Overview of 2014 Scores Part 3 of 3

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10. Mr. Peabody and Sherman (Danny Elfman)

This score is just plain fun, full of adventure, whimsy, and boundless energy. The opening logo music (the first 31 seconds of “Mr. Peabody’s Prologue”) bursts right out of the gate, introducing the buoyant main theme on brass over a giddy flute ostinato; the theme then repeats over a rapid low brass beat, climaxing with flourishes from piccolo and choir. Elfman expertly molds the theme into disparate moods, from whimsical (“The Dog Whistle”) to baleful (“War/Disaster”) to epic (“The Drop Off”) and adventurous (“Reign of Terror”). “The Wedding Exodus” is Elfman’s take on grand, Rosza-esque music that often accompanied the historical epics of Golden Age Hollywood. “Trojan Horse” contains a brief but impressive bit of Latin chanting while “History Mash-Up” features tongue-in-cheek quotes of La Marsellaise and Beethoven’s 5^th Symphony. Another major theme represents Sherman’s relationships with both Mr. Peabody and love-interest Penny. First heard in “Deep Regard,” this enchanting theme soars in the musical set piece “The Flying Machine” and reaches its most mature development in “I’m a Dog Too.” As per the usual for Elfman, the tremendously exciting action music thrills without sounding messy or unfocused. A kind of sister to Elfman’s equally zestful score to Meet the Robinsons, this score far exceeds the rather pallid film it accompanies.

9. Interstellar (Hans Zimmer)

I wouldn’t have believed that a post-1998 Zimmer score would make my top-ten list, but the man has finally impressed me for the first time since Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. First off, I do think this score has lengthy passages where not much of interest is going on. The themes are very short and simple, and even the best cues rely on repetition. However, there are about 30-45 minutes of music where Zimmer really takes off. The themes are quite affecting, and Zimmer assuages the repetition by adding more sounds, instruments, or musical figures with each successive iteration. I’ve always loved the sound of the pipe organ, and Zimmer isn’t afraid to have it blasting away. A theme introduced in “Cornfield Chase” (and closing the score in “Where We’re Going”) conveys the excitement and mystery of exploration quite well, while the “emotion” theme starts out as a mystical wisp in “Dreaming of the Crash,” developing to almost painful heights in “Stay.” My favorite theme is the inexorable pipe organ-led “danger” theme; “Coward” slowly builds it up, the lowest notes of the organ and blistering piano runs entering as the cue comes to its climax. In the even more overpowering “No Time for Caution,” the organ again starts out before steadily rising blasts explode from synthesizers and the orchestra, choir adding the final overwhelming touch.  I’m sure Zimmer’s sole goal in life is to write scores that I personally like, so I’m more than happy to say that he has achieved it with this score.

8. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Howard Shore)

I’ll say this about The Hobbit scores: Shore’s action music for them has gotten better and better with each installment; the composer has slowly shed the overly measured nature of his action music and learned to let it rip. The themes have never been as strong as those in The Lord of the Rings, but he does introduce a striking one here that gets a concert arrangement at the beginning of “Ironfoot” and a grand treatment in “Battle for the Mountain.” One of the most distinctive themes from the previous entry, the theme for Laketown, gets some rousing variations in “The Gathering of the Clouds.” “Guardians of the Three” features some neat fan-service moments, including the Lothlorien theme, the Evil of the Ring/Sauron theme, the massive chords from the “Galadriel almost loses it” scene from The Fellowship of the Ring, and a surging, triumphant rendition of the Rivendell theme. In a neat bit of thematic attribution, Shore shifts Smaug’s theme to Thorin, portraying his “Dragon-Sickness.” From “The Clouds Burst” to “To the Death” is almost continuous action music—37 minutes’ worth of it. Some moments of respite exist, particularly in “The Darkest Hour” and “The Fallen,” but for the most part, these cues comprise some of the most visceral action music in Shore’s Middle-Earth repertoire. Like the film, the score doesn’t quite have a fulfilling ending or a satisfying link to the beginning of The Lord of the Rings. Yet it entertained me a heck of a lot more than the score to An Unexpected Journey. Kudos to Shore for completing this massive series that in duration exceeds even Wagner’s colossal Ring cycle.

