Minority Report or A.I.

[arathornion33 0]

I'm trying to decide which score to buy (because of funds, both are not possible at once); A.I. or Minority Report. Which do you think is better? Let me know...

BTW, I forgot to say that these would be blind buys, because I've never heard them before.

[indy4 152]

A.I. took me a bit of time to fully appreciate, but now I easily prefer it to Minority Report (though the latter is a good score also). AI is a gorgeous score.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

Lack of funds? You can find each score for $5 a piece.

[Red 73]

A.I.

This should be in General Discussion.

[John Crichton 4]

A.I., no question. It's easily Williams' best non-franchise score this decade. Century.

[Ollie 859]

A.I.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

niether is special, find a better score if you can.

[King Mark 2,924]

A.I. is great

Minority Report is a dust collector .One of those Williams scores with only one good track. Only a few people like it here.

K.M.Who thinks this thread is in the wrong subforum

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

A.I. is a masterpiece

[Romão 1,931]

Both are brilliant, but AI is one of the greatest JW scores ever written, IMHO. Get both if you can, get AI first if not.

[Bryant Burnette 451]

I prefer A.I., but that may be because it's one of my favorite movies. Really, I don't think you're going wrong with either score.

[Incanus 5,519]

Yes get A.I. first. Minority Report second. But get both

[indy4 152]

I didn't know there was so much hate for MR.

"Minority Report," "Pre-Crime To The Rescue," "Spyders," "Eye-Dentiscan," "Sean's Theme," "Anderton's Great Escape," and "A New Beggining" are all good cues. It's no masterpiece, but I think it's a good score (but AI is better).

[Luke Skywalker 1,285]

I would chose AI first.

[Richard Penna 2,083]

I recommend A.I.

Much of Minority Report is boring to me, and those 5 or 6 cues that I do like don't get a lot of playtime. Both are slightly darker scores, but I'd argue that A.I. is more upbeat and has far less background dissonance.

[Greg1138 2]

Minority Report....it is a deeper, more complex and ultimately more satisfying score. There are a couple of tracks for which the "Skip" button comes in useful, but nowhere near as many as in AI - which is also good score (and spends a decent amount of time in my CD Player - I am not a hater). AI belongs on the same shelf as those lesser-known scores and is good to dip into now again, but Minority Report is simply in a different class.

[King Mark 2,924]

yes,Minority Report is in the class of Williams dust collectors alongside Saving Private Ryan and War of the Worlds

[Salacius 7]

I think you will have to buy them both in the end.

They are great scores. Not masterpieces as far as Williams' skills are concerned but both have great moments.

I didn't like AI at all the first time I heard it. I felt it was the weakest of the Spielberg Williams collaboration but now I think WoTW is the one I dislike the most.

After I watched AI (which I loved) I really came to appreciate the melody of the synthetic child and as time went by I loved the theme of the blue fairy. It's a genius of a melody really. And also the choral parts for when you see the advanced Synthetic humans in the future are very clever. Awesome stuff.

Minority Report has a few but really great moments. Sean And Lara, The Spyders (with a bit of Don Davis in the mix). Top of the range for me is Everybody Runs. Accelerated music with innovating writing. Excellent track. Sean by Agatha is also fantastic and also the ending is great.

They are both really good but it depends also what type of collector you are.

For instance, I don't buy everything, only what I like. Might be an idea to check them out from a friend before you get them? Just a suggestion

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

yes,Minority Report is in the class of Williams dust collectors alongside Saving Private Ryan and War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds is a near masterpiece

[Joe Brausam 203]

I've never had a problem with WotW...I actually think a lot of the writing in it is quite exciting and interesting.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

A.I. is a masterpiece

there is that word that people use way too much around here, masterpiece,

Neither of these scores is a masterpiece, they are both ok

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

A.I. is a masterpiece

there is that word that people use way too much around here, masterpiece,

It is a word I myself use sparingly, and I do believe A.I. is a masterpiece.

