This thought struck me today: I think James Taylor’s version of “Our Town” has a very good
chance of walking away with the Academy Award for Best Original Song in Feburary.
Look at all the things
it has going for it:
– It was written by Randy Newman, who’s been a favorite of the Academy for movies
scores for years.
– It was sung by James Taylor, who’s a favorite of the baby-boom generation.
–
The song anchored a pivotal moment in the film and got a lot of reaction from movie-goers.
I know there
are about 4 1/2 months of releases still coming out. But are there any songs in movies released so far in 2006
that have this much going for it?
Aggie
#2
Last year’s nomination of three songs gives proof that getting into that category is getting
more and more difficult. However, I think ‘Our Town’ has a good chance of getting nominated. I’ve been
thinking about it for a while now.
Any other original songs that stand out this year besides Our Town (in
other films)?
Meg
#3
I think it has a good shot of
winning it. And Cars will win best sound-mixing, hands-down. I loooved the sound effects in this film! 
Dash
#4
From what I can see, “Our Town,” “Real Gone,” "Behind the
Clouds," and “Find Yourself” are all elegible for nominations. Right off the top of my head
though I can’t think of any others that are from any other film that stand out though that’s not to say there
aren’t any. I suspect at least one or more can get a nomination. Since Dolly Parton got nominated last year,
I’m curious as to whether this is a new trend of nominating country singers and songs or if that nomination will
hurt Brad Paisley and his chances.
PIXAR will definitely get a
bunch of nominations and definitely some awards. I’m betting on Story, Sound, Song, and Animation. (Again,
those farm fields got to me . . . 
)
I thought Paisley’s musical contributions were
impressive. “Behind the Clouds” just seems effortlessly superb, but it was way back in the background
of the film. “Find Yourself” is a fine ballad, but it’s in the closing credits. “Real Gone”
is OK, but Sheryl Crow has done better.
“Our Town” isn’t my favorite song on the soundtrack,
but it comes at such a crucial moment in the movie that I think it’s the overwhelming favorite for an Oscar
nomination. And like I said, it made a big emotional impact for non-Route 66 people who saw it. The song, along
with what they saw what the interstate highway did to Radiator Springs, hit them like an emotional sledgehammer.
The reaction I heard from many people about Route 66 was: “I get it now.”
Dash
#7
You’ve
got to remember how these songs are nominated though. Academy members receive individual tracks (performed by
the composer) and/or sheet music from the song. It’s taken completely out of context of the film and stripped
of any attraction that may go with it whatsoever. They don’t even take into account the artist performing the
song! It’s one of the few categories where it’s actually removed from the movie for its individual
apraisal.
That’s why this is such a unique category that focuses primarily on the writers and often
features big names like Dolly Parton (last year’s nominee for Transamerica), Elton John (for the Lion King), and
Andrew Lloyd Webber (for the new song in Phantom of the Opera that was also burried in the credits). Note though
that even then only one (Elton John) won there respective Oscars. Yet it also means the category can be swept by
a single intity like Beauty and the Beast did in 1993 capturing every nomination.
I agrree whole-heartedly
that Our Town is one of the most moving scenes in Pixar history but none of the aesthetics and art will be taken
into account come Oscar time.
Call me crazy, but I think Life is a Highway should be nominated. It is the song
that defines the movie Cars. Just like Shrek 2’s Accidentally in Love son, which got nominated for best
song.
Dash
#9
Life is a Highway isn’t an original song written for the
movie which excludes it from Oscar competition. 
“Our Town” is
guaranteed locked in for an Original Song Oscar nomination. It has everything going for it–Randy Newman, James
Taylor, and the brand name of Pixar. What more can the Academy ask for?
Even though it’s quite early, I
also predict Cars will get nods for Animated Feature and Sound Mixing. I pray that Cars gets nominations for
Sound Editing and Original Screenplay, but that’s like finding a needle in a haystack.
I am confident
that Our Town will get nominated, although I personally prefer Real Gone.
Unless a major upset zooms out
of nowhere, I predict a battle for best Animated Feature between Cars, Over the Hedge and Flushed Away (Aardman
vs Pixar. That’ll be interesting…)
Dash
#12
Well, I hate to say it but if last year is any indication then “Our Town”
just got stripped of its Oscar by “Snakes on a Plane (bring it).” I just got back from the premeire
and was realllllly good (the song AND the movie 
). The one saving grace might be that a hard core rap song
(It’s hard out here for a pimp) won last year so they aren’t ready to make it two in a row but I bet the
Academy is kicking themselves now for awarding the first one to a rap group last year rather then waiting for
SoaP this year. =P
It’s hard to tell with the Academy, in recent years,
they’ve lost it in both musical categories. Like, how did that song win last year. And that Michael Giacchino’s
score for The Incredibles, which I think is iconic and one of the best scores of the past decade or so, not even
get nominated two years ago. If last year was an indication than the nominees will probably be Kanye West’s song
from M:I:III, the Snakes on a Plane theme and something else. but I really would like either Our Town or Fing
Yourself nominated.
What do people look at when
deciding Best Song? Are they looking at lyrics, the tune, impact on people?
Probably all of that, I think.