midgemania

FWIW, I’m one of these people. When I first saw TROS in the cinema I had a strong, almost visceral, dislike of it. It felt cynical, rushed and corporate and like a microcosm of all of modern Disney’s worst instincts - an unfortunate but predictable end result of all of my concerns with TFA and TLJ. 
 
I’ve watched all 9 films again recently, in release order, and I have to say that I greatly enjoyed the sequel trilogy far more than I expected to. When taken as an episodic conclusion to 9 films of a great cinematic saga, TROS works much better. Most crucially, for me at least, it feels like a Star Wars movie - with all the positive and negative connotations that implies. 
 
Some of the major set pieces in TROS are right up there with anything else in the Star Wars canon, and the film never looks anything less than superb. I’m happy to say that I have mellowed in my strong dislike of it, and look forward to enjoying it more in years to come. 

I don't know, where to start. Using words like "eternity" in such a chorus of a song is a stylistic no-go. The chorus melody has too many to far jumping intervalls. And each note is one syllable of the lyrics. That sounds too constructed and unnatural for a vocal line for my taste. 

It may well be sacrilege to say it on this site, but I find every lyric to Williams’ music to be anodyne and unnecessary. I just don’t think his melodies lend themselves to vocalisation, and it always feels shoehorned in. 

It may well be sacrilege to say it on this site, but I find every lyric to Williams’ music to be anodyne and unnecessary. I just don’t think his melodies lend themselves to vocalisation, and it always feels shoehorned in. 

I can’t explain why, but this score is living with me a lot. I’m no great Zimmer fan (although I respect his production genius and impact on cinema, for better or worse), but this is him at his bombastic, cyclical-chord writing, Handel-plagiarising, 24-horn-because-why-the-fuck-not best, and I for one am delighted to hear it rather than the endless droning synth scores we’ve had in his latest reincarnation. 

I can’t explain why, but this score is living with me a lot. I’m no great Zimmer fan (although I respect his production genius and impact on cinema, for better or worse), but this is him at his bombastic, cyclical-chord writing, Handel-plagiarising, 24-horn-because-why-the-fuck-not best, and I for one am delighted to hear it rather than the endless droning synth scores we’ve had in his latest reincarnation. 

Respectfully, I disagree based on this small snippet. It doesn’t sound like it fits the textural soundscape or harmonic language of the Avatar movies to my ear at all. It’s like they wrote a checklist of what they think “Avatar” is - ethnic flutes, brash female vocals and hand percussion - but did it in a very predictable way. And I say this as someone who is a fan of Pinar Toprak, I think she’s very talented. 
 
I’ll reserve judgement until I hear the whole score - only time and a full listen will tell whether it enhances and enriches the Avatar canon. 

I can’t explain why, but this score is living with me a lot. I’m no great Zimmer fan (although I respect his production genius and impact on cinema, for better or worse), but this is him at his bombastic, cyclical-chord writing, Handel-plagiarising, 24-horn-because-why-the-fuck-not best, and I for one am delighted to hear it rather than the endless droning synth scores we’ve had in his latest reincarnation. 

I can’t explain why, but this score is living with me a lot. I’m no great Zimmer fan (although I respect his production genius and impact on cinema, for better or worse), but this is him at his bombastic, cyclical-chord writing, Handel-plagiarising, 24-horn-because-why-the-fuck-not best, and I for one am delighted to hear it rather than the endless droning synth scores we’ve had in his latest reincarnation. 

I can’t explain why, but this score is living with me a lot. I’m no great Zimmer fan (although I respect his production genius and impact on cinema, for better or worse), but this is him at his bombastic, cyclical-chord writing, Handel-plagiarising, 24-horn-because-why-the-fuck-not best, and I for one am delighted to hear it rather than the endless droning synth scores we’ve had in his latest reincarnation. 

Seems like a slightly extended edition of Way of Water is coming out for Christmas
 
https://collider.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-collectors-edition-4k-steelbook-release-date/

“…12 deleted scenes will expand what we know about the sequel…”
 
 I’m hoping we’ll get to hear more of Franglen’s excellent score, but knowing Cameron we’ll almost certainly just get more hacked Horner from A1. 

