For our thirteenth Rundown article, we examine the aural categories. After the jump, you’ll find our winner and runner-up predictions for Best Sound Mixing & Sound Editing as well as general commentary about the race. Thursday, we’ll cover the final creative categories.

Best Sound Mixing

Winner Predictions

• Captain Phillips
• Gravity (WL O) (PP O) (TB O)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Lone Survivor

Runner-Up Predictions

• Captain Phillips (WL R) [New] (PP R) [New] (TB O)

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Wesley Lovell: In space, no one can hear you scream. That silence, or lack thereof, is one of the reasons why Gravity has earned praise in many circles. While there are some scientific weaknesses to the film, the soundscape is not one of them. Blending sound effects, music and dialogue is one key element to this award, but using silence to accentuate scenes may be what puts this one over the top.
Peter J. Patrick: Gravity will likely win both sound categories as part of its haul of technical Oscars. Captain Phillips is the only other possibility for both.
Tripp Burton: Of the two sound categories, this may be the shakier one for Gravity to win, mostly due to the long stretches of silence. But it will still win.

Best Sound Editing

Winner Predictions

• All Is Lost
• Captain Phillips
• Gravity (WL O) (PP O) (TB O)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
• Lone Survivor

Runner-Up Predictions

• Captain Phillips (WL R) [New] (PP R) [New] (TB R) [New]

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Wesley Lovell: There was a time when the two sound categories went hand-in-hand and often went to the same film that won Best Visual Effects. That typical trio of awards have been less prominent in recent years, but after a win from the Motion Picture Sound Editors, it seems Gravity should be able to pick up that triptych.
Peter J. Patrick: See above.
Tripp Burton: Gravity is most likely going to plow through these technical categories, and I don’t see any reason why it loses here.

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