Oscar Predictions: Best Original Score

This year, Oscar nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 10th. I’ll be offering detailed predictions in most of the major categories, saving some of the biggest categories for last.

Last year’s nominees: The Adventures of Tintin, The Artist, Hugo, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse

This year’s locks: Lincoln

Very likely: Anna Karenina, Life of Pi

Possible: Brave, Zero Dark Thirty, The Master, The Dark Knight Rises, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Cloud Atlas, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Unlikely: Any of the remaining contenders

The rundown: 104 films are officially eligible for this category this year. The big omission from thee list is “Moonrise Kingdom,” which was superb but alas won’t be earning Alexandre Desplat a fourth nomination on top of his three other eligible scores. He does stand a good chance, however, for two top Best Picture contenders, Argo and Zero Dark Thirty. The other top category frontrunner, Lincoln will certainly have its composer, John Williams, who was nominated twice last year, recognized. The 2007 winner for “Atonement,” Dario Marinelli, should be back for his energetic Anna Karenina score, and Mychael Danna is set to earn his first nomination for Life of Pi. Patrick Doyle should earn the slot apparently reserved for animated films the past five years for Brave, though there will be plenty of competition, namely from two composers disqualified for their last collaborations with the directors of their current films: Jonny Greenwood for The Master and Hans Zimmer for The Dark Knight Rises. I’m pulling for one of my absolute favorite scores of the year - Beasts of the Southern Wild - to show up, but that will have to depend on how the film does overall.

One possible crazy scenario: “Skyfall” nets the second-ever James Bond nomination in this category, its first in thirty-five years.

Forecasted winner: This seems like the place to honor Life of Pi.