The Patriot . The Last of the Mohicans 2. Crimson Tide 3. This year's back door Oscar contender is not much different in size and scope from its 1995 equivalent, Luis Bacalov's Il Postino . And although it stands on a level very much different than the other Oscar contenders for 1998, don't underestimate its appeal.
Life is Beautiful is fun and silly score, with brief lapses into deeper, more dramatic underscore.
Of all five nominees, it has the biggest heart, with a Chaplinesque personality that charms its way from track to track. With these base characteristics, it is very much like Il Postino for the average American score fan, but the themes in Life is Beautiful are even more lighthearted. A couple of themes run throughout this score, and they're the type that will make you want to dance if you're in the right mood, or seek a weapon if otherwise. The bounciness in the music is vaguely similar to the period romance work of Rachel Portman. With Life is Beautiful , of course, the music is extremely reminiscent of the small ensembles of circa 1940.