Well here we are at the last Tech Support column of 2007. As I reflect on the past year, I thought I’d do something I almost never do at her at In Contention – review. I’ve decided to focus on the most acclaimed scores of 2007.

Before proceeding, I should note that I have not yet heard the acclaimed scores of Clint Eastwood on “Grace is Gone” or Olivier Bernet for “Persepolis.” I’d also like to preface this by saying that I consider Glen Hansard’s song score to “Once” to be the most film-serving and original musical accomplishment of 2007. Being such an unconventional “score,” however, and relying almost entirely on songs, I personally feel that a column dedicated to reviewing scores is not the best place to discuss it.

I was very much looking forward to the return of Alan Menken to Disney movies in 2007 with “Enchanted.” His score and songs have received much acclaim. Though I enjoyed the film, and “That’s How You Know” was a fun number, I was ultimately disappointed with the work. I found the other songs to be lacking and the work to be on the whole formulaic, absent of the majesty of Menken’s past memorable efforts on “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid.”

Howard Shore and David Cronenberg know each other incredibly well, having collaborated for over 20 years. Their latest joint effort, “Eastern Promises,” proved once again that these two are in sync creatively. Like their last film, “A History of Violence,” I found this score to be sold in its theme, a brooding, appropriately “Russian” melody. One more feather in this composer’s cap.

Another noted composer-director team is Alan Silvestri and Robert Zemeckis. On “Beowulf,” Silvestri combined the sort of modern orchestrations we’d expect in an epic with traditional Scandinavian instruments. In the realm of epic scores, I can’t say that I think this will be living in the hall of classics, but it served the film quite well indeed.

The soundtrack for “Into the Wild” has garnered much acclaim, particularly for Eddie Vedder’s songs. The score was primarily written by Michael Brook, though both Vedder and guitarist Kaki King receive joint credit. It has also been subject of a considerable deal of praise. I can’t say I was blown away by it, finding it to be in no way bad but not particularly special or able to stand out from Vedder’s frequently arriving voice.

Alberto Iglesias lent his talents to Marc Forster’s “The Kite Runner” this year. There is certainly a lot of music in the film and it is both noticeable and memorable. It also has an appropriately international feel, with Iglesias’s Latin influence being quite apparent. That said, while I would hardly call the work “bad,” there is something about it that does not quite work for me. I suppose I ultimately feel there is simply too much music, the sort which can often overpower what’s on screen, even if the music itself is quite nice.

Three years ago, Michael Giacchino brought invaluable life, originality and action to Brad Bird’s “The Incredibles” through his score. This year, Giacchino again served Bird incredibly well on “Ratatouille,” a score that was fun, clever, creative and at times delightfully French. I can’t say I feel he reached the same heights he reached on “The Incredibles” but the work was still top-notch and I hope Bird and Giacchino continue to work together for many years into the future.

Finishing with my top five scores of 2007…

5) Alexandre Desplat – “Lust, Caution”

Alexandre Desplat is, without a doubt, my favourite composer of this decade. Since his major American breakthrough (even if it was on a British film), “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” he has continued to stretch himself and entertain us on efforts such as “Birth,” “Syriana,” “The Queen” and “The Painted Veil,” not to mention his continued work in French cinema.

I was tremendously excited when he was hired to compose “The Golden Compass” earlier this year but ultimately it was his compositions for “Lust, Caution” that truly moved me in 2007. Ang Lee’s films always have great music and this proved to be no exception. The music managed to be beautiful and haunting in its own right, just like the film, while also being appropriately cultured, with a touch of Western influence – just like the setting of the film. This composer just seems to get better every year.

4) Dario Marinaelli – “Atonement”

On “Pride and Prejudice” two years ago, Dario Marianelli proved he knew the sort of music that Joe Wright’s films needed. He tops that achievement in my books with this year’s “Atonement.” The haunting melodies, so ably assisted by the sound of a typewriter, will be remembered by all who see the film – longing and tragically romantic.

3) Marco Beltrami – “3:10 to Yuma”

From its opening notes, Beltrami’s score to James Mangold’s “3:10 to Yuma” brings us into the film’s action. It was almost as though I knew right away that this remake was going to improve upon its original, a rare feat indeed. A throwback to westerns of the past, Beltrami’s score is exciting and memorable yet never manages to overpower the film. A very fine accomplishment, and a personal favorite of mine given my love of the Western genre.

