My OTHER favorite moment of the night: Oscar-winning (!!!) "Falling Slowly" live

Look how much applause the film gets in the intro. I'm so glad the film has lots of fans.

I think the acoustics gave Markéta a little too much volume (sorry Mar... I love you, but this particular song just works better when you're supporting Glen... though your piano was gorgeous). I also don't like how the song was shortened for the broadcast (it's longer in the film).

But look at Glen during his close-ups. He clearly knows millions of people are watching him, and its very endearing. Luv ya Glen (and other Glenn, too!). How wonderful for them to have gotten this opportunity.

But the best thing about this song (I think) is that it actually works better in an intimate setting, without all the pomp, and lights, and cameras. It's about the connection between the two musicians (note how they put all those guitars in the background, in some kind of weird attempt to evoke and/or imitate the music store scene).

Still, I loved this performance. In fact, one of my friends at my oscar party was converted on the spot. She'd never heard of Once, but after hearing this, she said, "that music is beautiful, they should win." And they did.

Guy meets Girl, and beautiful music ensues:why Once is more than enough

I'll just come right out and say it: Once was my favorite film of last year.

I'm saying this now cause I don't know when the hell I'll ever get around to making a top ten list. Hell, I still haven't made one for '06. But I wanted to get this out there while people still cared.

For the record, I didn't think Once was #1 material when I first saw it. I thought it'd be sitting somewhere in my top five, but with writing, directing and acting that I still can't justify as nomination-worthy, could I really justify calling it the year's best film?

The answer turned out to be a resounding "yes", for it has lingered in my heart like no other. Or at least, like no other film last year. I of course haven't seen all I plan to see, but I don't expect anything to overtake it. It's just got that special magic (yes, Glenn, IT REALLY DOES). Getting to know this film was like falling in love... the first time I saw it, something caught my eye... I wasn't quite expecting it, and didn't know what to do with it, but I saw enough there to get me interested... so I saw it again... and again... and though we've had our rough spots, I always go back to loving it, more and more all the time. Falling slowly, indeed.

Maybe it's because I'm a musician... or at least, I wanna be. My parents are musicians. My dad still plays and teaches for a living. My mom gave up piano for medicine. But they met in music school and are musicians through and through. I owe my very existence, quite literally, to music. But I stupidly quit piano when I was still young, because I hadn't yet grasped music's significance... and I never picked up any other instrument... so now all I have is my voice. Music is in my blood, but not in my hands.

Thankfully, my voice is almost enough. I've been blessed with an instrument I'm proud of. I have a lot of work to do on it, but I'm convinced it can take me somewhere. Unfortunately, a voice on its own can't take me far. I can't write, or even perform very much, with just my voice. I'm trying, but it's hard. I'm actually considering taking up guitar JUST so I can play and sing "Falling Slowly." There are, of course, other perks to knowing guitar, but this song is what might push me over the hump to actually picking up the instrument and learning it.

But anyway, enough about me; back to the film. Even beyond the music, which is reason enough to love it, it has a distinct magic about that's hard to describe. It boasts no impressive production values or technical virtuosity, but it's one of the most heartfelt films I've ever seen. And isn't "heart" the most important thing? Isn't that why we make films and tell stories in the first place? I'd like to think so.

The trendier, more universally "critically acclaimed" films this year pride themselves on their stark nihilism. No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood (probably my #2 and #3, respectively) are impressive indeed, and disturbing to the core, but Once offers more than that. It doesn't shy away from the unpleasantness in the world - it's touted as a "feel-good film" but it's a stretch to call it "happy" - but it offers a brief respite from said unpleasantness. In many ways, it's a cute little Irish Dancer in the Dark, without the bludgeoning.

When Glen and Marketa discover each other in the music store, something happens. I see in this scene a metaphor for creation, and indeed, for life itself. Out of the mess of madness and disorder and senselessness (notice the curious emptiness before guy meets girl), order is imposed, connections are made... between notes, moments, and hearts. The backsliding of the modern world is reversed for an instant. The sinking boat points back toward home. Life becomes worth living again. While these two make music, they feel alive, and so do we.

That they must eventually part is made all the more painful by the beauty they share so fleetingly. But thankfully, on film (or maybe video, this time), that beauty can last forever.

the Once songs are eligible for Oscar

Apparently, all the Once songs are eligible except "Say It To Me Now" (one of the ones I thought WAS eligible) because the shooting of the film actually predated the release of the albums in which the songs first appeared. The film was shot in January 2006 - WAY before it and the soundtrack were released - and the Hansard/Irglova albums with the songs on them were released later in 2006.