7. Monuments Men (Alexandre Desplat)

Monuments Men features a surprising number of first-rate themes. The opening cue “The Roosevelt Mission” introduces a noble trumpet melody that starts in a subdued manner but suddenly rises to something truly inspiring.  It receives a fuller development in “Normandy.” “Opening Titles” recalls Elmer Bernstein’s optimistic march for The Great Escape, the cheerful primary melody giving way to a spirited bridge (later heard in “The Letter”). One might be mistaken into thinking that this carefree march contains an inherent lightheartedness, but Desplat displays the malleability of his theme with rather touching piano renditions in “Stokes ” and “Jean-Claude Dies.” “I See You Stahl” introduces the antithesis of the title theme: a bold, imperious march with low brass proclamations and churning strings. And Desplat then twists this theme into a light waltz in “Stahl’s Chalet.” Want more? There’s also a delicate love theme, heard in “Champagne” and “Claire & Granger,“ a tune that rises higher before leisurely winding its way back down. “Into Bruges” percolates with muted brass, marimba, and bass clarinet while stirring, Medal of Honor-esque action (especially in the beginning of “Sniper”) threads its way throughout the score—and Medal of Honor-eqsue music (if we’re talking about the Michael Giacchino entries) is never a bad thing. Most of the themes receive fulfilling recapitulations in the impressive “Finale,” the score closing with a perky, whistled version of the title theme in “End Credits.” Although one can hear influences in this score, the overall style is Desplat’s own; the multitude of excellent themes, the clever musical development, and the composer’s always-dexterous orchestrations make this a delightful, outstanding score.

6. Big Hero 6 (Henry Jackman)

This score isn’t quite as good as Jackman’s score to Wreck-It Ralph (which I would now put at number 3 on my “Best of 2012” list) and the themes are pretty simple. Yet Jackman has a knack for making irresistibly attractive music out of simple melodies. For example, the “action” motif (best heard at 4:43-4:53 and 5:24-5:49 in “Big Hero 6”) is compositionally quite rudimentary, yet it thrills me to no end. The appropriately intrepid main theme makes its first full appearance in “Microbots,” bold brass sounding over peppy electronic beats. Rip-roaring statements of this theme bolster the action sequences in the cues “Upgrades,” “The Streets of San Fransokyo,” and “Big Hero 6,” while a pop version drives the toe-tapping “Huggable Detective.” The softer variations of the theme in “Family Reunion” and “I Am Satisfied with My Care” are (like the scenes they accompany) surprisingly poignant. A theme often associated with the robot Baymax first appears in a delicate arrangement 40 seconds into “Inflatable Friend.” It plays alongside the main theme in “The Streets of San Fransokyo,” the action climax “Big Hero 6” and the magnificently ascendant “First Flight.” Jackman’s dramatic instincts make this an impressively structured score; the early cues are fun and perky, almost pop instrumentals. However, the film’s emotional heart becomes more manifest as time goes on, and the score in turn strips away the electronics. As the film reaches its dramatic acme in “I Am Satisfied with My Care,” the music surges with mysticism, wonder, and, eventually, grief. There are some dull passages (like the first three minutes of “Silent Sparrow”), but overall, this invigorating score further substantiates Jackman’s considerable expertise at scoring animated films.

