January 6, 2010

  • Best of 2009: New Film Music

    This was a great year for animated film scores with a strong score for CORALINE by Bruno Coulais kicking off a host of scores that often recalled Hollywood’s 1940s and 1950s (mostly because their alien themes often referenced those eras).  Giacchino’s UP is probably the best of the lot though no real commercial release appeared (you can download the score the so I’ve included it here).  Young’s score to a really scary film is one of his best while Beltrami provided an equally great score to KNOWING often recalling approaches by Goldsmith.  Giacchino’s other great score for 2009, STAR TREK, is worthy to be included on the Oscar short list if not a real nominee.  Hamlisch’s score for THE INFORMANT! was a welcome return to film music for the composer after an absence that has been way too long.  Danna’s score for the uneven sci-fi romance is among his most mainstream accessible scores but draws the listener into the narrative quite well.  Perhaps one of the best surprise scores was Henry Jackman’s MONSTERS VS. ALIENS which referenced classic Herrmann scores and falls along the lines of Elfman’s MARS ATTACKS!

     

     

      Best New Soundtrack Releases of 2009 

    Listed in alphabetical order:

    Drag Me To Hell – Christopher Young

    The informant! – Marvin Hamlisch

    Knowing – Marco Beltrami

    Red Cliff – Taro Iwashiro

    STAR TREK – Michael Giacchino

    The Time Traveler’s Wife – Mychael Danna

    UP – Michael Giacchino

      Best New Soundtrack Releases of 2009, Honorable Mention 

     

    Aliens in the Attic – John Debney

    Monsters vs. aliens – Henry Jackman

    SIN NOMBRE – Marcelo Zarvos