I'm not sure this eligibility thing is a done deal (you know how the academy can be about this), but as of now, I'm operating on the assumption that any of the songs could make it... including the centerpiece tune "Falling Slowly." So actually, a situation like this is not entirely out of the question:

5 nominations
Best Original Screenplay - John Carney
Best Original Song - "Falling Slowly"
Best Original Song - "If You Want Me"
Best Original Song - "When Your Mind's Made Up"
Best Picture of the Year

And "Falling Slowly" could WIN. Conceivably. That would be so cool.

"Falling Slowly"... an original?

I've seen this song being bandied about as an original song contender (and nominee in small little awards things). But isn't it ineligible? Wasn't it released on a CD Glen Hansard made before Once was ever conceived? I hate to say it, but that seems like a cut and dried case of "NOT original."

But maybe I'm wrong? I could have misinterpreted the info I gleaned way back when.

Or maybe some people just have very very lax rules. But the academy - at least in this particular category - does not. So I'm not expecting the song to go anywhere. But I'd love to be wrong.

Does anybody know more than I do? Anybody?

OK, Once songs are up for real now.

I was experiencing some technical difficulties.

But now my 6 favorite Once songs are there on my Box, ready for all to hear. Listen if you dare... and comment if you listen... or you can comment even if you don't.

Who else has seen this film, anyway?

Once: the soundtrack, the Oscar odds

OK. So I've done some research on Wikipedia, and I think I've figured out which songs are eligible. I've been wondering about this a lot lately, and actually asked about it on Once's IMDB board. But then I realized: I'm a smart guy; why don't I just look it up myself? So I did.

Here are the 13 tracks on the Once soundtrack. Non-originals are scratched out. My favorite songs are in bold. Comments about each track, and it's Oscar likeliness, are to the side:

1) "Falling Slowly" (f**k. coulda won the oscar)
2) "If You Want Me" (maybe? I could see this happening)
3) "Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy" (not even really a song)
4) "When Your Mind's Made Up" (dammit. this might've had a shot)
5) "Lies" (great song, but wouldn't have been nominated anyway)
6) "Gold" (I wish... too lyrical, and too unassuming)
7) "The Hill" (too sad, too tiny, too personal)
8) "Fallen From The Sky" (nope)
9) "Leave" (not a huge loss)
10) "Trying to Pull Myself Away" (not happening)
11) "All The Way Down" (good song, but no)
12) "Once" (I don't see this happening, but it is the title song...)
13) "Say It To Me Now" (I love the song, but it's just not oscary)

A quick glance at this list shows that there's only one real possibility for oscar play. That'd be "If You Want Me," a dreamy little number from the middle of the film, one of only two songs with Markéta Irglová on lead vocals (the other is "The Hill"). It's also distinctive in that it's the only musical sequence in the film that's not entirely realistic; it's the only time the film touches on the kind of "out of nowhere" Hollywood musical abandon that it otherwise eschews for stark naturalism. Judging from the IMDB boards, many people truly love this song, and while it's not my personal favorite, it is ONE of my favorites, and definitely one of the stronger ones. I could definitely see it being performed on the Oscar telecast, which is more than I can say for most Once songs (at least the originals). That said, it's not really their kinda song - too dark and moody - and if nominated, it'd have no chance of winning.

Then, of course, there's "Once." This song is played over the credits at the end, REALLY at the end, after other songs have played over the credits. It kind of has a tone of winding down, and there's no real climax. I think it's one of the weakest songs on the album. It's still great, don't get me wrong, but next to the rest of the stuff, it's not that special. So I hope they don't go campaigning this one, expecting it to be "THE ONE" that gets the film a nomination. Cause it's just not that great of a song. But it is the title song, so I'm thinking they might try to get it noticed.

My personal favorite original song is "Say It To Me Now," the last one on the album and first in the film. It's a lovely little song about longing, sung by Glen Hansard right at the beginning, and admired by Markéta Irglova. It's a part sad, part confused, part angry, part cathartic. And kind of awesome. But it's also very "man on the street with his guitar." Just not an Oscar song at all.

And unfortunately for "Falling Slowly," the film's centerpiece song, it's already been featured on two albums. I'm guessing that means a big "NO" on Oscar elegibility (ditto "When Your Mind's Made Up," the other big highlight of the film). It's really a shame, too, cause when you see Glen and Markéta's characters arrange this song then perform it, you just wanna throw awards at them. Except you're too busy welling up. It's THAT wonderful... especially in context. There was something magical about watching the genesis of that song, watching them come up with it right there in the music store, and play it together for the first time (of course that wasn't REALLY the first time, but they made me believe it was). From that moment on, I was hooked.

Anyway, I'm putting my favorite Once songs on the "Box" tool, so you can check them out in the sidebar. Though you might not want to if you haven't the film. Part of the magic of it is just hearing that music for the first time. I didn't even know Once was a musical, so when I heard "Falling Slowly," I was floored. Total surprise. And I LOVED that.