5. Godzilla* (Alexandre Desplat)

After The Golden Compass and Rise of the Guardians, those of us with ears all knew that Desplat could write action music, but this is something else entirely. Godzilla is straight-up brutal, hair-raising action of Elliot Goldenthal-esque proportions. The main theme emerges out of the haze to pound the listener in the track “Godzilla!” but this is admittedly not a score of strong themes. A tender, searching piano melody opens “Back to Janjira,” but such respites are few and far in between. An electronic pulse propels “Muto Hatch” forward until strings explode forth and brass statements reminiscent of original Godzilla composer Akira Ifukube’s work blast out. Voices surge to the forefront in “The Wave” while frenzied strings whirl away. String arpeggios in “Following Godzilla” evoke pleasant memories of Goldenthal’s action music, while dissonant voices tear though the thick swirl of action in “Golden Gate Chaos.” Just when you think there’s going to be another break in “Let Them Fight,” (though the name of the cue should be a giveaway) the fun starts again, and taiko-like drums hammer out a ferocious rhythm. The main theme rears its head in “Last Shot,” and another Goldenthal “trademark,” trilling French horns, makes an appearance. The music comes to a massively triumphant conclusion in “Back to the Ocean,” chimes tolling away under the orchestra’s final peroration. If you’re searching for memorable themes, this score probably isn’t for you, but for those seeking an adrenaline rush via intelligently composed, complex music, this score will serve as a welcome antidote to the mindlessly churning scores that accompany so many of today’s action films.

4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles* (Brian Tyler)

Like the score to Godzilla, this score is an action-packed thrill ride from start to finish. Tyler’s score does have a rousing main theme cut out of the same cloth he used for the themes to his Marvel scores (Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World). The main theme consists not only of the primary melody, but also a staccato rhythmic motif and a cyclical phrase that starts out enigmatically in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” before transforming into an ever-escalating action motif. The more subdued tracks (“Adolescent Genetically Altered Shinobi Terrapins,” “Origins,” “Brotherhood,” and “Project Renaissance”) contain some lovely renditions of the main theme and some cooing choral work, but all the other 13 tracks on the album are basically action cues. Luckily for listeners, Tyler provides his most adrenaline-soaked action music since Eagle Eye—and there is indeed a cue entitled “Adrenaline,” complete with impressively intricate trumpet lines. “Rise of the Four” plays like an energizing call to arms, choir and orchestra leading to the staccato action rhythm. The main theme charges forward over an irregular rhythm in “Cowabunga” before transforming into a march. “Shortcut” is probably my favorite of the many action cues; a thrilling passage features phrases being traded off among strings, trumpets, and horns with the main theme building to almost delirious heights. The action reaches its apex in “Splinter vs. Shredder” and “Buck Buck,” chanting choir bursting to the forefront in the former. Although the score is basically monothematic, Tyler breaks down and molds the theme enough to keep it fascinating in all its reiterations. Though this score is not as complex as the score to Godzilla, the writing is still intricate enough to elevate it beyond mere ear candy.

3. The Grand Budapest Hotel* (Alexandre Desplat)

The most striking aspect of this score is its inventiveness; I personally haven’t heard anything quite like it, though it bears some superficial resemblance to the composer’s brief score to Wes Anderson’s previous film, Moonrise Kingdom. The plucked balalaika and casual tone of “Mr. Moustafa” gives the impression that this score is going to sound like the equivalent of Eastern European easy-listening music. But “A Prayer for Madame D” introduces a compelling theme, ripe with mystery and a hint of danger. “Daylight Express to Lutz” presents a vaguely ominous motif as well as some onomatopoeic traveling music. Pipe organ rises to prominence in “J.G. Jopling, Private Inquiry Agent” alongside the now-familiar balalaika  while hand-clapping enlivens “A Dash of Salt (Ludwig’s Theme).” “Escape Concerto” has an almost jazzy beat, and “The Society of Crossed Keys” builds almost perpetually to its conclusion. “Canto at Gabelmeister’s Peak” introduces rich, chanting voices (which become diegetic at one point) before brass, B3 organ, and frenzied balalaika enter to underscore a whimsical sledding sequence. Every element of the score comes together in “A Troops Barracks (Requiem for The Grand Budapest)”; late in the cue, the pipe organ intones a menacing dirge that, after a pregnant pause, turns into a frantic, agitated ostinato. The end credits feature Desplat’s arrangement of the traditional tune “Moonshine,” balalaika giving way to full orchestra, B3 organ, and stentorian male chorus.  But what’s most impressive about this score is that it doesn’t just fit the film; it actually does much of the work in defining its tone. Congratulations to Desplat for composing not only this exceptional score, but four other outstanding ones in 2014 as well.

