begin again

[1] Begin Again – Best Original Song

“LOST STARS” FROM BEGIN AGAIN
Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois

These may be the first Academy Award nominations for songwriters Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois, but director John Carney previously saw his feature “Once” produce a Best Original Song winner in 2006-2007, titled “Falling Slowly” by Glen Hansgard and Markéta Irglová of The Swell Season. So whatever collaborative freedom that Carney instills in his musical artists is clearly working.

Performed separately by Keira Knightley and Adam Levine throughout the feature, “Lost Stars” is the perfect song to come out of “Begin Again”. It’s the stepping off point between the two characters and eventually brings their relationship full circle. Not to mention Levine makes the song his own, not just a song that highlights the film, but a song that is worthy of being played on repeat.

What’s its competition? Since its nomination was a bit of a surprise for some (I predicted it to get nominated), anything is fair game in this category. My gut tells me “Glory” from “Selma” will be the one to beat, already with a Golden Globe award. “Selma” is also nominated for Best Picture which means more Academy members will be seeing that film and could likely support the film in any way it can. Since “Selma” likely won’t be winning Best Picture, the only other place to honor the film is through the song.

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// Produced by Anthony Bregman, Tobin Armbrust, & Judd Apatow // Directed by John Carney //
// Dated Viewed: Thursday, January 15th, 2015 // DVD //  44 films – 39 days //

Shortlisted: 79 Original Songs In Contention For Oscar

If there is absolutely one Oscar category that is impossible to predict every year, it is the Best Original Song. Last year, with a song being deemed ineligible and previous years with only two nominees, the Best Original Song category should get back to normal this year with a shake up in the nominating process. However, predicting this category will still almost be impossible.

From chatter, it is highly possible that “Begin Again” gets in with its song “Lost Stars” performed throughout the film. “Once” was a big contender the year it came out and with the same people behind it, the Academy could definitely show some love. Others being mentioned include “Everything Is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie,” John Legend’s “Glory” from “Selma,” Lana Del Rey’s “Big Eyes” from Tim Burton’s drama, and “Mercy Is” by Patti Smith from “Noah”. Also, with the utter love for “Boyhood,” which will likely clean up at the ceremony, do not be surprised to see any of the songs Ethan Hawke performs in the film pop up in the nominations.

Personal picks of mine include Bon Iver’s “Heavenly Father” from “Wish I Was Here” and Imagine Dragon’s “Battle Cry” from “Transformers: Age Of Extinction”. One’s not to count out are “Opportunity” from “Annie” and Coldplay’s “Miracles” from the Angelina Jolie driven “Unbroken” which actually has a good shot as both the film and the band are extremely popular right now. Also, with previous love for “The Muppets” do not count out anything from “Muppets Most Wanted”.