2) Nick Cave, Warren Ellis – “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”

Just as “3:10 to Yuma” was not alone in being one of the great westerns of the year, it was not alone in being one of the year’s great westerns with a great score. Andrew Dominik’s “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” was elevated by the haunting, thematic work of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.

Dominik’s film has often been compared to a Malick effort and it was certainly one of the most ambitious efforts of 2007. And just as is the case with Malick films, its music was integral to its mood and storytelling. Cave and Ellis lived up to the necessary challenge.

1) Jonny Greenwood – “There Will Be Blood”

One of few 2007 films to rival Dominik’s in terms of ambition was Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood.” For the music on the film, Anderson chose not to re-collaborate with his usual composer Jon Brion, but instead looked to Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead.

I must concede that this choice struck me as a tad odd and, having read the script, I knew the work of the composer would be challenging but also extremely important. But stark, film-matching and fantastically original, this is the finest achievement in original music compositions for a film in 2007 as far as I’m concerned. It seems as though every note was carefully considered and then perfectly placed.

I have no idea if Greenwood will continue to work in cinema. But regardless, this effort would stand alone as an amazing accomplishment of film music.

I’ll be taking next week off as I welcome in 2008 and head to Calgary for a few days. So have a very Happy New Year – I’ll see you here in two weeks time.

Now that a list of finalists has been announced, the time seems right to delve into analysis for the last “crafts” category – Best Original Song.

I should say that there are never any locks here, with seemingly sure bets often failing to make the cut. It is a rather odd category, in my opinion, as I often wonder if original song writing is such an important contribution to filmmaking that it deserves a category to itself whereas tasks like stunt co-ordination and casting are not currently awarded. However, the fact of the matter is that the category’s existence often results in many stars coming to the show who otherwise would not – so it’s not going anywhere any time soon.

An alteration in the rules two years ago changed the process of choosing the nominees slightly. Each song will be screened to the music branch in the context used in the film and then given a grade. If five films receive the minimum grade, the songs with the five highest averages become the nominees. Furthermore, if not enough songs receive high enough vote tallies, there could be less than five nominees, as we saw in 2005. I would not be surprised in the slightest if this happened again.

Sean Penn chose to make Eddie Vedder’s songs key to “Into the Wild.” With Paramount Vantage pushing hard, I suspect they will end up being very much in contention. “Guaranteed” seems to be leading the way with both BFCA and Globe nominations, and I’d tentatively call it this category’s frontrunner. But I would not be surprised in the slightest if “Society” also ended up with a nomination. The third eligible song, “Rise Up,” appears the least likely of the three but one never knows what might happen.

Alan Menken used to dominate this category. In the seven years from 1989 to 1995, he received eight nominations and four wins. But after a final nod for “Hercules” a decade ago, he’s been absent from the scene. Along with Stephen Schwartz, Menken has written several new songs for Disney’s latest hit, “Enchanted,” and seems poised to return to the big race. Judging by the BFCA and Globe nominations, I would say that “That’s How You Know,” which, in my opinion, is clearly the best of the three ditties, is likely to be his ticket. Even so, “Happy Working Song” and “So Close” ought not to be ruled out.

”Hairspray” has decided to promote just one of its original songs: “Come So Far (Got So Far to Go).” Personally, I felt that “Ladies Choice” was the better of the new tunes for the film. Even so, this civil rights ballad is the more traditional Oscar-nominee of the two and it has been rewarded with a BFCA nomination. It is probably a solid bet for a nod.

Another musical, “Once,” received immense acclaim this summer and its soundtrack topped the list of reasons for its success. Despite easily being one of my favorite films of the year, I have no delusions that it is on the way to any of the major categories (though one can hope). But the film could find a home here. Fox Searchlight is pushing hard and has chosen to concentrate on two tracks: “Falling Slowly” and “If You Want Me”. I personally was not surprised by the Globe shutout, this being the sort of small, independent film that the HFPA ignores. “Falling Slowly,” a BFCA nominee, seems the more likely of the two songs to end up short-listed.

Animated films traditionally do very well with Best Original Song. “Le Festin” from “Ratatouille” was a fun ditty. “Royal Pain” from “Shrek the Third” continued on the series’ tradition of opening with a track of interest. At the end of the day, however, neither song is all that memorable and I suspect we’ll be seeing no animated films nominated this year.

