Of the nods I didn't see coming, Drive's is certainly the most pleasing. The sound in that film is a huge part of its effect, and while I personally would have preferred to see it recognized for its heavily atmospheric mix, I can't complain about the one citation that allows us to call Drive an Oscar nominee. Good on the Sound branch standing up for its deceptively subtle collage of action sounds and ethereal tones, because this film really isn't in the Academy's wheelhouse, which is why it isn't likely to win.
Another film whose mix impressed me more than the sound effects themselves is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I can't begrudge Ren Klyce his accomplishment on the film. His oddly specific foley work fleshes out Fincher's detail-oriented vision of each scene. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are no less deserving of recognition for their grainy music which blurs the line between scoring and sound design. That said, the sound editing is probably too subtle to bring Klyce a win.
A more formidable contender for the trophy is probably Hugo, whose sound effects impressed me from the get-go. The many gears and cogs that perpetually grind through the environs are varied and tangible, among dozens of other intricate machine sounds. The serious Best Picture heat that accompanies the film automatically makes it a threat, but the fact remains that Hugo is not a typical winner for this category. Still, it wouldn't be a completely surprising victor.
After a hiatus with Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen, Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn are back in this race with the latest of Michael Bay's craptacular robot franchise. The terribleness of the film will probably bar them from receiving this award (which they should have won in 2008 for the original Transformers), but that doesn't lessen the quality of their work. Indeed, the organo-metallic sound effects of the ass-kicking robots are awesomely inventive.
Last but not least, veterans Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns repeat their feat on Saving Private Ryan with an extensive library of warfare sounds for Spielberg's War Horse. In keeping with the film's melodramatic classic epic tone, the sounds are larger than life. Artillery shells and bullets are louder and more intimidating than you could conceive, and the horses do indeed have presence on screen. Given its genre, I say this is first in line to collect the statuette, and that's fine by me!
Will win: War Horse
Runner-up: Hugo
Should win: War Horse
Should've been nominated: The Adventures of Tintin