2. Maleficent* (James Newton Howard)

James Newton Howard doing fantasy is a film score fan’s dream come true, and Maleficent, while not one of the composer’s very best, comes extremely close. The themes don’t quite reach the sublimity of the themes for Lady in the Water, Dinosaur, or The Village, but Howard’s lush writing remains as exquisite as ever. Maleficent’s main theme pops up right under the opening Disney logo (not on the soundtrack), a simple melody that encapsulates the beauty and grandeur of the title character. The sumptuous choir in “Welcome to the Moors” will delight anyone who loves great fantasy music, while “Maleficent Flies” formally introduces the main theme as it soars with the young fairy. A repeating choir phrase that starts at about 2:20 is almost heart wrenching in its pure beauty (and now I’ve gone and built it up too much). Also introduced in this track (at 1:50) is a gorgeous theme for the moors and/or Aurora; it receives a beatific playing in “Aurora and the Fawn,” following an ecstatic build-up for strings and choir. “The Christening” includes a slinking tuba melody, some (effective) electronic percussion, and, most importantly, the theme for Maleficent’s curse. This choir-led theme, consisting of four pairs of notes, builds in volume and intensity with each repetition. The action music, heard in “The Spindle’s Power,” “The Wall Defends Itself,” “Path of Destruction,” “Battle of the Moors,” and the superb “Maleficent Is Captured” gush with Howard’s signature touches, including  vibrant French horn fanfares, surging string phrases, syncopated rhythms, and enormous choir outbursts. Throughout the action cues, the main theme declares itself in robust settings for brass, strings, and choir. Speaking of choir, voices play a large part in this score, and Howard definitely knows how to use  them to evoke mystical splendor. When JNH brings his A-game to fantasy, as he does here, few today can come close to matching him

1. How to Train Your Dragon 2** (John Powell)

The first HTTYD score was Powell’s magnum opus as a composer, featuring a plethora of stellar themes and a consistency that was often lacking in his other solo animation scores. This sequel score lives up to the original, boasting superior choral work, even more themes, and development of some of the original film’s themes. The curtain rises with “Dragon Racing,” opening with a fanfare of the first part of the flying theme before transitioning to the Berk theme, the themes for Hiccup and his friends, and Astrid’s theme, each gaining additional embellishment from when we last heard them in the first film; I especially like the expansion of the Berk theme starting at 3:37. “Together We Map the World” introduces the lilting, waltz-like theme for Hiccup and Toothless’s explorations, while “Toothless Lost” introduces Valka’s theme, with a haunting, hummed variation at 2:12 into the track. “Flying with Mother” adorns the exploration and Valka themes with inventive writing for female choir. “Losing Mom / Meet the Good Alpha” brings in the Alpha motif, a royal tune that sounds like it’s visiting from Basil Poledouris’s score to Conan the Barbarian (specifically, the cure entitled “The Orgy”). The theme for the villainous Drago (AKA “He who can control dragons by chanting the secret, mystical words, 'AAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!'”), like the character himself, is somewhat generic, the least interesting of the new themes. The exhilarating “Battle of the Bewilderbeast” shares some similarities with “Battling the Green Death” from the first score, but introduces colossal choir to accompany the invigorating statements of the various themes. An absolutely gargantuan buildup at 3:30 leads into a rapturous explosion of the flying theme; I also love the one-off action motif at 5:25. Strident bagpipes keen a relentless motif in “Hiccup Confronts Drago” and lend emotion to “Stoick’s Ship.” “Toothless Found” sees Valka’s theme reach its apotheosis, leading into an astonishing run of brass fanfares, a march variation of Valka’s theme, and a brief but spectacular eruption of the flying theme. Finally, “Two New Alphas” brings this sublime score to its conclusion, the flying theme fittingly ending the score with a euphoric cadence. There aren’t as many standout tracks as in the first score, and the flying theme doesn’t really get a full rendition. I also don’t like the new themes quite as much as most of the themes from the first score. But none of that takes away from the almost unbelievably epic writing, assured classical-inspired compositional complexity, and emotional depth of my favorite score of the year.

