movieminis

Best Original Song doesn’t always go to the best song. Oftentimes, it’s a popularity contest, like last year’s “City of Stars” win, and this year is no different.

The song that should be winning, Sufjan Stevens’ “Visions of Gideon,” from Call Me by Your Name, wasn’t even nominated. Out of the nominees, Stevens still has the best song with “Mystery of Love,” an endlessly moving ballad. While it won at the Guild of Music Supervisors Awards, it has next to no momentum heading into Oscar night.

Mudbound‘s Mary J. Blige double dipped at this Oscars, receiving nominations in Best Supporting Actress and in Best Original Song for “Mighty River.” That acting nomination could push plenty of voters to opt for her in Original Song.

Perhaps the second best song, Coco‘s “Remember Me,” a culturally infused, heartbreaking song that’s integral to the plot of the film, is a definite contender, as it comes from a Pixar film and plays during a point of the film that makes nearly everyone cry.

The La La Land songwriting team, massive marketing in itself, worked on The Greatest Showman, and the number “This Is Me” has certainly been the talking point of the season as it champions diversity and is almost frustratingly catchy. The song won at the Golden Globes, and was a theme at the Winter Olympics. It’s not a lock, but it’s the most obvious choice to make and, as “City of Stars” showed last year, that could easily be the right choice.

The Nominees
“Mystery of Love,” Sufjan Stevens — Call Me by Your Name
“This Is Me,” Benj Hasek, Justin Paul — The Greatest Showman
“Remember Me,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez — Coco
“Stand Up For Something,” Diane Warren, Common — Marshall
“Mighty River,” Mary J. Blige — Mudbound

Will win: “This Is Me,” Benj Hasek, Justin Paul — The Greatest Showman
Could win: “Remember Me,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez — Coco
Should win: “Mystery of Love,” Sufjan Stevens — Call Me by Your Name
Should’ve been nominated: “Visions of Gideon,” Sufjan Stevens — Call Me by Your Name

Featured image via Twentieth Century Fox.