Seems like a slightly extended edition of Way of Water is coming out for Christmas
 
https://collider.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-collectors-edition-4k-steelbook-release-date/

“…12 deleted scenes will expand what we know about the sequel…”
 
 I’m hoping we’ll get to hear more of Franglen’s excellent score, but knowing Cameron we’ll almost certainly just get more hacked Horner from A1. 

Seems like a slightly extended edition of Way of Water is coming out for Christmas
 
https://collider.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-collectors-edition-4k-steelbook-release-date/

“…12 deleted scenes will expand what we know about the sequel…”
 
 I’m hoping we’ll get to hear more of Franglen’s excellent score, but knowing Cameron we’ll almost certainly just get more hacked Horner from A1. 

Seems like a slightly extended edition of Way of Water is coming out for Christmas
 
https://collider.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-collectors-edition-4k-steelbook-release-date/

“…12 deleted scenes will expand what we know about the sequel…”
 
 I’m hoping we’ll get to hear more of Franglen’s excellent score, but knowing Cameron we’ll almost certainly just get more hacked Horner from A1. 

Seems like a slightly extended edition of Way of Water is coming out for Christmas
 
https://collider.com/avatar-the-way-of-water-collectors-edition-4k-steelbook-release-date/

“…12 deleted scenes will expand what we know about the sequel…”
 
 I’m hoping we’ll get to hear more of Franglen’s excellent score, but knowing Cameron we’ll almost certainly just get more hacked Horner from A1. 

I wouldn’t hold my breath. The ever-increasing proliferation of DAW / keyboard-centric composers, the continuing use of mid-late noughties Zimmer in temp music, and the ubiquitous presence of RC alumni in the upper echelons of film scoring (many of whom probably had a large involvement in the “Zimmer” sound in the first place) mean that this approach to action will be around for a while yet. 

I wouldn’t hold my breath. The ever-increasing proliferation of DAW / keyboard-centric composers, the continuing use of mid-late noughties Zimmer in temp music, and the ubiquitous presence of RC alumni in the upper echelons of film scoring (many of whom probably had a large involvement in the “Zimmer” sound in the first place) mean that this approach to action will be around for a while yet. 

I wouldn’t hold my breath. The ever-increasing proliferation of DAW / keyboard-centric composers, the continuing use of mid-late noughties Zimmer in temp music, and the ubiquitous presence of RC alumni in the upper echelons of film scoring (many of whom probably had a large involvement in the “Zimmer” sound in the first place) mean that this approach to action will be around for a while yet. 

I don't have time to pay attention to Avatar minutae, but this sounded like an actual score - real themes and orchestratrions, presence, meaning development of thematic strands. Precisely what is missing in all current HZ-inspired nonsense. Absolutely loved what Franglen did here and the Songcord theme is a powerhouse as are many of the action cues.
 
So pleased this stuff continues to be done whilst the music world burns because of an ignorant German.....

For me this score is much, much better than merely "passable"... in fact much to my surprise I actually prefer it to Horner's original score.
 
Were it not for the powerhouse that was Bear McCreary's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, I think this would have been my favorite score of last year.
 
Yavar

There's nothing wrong with liking generic music. Most popular music is generic. 

Sounds absolutely generic.

Fry as Slughorn or Fudge would be excellent as well. 

Fry as Slughorn or Fudge would be excellent as well. 

Managed to finally watch them yesterday - there’s some very interesting things in there. A small but very moving moment in the behind-the-scenes footage is when 
 

It was great to see the film again in a non-cinematic context, and it confirms my beliefs from seeing it at the movies. When comparing it with the soundtrack, the moments where Franglen’s music is left largely untouched are by far the most effective, and the moments where Cameron or the music editors have hacked it are much less impactful. I’m really hoping that they trust Franglen a little more in Avatar 3 and beyond, because it seems like his dramatic instincts are very very good.