Anthony Hamilton’s “Do You Feel Me?” from “American Gangster” is, in my opinion, one of the best original songs in film this year not to come from “Once.” In a high profile film, with a notable role in the movie and with a BFCA nomination behind it, this seems, on paper, to be a solid bet for a nomination. Even so, for some reason I find myself doubting it and can’t put my finger on just why.

“The Golden Compass” has garnered a reputation as a considerable flop in recent weeks. Even so, Kate Bush is the sort of performer you’d think the Academy would love to have at the telecast, so a nomination for “Lyra” would not shock me to death.

Shakira’s “Despedida” from “Love in the Time of Cholera” is a beautiful, haunting song and I found its Golden Globe nomination to be tremendously heartening. Not being in English, and also being in another notable flop, it will struggle for a nomination. But this is a category that tends to disregard a film’s quality. “Al Otro Lado del Rio” from “The Motorcycle Diaries” won two years ago, so perhaps language isn’t much of a barrier.

A few years ago, a nomination for a song such as “Walk Hard” from “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” would have seemed absurd. But after nominees such as “Blame Canada” and winners like “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” things seem…less certain. This ballad earned a Globe nod so it ought to be considered, especially as a nomination would result in current money-maker Judd Apatow becoming an Oscar nominee!

A man who has dominated the Oscar scene recently is Clint Eastwood, managing seven nominations, including two wins in the past four years. Seemingly unable to have an awards season without him, citations from the BFCA and HFPA have brought Eastwood’s music from “Grace is Gone” into contention for a nomination this year. His Golden Globe-nominated song, “Grace is Gone,” was written by six-time Oscar nominee Carol Bayer Sager. Even so, I’m skeptical that the music branch is going to embrace an actor-director as one of their own. But you never know.

That completes analysis of all ten crafts categories. More to come in the New Year. Stay tuned next week for an original score review column.

Music as an art form predates history. It has been involved in the art of filmmaking before sound was even introduced when music accompanied the great silent films of masters such as Eisenstein, Chaplin and Keaton. Music can enliven every motion and emotion captured by the camera as film composers have come to master this particular craft.

There are actually two music awards given out by the Academy. One of these, Best Original Song, awards – you guessed it - songs. That is a strange category year to year and it will be the last one I deal with in depth this season, once it clears itself up somewhat. The other category, and one of the most interesting and most noted craft races, is the Best Original Score category, which awards the original music compositions that accompany the visuals we watch on the screen.

Music that is loud and present throughout the movie is often seen in this category. Scores such as those of Philip Glass and John Williams are examples. The category also tends to lean toward exotic, foreign-sounding work with reasonable frequency. It is a category that is not unkind to foreign-language films, such as “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Malena,” “The Passion of the Christ” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” and films that are very foreign in culture, such as “Frida” and “Memoirs of a Geisha.”

A memorable theme can also really help. “Brokeback Mountain” and “Pan’s Labyrinth” immediately jump to mind as nominees in that respect from recent years. And, like in virtually all crafts categories, being a Best Picture nominee helps, with at least one or two Best Picture-cited films showing up every year.

This is also a category that has been notoriously internal in the past. From 2000 to 2003, only two of the twenty nominated composers were new nominees. This has changed somewhat in the past three years, as seven first-time nominees have been cited. But being a veteran is still tremendously helpful. One need only look to the record of John Williams in this category – he has been nominated in every year in which he has been eligible for over 20 years! Then again, he has no films in 2007 for the second year in a row.

If advance word is any indication of reality, the favorite in this category this year is Dario Marianelli for his compositions in “Atonement.” The film has already emerged as a frontrunner in the Best Picture category. Being epic, intimate and romantic, this seems to have everything the original score category usually goes for. And Marianelli, who earned a somewhat surprising nomination for Joe Wright’s “Pride and Prejudice,” is said to have delivered in spades. This should be an easy get.

