Bret McKenzie: Oscar Favorite
The Oscar nominations came out today. I don’t know much about any of the nominated movies, but there is one category I know very well indeed: Music (Original Song). Back in November, Catjjy and I took the Cha to see The Muppets. He loved the music and got us to buy the soundtrack. Since then, we’ve heard it roughly every day. Thankfully, there are a number of terrific songs on the album, all written by Bret McKenzie, whom you will remember as half of the New Zealand musicomedy duo Flight of the Conchords.
Today Bret was nominated for an Oscar for his song “Man or Muppet.” It’s a terrific song and definitely deserves the nomination. My only complaint is that there are 1-2 more original songs from the same movie that are even better but did not get nominations. “Life’s a Happy Song” is, I think , unquestionably better. “Me Party” is also pretty fun, depending on your tolerance for disco (mine is quite high).
In a strange move meant to speed up the awards show, The Academy only nominated two songs for the category this year. The other contender is some fake-Basso Nova Will.I.Am abomination from the already-forgotten animated movie Rio. Should be a slam-dunk Oscar for our favorite Kiwi Hipster. Wooo!
Posted on January 24th, 2012 Filed in: Entertainment
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Addendum. Slate posted an explanation of why there are only two songs. I had incorrectly assumed it was because each song is performed live at the awards show, and they wanted to cut out (or reallocate) ten minutes of the run time. As it turns out, several hundred songs are shortlisted, then the music subcommittee of the Academy ranks each of them on a scale from 6 to 10. Songs must get an average of at least 8.25 to be nominated. If none do, the award isn’t given that year. If only one does, it and the next highest are both nominated. If more than five are, only the top five get nominated.
Since there are only two this year, we can infer that the music sub-committee thought that no other song, and possibly only one of the two nominated songs, was worthy of even a nomination, much less an Oscar.
I agree that life is a happy song was more memorable but think its good that Brett did not get two songs nominated. Splitting the muppet block would just guarantee a Will.I.Am victory
I just read that Bret McKenzie won a Grammy for one of the Conchords albums. If he takes this Oscar, he’ll be halfway to EGOT – and the hard half at that.
Only two songs? Didn’t randy newman or elton john do any soundtracks this year?
The grammy for comedy album and oscar for best song are definitely a back door into the EGOTs, but I suppose it still counts.
@mg
He can redeem it by writting a “Book of Mormon” esque run away success broadway musical…
How close are Trey and Matt? Didn’t The South Park MOvie win best picture and Baseketball win best screenplay? I know they got a tony for BoM?