AAN: Oscar Predictions - Soundies and Design

Welcome to part one of my official Oscar predictions, which is what this series of Annual Awards Nerdism has boiled down to. In the five nights leading up to the Oscars I'll share my predictions with y'all...with some poetry to come in some categories. Tonight, I'll be dealing with the 'soundies' (Best Achievement in Sound Editing, Best Achievement in Sound Mixing, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures - Original Song, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures - Original Score) and the 'design' awards (Best Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Makeup, Best Achievement in Costume Design). 

As per usual, I shall be using Fassy, Loki and Owen for my predictions. Just in case you don't know what they mean in prediction terms:
Happy Fassy - Who I want to win. Doesn't necessarily mean that they will win, though.
Lowkey Loki - Who I think will win. This is my official prediction.
Overwhelmed Owen - The longshot. If this wins, there'll be a bit of an outrage.

Soundies awards.

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

Drive / The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / Hugo / Transformers: Dark of the Moon / War Horse

Okay, so out of all the categories sound editing is the one I know the least about (apart from the shorts). But surprisingly, I've seen all of these films, so I should have a good idea of how great their sound was edited. A huge part of me wants Drive to win, since this is it's only nomination and it deserves so much more than this. However, I had MAJOR problems with the sound when I was watching this on the plane...which is probably just a by-product of how crap their sound system is. However, out of all of the nominees, I think that Hugo has the best chance of winning, since I think it will sweep most of the technical awards. And that's all I have, since I didn't go into any of these movies with the sole purpose of watching, or, er, listening to their sound editing.

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / Hugo / Moneyball / Transformers: Dark of the Moon / War Horse

It always makes me a bit sad to see that a movie like Transformers: Dark of the Moon has two Oscar nominations, but many films went without. But to be honest, those nominations were deserved, since all I remember about that film is the sound. As loud and obnoxious as it was, it did give my TV/Blu-Ray a good work out. I wouldn't be too sad if it won, but I don't think it will happen. I personally thought the sound was great in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I'm doubtful that it will get the award. It is very much a two-horse race (haha) between Hugo and War Horse. Again, I think that Hugo will sweep the technical awards, but if they're wanting to give War Horse an award this is the only thing it will get. So I'm going to go with War Horse here, but Hugo is just behind it.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures - Original Song

'Man or Muppet' - The Muppets / 'Real in Rio' - Rio

Awkward how there are only two nominees in this. They could have filled up the entire category with songs from The Muppets and there wouldn't have been any regrets. If Bret McKenzie does not win for his brilliant song 'Man or Muppet', I will get everyone in NZ to start a riot. Because we take out Oscar nominees seriously in NZ. I don't even care if Jesse Eisenberg sings in his song from Rio.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures - Original Score

The Adventures of Tintin / The Artist / Hugo / Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy / War Horse

Since none of these scores are the 2011 scores that I have on my iPod, I just listened to one song from each of these. Now I've seen Tintin, Hugo and War Horse so I've heard their scores at length, but nothing really stuck out. Tintin's score was really fun, and Hugo's genuinely was quite beautiful. Despite being War Horse's only #1 fan, I wasn't too happy about the score. However, the song I listened to was 'The Reunion', which brought me to tears. John Williams' score is so old-fashioned that whenever it is not thrashing five hundred instruments around my ears, it knows how to get to my heart. Anyway, John Williams probably won't be getting his sixth Oscar for either of his scores. The Artist's Ludovic Bource had the task of making the music speak louder than the words for an entire film, so he'll definitely get the prize. I just think this category needed more Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

Design awards.

Best Achievement in Art Direction

The Artist / Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 / Hugo / Midnight in Paris / War Horse

I think this award will be definitely going to Hugo. 3D spectacles usually fare the best here, and while Harry Potter has the fantasy vibe running through it, I think they'll go with Hugo's train station and whatnot. Though I can see that Harry Potter will provide some good competition, being it's last year of eligibility and all. The Artist has a good shot considering the fact that it is probably going to sweep all of the top awards, so it could sneak in here, too. I'm not sold on either Midnight in Paris or War Horse, though. While Midnight in Paris has some brilliant art direction (and this was definitely an inspired nomination), I don't think it has gained enough traction with the voters. War Horse, on the other hand, is mostly just field and mud...which I imagine would have been very hard to portray, but I don't think it is anything special compared to the likes of Harry Potter or Hugo.

Best Achievement in Costume Design

Anonymous / The Artist / Hugo / Jane Eyre / W.E.

This is a funny category to look at because you can see all of the usual suspects here: the period movies. But I just don't know which one to pick. I think that The Artist will win, since it has been popular in all this category for quite some time (and the rest of the show), but I can't shake the rest of the nominees. If anything, I want Jane Eyre to come away with something. I think Hugo has the worst chances here costumes weren't as special as any of the others...but the general hate for W.E. definitely won't win it any favours.

Best Achievement in Makeup

Albert Nobbs / Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 / The Iron Lady

Eh, all I have to say is Harry Potter for the win. Apart from the fact that the 'old age' makeup totally didn't work on Harry and his crew. I've not seen Albert Nobbs or The Iron Lady so I don't know how their makeup fared, but I think Harry Potter will get it.

What do you think will win these awards? I'll be back tomorrow with my predictions for the 'bests' (animated, doco, foreign) and the 'visuals' (cinematography, editing and visual effects). See you then!