Alexandre Desplat is my favorite composer of this decade. His run since 2003 is outstanding, including endeavors such as “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” “Birth,” “Syriana,” “The Painted Veil” (for which he won the Golden Globe) and “The Queen” (for which he received his first Oscar nomination). Desplat is busy yet again this year, being the man behind the music on Zach Helm’s “Mr. Margorium’s Wonder Emporium,” Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution” and Chris Weitz’s “The Golden Compass.” The latter two films both seem like potential nominees to me. Lee’s films often do well in this category and the work in “Lust, Caution” is soft but memorable, exotic but not experimental. Weitz’s film will be fantastical and epic and could be a chance to put forward iconic music as was seen earlier this decade on the “Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter” franchises. I’m leaning towards “The Golden Compass” now, but a double nod wouldn’t surprise me. Then again, neither would a shut-out.

Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood has already received very fine notice for his compositions in “There Will Be Blood.” This film could be a major player and its epic, period flavor naturally lends itself to consideration here. Greenwood is, however, making his feature film debut. Then again, John Corigliano immediately pops to mind as an individual who has made his career in disciplines other than film but has been nominated for two of his three film compositions. Perhaps Greenwood can follow a similar route? We’ll see. Paramount Vantage, which did a great job for its musicians last year, will surely push hard.

Michael Giacchino received immense acclaim for his musical contributions to “The Incredibles” three years ago and was expected in many circles to earn a nomination for his efforts. Alas, it was not to be. It remains the only Pixar endeavor to have failed to garner a music nomination. This year, he again was a key part of an acclaimed Brad Bird Pixar film – “Ratatouille.” The fact of that matter is that Giacchino remains a relative newcomer. But the French-inspired music is in many ways more up the Academy’s alley than what Giacchino did for “The Incredibles” and he now has a snub to his credit. Perhaps they’ll make it up to him?

Alberto Iglesias’ work in Spanish films, most notably those of Pedro Almodovar, has been prominent for over two decades. Two years ago, his rangy score for Fernando Meirelles’s “The Constant Gardener” earned him his first Oscar nomination. This year, he lends his talents to Marc Forster’s take on the popular novel “The Kite Runner.” Despite mixed advance word on the film, I’d keep my eye on Iglesias’s score. This seems like the sort of film the music branch might embrace. [EDITOR’S NOTE: Great opening credits, Middle Eastern flavor, but throughout the film, kind of lacking. Still a possibility if people love that opening track.]

Alan Silvestri has had a long career in Hollywood, stretching back for well over 20 years. But he’s only ever been nominated twice by AMPAS – for Best Original Score for “Forrest Gump” and Best Original Song for “The Polar Express,” both films from Robert Zemeckis, who employs Silvestri as his composer of choice. Silvestri is tackling scoring duties this year on Zemeckis’ “Beowulf,” the director’s latest experimental animated feature. A classic story which will have its epic and eerie moments, music could be a huge factor in conveying the film’s mood. Let’s see if Silvestri, and the film, deliver.

James Newton Howard had had a curious past with Oscar. He earned five nominations from 1991 through 1997. He then had a seven year absence from the race before returning for “The Village” of all things! He then failed to be nominated the following year for “King Kong.” Very odd. While his work on “Michael Clayton” does not scream nomination, it could potentially help him towards a notice for “The Great Debaters,” which has been moved up for a Christmas release. Howard is the only person who strikes me as a real contender who has received a career tally of more than three nominations.

That said, it would be remiss not to mention Alan Menken in passing. During the classic Disney run from 1989 to 1995, Menken’s achievements in this category were nothing short of phenomenal, as he earned four nominations and four wins – to go with eight nominations and four wins in the original song category. But after “only” earning one nomination each for “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Hercules,” Menken has largely disappeared from the awards scene. He is lending his talents once again to a Disney title this year – “Enchanted.” I think this film looks like a hoot and will be Menken’s best chance at returning to the Oscar race he once dominated. However, my suspicion is that the Best Original Song category is where it is more likely to be remembered.

Marco Beltrami’s themes in James Mangold’s “3:10 to Yuma” were exciting, memorable and film-serving from the opening title to the finale. Beltrami has been doing solid work in the industry for over a decade but has never had a project to really give him a big break into the A-list of composers. As I’ve mentioned in past columns, this is a film I expect is lurking just below the top five in several categories. I ultimately expect, or at least hope, that it won’t be totally forgotten.

