Beyoncé, Eilish compete for the Oscars Best Original Song

Hollywood’s Academy Awards does not always pick out the nominees we like. But then, nobody really gets to please everybody. However, this year is one of those rare times when it seems like the Academy members got their Best Original Song choices right. Well, right for me, that is. I love all of the five songs.

Be Alive, composed and performed by Beyoncé for the movie King Richard. Of course, it has to be Beyoncé doing the theme for this picture about the man behind the phenomenal success of tennis-playing sisters, Venus and Serena Williams. The movie is also hot in the awards list, most especially for Will Smith, who plays the title role as Best Actor. Anthemic and inspiring, I can already hear this song during climactic moments in sports competitions. What I really love about it though, is Beyoncé’s singing. It has been quite a while since we heard Beyoncé sing like this and she sounds fantastic.

Dos Oruguitas, composed by Lin Manuel Miranda for Encanto and performed by Columbian heartthrob Sebastian Yatra. What About Bruno may be the No. 1 selling song out of the enchanting Encanto soundtrack, which by the way, is also a No. 1 seller. But this ballad about two little caterpillars is the loveliest of all. There is a version in English in the soundtrack, Two Oruguitas and it is just as beautiful. Its message is, Ay Mariposa, don’t be afraid to change.

Down to Joy, composed and performed by Van Morrison for Belfast. The song is simple light pop with an infectious lilt and could have been a tune that a lad growing up in Northern Ireland listened to a lot and played in his head during the late ‘60s. I do not think Kenneth Branagh could have thought of anybody else but Morrison to provide the music for his autographical masterpiece. Morrison, who has been making hits like Have I Told You Lately and Brown-Eyed Girl for nearly 70 years, also grew up in Northern Ireland.

No Time to Die, composed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell and performed by Billie Eilish for No Time to Die, which is Daniel Craig’s final James Bond outing. This is the only dark tune in the list but it makes heartbreak such a heart enriching experience. Siblings Billie and Finneas fully captured 007 as tired, hurt and at his most vulnerable. Who would have thought that these kids could do that? I do not know if it will still count much in the final voting but No Time to Die was the Best Song winner of the recent Golden Globe Awards.

Somehow You Do, composed by Diane Warren and performed by country music diva Reba McEntire for the movie Four Good Days. It is a beautiful inspiring song just right for the picture, which is about a recovering addict played by Mila Kunis, who spends four good days with her mother played by Glenn Close. The movie is not in the running for other awards but might just bring home this one.

I do not know if we will be able to watch the Academy Awards on television come March 27. We have not been able to watch the show these past two years because the cable providers could not afford the cost of the telecast. I really think the people behind the Oscars should sell the rights at reasonable rates given that they really need viewers at this time and public interest generated will help the nominated films at the box office or wherever those are showing. They should even show it everywhere for free and that means also online.

Anyway, there is always the chance, that it will be postponed like what happened to the Grammys or worse, the Academy might just issue press releases with the names of the winners like what the Golden Globes did.

Whatever. Whether we get to watch this year’s Oscars or not, I do think all of these songs are deserving of the trophy.