Awards Watch: Playing Their Song

The music branch of the Academy has released the (not so) short list of the movie tunes eligible for this year's Best Original Song Oscar. And of the 49 songs that qualify for the next round of voting, 22% are from High School Musical 3: Senior Year. That's right, Disney submitted every single original song from their tweener hit (including "I Want it All", pictured), 11 total. However, unlike in previous years, only two songs per movie can be nominated due to new rules in effect this year.

Other Disney tunes making the cut include two from Bolt (which means the phrase "Miley Cyrus, Academy Award nominee" could become a reality ... shudder), "Down to Earth" from WALL-E and "The Call" from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Also short-listed are such musical oddities as "Rock Me Sexy Jesus" from Hamlet 2, "Dracula’s Lament” from Forgetting Sarah Marshall and three rocking arias from Repo! The Genetic Opera, any of which (if nominated) will make for an interesting production number. I vote that Oscar host Hugh Jackman play Sexy Jesus, how about you?

See the comments section below for a quick look at the finalists.

UPDATED: Film Experience has collected sound bites from most of the eligible songs, including (double shudder) Clint Eastwood croaking out "Gran Torino".