“Into the Wild” is the sort of film that often would emerge in this category – in tune with nature and heavily reliant on music. Torontonian musician Michael Brook does not usually lend his talents to feature films but does so very well here. I admittedly can’t help but wonder if this will be more remembered by the music branch for its songs but Paramount Vantage will surely campaign (having done wonders last year for Gustavo Santaolalla’s “Babel” score).

Another Toronto native is Howard Shore, working with yet another Toronto native, David Cronenberg, on “Eastern Promises.” The duo frequently collaborates and Shore’s Russian-influenced score had a very memorable theme. But like his very memorable theme on “A History of Violence,” I’m not sure if the score will be enough to earn a nod. Shore has experienced major Oscar success this decade, winning three statuettes for Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” films. But those three wins are the only three nods of his career, and came for an iconic achievement in film composition, which suggest to me that the music branch may not be as loving of Shore as the title “three-time Oscar winner” may suggest.

But Best Original Score is a tremendously difficult category to predict. There is usually something that comes up and surprises. Any suggestions on omitted titles? We’ll see what happens.

Can you even begin to imagine Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” without John Williams’s chugging theme? I bet you can’t. Williams’s creation of a character – the shark – through music is just one example of how, when utilized creatively and to its full extent, original music can bring a film to a level it never would have reached otherwise.

The music branch in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives out two awards each year – Best Original Score and Best Original Song. The former is one of the more high profile “tech” races on Oscar night. Precursor awards-dishing organizations like the BFCA and the HFPA give out awards for original score, and in recent years, the Academy has specifically showcased the five nominees for this award as they have done for directors and actors. I consider that a nice touch.

The category is nevertheless one of the most difficult to predict. Year after year, the branch seems to care little about what the precursors say. Nominees in the category tend to be an interesting mix of blockbusters, comedies, Best Picture nominees and serious-minded films not included in the Best Picture race.

The music branch earned a reputation between 1999 and 2003 of being very insular, with only two of the 25 Best Original Score nominations during going to new composers during that period. Yet in the last two years, the branch has welcomed five new competitors into the fold. But while this might be indicative of the branch opening up, the field in these past two years wasn’t exactly ultra-competitive.

One face that is almost always among the nominees is the aforementioned John Williams. He has not missed a nomination in a year in which he has been eligible since 1992. Alas, he is not in the running for any title this year, so that’s one shoo-in we can certifiably cross of the list.

The man who stopped Williams from achieving Oscar #6 last year – Gustavo Santaolalla – could make another appearance this year for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Babel.” His music for the film is beautiful and film serving. Paramount Vantage also deserves kudos for getting it out there (the soundtrack has been mailed out to various press and awards-voting bodies in the past few weeks). However, the score is also very minimalist and lacks an instantly iconic theme like the one that landed Santaolalla the nomination – and win – last year for “Brokeback Mountain.”

Classical composer Philip Glass ventured into cinematic efforts relatively late in his career. He managed an Oscar nomination for wonderful work on Martin Scorsese’s “Kundun” in 1997 (a year he was destined to lose to James Horner and the unstoppable “Titanic”). Glass probably came very close to the win for Stephen Daldry’s “The Hours” in 2002. But even with a wealth of exceptional work already behind him, Glass’s score for Richard Eyre’s “Notes on a Scandal” may very well be the crowning achievement of his career – loud at the right moments, eerily quiet at the appropriate times while ultimately memorable and haunting all the same. It is also the sort of score that the Academy loves to nominate. Glass also composed for Neil Burger’s “The Illusionist” this year, which may very well help his chances.

The person I expect to be Glass’s major competition for the win this season is Thomas Newman. With seven nominations to his credit over the past dozen years, Newman is clearly well respected by the branch. This year, he has composed a soaring, old-fashioned score for Steven Soderbergh’s “The Good German,” truly one of his most original compositions in years. This is exactly the sort of score the branch loves to recognize, regardless of a given film’s quality. It is worth mentioning that Newman also provided the effectively understated (if overly similar to “American Beauty”) compositions for Todd Field’s “Little Children.”

Glass and Newman are the two nominees I’m most confident in predicting. But thereafter things really open up.

Randy Newman, Thomas’s first cousin, finally won an Oscar in 2001, following a winless streak of 16 nominations, for “Monsters, Inc.” “Cars” is his most AMPAS-friendly effort since that film. It will be interesting to see if the branch is as fond of him as they were before he finally took home a statue.