  • “It’s On Again” by Alicia Keys from “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″
  • “Opportunity” by Sia from “Annie”
  • “Lost Stars” by Adam Levine from “Begin Again”
  • “Grateful” by Rita Ora from “Beyond the Lights”
  • “Big Eyes” by Lana Del Rey from “Big Eyes”
  • “Immortals” by Fall Out Boy from “Big Hero 6″
  • “The Apology Song” by Diego Luna & Gustavo Santaolalla from “The Book of Life”
  • “I Love You Too Much” by Diego Luna & Gustavo Santaolalla from “The Book of Life”
  • “The Boxtrolls Song” by Eric Idle from “The Boxtrolls”
  • “Quattro Sabatino” by Quattro Sabatino from “The Boxtrolls”
  • “Ryan’s Song” by Ethan Hawke from “Boyhood”
  • “Split The Difference” by Ethan Hawke from “Boyhood”
  • “No Fate Awaits Me” by Son Lux from “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them”
  • “Brave Souls” by Cozi Zuehlsdorff from “Dolphin Tale 2″
  • “You Got Me” by Gavin DeGraw from “Dolphin Tale 2″
  • “All Our Endless Love” by The Bird and The Bee from “Endless Love”
  • “Let Me In” by Grouplove from “The Fault in Our Stars”
  • “Not About Angels” by Birdy from “The Fault in Our Stars”
  • “Until The End” by Liza Minnelli and Wynton Marsalis from “Garnet’s Gold”
  • “It Just Takes A Moment” by Craig Richey from “Girl on a Bicycle”
  • “Last Stop Paris” by Craig Richey from “Girl on a Bicycle”
  • “Ordinary Human” by OneRepublic from “The Giver”
  • “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” by Glen Campbell from “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me”
  • “Find A Way” by Nico & Vinz from “The Good Lie”
  • “Color The World” by Zoë Poledouris-Roché & Angel Roché Jr. from “The Hero of Color City”
  • “The Last Goodbye” from “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”
  • “Chariots” by Mike Trella from “The Hornet’s Nest”
  • “Follow Me” by Wynonna Judd and Cactus Moser from “The Hornet’s Nest”
  • “Something To Shoot For” by Mervyn Warren from “Hot Guys with Guns”
  • “For The Dancing And The Dreaming” by John Powell from “How to Train Your Dragon 2″
  • “Afreen” by A.R. Rahman from “The Hundred-Foot Journey”
  • “Yellow Flicker Beat” by Lorde from “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1″
  • “Heart Like Yours” by Willamette Stone from “If I Stay”
  • “I Never Wanted To Go” by Willamette Stone from “If I Stay”
  • “Mind” by Willamette Stone from “If I Stay”
  • “Everything Is Awesome” by Tegan and Sara & The Lonely Island from “The Lego Movie”
  • “Call Me When You Find Yourself” by Finneas O’Connell from “Life Inside Out”
  • “Coming Back To You” from “Life of an Actress The Musical”
  • “The Life Of An Actress” from “Life of an Actress The Musical”
  • “Sister Rust” by Damon Albarn from “Lucy”
  • “You Fooled Me” from “Merchants of Doubt”
  • “Million Dollar Dream” by A.R. Rahman & Iggy Azalea from “Million Dollar Arm”
  • “Spreading The Word/Makhna” by A.R. Rahman from “Million Dollar Arm”
  • “We Could Be Kings” by A.R. Rahman & KT Tunstall from “Million Dollar Arm”
  • “A Million Ways To Die” by Seth MacFarlane from “A Million Ways to Die in the West”
  • “Way Back When” by Lady Antebellum from “Mr. Peabody & Sherman”
  • “America For Me” by Alex Ebert from “A Most Violent Year”
  • “I’ll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo In Malibu)” from “Muppets Most Wanted”
  • “Something So Right” from “Muppets Most Wanted”
  • “We’re Doing A Sequel” from “Muppets Most Wanted”
  • “Mercy Is” by Patti Smith & The Kronos Quartet from “Noah”
  • “Seeds” from “Occupy the Farm”
  • “Grant My Freedom” by Cameron Kauffman from “The One I Wrote for You”
  • “The One I Wrote For You” from “The One I Wrote for You”
  • “Hal” by Yasmine Hamdan from “Only Lovers Left Alive”
  • “Shine” by Gwen Stefani & Pharrell Williams from “Paddington”
  • “Still I Fly” by Spencer Lee from “Planes: Fire & Rescue”
  • “Batucada Familia” from “Rio 2″
  • “Beautiful Creatures” from “Rio 2″
  • “Poisonous Love” from “Rio 2″
  • “What Is Love” from “Rio 2″
  • “Over Your Shoulder” from “Rudderless”
  • “Sing Along” from “Rudderless”
  • “Stay With You” from “Rudderless”
  • “Everyone Hides” by Wilco from “St. Vincent”
  • “Why Why Why” by Jeff Tweedy from “St. Vincent”
  • “Glory” by John Legend from “Selma”
  • “The Morning” by Alanis Morissette from “A Small Section of the World”
  • “Special” from “Special”
  • “Gimme Some” by Vivek Maddala from “#Stuck”
  • “The Only Thing” by Moby from “Third Person”
  • “Battle Cry” by Imagine Dragons from “Transformers: Age of Extinction”
  • “Miracles” by Coldplay from “Unbroken”
  • “Summer Nights” by Kaskade from “Under the Electric Sky”
  • “We Will Not Go” by J. Ralph from “Virunga”
  • “Heavenly Father” by Bon Iver from “Wish I Was Here”
  • “So Now What” by The Shins from “Wish I Was Here”
  • “Long Braid” from “Work Weather Wife”
  • “Moon” from “Work Weather Wife”