So, to the uninitiated: SPOILERS!!!

Listen at your own risk. You've been warned.

Random analysis of the day: GG Best Picture (Comedy/Musical)

Is it just me, or are there already five films (either on the horizon or already released) that look like major contenders for this award? They are:

Hairspray (July)
I'm Not There (September)
Knocked Up (already in release)
Once (in limited release)
The Savages (release date TBA)

It might be a bit early to be calling a major category at the golden globes, but then again, it might not. One reason it might not is that this year has more high-profile musicals than most. Even more importantly, it has more musicals that look likely to succeed.

Once, for one, has already done so, at least with critics if not with the public. So far it's only gotten a teeny tiny release in major cities, but it's also been raved up and down (deservedly). Just look at its rotten tomatoes page. The reviews alone could earn it a place in the lineup. Assuming more people see it in the coming months and it gets a good DVD release, it should be a real contender for at least a nomination.

Hairspray, meanwhile, looks likely to succeed at least with the public if not with the critics. It looks very box-office friendly and has several big stars to prop it up. And unless it's just straight-up BAD (which seems unlikely), commercial success should earn it a spot. Well-publicized musical + commercial success + not sucking = easy nomination at the globes.

And of course I'm Not There is looming. This is perhaps the biggest question mark of the five (we still know very little about it, or how weird it is), but it's also the one I think has the best chance to win. Unless a BIG critical favorite emerges (a la Sideways) that is NOT I'm Not There, I think the Dylan pic could totally win it. This category loves musical biopics, as evidenced by recent nominees Ray and Walk The Line (the latter won). Often the emphasis, awards-wise, is on the stars, but I think the fact that this one has lots of stars all playing the same role could lead people to heap all the prizes on the film itself. I could be wrong - it could still be WAY too weird for the mainstream - but I've been beating its drums for a long time now, and I'm not gonna stop any time soon.

Among non-musicals, Knocked Up has already proved itself in both reviews and box office power. There's usually one straight-up comedy in this field every year, a well-reviewed mainstream hit that isn't seeking awards at all, but was just so good and/or successful that globe voters can't help but go for it. These films are often propelled by an acclaimed lead performance, but not always. Think The Devil Wears Prada, Legally Blonde, Bridget Jones' Diary, Bend It Like Beckham, etc. I think Knocked Up will be that film this year. Unfortunately, The 40-Year-Old Vergin was not nominated in its year, but it deserved to be, and I think globe voters will remember that and make up for it by nominating Knocked Up (Judd Apatow wrote and directed both films).

For the last spot, I'd go with The Savages, one of those contemporary indie dramedies that often find a place here. It seems firmly in the vein of Sideways, The Squid and the Whale, and other films that don't have much box office pull, but are critically acclaimed and awards-seeking, and benefit from comedy/musical categorization.

There are of course many ways this lineup might not pan out. Once could prove too small, Knocked Up too mainstream, I'm Not There too weird. Hairspray could flop. The Savages could go drama. Etc. But right now, these five look very likely... so we may already have our five nominees.

But whither Sweeney Todd??? I forgot all about it. But I lied when I said I'm Not There was the biggest question mark; the wild card's totally Todd. Clearly, I don't think it'll hit. All the signs, IMO, are pointing to a big miss. But I hope I'm wrong. And even if it doesn't hit, all the prerelease buzz could earn it a spot here. For now, let's say it flops big time, and gets snubbed. Really, could there be FOUR musicals nominated in this category? I don't see Todd replacing sure-to-be-great I'm Not There, sure-to-be-big Hairspray, or already acclaimed Once, so that means the category'd have four musicals. Crazy. Has that ever happened before?

Sorry, I get obsessed with this category early. It's one of my favorites. I love how it juggles the mainstream, the indie, comedies, dramedies, animated films, big musicals, small musicals, comedic musicals, dramatic musicals, animated musicals, and others, and pretends they're all the same kind of film. It just gives my brain joy to try and process it all.

Are there any more big films I'm forgetting? (thanks, Glenn, for the tip on Sweeney) Anything that looks like it will obviously bump off one of these five? Please let me know if I am.

I may be overestimating Once's chances because I love it, but the HFPA does not ignore great reviews. A best pic oscar nod may be out of the question, but this category seems well within reach. At least I hope so. This is a GREAT musical that is also a lovely romantic comedy. Films like this are what this category was made for.

And I'm not kidding about I'm Not There winning. I really think it will happen. It should have the right combination of critical respect, decent box office, big star wattage, and awards-friendly subject (Bob Dylan) to offset the potential roadblock of being "too weird." As long as it's relatively accessible, I think its chances are strong. Though being relatively accessible is not a given. We shall see...