Another branch favorite, James Horner, is reuniting with Mel Gibson this year on “Apocalypto.” This is the sort of effort that screams out as an opportunity for a musician to really show their talent. Gibson’s last two films have also received considerable love from the technical branches in the Academy. The path for Horner, who also composed “All the King’s Men” this year, seems like a clear one, pending “Apocalypto”’s critical fate, of course.

Horner had also originally been on board Robert De Niro’s “The Good Shepherd,” but the two have parted ways on the project. This has paved the way for Marcello Zavros to take over, who made some ripples in 2004 with specific work on Tod Williams’s “The Door in the Floor.” If De Niro’s film turns into a hit, there’s no telling what could happen to this talented young composer.

The person most are expecting to fill a “first-time nominee slot” is Alexandre Desplat. The great French composer ventured into American movies in recent years and has achieved much acclaim for “Girl With a Pearl Earring,” “Birth” and “Syriana”, among others. His delicate compositions in Stephen Frears’s Best Picture hopeful “The Queen” have already received considerable attention. Desplat is also composing John Curran’s “The Painted Veil,” which strikes me as the sort of vehicle more traditionally nominated. So which, if either, film will it be? Or might Desplat double-dip this season?

Alberto Iglesias finally earned his first nomination last year for his lively and ranging compositions in Fernardo Meirelles’s “The Constant Gardener.” He finds himself collaborating once again this year with the director who made him famous: Pedro Almodóvar. To be perfectly frank, I did not much care for Iglesias’s work on “Volver.” But I recognize that I seem to be in the minority on this front, and a nomination is certainly feasible. Exotic, foreign-sounding scores often find a home here.

Also in the world of foreign-language features is Shigeru Umbayashi, who again has composed the music for a Zhang Yimou feature: “Curse of the Golden Flower.” Sony Pictures Classics is poised to give this film a significant Oscar shove, and Umbayashi seems like the sort of talent who will be recognized eventually.

Craig Armstrong has had quite the run in the past few years for blending original score with famous songs, most notably on Baz Lurrhmann’s “Moulin Rouge!,” Richard Curtis’s “Love Actually” and Taylor Hackford‘s “Ray.” His themes in “World Trade Center” are poignantly used throughout the movie. It is admittedly rather short for an Original Score nod, but if they like the film, one never knows. Last year’s winner in this category had less than 20 minutes of original music. (EDITOR’S NOTE: And Mr. Armstrong showing up at Morton’s in Los Angeles a few months back amidst a “World Trade Center” event to play his works live on the piano is the sort of thing that stays in a person’s memory.)

Speaking of 9/11 films, the prolific John Powell (who has marked 26 films to his credit since 2001) gracefully blended music into Paul Greengrass’s “United 93” this year. However, this is not really the sort of score that the Academy tends to nominate. Powell also did “Happy Feet” this year, though that score might be deemed ineligible due to too many songs filling out the soundtrack.

Speaking of animated efforts, Douglas Pipes provided fantastic compositions this year for “Monster House.” The music was scary, joyous and fun. But the film didn’t really catch to the degree necessary to make nominations beyond Animated Feature likely.

Hans Zimmer has 7 nominations and one win to his credit. He’s really struggled with getting Academy love this decade, however. His original work in Ron Howard’s “The Da Vinci Code” was highlighted quite clearly in the film, and Columbia Pictures is placing ads strictly for him. While the music branch is not necessarily opposed to nominating critically maligned films, I’m doubtful that this is the feature to bring Zimmer back into the fold.

Speaking of critically maligned films getting Oscar nominations, James Newton Howard managed a nod here two years ago for “The Village.” But I can’t see him pulling that trick again for “Lady in the Water,” with “Blood Diamond” probably marginally more likely – but the fumes seem to be rising off of that one, given the hints here and there. (EDITOR’S NOTE: *sniff* *sniff*)

I’ll end the original score discussion by mentioning a very famous person, but one whose claim to fame is certainly not music – Clint Eastwood. After composing the main theme to “Unforgiven” 14 years ago, Eastwood has increasingly risen to the task of crafting the music for his films. “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters from Iwo Jima” mark the fourth and fifth films for which he has composed the score this decade, and though similar to his past work, the music is nonetheless memorable. Paramount Pictures has already placed a full-page “for your consideration” ad for the “Flags” score. So if the Academy likes these films, one never knows where that will take their Oscar tally.

