crap, the mix can’t be anything better than that. The Mixing category covers both the work of the mixer on the set and the work of the re-recording mixers months later. The work the editors provide in the way of sound effects is sort of obvious, but there is also a tremendous amount of work that goes into preparing the dialogue for mixing, especially with an action film where much of the dialogue must be redone later in a quiet studio."
Categories One-by-One: Sound Editing
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Hollywood Z
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Wow, I was quoted. I feel honored. Thanks for remembering me, Mister Tee. 
Now, to break down the nominees:
5. Slumdog Millionaire: It's inclusion here was as much a surprise to anyone, much like Shakespeare in Love turning up as a Best Sound nominee back in 1998. What does that mean? Well, Slumdog is pretty much assured to win, but not here. The sound design was technical, but only in the way that Memoirs of a Geisha was. It will be recognized, but not awarded, at least, not in this category.
4. Wanted: Mister Tee is exactly right when he says that this is the kind of "mid-level summer success that frequently turns up as a nominee in the category and virtually never wins." I couldn't have said it any better myself and that's exactly the reason why it won't win here. But rest assured, the voters will love to crank their surround sound systems at home with this film.
3. Iron Man: Had this movie been the only super hero film this year, it probably could have won here. Brilliant mechanical sound designs to give the suit and all of the machines surrounding it life, not to mention those cool explosions that sound people love to hear. But considering what the other two movies are that I'm about to discuss here were also released (and the fact that it was left off of the Sound Mixing nominee list), a nomination in this category will have to be this movie's award.
2. The Dark Knight: It's second, but not by much. That bank robbery, the Bat Sonar design, the gadgets, all of them are subtle (yes, an action film can be subtle, too) additions to create both a realistic and fantastic universe. The sound design for this film is a very thankless one, in that it had to make the unnatural sound realistic. It could etch out a surprise win for those who are torn between this and what I'm predicting (some may even flip a coin, which might explain Crash's win), but I'm still giving the slight edge to...
1. Wall-E: Sure, Pixar has won only one of it's four previous sound effects nominations (The Incredibles won, but Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and Ratatouille didn't), but here, Wall-E is the kind of movie that is a sound editor's dream project. Not only did far away universes, new sound effects and character voice designs had to be created, but the movie is mainly told through sound effects, almost like a silent film. Wall-E was such a daunting task for any film, even if it were to be live action, that it will be too hard for professionals to not recognize how much work was put behind it. Plus, this would also be a chance to award a sound performance, in that the designer, Ben Burtt, is also credited for being the voices of Wall-E and Mo.
Now, to break down the nominees:
5. Slumdog Millionaire: It's inclusion here was as much a surprise to anyone, much like Shakespeare in Love turning up as a Best Sound nominee back in 1998. What does that mean? Well, Slumdog is pretty much assured to win, but not here. The sound design was technical, but only in the way that Memoirs of a Geisha was. It will be recognized, but not awarded, at least, not in this category.
4. Wanted: Mister Tee is exactly right when he says that this is the kind of "mid-level summer success that frequently turns up as a nominee in the category and virtually never wins." I couldn't have said it any better myself and that's exactly the reason why it won't win here. But rest assured, the voters will love to crank their surround sound systems at home with this film.
3. Iron Man: Had this movie been the only super hero film this year, it probably could have won here. Brilliant mechanical sound designs to give the suit and all of the machines surrounding it life, not to mention those cool explosions that sound people love to hear. But considering what the other two movies are that I'm about to discuss here were also released (and the fact that it was left off of the Sound Mixing nominee list), a nomination in this category will have to be this movie's award.
2. The Dark Knight: It's second, but not by much. That bank robbery, the Bat Sonar design, the gadgets, all of them are subtle (yes, an action film can be subtle, too) additions to create both a realistic and fantastic universe. The sound design for this film is a very thankless one, in that it had to make the unnatural sound realistic. It could etch out a surprise win for those who are torn between this and what I'm predicting (some may even flip a coin, which might explain Crash's win), but I'm still giving the slight edge to...
1. Wall-E: Sure, Pixar has won only one of it's four previous sound effects nominations (The Incredibles won, but Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and Ratatouille didn't), but here, Wall-E is the kind of movie that is a sound editor's dream project. Not only did far away universes, new sound effects and character voice designs had to be created, but the movie is mainly told through sound effects, almost like a silent film. Wall-E was such a daunting task for any film, even if it were to be live action, that it will be too hard for professionals to not recognize how much work was put behind it. Plus, this would also be a chance to award a sound performance, in that the designer, Ben Burtt, is also credited for being the voices of Wall-E and Mo.
"You are what you love, not what loves you." - Nicholas Cage; Adaptation
I believe the race is ultimately between The Dark Knight and Wall-e. Having recently viewed Wall-e, I was captivated by the use of the sound editing to simply tell the story. Those beeps go a long way when that's all your main characters have to communicate with. The fact that your able to keep up, story-wise, is a grand achievement on behalf of the sound team. To have Wall-e onstage (in the physical guise of Ben Burtt) would ultimately prove too irresistable for the Academy.
