2014 Oscar Predictions: Best Original Score

“Her” is probably in a distant second place to “Gravity” in the race for Best Original Score

Unlike Best Original Song, the winner for Best Original Score at the and tend to match up. In the past ten years the two awards have agreed on the winner seven times, compared to the one time the two awards agreed on Best Original Song.

However, in a huge shakeup, Golden Globe winner Alex Ebert for All is Lost was snubbed at the . In an even bigger shakeup, Academy Award winner and 9-time nominee in this category was snubbed for his work in 12 Years a Slave.

With the two enormous snubs mentioned above, Steven Price for Gravity all but won the Oscar. Not that it wouldn't be deserved, his score is looming and restrained at the same time. It fits the film like a glove, but one nominee surpassed his work.

I think that the one film that has a chance to take the award is Arcade Fire and Owen Pallett for Her. The reason? In my opinion it is the best score of the year. It complements Spike Jonze's sensitive direction so well, and at certain point is catchy.

Check out my rankings below and all of my Oscar predictions here!

Will Win: Steven Price, Gravity
Could Win: Arcade Fire & Owen Pallett, Her
Should Win: Arcade Fire & Owen Pallett, Her
Should Have Been Nominated: Hanz Zimmer, Rush (Note: I think Zimmer's work in Rush was far superior to his in 12 Years a Slave.)

Karl Delossantos

Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.

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