22 Apr FINAL 2021 Oscar Predictions: Sound, Original Song, Original Score
BEST SOUND
One stat that I thing is crucial here is that no winner in either Best Sound Editing or Best Sound Mixing in the 2010s was not a best Picture nominee. Skyfall in 2013 is the sole exception but it tied for the Best Sound Editing win with Zero Dark Thirty, a Best Picture nominee. Sound Of Metal and Mank are the only Best Picture nominees here and since Sound of Metal has the precursor support it should win. Also, sound is such a crucial component of Sound of Metal as the film follows the journey of a man losing his hearing. Soul is probably Sound Of Metal’s only competition here but I think that Sound of Metal should be able to pull away with the win.
Nominees:
Sound of Metal – BAFTA, CAS
Soul – CAS (Animated), MPSE (Animated)
Greyhound – MPSE
Mank
News of the World
Pick: Sound of Metal
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
2020 – Rocketman GG, CCA
2019 – A Star is Born – GG, CCA
2018 – Coco – CCA
2017 – La La Land – GG, CCA
2016 – Spectre – GG
2015 – Selma – GG, CCA
2014 – Frozen – CCA
2013 – Skyfall – GG, CCA
This is a 3-way race between Husavik from Eurovision Song Contest, Speak Now from One Night in Miami, and lo si (Seen) from The Life Ahead. Husavik is the only nominated song that is heard within the movie and not in the closing credits, which is something the Academy often looks favorly upon. Speak Now is the uplifting socially-relevant song that will give some recognition to a film that many thought was snubbed. And lo si (Seen) is Diane Warren’s twelfth Oscar nomination and many might feel that this is a great opportunity to give the veteran her due. Going by past data it seems that it’s between The Life Ahead and One Night in Miami as the former won the Globe and the latter won at the CCA. It’s also, I think, important to mention that all of these films are well-known films that had love. One Night in Miami fits that description to a much greater degree than The Life Ahead so even though Speak Now could split votes from the other socially-relevant songs from The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Judas and the Black Messiah. I’m still going to go with Speak Now because of One Night in Miami’s popularity and nominations in other categories and since this will probably be the place where they awarddouble-nominated Leslie Odom Jr.
Nominees:
One Night in Miami – Speak Now – CCA
Eurovision Song Contest – Husavik
The Life Ahead – lo si (Seen) – GG
Judas and the Black Messiah – Fight For You
The Trial of the Chicago 7 – Hear My Voice
Pick: One Night in Miami
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Soul has won at the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and the Critics Choice Awards in this category and has a pretty secure hold on the Oscar as well. Soul has strong advantage as the film is about a jazz musician and since Jon Batiste’s original jazz pieces are included as part of the score with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s background score, I don’t see how Soul can lose here.
Nominees:
Soul – GG, CCA, BAFTA
Minari
News of the World
Mank
Da 5 Bloods
Pick: Soul