Overview of 2013 Scores Part 3 of 3

For reference, I don’t think there’s actually that much difference in quality among scores #10-#2. They’re all within a hair of being superb.

10. Saving Mr. Banks (Thomas Newman)

The score for Saving Mr. Banks is Thomas Newman squarely in his comfort zone, but what a comfort zone it is. He combines his always-unique and distinctive instrumentation with lush orchestral themes, recalling some of his best scores: Shawshank Redemption, Meet Joe Black, Lemony Snickett’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and Angels in America. While not quite as superlative as these stellar works, this score is still ripe with signature Newman moments. “Travers Goff” opens the score with an expansive string melody, but Newman’s characteristically driving piano soon enters. This melody is reprised in “Beverly Hills Hotel” and expanded upon in “Ginty My Love.” “Walking Bus” contains colorful instrumentation, recalling A Series of Unfortunate Events in particular, while “Jollification” takes this quirkiness further, becoming American Beauty-esque. “Leisurely Stroll” brings wonderful string swells to the forefront, reminiscent of Finding Nemo. Repeated piano notes propel “Whiskey” and Newman twists his style into a quasi-jazz cue for “Mrs. P.L. Travers.”  “Mr. Disney” is Newman’s idiosyncratic take on a fanfare, with a more majestic take in “The Magic Kingdom.” Finally, “Saving Mr. Banks (End Title)” closes the score with an eloquent orchestral melody. The score is not quite the perfection Newman has achieved with other scores, but it’s close.

9. Oz: The Great and Powerful (Danny Elfman)

Sure, the main theme bears an uncanny resemblance to “O Canada!” and the witches’ theme is straight out of Elfman’s tried-and-true toolbox. But the composer still manages to concoct a delicious fantasy score with indelible moments, from the majestic “Main Titles” and the dynamic “Preparation Montage” (Elfman is ever the master of the montage) to the wondrous “Bubble Voyage” and the heartbreakingly tender “China Town.” The playful composer even contributes a wacky “Munchkin Welcome Song,” recalling a similarly titled opus from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Unfortunately, much of the final battle music is not on the CD. But the frenetic, almost impossibly frenzied final 45 seconds of the penultimate track, “Time for Gifts,” is pure film music pleasure of the highest order, almost like a condensed version of the “Main Titles” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (sans electronics). I for one am glad that Elfman and director Sam Raimi made up (though Christopher Young would probably have done a good job as well). Coming up for Elfman (pun very much intended) is Fifty Shades of Grey, which should be…interesting.

8. Iron Man 3 (Brian Tyler)

I wrote a bit about the score to Iron Man 3 here; more than half a year after that post, I can now say that Tyler wrote probably my favorite theme of the year for this film. It’s an unabashedly muscular, heroic, robust anthem, the kind that Man of Steel should have had (in terms of memorability, effectiveness, and grandeur, not necessarily in terms of musical style). Plus, it’s pliable enough to play morosely in “Isolation” and funky in the rocking throwback end title track “Can You Dig It?” Much of the score before the lengthy finale is actually rather subdued and doesn’t use the main theme much. That’s primarily why this score isn’t placed higher. But once the climax kicks in (comprising the tracks “Dive Bombers,” “Battle Finale,” “Stark,” “Heat and Iron,” and “Hot Pepper”), the score finally comes into its own as a massive action opus. One of my favorite moments is the build-up from 1:20-1:27 in “Stark.” Like the entire score, it’s simple, yet stunningly compelling.