[MrScratch 292]

A.I. is very good and the better of the two, its one of those scores that gets better the more you listen to it. I didn't think much of it at first, but I hold it in very high regard today.

[AC1 3,565]

War of the Worlds is a near masterpiece

In what way? I find it amazingly conventional film music. Place this under another thriller and nobody notices that it's from WOTW.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

In what way? I find it amazingly conventional film music. Place this under another thriller and nobody notices that it's from WOTW.

It has virtually no character of it's own.

It's reconisable of John Williams film music from the 21th century, but that's it.

[David Coscina 3]

the expanded Oscar promo of AI is awesome. A lot of great material was left off of the commercial release like David's Theme. Also the promo builds up better to Abandoned in the Forest with its Phil Glass minor triad arpeggiations.

I like Minority Report a lot though I have to be in the mood to listen to it. A.I. I actually have not heard in years, literally. War of the Worlds I put on every month or so for a couple standout tracks.

Most oft played Williams for me is Superman The Movie. From the new millennium it would be Memoirs of a Geisha. But that's another topic for another thread.

[MSM 85]

A.I. is great

Minority Report is a dust collector .One of those Williams scores with only one good track. Only a few people like it here.

I second. Although Sean's theme is ok for a JW compilation with romantic tracks.

In what way? I find it amazingly conventional film music. Place this under another thriller and nobody notices that it's from WOTW.

It has virtually no character of it's own.

It's reconisable of John Williams film music from the 21th century, but that's it.

You call that "just it"? I think it's not a very easy-listenable score but there is fantastic orchestration in there. It gives me lots of inspiration. The action racks are more interesting than the quieter ones, that's true.

[arathornion33 0]

Thanks for all the input! I've decided on A.I. I appreciated all the comments!

BTW, I loved War of the Worlds.

[indy4 152]

WotW is my least favorite JW score, and maybe my least favorite score period. I'd take any Williams score over this one any day.

[Greg1138 2]

War Of The Worlds is too much maligned...mostly from people who have not really listened to it I find....it's not a classic by any stretch, but it challenges the listener in a way very few orchestral scores of the last quarter-century do....it is not a comfortable listen, but then it's not supposed to be....

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,251]

You call that "just it"? I think it's not a very easy-listenable score but there is fantastic orchestration in there. It gives me lots of inspiration. The action racks are more interesting than the quieter ones, that's true.

Last time I listened to WOTW, straight after that I listened to the much less sophistocated 1941.

I had a lot more fun with the second CD.

[crocodile 6,294]

I appreciate WOTW, but I have to agree with those saying it has nor personality.

As for the other two. Both are somewhat fragmented for me. Buy A.I. It is mostly unlike anything John Williams has ever written. I don't think it quite reaches the heights of other classics, but still it's very impressive work.

Minority Report, on the other hand, is many great cues, but not a great whole. It's good, it serves its film well. But album can be quite unexciting to listen to.

I'm not questioning the writing in any of these. It's quite obvious it represents very high technical facility.

Karol

[JoeinAR 1,759]

I still find WOTW intriguing better than AI, and better than Minority Report. Its better than both those films too, but then most anything is better than A.I. Saw it recently(in June) on TV, I had to watch, its like a train wreck of a film, what was Spielberg thinking.

[crocodile 6,294]

It's a curious film. Heavily flawed though.

Karol

[Red 73]

A.I. wins for it's last third alone.

[JoeinAR 1,759]

AI isn't a 3 act film its like a 6 and 3/4 act film.

[Henry B 49]

I don't have Minority Report. I've only ever heard the main theme from it (and some track that somebody claimed was from KotCS - turns out their fake wasn't too far off!). A.I. ... Well, yeah, it's great. Get the Oscar promo too, even though it's completely out of order.

I think War of the Worlds is worth it just for "The Separation of the Family" (the superior film version of "Reunion") and "Epilogue." But the whole score has appeal for its intricate leitmotivic structure. It's really all based on "Dies Irae." Of course, people will say that WotW has no themes, but I don't think so. You can't listen to "The Confrontation with Ogilvy," "The Return to Boston," "Reunion" and "Epilogue" and not notice the connections.

[indy4 152]

A.I. is an okay film, I don't love it, I don't hate it. It has many similarities to Bicentennial Man, which was also okay.

I easily prefer MR or WotW, which I think are near masterpieces on Spielberg's part.

[Maestro 57]

I will use this thread to again state with passion that A.I. is not only my favorite score, but it's also my favorite film.

I consider both masterpieces, much on the same level as E.T. or Empire of the Sun - only a slight bit better.

Is it any coincidence that all three films center around lonely little boys? No.

There, I've betrayed my sensibilities, which account for my palate.

[Henry B 49]

A.I. went from being one of my favorite films to being one of my least favorite. God, it's awful, but there's so much passion in it. I don't know.

[Red 73]

AI isn't a 3 act film its like a 6 and 3/4 act film.

I wasn't suggesting that it was.

That statement goes for the score too, actually much more so than the film.

But Minority Report is still a good movie.

[John Crichton 4]

I think War of the Worlds is worth it just for "The Separation of the Family" (the superior film version of "Reunion") and "Epilogue." But the whole score has appeal for its intricate leitmotivic structure. It's really all based on "Dies Irae." Of course, people will say that WotW has no themes, but I don't think so. You can't listen to "The Confrontation with Ogilvy," "The Return to Boston," "Reunion" and "Epilogue" and not notice the connections.

I've been interested for years in trying to find some thematic connections in WotW, I just can't bring myself to listen to it enough to do it.

AI is Spielberg's best movie this decade. Century.

[Bryant Burnette 451]

I will use this thread to again state with passion that A.I. is not only my favorite score, but it's also my favorite film.

I consider both masterpieces, much on the same level as E.T. or Empire of the Sun - only a slight bit better.

Is it any coincidence that all three films center around lonely little boys? No.

There, I've betrayed my sensibilities, which account for my palate.

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one around here who loooooves A.I. Personally, I'd rank it behind E.T. and ahead of Empire of the Sun, but I love all three, so really, it's a toss-up.

I also like Minority Report a lot. I don't quite know why so many people dislike it. To me, it's Spielberg doing a very credible sci-fi Hitchcock movie. It's not one of his best films, in my opinion, but I'll take that over a lot of people's best movies.

People also seem to be discussing the War of the Worlds score, so I'll chime in on that, too. It's not one of my favorites. I like the music for the tripod emerging from the earth a lot, but it's the only cue that sticks in my head. But it's not a bad score; it's just one that doesn't engage me, for whatever reason. I like the movie a lot, though; it's got some issues, but that's okay, it doesn't kill the movie overall.

[Koray Savas 2,095]

I remember loving Minority Report, but I haven't seen it in years. I'm waiting for a blu-ray release to revisit it.

[ins 42]

speaking of M.R. which is a truly outstanding score in my opinion, is the "expanded" edition which is documented here http://mahawa.jw-music.net/scores.htm worth the trouble of looking for someone to trade (or anyone kind enough to just send me a pm )? Documentation gives credits to our beloved Miguel who is desperately missed around here!

[AC1 3,565]

It's a curious film. Heavily flawed though.

Karol

Indeed. The film didn't know what direction to take. One moment is was Kubrick, then it changed to Spielberg, then it became Wizard Of Oz and then it turned into Pinocchio. The script must be one of the worst writings I've ever seen. Spielberg lost all sense of coherence. The whole film should've remained in its first act.

[Greg1138 2]

speaking of M.R. which is a truly outstanding score in my opinion, is the "expanded" edition which is documented here http://mahawa.jw-music.net/scores.htm worth the trouble of looking for someone to trade (or anyone kind enough to just send me a pm )? Documentation gives credits to our beloved Miguel who is desperately missed around here!

Yes, it is worth getting hold of. Editing it was a lot of fun and Miguel's artwork was the icing on the cake - simply stunning. There ws one track I was never happy with but no-one else has complained about it

Do you have a trade list?

Greg