On the other hand, The Dark Knight has, in my opinion, some of the best use of sound editing in quite some time. Take, for example the stunning tunnel sequence that ends with Batman on the batpod flipping that truck end to end. Not only was I blown away by the visual, what made it more amazing was the minute pause of sound while the truck had yet to land. It made that moment one of the true cinematic experiences of 2008.
So, it's a real toss-up for me.
On the other hand, The Dark Knight has, in my opinion, some of the best use of sound editing in quite some time. Take, for example the stunning tunnel sequence that ends with Batman on the batpod flipping that truck end to end. Not only was I blown away by the visual, what made it more amazing was the minute pause of sound while the truck had yet to land. It made that moment one of the true cinematic experiences of 2008.
So, it's a real toss-up for me.
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Mister Tee
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Okay, to try and do my bit, I'll tackle the one category where I've seen all five nominees:
Best achievement in sound editing
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall E
Wanted
Over on the sound mixing thread, I see some are talking about fine distinctions between "mixing" and "editing", as if voters actually give it such deep consideration. That's no doubt what the sound branch had in mind when they ceremoniously retitled the categories a while back, but, sorry, I think you're overestimating voters. I believe they still think in the old terms -- sound/sound effects. The difference is, while both categories broadly embrace noise as synonymous with achievement, sound (now sound mixing) can also include music, and, in a pinch, a best picture nominee, where sound effects (later sound effects editing, now sound editing) is more limited to weird or loud noises, thank you -- generally from a movie that made a lot of money, summer preferred.
Thus, Slumdog, whatever its limited chances under mixing, has little chance here.
Wanted is the sort of mid-level summer success that frequently turns up as a nominee in the category and virtually never wins.
Iron Man is the type of noisy blockbuster that HAS won in the past, and, after its smash debut, it could have been seen as a likely victor here. But it was soon upstaged by the two-headed behemoth of Wall E and the Dark Knight -- the only two films I think stand a serious chance of winning.
Hollywood Z in the mixing thread cites the statistic that only twice this decade have the mixing and editing winners matched. I don't find that a particularly illuminating statistic: the listing of five nominees for editing is only in its third year, and, prior to that, exclusion of certain contenders from the category made correlation more difficult (as in 2001, when Black Hawk Down would almost certainly have defeated the disliked Pearl Harbor had the editing sector not rigged the award for the Bay film). Both Dark Knight and Wall E are -- like last year's Bourne Ultimatum, or Speed or Terminator 2 -- precisely the sort of films that take both prizes: beloved summer blockbusters that make noticeable use of sound. I wouldn't be surprised if either were to pull off a sweep; it's a matter of which AMPAS likes a little bit more…something hard to tell from the nominations, where both did quite well (if not up to the hopes of their most devoted supporters).
My guess? Wall E won more hearts; the beep-beeps will win over the swoops and explosions. But not by much.
Best achievement in sound editing
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall E
Wanted
Over on the sound mixing thread, I see some are talking about fine distinctions between "mixing" and "editing", as if voters actually give it such deep consideration. That's no doubt what the sound branch had in mind when they ceremoniously retitled the categories a while back, but, sorry, I think you're overestimating voters. I believe they still think in the old terms -- sound/sound effects. The difference is, while both categories broadly embrace noise as synonymous with achievement, sound (now sound mixing) can also include music, and, in a pinch, a best picture nominee, where sound effects (later sound effects editing, now sound editing) is more limited to weird or loud noises, thank you -- generally from a movie that made a lot of money, summer preferred.
Thus, Slumdog, whatever its limited chances under mixing, has little chance here.
Wanted is the sort of mid-level summer success that frequently turns up as a nominee in the category and virtually never wins.
Iron Man is the type of noisy blockbuster that HAS won in the past, and, after its smash debut, it could have been seen as a likely victor here. But it was soon upstaged by the two-headed behemoth of Wall E and the Dark Knight -- the only two films I think stand a serious chance of winning.
Hollywood Z in the mixing thread cites the statistic that only twice this decade have the mixing and editing winners matched. I don't find that a particularly illuminating statistic: the listing of five nominees for editing is only in its third year, and, prior to that, exclusion of certain contenders from the category made correlation more difficult (as in 2001, when Black Hawk Down would almost certainly have defeated the disliked Pearl Harbor had the editing sector not rigged the award for the Bay film). Both Dark Knight and Wall E are -- like last year's Bourne Ultimatum, or Speed or Terminator 2 -- precisely the sort of films that take both prizes: beloved summer blockbusters that make noticeable use of sound. I wouldn't be surprised if either were to pull off a sweep; it's a matter of which AMPAS likes a little bit more…something hard to tell from the nominations, where both did quite well (if not up to the hopes of their most devoted supporters).
My guess? Wall E won more hearts; the beep-beeps will win over the swoops and explosions. But not by much.