7. The Book Thief (John Williams)

The Book Thief was a surprise assignment for the world’s reigning maestro, but certainly a welcome one. Far from Star Wars and Indiana Jones in nearly every aspect but quality, the score still retains Williams’s peerless compositional voice. While he doesn’t embark on any new avenues, his painstakingly precise writing is as sublime as ever. Choice moments are legion: The tender introduction of the main theme in “One Small Fact” preceding a surging restatement of the same, the rich string writing in “The Train Station,” the emotionally overwhelming simplicity of the oboe tune in “Max and Liesel,” and the effortlessly flowing recapitulation of the theme in “Learning to Read.” By the time the “Finale” and the suite “The Book Thief” roll around, Williams has more than proven his mastery—as if he needed to at this point. Even more than Lincoln, however, this score requires attention and patience to appreciate the subtleties of its craft. Less engaging passages do exist, and there isn’t quite the sense of freshness of War Horse or The Adventures of Tintin, and these reasons are why this score isn’t higher up on my list. But John Williams is still the man.

6. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Howard Shore)

Howard Shore’s middle score to the most drawn-out trilogy in history improves upon its predecessor, but still lags behind the scores for The Lord of the Rings. The main problem is the shortness, obscurity, and relative un-memorability of Shore’s new themes. They certainly aren’t lacking in quantity: we have several Bilbo themes, a Gandalf the Grey theme, a handful of Erebor/Thorin themes, themes for Mirkwood, the Wood Elves, Tauriel, Bard, Laketown, Smaug, and more. The jaunty tune for Laketown is neat, and I like the mesmerizing instrumentation and percussion of Smaug’s primary theme (apparently he has more than one theme), even if I can’t recall the actual melody. My two favorite themes are the ones having to do with Tauriel, the female version of Link for those uninitiated with Peter Jackson’s version of Middle-Earth. Her fluttering theme works great as an action fanfare in “The Forest River,” a track that proves that Shore has improved his action writing since The Lord of the Rings. The theme for her relationship with Kili (Aragorn Jr.) is simple yet enchanting. Time will tell if There and Back Again will allow Shore to return to the heights of the Original Trilogy. (Mr. Williams welcomes you to the club, Mr. Shore.)

5. Thor: The Dark World (Brian Tyler)

Brian Tyler’s main theme for the second Thor film isn’t as original or good, frankly, as Patrick Doyle’s themes for the original or Tyler’s own theme for Iron Man 3. But somehow, Tyler uses this basic theme to craft the most entertaining, solid start-to-finish score for a Marvel Studios film. The main theme is an almost overblown, epic fantasy tune complete with furiously chanting choir and simple harmonies. Yet Tyler includes orchestral flourishes and clever motifs to keep the tune from becoming yet another Remote Control remnant. The theme actually has three distinct parts; the second part is often used as a love theme and the third (girded by a gliding electronic tone) is used for traveling to Asgard and especially heroic moments. “Into Eternity” includes a heartfelt, tragic rendition of the first part of the theme, and “Asgard” features yet another theme that isn’t really used in the film itself (it plays in the credits right after the first bonus scene). Loki’s sinuous, serpentine theme underscores his obviously deceitful nature, but also plays in a heroic action setting in “Convergence.” And Tyler’s incorporation of Alan Silvestri’s Captain America theme in “An Unlikely Alliance” makes for one of the most delightful film music moments of the year. The entire score almost never lets up, enthralling fantasy-action moments filling it up to the brim. Now, if only Marvel could get Brian Tyler to score Guardians of the Galaxy instead of that other Tyler….