Best Original Song is a category where the manner of choosing nominees changed last year. A list of contenders will be announced beforehand, and the branch will then grade them, with a minimum grade being necessary for a nomination. If less than five films achieve the necessary score to be nominated, then there will only be three or four nominees (as happened last year).

A film that is not eligible in score may try to dominate this category. Henry Krieger has co-written three original songs for the film adaptation of his stage play “Dreamgirls.” While “Patience” and “Love You I Do” could sneak nods, it’s ultimately “Listen” which seems most likely to get a nomination with ease – and contend for the win. Beyoncé Knowles, who also co-wrote the song, is at her best when singing ballads, in my opinion, and this one seems to be everything the Academy loves to award.

Another film with multiple original songs is “A Prairie Home Companion,” the appropriate swansong to the career of director Robert Altman. “Bad Jokes” and “Goodbye to My Mama” may not be the sort of ditties that traditionally garner Oscar nominations, but Picturehouse Films is kicking up the Oscar campaign for this sweet and nostalgic film nonetheless.

“A Father’s Way” from “The Pursuit of Happyness,” performed by Seal over the closing credits, will also try to garner traction in this year’s race. I haven’t heard the song, so I can’t comment on its quality. But Columbia Pictures has big plans for the film (with a Lead Actor nod looking like a good bet for Will Smith). A tag-along nomination for a song certainly wouldn’t seem out of the question, but will the usage of the song over credits be deemed less film serving than other tunes in play?

Chris Cornell contributed the latest title song in the James Bond series with “You Know My Name.” I did not care for the song, but my opinion is hardly Gospel on these matters. “Casino Royale” was, without a doubt, the best Bond movie in a very long time, so some Oscar recognition would be nice. But title James Bond tracks have tended to miss the boat in recent years.

Emilio Estevez’s “Bobby” may have taken a critical beating of sorts so far, but I really don’t think that will have much of an affect on the chances of Bryan Adams’s “Never Gonna Break My Faith,” sung from the gut by Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Bilge. Adams is a three-time nominee, after all. Plus, one can be sure The Weinstein Company will defiantly push all corners of this project toward Oscar glory.

Animated features are frequent nominees here. If the branch doesn’t find a home for him in score, Randy Newman could easily garner a nod for “Our Town,” performed in “Cars” by Americana favorite James Taylor. It’s the sort of sweet lament I suspect the branch will love. Meanwhile, Prince will try to follow up his Oscar win 22 years ago for “Purple Rain” with a Best Original Song citation in “Happy Feet,” for “Song of the Heart.” Both Newman and Prince certainly have the profile to garner nominations, and everyone loves to see them perform.

In the realm of children’s films, we also have “Ordinary Miracle” from “Charlotte’s Web” by the very well known David A. Stewart and Oscar-nominee Glen Ballard (“The Polar Express”). This is certainly a title that should be considered.

Sheryl Crow definitely possesses high profile in spades, and she has also contributed a song to the movies this year, “Try Not to Remember” from Irwin Winkler’s “Home of the Brave.” However, Winkler’s directorial filmography is not exactly awe-inspiring, and I don’t expect this film to break that trend (EDITOR’S NOTE: It doesn’t.). So Crow’s tune might have an uphill battle here.

I’ll finish with a genre of films that have never traditionally found a home in the Best Original Song category, but will seriously contend here this year for sure – documentaries.

“Shut Up and Sing” hasn’t really caught on to the degree that might have been necessary to get awards traction outside of its staple Best Documentary Feature category. But the Dixie Chicks have the profile that might be good enough to get their song “The Neighbor” into contention.

“An Inconvenient Truth,” on the other hand, did very well indeed at the box office for a documentary effort. This is not to mention the fact that it’s one of the best-reviewed films of the year, and is likely to return to a lot of people’s lips come year-end top ten lists. Melissa Etheridge’s “I Need to Wake Up” is also a fantastic and film-serving song. Moreover, Paramount Vantage is making sure the track makes the rounds to press and voting bodies. So if Etheridge can’t get nominated, it might be indication of the true ghettoization of documentaries to their own category.

So that completes a lengthy first glance at all technical categories. Next week, we’ll shake things up a little (as precursors are already beginning to fall).