Hey folks,
I'm taking a break from writing for a little bit. Thought about skipping on the annual Oscars discussion I do with Cary but I did want to actually talk about this year's nominees, so we put something together. Enjoy!
Counterpoint: These Oscar Noms Are Wicked Good!
Discussing this year’s AMPAS picks.
By Cary Wong and Vikram Lakhanpal
Counterpoint, our periodic debate feature, sees our writers tackle a “controversial” subject and spar over the matter.
Cary Wong: Hello again, and welcome to another discussion of the scores that the Music Branch of the Academy felt were the best of the year.
Vikram Lakhanpal: Hi Cary! I’m excited to discuss this year’s Oscar nominees because most of them are…really good? Such strange times we live in.
The Nominees
· The Brutalist—Daniel Blumberg
· Conclave—Volker Bertelmann
· Emilia Pérez—Clément Ducol, Camille
· Wicked—John Powell, Stephen Schwartz
· The Wild Robot—Kris Bowers
The Other 15 Scores That Made the Shortlist
· Alien: Romulus—Benjamin Wallfisch
· Babygirl—Cristobal Tapia De Veer
· Beetlejuice Beetlejuice—Danny Elfman
· Blink Twice—Chanda Dancy
· Blitz—Hans Zimmer
· Challengers—Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
· The Fire Inside—Tamar-Kali
· Gladiator II—Harry Gregson-Williams
· Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1—John Debney
· Inside Out 2—Andrea Datzman
· Nosferatu—Robin Carolan
· The Room Next Door—Alberto Iglesias
· Sing Sing—Bryce Dessner
· The Six Triple Eight—Aaron Zigman
· Young Woman and the Sea—Amelia Warner
VL: Before we get into the nominees, was there anything that stood out to you about the shortlist? Any favorites or surprises that were left out of the final five nominees? My biggest surprise was Reznor and Ross, two-time Oscar winners, not getting a nomination for Challengers. Heck, after they won a Golden Globe, I basically expected them to pick up Oscar #3! The only thing more surprising to me than their exclusion was how much I actually liked their score.
CW: I concur that Challengers was a head-scratcher of an exclusion. Not only does the Academy love Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, but they like their wide swings, and this techno-EDM score that refused to stay in the background was certainly that. I also would have chosen any of the shortlisted scores over one of the specific nominated scores (more on that later), but my favorites here would have to be Robin Carolan’s gothic Nosferatu and Amelia Warner’s old-fashioned sports score, Young Woman and the Sea.
VL: My favorite film score of the year, Jeymes Samuel’s The Book of Clarence, had no chance at making the shortlist, but there were a few I liked from this batch. In addition to Challengers, I enjoyed Gregson-Williams’ Gladiator II, even if it lacked the catchiness of Zimmer’s original. Warner has been on my radar for several years now, and I’m delighted to see her get recognition for Young Woman and the Sea. Somehow power anthems for Jerry Bruckheimer films are a throwback sound now! I didn’t fully click with Alien: Romulus, Horizon, Nosferatu and The Six Triple Eight, but they each had their moments.
CW: I really enjoyed Samuel’s The Book of Clarence, but ultimately it felt like he was mimicking those Biblical scores of the Golden Age without adding much new of note. Beautiful moments, though. When it comes to scores that didn’t make the shortlist, I have to single out the wonderfully quirky Memoir of a Snail by Elena Kats-Chernin. The movie is the only Animated Feature nominee not geared towards children, and it has some quite serious themes along with its fantastical elements, which the score balances out nicely.
VL: Now for the nominees! I have yet to see The Brutalist, but I’ve found the score from newcomer Daniel Blumberg to be very compelling. For all the modern and at times alienating techniques heard throughout the score, Blumberg anchors everything with a four-note motif that smacks you in the face in the overture and is well-developed throughout.
CW: I did sit through the almost four-hour film (including a 15-minute intermission, also scored by Blumberg), and while I admired the scope and themes, I found that Brady Corbet’s movie lacks the gravitas it so sorely wanted to achieve. Blumberg’s score has that gravitas and is quite memorable, but it also felt more like the music was reflecting on the action instead of supporting it. In many ways, it feels like Jonny Greenwood’s score to There Will Be Blood: bold and unmistakable, but calling too much attention to itself. It took me out of the film, at least during the initial viewing.
VL: Speaking of calling attention to itself, Volker Bertelmann won Best Original Score for All Quiet on the Western Front two years ago. Neither of us liked the score, with its anachronistic three-note blare disrupting the film and the rest of the score. But sometimes Academy voters go for “memorable” instead of “good,” and we can’t deny it was memorable. Bertelmann is back on the ballot this year, once again scoring an Edward Berger film. But Conclave I do actually enjoy. Bertelmann scores the papal drama with a chamber ensemble, but seems to deconstruct the traditional Baroque sound for most of the score. The tense, harsh sound sets up the explosion of tonality in the credits piece wonderfully.