4. Planes (Mark Mancina)

Mark Mancina hadn’t scored a major film since “Imagine That” in 2009, and Planes marked a very welcome return. The film allows Mancina to write plenty of action, an area where he has always excelled. Cues such as “Start Your Engines,” “Running on Fumes,” “Get Above the Storm,” and “Skipper to the Rescue” certainly reveal Mancina’s musical history as one of the earliest of Hans Zimmer’s protégés. But his command of the orchestra is stronger than many of those from the Zimmer school, and the music is slightly reminiscent of Mancina’s rollicking action cues for Tarzan. “Dusty & Ishani” uses Indian instrumentation that is almost certainly not authentic, but is nevertheless extremely attractive and well written. The theme for Skipper is a noble anthem that Mancina transforms into an outright chorale in the moving “Skipper’s Theme (Volo Pro Veritas).” However, it is the stirring main theme that serves as the score’s highlight; Mancina can add another notch to his belt for great themes. The noble, soaring trumpet melody has five phrases; the third and fourth are my favorite, as they seem to convey a sense of yearning as-yet unrequited. The drums and guitar add an appropriate sense of energy without going over the top. Best heard in “Dusty Soars,” “First Place,” and “Planes,” this is my second favorite theme of the year (behind Iron Man 3).

3. Escape from Tomorrow (Abel Korzeniowski)

There are two weaknesses to this score: first, it’s too short at 20 minutes. Second, two of the tracks consist of meandering electronic textures. But Korzeniowski composed 15 minutes of singular elegance for this offbeat film about a family’s breakdown at the Disney parks. And indeed, the music would be perfect as background music for the parks themselves. The end of “Fantasy Girl” has a stately, brassy optimism characteristic of the music played at Epcot. “Gates of Tomorrow” and the two “Magic Kingdom” tracks feature gorgeous themes while “The Grand Finale” closes the score with resplendent, soaring flourishes. “Fireworks” is the kind of crazy track I like. (Yes, there is crazy music I don’t like; see “Martian Mambo” from John Powell’s Mars Needs Moms.) It opens with a complicated string line before expanding into a portentous action track, complete with chimes.  Then, an unsettling children’s choir enters, keening an eerie five-note ostinato. Speaking of children’s choir, they return for a final song, “Imaginate!” lampooning “It’s A Small World” with subtly twisted lyrics and malignantly jaunty woodblock accompaniment. The composer, choir director, or conductor even manages to make the kids sing in a slightly demented tone. One only wishes that Korzeniowski had been allowed to develop his musical ideas further.

2. Kick-Ass 2 (Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson)

When I saw this movie in the theaters and the Kick-Ass theme started playing under the studio logos, I grinned inside (I admit to being on the phlegmatic side outwardly). Henry Jackman’s reaching, heroic melody for the wannabe superhero has become one of my favorite themes, and the best parts of this sequel score use this theme. Margeson appears to have actually written most of this score, and I honestly think his new themes for Hit-Girl and the Motherf*cker (the former Red Mist) are just okay. At least he keeps them both in same musical ballpark as the themes from the first film; the first two notes of Hit-Girl’s theme are the same as the first two of Big Daddy’s, and the Motherf*cker’s theme is backed by an electric guitar line that is also a more simplified version of Big Daddy’s theme. “Mindy’s First Date” display’s Hit-Girl’s theme in its emotional guise, while “Dave’s Field Test” uses it heroically. “Cemetery Attack/Hit-Girl is Back” and “Warehouse Showdown” are the best action tracks, often using a persistent electronic beat under the Kick-Ass and Motherf*cker themes. “Hit-Girl’s Farewell” recalls the sublime blend of grandeur, triumph, and coolness of “Flying Home” from the first film, but the orchestral arrangement sounds thinner. “Justice Forever” is a highlight (it’s the track that plays under the Blu-ray/DVD menu), electric guitar and electronics building to a brassy fanfare of the Kick-Ass theme, moving on to a full orchestral statement of the theme that precedes an eruption of drums and a stirring string line. “Main Titles,” which plays under the logos, starts out with a soft orchestral statement of the theme as a bass pulse grows and grows, becoming massive as more bubbling electronics enter and the theme transitions to synthesizer. It’s pure musical heaven. Another one of my favorite tracks is the sadly unused “Last Resort,” in which a gargantuan statement of the Kick-Ass theme starts on electric guitar before exploding into orchestra and choir as the theme ascends to its zenith. As a whole, this score is more cohesive than the original, but with fewer highlights. However, it’s still the most flat-out fun, consistently entertaining score I heard this year.

