J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek movies are big, shiny, explosive and a lot of fun and there's probably nobody better to score all of that than Michael Giacchino. His scores strike the perfect balance between drama and comedy. He's like Hans Zimmer but with more urgency and humour. His song titles are testament to that. Somehow Giacchino is capable of producing stunning scores but maintaining that tongue in cheek element. His score for Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is also worth a listen, but he really hits it out of the park with his Star Trek scores. Get it here.
The Lone Ranger - Hans Zimmer - 2013
I could talk all day about how The Lone Ranger could have been a great film, but wasn't. But of the few things it did well, Hans Zimmer's score is outstanding. It's difficult to score a western, but Zimmer is able to maintain the balance of big strings and simply melodies when required. While it has a Pirates of the Caribbean feel in places, it's also much darker. Ironically, for a film ruined by (among other things) its stupid action sequences, the stand-out track on the album is Finale, which accompanies the final train fight. The track incorporates the best parts of Zimmer's score with Rossini's William Tell Overture and it's a stormer. Hats off to the orchestra that performed the track.
X-Men: First Class - Henry Jackman - 2011
In these days of CGI, it's not often a movie scene gives me goosebumps, X-Men: First Class had one of those moments, if you've seen the film (or the trailer), you'll know that there's a scene in which Michael Fassbender's character Magneto lifts a submarine clean out of the water. Aside from looking spectacular, the scene is enhanced brilliantly by Jackman's track 'Sub Lift'. Stunning stuff, even on repeated viewings. One thing that Jackman does well is discard the joviality that can come with comic-book movies. First Class contains a nice mix of drama and tension and is worth a listen.
Pacific Rim - Ramin Djawadi - 2013
While I accept that Pacific Rim may have its flaws, I still love it. There's something about robots punching aliens that's just fun. Ramin Djawadi new this when he scored the film, the main motifs are brash but memorable, the combination of brass and strings works very well to balance the sci-fi and military themes. It's also slightly old-school. Different characters have their own defined motifs, and Djawadi also brings in an Eastern feel when required. For the balls-to-the-wall awesomeness, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave brings the guitar for a couple of tracks. Ignore the RZA obligatory tie-in track. It's beyond awful.
Guardians of the Galaxy - Tyler Bates - 2014
Yes, the songs included in the movie were awesome (and you can buy Quill's Awesome Mix) but don't for a moment let that take away from Tyler Bates' original score. The score was always going to take a back seat to the other songs, but that doesn't make it any less good. Powerful, haunting, tense, fun and beautiful. This score ticks all the boxes. From the energetic and bouncy The Kyln Escape to the emotional Groot Cocoon. The score is punchy, dark, atmospheric and proud and deserves the same recognition as the rest of the music in the film.
Alex's Picks
Blade Runner- Vangelis- 1982
Over 32 years since its release, Greek composer Vangelis' dark electronic score for Ridley Scott's Sci-Fi masterpiece is still magnificent. From its synthesized opening track, it helps create a wonderful and haunting feel and its helps bring to life Scott's noir and futuristic world. But more than that, it successful captures and in some cases, elevates the movie's emotional content, allowing the movie's heart to shine through. It's most beautiful moment however, has to be during Roy Batty's (Rutger Hauer) now infamous "Tears in the Rain" speech and mixed together it brings about possible the most poetic moment of Scott's career. Still highly recommended!
Drive- Cliff Martinez
The ambient and electro-pop score for Nicholas Winding-Refn's critically acclaimed 2011 movie has been one of the more memorable in years gone by. 'Nightcall' by French group Kavinsky succeeds in giving the movie the retro feel that needs and Martinez gives us a soundtrack that has an blood pumping but abstruse feel which ultimately allows the viewer to see the Driver's (Ryan Gosling) world through his own eyes. But the real success of the movie comes from its closing theme 'A Real Hero' by College which effortlessly mirrors the Driver's transformation through Refn's movie.
Friday Night Lights- Explosions in the Sky
Peter Berg's tale of the Permian Panthers football team would not have been such a memorable journey without Explosion's in the Sky's highly emotional post- rock score. Regular contributors to Berg's films, the group have always been able to give us a sound that tugs at our hearts. As natives of West Texas, they were able to secure the movie's hopeful yet crushing feel that they knew so well from growing up. The prominent example of it's feel has to be the movies ending theme 'Your Hand in Mine' which expertly marks the players transition from boys into men and underlays the uncertain future that might lay ahead. I personally am big fan of this group and if I were to pick one group to soundtrack my life, they would get the call!
There Will Be Blood- Jonny Greenwood
Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood appeared at first to be an odd choice for P.T Anderson to score his 2007 ethereal gem. But his largely orchestral score encapsulates the movie's portrayal of man with a twisted moral compass! Over the lengthly course of Anderson's movie, Greenwood's soundtrack becomes the movie's real voice and perfectly sums up the inner conflict that Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) may feel underneath his hardened exterior. Cruelly denied consideration for an Oscar due 'technicalities', Greenwood has still produced a fine and piercing piece of work!