CW: Ahh, that three-note blare that represented the only memorable aspect of Volker Bertelmann’s All Quiet on the Western Front, and which we heard ad nauseam on the Oscar telecast last year. Funny enough, the most recognizable part of Conclave’s score is a repeated string wail leading to a violent scherzo motif. But this time it at least feels like a character in the film, sort of like an omnipresent specter of right and wrong morality (mostly wrong). I enjoyed it, although Berger’s first use of this theme was also a blare! That worried me, but it’s used well and developed throughout the film.
VL: Leading the Oscar field with 13 nominations, including a Best Original Score nomination and two Best Original Song nominations, is the musical Emilia Pérez, which has become controversial amongst the people who have actually heard of the movie. It’s another film I haven’t seen yet, which probably makes it harder for me to appreciate the songs, many of which are sung in Spanish. But I understand scores, and I don’t like this one. I considered relistening to it while writing this, but I respect my time too much for it.
CW: This, in my opinion, is the (aforementioned) worst nominee of the bunch. Yes, the Jacques Audiard-directed film has been criticized for its Mexican and transgender representation (Audiard is neither, by the way), but I enjoyed the movie for its pulpy, almost telenovela story. And because the titular character is the head of a cartel, I can’t say that she should be held up as a paragon of either group. As for the Clément Ducol and Camille score, I have to ask, “What score?” Their songs drive the film, but the score is a total afterthought, built on themeless atmospherics. The Music Branch branch really blew it when they rubber-stamped this (and another musical) score with a nomination. There’s just nothing there.
VL: Completely agreed. As for our other musical nominee, I am a little embarrassed to admit to you that I have not seen Wicked on stage, nor had I really heard any of the songs before seeing the film adaptation. As someone hearing the music for the first time, I thought Schwartz’s songs and Powell’s underscore fit together perfectly. On their individual albums, I found greater appreciation for all the work Powell did to fill the space between songs. (And sometimes within the songs!) It’s all very impressive, but its nomination was a huge surprise to me. Cary, as the theatre expert, what did you think?
CW: Unlike Emilia Pérez, Wicked has a proper score by John Powell, with original themes outside of those of the songs. Parts reminded me of Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon, with its gorgeous orchestration and whimsical touches. I’m not sure if this was a true collaboration with Stephen Schwartz or if they worked on their own (the latter more likely), but I’m glad the legendary musical writer got recognized for this successful adaptation of one of the biggest Broadway hits of his career, even if Part 1 didn’t have an original song.
VL: Last alphabetically, but first on my ballot, is Kris Bowers’ The Wild Robot. The score isn’t groundbreaking in the kind of ways that you have to advertise in order to win Oscars, and it’s firmly in the style of scores for past DreamWorks animated films, but the musical narrative is so well developed in a way that appeals to score nerds, while also including big, soaring anthemic moments that even casual viewers will come away remembering. It’s anecdotal, but I’ve had several friends tell me unprompted about how much they liked the music in this film.
CW: I was not as enamored of the Wild Robot film as most, but I fell in love with Kris Bowers’ score, which provided the emotional heart of that short first section of the movie that had no dialogue, and some thrilling music for the action set piece near the end. It stands out amongst the five nominees because it is the most traditional and hummable (although, get me drunk enough and I can probably do a decent karaoke of Conclave). Bowers’ score has the intimacy of Thomas Newman’s WALL-E and soars like Mark Isham’s Fly Away Home, with both of those movies being similar to Wild Robot in more ways than one. I am glad that Bowers, who has written some fantastic scores in his career, has finally been recognized as a composer—he already has an Oscar for last year’s Documentary Short winner, The Last Repair Shop.
As for who I think will win the award, The Brutalist has a good shot, but I am going to go out on a limb and say that Volker Bertelmann is going to win his second Oscar for Conclave. It is a popular film that will probably only win one other award (for Original Screenplay), and like All Quiet, the score is quite recognizable.
VL: Challengers was my presumptive front-runner, which means to me this field seems wide open. Normally I can trust the BAFTAs to be a good predictor for this award, but they’re not until Feb. 16, so we’re on our own. You make a fair case for Conclave, and I agree that The Brutalist is similarly distinctive in a way that may stick with voters. I’m going to go on an even bigger limb though. The last few months have been a tumultuous time, especially in Southern California with the wildfires at the beginning of this year. And I think in this moment of turmoil and uncertainty, the Academy is going to turn to an uplifting film full of big emotions and broad themes of good battling evil. Just like Fellowship of the Ring nearly 25 years ago, I think Wicked has stumbled into being the right movie released at the right time, and I’m predicting something close to a sweep for the film.
