Completed Category: Original Song

 This past weekend I finished up Original Song. After watching both Feature and Short Documentaries for a few days, I really wanted to watch something where nobody killed anybody. I turned to Elton John: Never Too Late. 

Original Song
"El Mal" from EMILIA PÉREZ
Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyric by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard
"The Journey" from THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
"Like A Bird" from SING SING
Music and Lyric by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada
"Mi Camino" from EMILIA PÉREZ
Music and Lyric by Camille and Clément Ducol
"Never Too Late" from ELTON JOHN: NEVER TOO LATE
Music and Lyric by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt and Bernie Taupin

It's always interesting to see how many nominees in this category are her for Song and Song alone, and how many are from films nominated for other stuff. This year, it's a 3/2 nominees split and a 2/2 movies split, as there are two songs nominated from the spectacular mess that is Emilia Perez. 

Unfortunately, even though it's a total disaster and the music is so dumb, E.P. might win. The influencers seem to have decided on "El Mal" so that the two noms don't split the E.P.  vote.  Godz do I ever dislike that movie. 

Anyway, the other movie that is a "real" nominee and not just a Song nominee is Sing Sing, which got nods for Adapted Screenplay and Lead Actor (Colman Domingo) as well. I would love for it to sneak in and have a chance. The movie makes people think about such important things (wrongful incarceration, finding purpose in life, making art, perseverance, healing etc.) but it might end the night with no wins. 

Elton John: Never Too Late was a pleasant enough documentary to watch and Elton is, of course, mega-talented, but I don't get a lot of feelings of grandeur from this song, at all. He already has not just Oscars but he's an EGOT person! No offense to Brandi and Bernie but this song this year just isn't it. 

You know who doesn't have a competitive Oscar yet? Despite 16 nominations?  Diane Warren! And here she is again, with a song written for a flick that many people did not pay any attention to until she was nominated for her umpteenth Oscar for it. This movie, actually, was an enjoyable watch, because it told such an interesting story from history that nobody remembers. And listen, I've heard far worse Song nominees. (Like the two nominated songs from E.P.!)   Let's give Diane the Oscar. Seriously. Please? 

"All the times you thought you'd never make it through
Felt just like the world had turned its back on you
Didn't stop you" 

Indeed!

Order I want them to win: 
"The Journey" times one million, then maybe "Like A Bird" 

Order I think they will win: 
"El Mal" (ugh), maybe "The Journey" if everyone's feeling a little wild, "El Camino" ugh, maybe "Never Too Late" because people like Elton and were maybe at that last Dodger Stadium concert featured in the Doc, and then poor "Like A Bird" sadly