The Lone Ranger - Hans Zimmer - 2013
I could talk all day about how The Lone Ranger could have been a great film, but wasn't. But of the few things it did well, Hans Zimmer's score is outstanding. It's difficult to score a western, but Zimmer is able to maintain the balance of big strings and simply melodies when required. While it has a Pirates of the Caribbean feel in places, it's also much darker. Ironically, for a film ruined by (among other things) its stupid action sequences, the stand-out track on the album is Finale, which accompanies the final train fight. The track incorporates the best parts of Zimmer's score with Rossini's William Tell Overture and it's a stormer. Hats off to the orchestra that performed the track.
X-Men: First Class - Henry Jackman - 2011
In these days of CGI, it's not often a movie scene gives me goosebumps, X-Men: First Class had one of those moments, if you've seen the film (or the trailer), you'll know that there's a scene in which Michael Fassbender's character Magneto lifts a submarine clean out of the water. Aside from looking spectacular, the scene is enhanced brilliantly by Jackman's track 'Sub Lift'. Stunning stuff, even on repeated viewings. One thing that Jackman does well is discard the joviality that can come with comic-book movies. First Class contains a nice mix of drama and tension and is worth a listen.
Pacific Rim - Ramin Djawadi - 2013
While I accept that Pacific Rim may have its flaws, I still love it. There's something about robots punching aliens that's just fun. Ramin Djawadi new this when he scored the film, the main motifs are brash but memorable, the combination of brass and strings works very well to balance the sci-fi and military themes. It's also slightly old-school. Different characters have their own defined motifs, and Djawadi also brings in an Eastern feel when required. For the balls-to-the-wall awesomeness, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave brings the guitar for a couple of tracks. Ignore the RZA obligatory tie-in track. It's beyond awful.
Guardians of the Galaxy - Tyler Bates - 2014
Yes, the songs included in the movie were awesome (and you can buy Quill's Awesome Mix) but don't for a moment let that take away from Tyler Bates' original score. The score was always going to take a back seat to the other songs, but that doesn't make it any less good. Powerful, haunting, tense, fun and beautiful. This score ticks all the boxes. From the energetic and bouncy The Kyln Escape to the emotional Groot Cocoon. The score is punchy, dark, atmospheric and proud and deserves the same recognition as the rest of the music in the film.
Alex's Picks
Blade Runner- Vangelis- 1982
Over 32 years since its release, Greek composer Vangelis' dark electronic score for Ridley Scott's Sci-Fi masterpiece is still magnificent. From its synthesized opening track, it helps create a wonderful and haunting feel and its helps bring to life Scott's noir and futuristic world. But more than that, it successful captures and in some cases, elevates the movie's emotional content, allowing the movie's heart to shine through. It's most beautiful moment however, has to be during Roy Batty's (Rutger Hauer) now infamous "Tears in the Rain" speech and mixed together it brings about possible the most poetic moment of Scott's career. Still highly recommended!
Drive- Cliff Martinez
The ambient and electro-pop score for Nicholas Winding-Refn's critically acclaimed 2011 movie has been one of the more memorable in years gone by. 'Nightcall' by French group Kavinsky succeeds in giving the movie the retro feel that needs and Martinez gives us a soundtrack that has an blood pumping but abstruse feel which ultimately allows the viewer to see the Driver's (Ryan Gosling) world through his own eyes. But the real success of the movie comes from its closing theme 'A Real Hero' by College which effortlessly mirrors the Driver's transformation through Refn's movie.
Friday Night Lights- Explosions in the Sky
Peter Berg's tale of the Permian Panthers football team would not have been such a memorable journey without Explosion's in the Sky's highly emotional post- rock score. Regular contributors to Berg's films, the group have always been able to give us a sound that tugs at our hearts. As natives of West Texas, they were able to secure the movie's hopeful yet crushing feel that they knew so well from growing up. The prominent example of it's feel has to be the movies ending theme 'Your Hand in Mine' which expertly marks the players transition from boys into men and underlays the uncertain future that might lay ahead. I personally am big fan of this group and if I were to pick one group to soundtrack my life, they would get the call!
There Will Be Blood- Jonny Greenwood
Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood appeared at first to be an odd choice for P.T Anderson to score his 2007 ethereal gem. But his largely orchestral score encapsulates the movie's portrayal of man with a twisted moral compass! Over the lengthly course of Anderson's movie, Greenwood's soundtrack becomes the movie's real voice and perfectly sums up the inner conflict that Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) may feel underneath his hardened exterior. Cruelly denied consideration for an Oscar due 'technicalities', Greenwood has still produced a fine and piercing piece of work!
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