1. Romeo and Juliet* (Abel Korzeniowski)

Korzeniowski was a last-minute replacement for the famed James Horner on this score. But unlike the score for Ender’s Game (where Horner was replaced by Steve Jablonsky), the score for Romeo and Juliet likely exceeds what Horner would have done based on his recent track record. Korzeniowski’s simple themes are bolstered by exquisite orchestrations and opulent bursts of heavenly beauty. Although it is a close companion to the composer’s score for W.E. with its lush strings, piano, and semi-minimalistic writing, a sense of inevitable tragedy permeates the score and provides it with its own character. “Forbidden Love” starts with a tender build-up laden with anticipation before the celestial main theme pours out from the strings. The end of “First Kiss” is rapturous in its emotional intensity, while “A Thousand Times Good Night” explores the wondrous main theme further with piano lines that are both pounding and euphoric. Similarly masterful piano writing imbues “Juliet’s Dream” with romantic aching. “Fortune’s Fool” and “From Ancient Grudge” hint at the kind of furious action Korzeniowski excels at (and has sadly only really been able to explore in his score for Battle for Terra) while keeping within the score’s partially minimalistic idiom. The two “Crypt” cues are more subdued until the end, leading into the divine final cue, “Eternal Love.” Here, a solo female voice sings an elegy for the doomed lovers before leading into a final beatific statement of the main theme. Korzeniowski’s sumptuous score is a splendid achievement and my favorite score of the year; it just hits the spot for me.  In fact, while listening to it again for review purposes, I really fell in love with it even more and upgraded it to asterisk status (just below the absolute highest rating of two asterisks). While Korzeniowski excels at these romantic scores, I hope he will be allowed to explore more styles and genres.

Howard Shore

Howard Shore became a big name in 2001 with his music for The Lord of the Rings films, but he has written many scores of similar quality since 1979. Shore began his musical career playing saxophone for the band Lighthouse. Soon after, he became the musical director for Saturday Night Live from its debut, writing the show's theme and arranging and performing for sketches until 1980. Shore's first film score, The Brood, was for director David Cronenberg, and Shore would go on to score all of Cronenberg's subsequent films with the exception of Michael Kamen's The Dead Zone. These films include Scanners, Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, M. Butterfly, Crash, eXIstenZ, Spider, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, A Dangerous Method, Cosmopolis, and Maps to the Stars. Befitting Cronenberg's vision, Shore wrote most of the scores in a dark, brooding, almost minimalistic style, filled with unsettling orchestrations and strange harmonies. Even Naked Lunch, which features the performance of Ornette Coleman, is a complex and unusual composition for those more familiar with more popular and upbeat jazz. He wrote similarly dark scores for David Fincher's films Se7en, The Game, and Panic Room as well as Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, The Cell, Doubt, and Edge of Darkness (for which John Corigliano had written a superior rejected score). He scored After Hours with Martin Scorsese, and later formed a relationship with the director on Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, and the wonderfully magical Hugo. But as this last film attests to, Shore is not all about doom and gloom, and he has written scores for films like Big, Mrs. Doubtfire, Analyze This, The Last Mimzy, and (rather bizarrely) The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. He also scored Ed Wood, the one Tim Burton film with original music not by Danny Elfman (Sweeney Todd's music was based on Stephen Sondheim's already-existing musical). Shore wrote an alternately cheesy and emotionally affecting score to reflect Wood's horrible films and the plight of Bela Lugosi. His score for Peter Jackson's King Kong was rejected, though James Newton Howard's replacement was great. Of course, it is Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy for which Shore is best known. He was given a luxuriously long time to compose a score with a mind-numbing amount of themes that connect to each other in ingenious ways. And the themes themselves are, for the most part, glorious, though the score itself has its own share of uninteresting passages with thin orchestrations. But all in all, it is a marvelous composition, and musicologist Doug Adams wrote a fantastic and hefty tome about it that is a must-buy.

Dogma

Ed Wood
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Hugo

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring**

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers*

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King**

Naked Lunch

Philadelphia