What Is The Last Score You Listened To? (older scores)

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

I will not fall to your treacherous ways!

But my heart belongs to Shore. We Kanadians must stick together after all!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Do it! Cast it into the fire!

[Incanus 5,716]

Home Alone by John Williams

The Nativity Story by Mychael Danna

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies by Howard Shore

[Romão 2,274]

I adore the Nativy Story. Those last five or six tracks never fail to move me

[Incanus 5,716]

As do I. It has become one of my favourite Christmas time albums. Such a brilliant piece of work and the finale is indeed very emotional. I love how complex it is in its musical subtext yet direct and emotional at the same time. Danna's music embraces centuries of musical history yet retains its own voice.

[Faleel 5,363]

Battle of the Five Armies

TTT.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

TGP loves everything that's boring and hates everything that is good. He's an evil man.

I have a cue light I can use when I'm joking if it'll help.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Cloud Atlas - Tom Tykwer, Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek

Most under-appreciated score in recent memory.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I can't stop listening to the finale of Revenge of the Sith. Not the end credits, but all the battle material.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Cloud Atlas - Tom Tykwer, Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek

Most under-appreciated score in recent memory.

Not!

Not under-appreciated, or not good?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

In general, I think those three guys are under-appreciated, mostly because they don't work on big Hollywood films. To me, they definitely seem a bit undiscovered in the wider film music community. Or maybe I'm being a hipster.

[KK 3,307]

Have you heard Perfume TGP? It's simple, but lovely nonetheless.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

You know this? How?

Did you like it?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

The Boal's gaze pierces clouds, shadow, earth, and... flessssh.

[Jay 37,374]

Perfume is an awesome score (and a good movie, too!)

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

The Imitation Game - Alexandre Desplat

There is nothing in this score that Desplat (for one) hasn't done better somewhere else. The brooding, minor dramatic strings/piano thing just does absolutely nothing for me, whoever is composing. I almost always walk away from a film with this sort of score feeling like it shouldn't have even been scored in the first place. It's honestly a bit of a bore, especially considering the year he's had. There are inevitably some well-crafted moments, but I fail to see how this is anywhere near the best score of 2014.

The Theory of Everything - Jóhann Jóhannsson

It's pleasant, functional. Not necessarily very interesting, and there are more than a few hints at the saccharine, overcooked, award bait-y nature of the film. But the musical language at work here is definitely refreshingly thoughtful for a film score.

Gone Girl - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Eh. The first time I listened to this, it was ok. I figured it had some longevity as an ambient/mood album to throw on. This time, it was a bit of a slog. It suits the film fine, but for me works only barely as background noise. Again, it's a problem of there being nothing here that hasn't been done better somewhere else. BUT. This is a promising evolution for these dudes, though they are still in my mind criminals for their Oscar win for the utterly amateur The Social Network.

Birdman - Antonio Sanchez

This is the kind of boldness that should be encouraged from every film score (and film) every year. All drums, with a few sparse instances of actual musical tones. It's just plain groovy. I totally dig it.

Interstellar - Hans Zimmer

I'm sure I've said enough about this one. Probably 2014's best. Definitely Zimmer's best.

Inherent Vice - Jonny Greenwood

Well, shit. This should have been nominated for a Globe. This might be the best score of the year. It's really wonderful, sort of defying any worthy description or comparison as Greenwood's music tends to. I can not recommend this one enough. It might actually be a "JWFan" score, with its rich tonality, melody, and orchestration, but maybe that's too optimistic of me.

[Marian Schedenig 8,211]

Perfume is an awesome score (and a good movie, too!)

I read the novel shortly before seeing the film. The film betrayed the most crucial point of the story.

[Jay 37,374]

I wouldn't know anything about that

[KK 3,307]

The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies by Howard Shore

It's hard to resist the big grin that comes on my face when this plays.

[Faleel 5,363]

The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies by Howard Shore

It's hard to resist the big grin that comes on my face when this plays.

The grin will be bigger when you hear the version I am making with the concert hall sound.

[KK 3,307]

The Master by Jonny Greenwood

[Incanus 5,716]

Star Wars by John Williams

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

You mean Jonny Greenwood?

[KK 3,307]

Nah he means John Williams!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Give any Joe Shmo a keyboard and they can play like Zimmer. Zimmer's scores are more realistic and relatable.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Interstellar - Hans Zimmer

There is nothing in this score that Zimmer (for one) hasn't done better somewhere else. The brooding, minor dramatic organ/piano thing just does absolutely nothing for me, whoever is composing. I almost always walk away from a film with this sort of score feeling like it shouldn't have even been scored in the first place. It's honestly a bit of a bore, especially considering the year he's had. There are inevitably some well-crafted moments, but I fail to see how this is anywhere near the best score of 2014.

The imitation game is a dangerous game to play.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Yeah, I loved the score too! Will the generic Hollywood score sound now be defined by lack of percussion and a prominent pipe organ?

And what, did you love the Desplat? Did I hurt your feelings with my opinion, so you need to retaliate?

[KK 3,307]

One can hope!

But no, Zimmer clearly wasn't cool enough with this score. He was too BOOORRIING to be the hip trendsetter this time!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

So you're just a pain! I might have known.

[KK 3,307]

What makes this score so interesting is the new sounds he tries to explore BB. The thematic material doesn't impress (that piano one with those TRL-esque chords is admittedly nothing new), but the textures employed here do. And tie that in with the scale of it all, you can't help but admire it all.

It's not perfect, but then again, what score is? It really is one of the finest achievements of the year.

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Don't reason with him, dear god, the last thing this board needs is more discussion about that film/score!

Or if you're talking about Alexandre, carry on.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[KK 3,307]

Sigh.

[Brónach 1,302]

I like things like the later part of Stay but overall the score doesn't really hook me.

[KK 3,307]

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes by Michael Giacchino

This is actually holding up a lot better than I remembered. You've got to credit for the woodwind and percussion writing! It's good stuff. Could still do without the rudimentary themes though.

[Incanus 5,716]

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes by Michael Giacchino

This is actually holding up a lot better than I remembered. You've got to credit for the woodwind and percussion writing! It's good stuff. Could still do without the rudimentary themes though.

Could do without themes?

[KK 3,307]

Well without shoddy ones, yes! Someone needs to challenge Giacchino to write some interesting thematic material again...it's been a while!

In fact I would preferred a theme-less, textural score (so long as the writing is interesting) over those same bloody chords again!

[Incanus 5,716]

Well without shoddy ones, yes! Someone needs to challenge Giacchino to write some interesting thematic material again...it's been a while!

In fact I would preferred a theme-less, textural score (so long as the writing is interesting) over those same bloody chords again!

Ah. Better themes. Always better.

[Not Mr. Big 4,642]

Well without shoddy ones, yes! Someone needs to challenge Giacchino to write some interesting thematic material again...it's been a while!

In fact I would preferred a theme-less, textural score (so long as the writing is interesting) over those same bloody chords again!

I listened to it recently and had similar feelings. His tepid dramatic sensibilities are further proof to me that he isn't suitable (or ready perhaps) to take over the musical direction of the Star Wars franchise as he's most likely going to do.

The dissonance non-thematic passages were interesting at least.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Brónach 1,302]

Apocalypto

and then Bishop's Countdown on a loop

Sometimes you have Horner days.

I haven't listened to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes