OSCAR 2011 PREDICTIONS: Original Score

The Academy bias going on this year is simply overwhelming. I wouldn't believe you if you handed me the list of nominees, unassociated with the Oscars, and told me the choices were made by more than just one person. There's simply no diversity going on here anymore. It's to be expected that they would hand two nominations to John Williams for work that honestly isn't that emotion drumming. And of course they're going to hand nods to "The Artist" and "Hugo". It's perfunctory at this point to hand as many nominations to the films at the head of the race. I'm just glad that something as low key as "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" managed to actually make it in.

But I was honestly surprised not to see Alexandre Desplat not here for his expansively emotional work on "Deathly Hallows: Part 2". The film grabbed a couple of nominations this year, or at least enough for the Academy to consider it a sufficient sendoff. Score seemed like an automatic in, or I at least expected Desplat to get in for something. Maybe "Ides of March", since that had quite a prolific anthem to it. One wishes some edge made its way into proceedings with "Hanna" or "Dragon Tattoo", but not so. The voting bodies aren't ones for things that stretch the boundaries of music. They're more interested in dutiful towing of the line.

As for who will win, I suppose it's possible for John Williams to pull a win, but unlikely. I think we all expect that the factions of "War Horse" and "The Adventures of Tintin" will cancel each other out. If the Academy is in the right mood then they might see fit to give it to "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy". Why not? It's quite a lovely score. But like everything this year, I think it's safe to say it's going to go to either "Hugo" or "The Artist". More likely "The Artist". That's where a lot of the excitement is heading this year, and it stands a good chance of taking this one.

WILL WIN: "The Artist"

SHOULD WIN: "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

SHOULD REALLY WIN: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"

PERSONAL RANKINGS:

1. "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

2. "The Artist"

3. "The Adventures of Tintin"

4. "Hugo"

5. "War Horse"