Will voters see Wicked on the Best Original Score ballot and think specifically of Powell’s underscore in between the non-original songs? I doubt it. Do I expect them to make that distinction when making their votes? Not really. Will I complain if it ends in John Powell accepting a long-overdue statue? Absolutely not.
CW: If I had a vote, it would have to go to The Wild Robot—the one film that I would happily sit through the end credits of again and again, if it was playing through the Dolby speakers of an IMAX cinema.
Cary’s Prediction: Conclave
Cary’s Preference: The Wild Robot
Vikram’s Prediction: Wicked
Vikram’s Preference: The Wild Robot
VL: Now for Best Original Song!
The Nominees
· “El Mal,” from Emilia Pérez—Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard
· The Journey,” from The Six Triple Eight—Diane Warren
· “Like a Bird, from Sing Sing—Abraham Alexander, Adrian Quesada
· “Mi Camino,” from Emilia Pérez—Clément Ducol, Camille
· “Never Too Late,” from Elton John: Never Too Late—Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, Bernie Taupin
The Other 10 Songs That Made the Shortlist
· “Beyond,” from Moana 2—Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear
· “Compress/Repress,” from Challengers—Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
· **“Forbidden Road,” from Better Man—Robbie Williams, Freddy Wexler, Sacha Skarbek
· “Harper and Will Go West,” from Will & Harper—Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, Josh Greenbaum
· “Kiss the Sky,” from The Wild Robot—Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi
· “Out of Oklahoma,” from Twisters—Lainey Wilson, Luke Dick, Shane McAnally
· “Piece by Piece,” from Piece by Piece—Pharrell Williams
· “Sick in the Head,” from Kneecap—Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, DJ Próvaí, Adrian Louis Richard Mcleod, Toddla T
· “Tell Me It’s You,” from Mufasa: The Lion King—Lin-Manuel Miranda
· “Winter Coat,” from Blitz—Nicholas Britell, Steve McQueen, Taura Stinson
** subsequently disqualified
CW: There’s not much to discuss in the song category this year. There are two nominees from Emilia Pérez, but they have been criticized for not being melodic or memorable outside of the film. Then, there are two generic (or I guess some people might say traditional) pop songs by veteran songwriters. The final nominee stands out because it’s an inspirational song (“Like a Bird” from Sing Sing) that captures the same emotional weight as the themes of the film itself. Of the other songs on the shortlist, I was shocked that “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot wasn’t nominated, as it plays during a crucial moment in the film, and Maren Morris is a respected singer-songwriter. The bouncy, funny “Harper and Will Go West” from the documentary Will & Harper is my favorite of the 14 remaining on the shortlist (the 15th, the Robbie Williams-penned song from Better Man, was disqualified after the announcement).
VL: I did not get to all of the shortlisted songs, though I’ll agree that Maren Morris not getting nominated is a surprise. While Moana 2 did not always match the heights of the first film’s songs, “Beyond” was definitely one of its highlights and I would not have minded a nomination there. Instead we have two Emilia Pérez nominees, both of which are alright to me. Elton John and Brandi Carlile make a very potent combination, but I’d agree with you that their song and the Warren nominee tread well-worn ground. “Like a Bird” definitely stood out to me for its production and overall style. I never know what criteria voters base this award on, but Alexander and Quesada have the best sounding song of the bunch.
CW: I think “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez is the most likely to win, as it is such a wonderful sequence in the film—and why Zoe Saldaña will probably win Supporting Actress—but personally, I feel “Mi Camino” is the better song, not just because Selena Gomez sings it, but also, it’s even sort of catchy. Here is my crazy theory about what could go down: The two Emilia Pérez songs will cancel each other out and Diane Warren will finally win her first competitive Oscar for “The Journey” (sung by surprise Best Song Oscar-winner of a few years ago, H.E.R.), which will also give the same distinction to a film directed by Tyler Perry (The Six Triple Eight).
VL: Gomez’s song is sweet, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it won. Since I do expect Saldaña will win Best Supporting Actress, I don’t know if voters will double dip by awarding her song as well. I like your theory, so I will endorse it for you! Also so that we can use the phrase, “Tyler Perry, director of the Oscar-winning film The Six Triple Eight.”
Cary’s Prediction: “El Mal,” from Emilia Pérez
Cary’s Preference: “Mi Camino,” from Emilia Pérez
Vikram’s Prediction: “The Journey,” from The Six Triple Eight
Vikram’s Preference: “Like a Bird,” from Sing Sing
CW: Thanks for discussing the Oscars again for another year. Although I liked a lot of scores this year, only a handful will likely stand out when, let’s say, a few years from now, there are discussions of the best scores of the decade.
VL: Thanks to you as well! Time will tell which of these scores we’ll remember to come back to.
—FSMO
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