Category Archives: Writing

VC Pick: Funny Farm (1988)

29 Wednesday Jul 2015

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Well, come on up to Redbud;
We would love to have you here.
A life out in the country’s good
For those who persevere.

Just look at Andy Farmer,
Why, when he moved here at first,
He very nearly went insane
Before things got their worst.

If he can handle country life,
Then anybody can.
Just know that moves here rarely go
According to the plan.
_______________

Rating: PG (for some language and slapstick)
Another film beloved of my VC and liked by me, Funny Farm features Chevy Chase doing what Chevy Chase does best: getting in over his head. In this case, he’s Andy Farmer, a writer planning his first novel and wishing to get away from it all in the country with his wife Elizabeth (Madolyn Smith). With similarities to Baby Boom and Newhart, the film upholds the view that Vermont must be full of eccentrics, though in this case some are a bit more mean-spirited and vindictive.

While Andy and his wife desperately try to relax and squeeze enjoyment from small-town life, everything—literally everything—goes wrong. Furniture moving, fishing, gardening, placing a phone call, writing his ingenious novel, even getting mail—everything has unfortunate, humorous outcomes, the kind of mishaps that make you laugh even as you feel sorry for the poor saps being tormented. All these problems naturally take a toll on their marriage, particularly when Andy’s wife reads his masterpiece. One of the greatest fears of all authors is being told that their work stinks, and as much as Andy overreacts, I can say from personal experience that he’s at least somewhat believable. (I love how his wife complains that his manuscript has too many flashbacks, flash forwards, and even a flash sideways. He could have written Lost!) By the time they’ve had enough of Vermont, they’re ready to do anything to escape, and the plot they hatch with the entire town is hilarious.

I wouldn’t say Funny Farm is one of the greatest comedies, but it has its fair share of visual humor and crack-up moments, which get funnier as they pile onto each other. Some actually manage to be educational. For instance, if you move to Vermont, never buy an untrained dog. Never chop down road signs. Never write books inspired by real people and then kill them off. If you don’t know what a menu item is, ask first, especially for something as enigmatic as Lamb Fries. Never gild the lily. In fact, according to this and other movies, perhaps it would be best to just not move to Vermont at all, if you value your sanity.

Best line: (a young vandal, after cutting down an important traffic sign) “Think we should put this back?”   (another boy) “What are you, nuts? This sign is mint. There’s not a bullet hole in it!”

Rank: List Runner-Up

© 2015 S. G. Liput

328 Followers and Counting

My Top 50 Movie Scores — Part 8

26 Sunday Jul 2015

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Onward and upward with my Top 50 Film Scores! This week, there’s a mix of Oscar recognition (or lack thereof), but all of these have distinctive and memorable sounds that capture the heart and the imagination. Enjoy!

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#15: Out of Africa (1985), Oscar winner – John Barry

How could I not include this outstanding score from such an epically tragic film? Full of profound and painful feelings, the music evokes the sweeping African savannas and the swooning romance of Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. It inevitably breaks my VC into tears, though she’s noted that it reminds her of Barry’s later score for Dances with Wolves (which didn’t quite make the list). Along with E.T. and Star Wars, this is a rare choice that I actually agree with AFI’s top 25 film scores.

 

#14: Sherlock Holmes (2009), Oscar nominee – Hans Zimmer

As my favorite incarnation of Holmes (though Cumberbatch comes darn close), Robert Downey, Jr.’s take on the famous detective deserved some marvelous mystery music. In this case, the mixture of the tinny piano with whiny violins, plus an unconventional tempo, lend the story a unique and manic energy that echoes both its humor and its action. The sequel’s music is a bit more conventional/less unique, but it’s still excellent as a continuation of the original. Don’t you just feel like you’re in Victorian England; well, maybe just Guy Ritchie’s version of it?

 

#13: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), no nomination – Michael Kamen

Epic, uplifting, heroic, magnificent—these are just some of the words I could use to describe Michael Kamen’s energizing score for Kevin Costner’s version of the Hood. Critics can say what they will about the film’s faults, but there’s no denying that this is great music. For a while, Disney even used the main theme for the intro montage of all of their DVDs, so even some who ignore the movie have surely heard its overture many times.

 

#12: The Piano (1993), no nomination – Michael Nyman

I haven’t actually seen The Piano, but my VC has (and does not recommend it). Yet beyond the Oscar-winning acting, one key part of the film refused to let go: the music. While most of the score is just good, one track in particular singlehandedly brought it to #12 on this list. “The Heart Asks Pleasure First” is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard and ranks among my favorite pieces of music. I always feel this peaceful, floating sensation that lingers even after the melody stops. Goosebumps.

 

#11: Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), no nomination – Joe Hisaishi

It’s not the most well-known of scores, but it should be. As John Williams is to Steven Spielberg, Joe Hisaishi is to Hayao Miyazaki. This pre-Studio-Ghibli dystopia features a score that instantly became a favorite upon my first viewing. A few parts have a weird techno vibe, but the bulk of the score is glorious and thrilling, laden with strings and choirs. The “la la la” section alone is sure to stick in your mind. In a good way.

 

Winter’s Tale (2014)

22 Wednesday Jul 2015

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“What if the war between darkness and light
Decided if stars would fluoresce in the night?
What if a thief and a horse snowy white
Could save an enigma at destiny’s tasking?

“What if, when angels and demons do spar,
They fight for the miracles human souls are?
What if we die and become a new star?”
“Quite simply, we don’t, silly girl, so stop asking!”
________________

Akiva Goldsman has had a mixed career; he did win an Oscar for his screenplay for A Beautiful Mind, but that was after also writing Batman and Robin. His directorial debut Winter’s Tale plays to both his strengths and weaknesses, with a story that is sometimes fancifully rich but also stumbles in trying to sustain that richness.

Winter’s Tale is an unusual blend of real-world romance and parallel fantasy. On the human side, the story follows Peter Lake (Colin Farrell), a thief who falls in love with Beverly Penn (Jessica Brown Findlay). In 1916, she is dying of tuberculosis and has some odd opinions about the afterlife. On the fantastical side, a mobster named Pearly Soames (Russell Crowe) is really an undercover demon who wants Peter dead and is part of a covert “dark side” intent on preventing humans from fulfilling their inner miracles and becoming stars. Apparently in this story, Beverly’s beliefs are correct, though there’s no indication of how she learned about the whole romantic “star” mumbo jumbo, nor why this version of New York City has angels and demons but no sign of traditional religion, nor why it is ostensibly the real world but no one seems to have noticed flying horses or men who don’t age.

As the story progressed, I was unsure where it was going, though I was more confused than intrigued. Still, now that I understand the full picture, I believe Winter’s Tale is a worthwhile story that unfortunately loses its way. I admire its themes of hope and good triumphing over evil, as well as the message that our destiny is rarely what we expect. The period setting and intermittent effects are also well-crafted for the most part, and I found the acting quite good, especially Crowe as the snarling villain.

Yet it’s hard to ignore its weaknesses, particularly the gushingly romantic, sometimes poetic dialogue about stars and the universe, which stand in for heaven and God, respectively. In addition, one of my complaints about The Notebook was that Ryan Gosling is reduced to a lovesick recluse without his sweetheart and for far too long. Here, that weakness is extended for decades with no end in sight, a state that our hero accepts with little to no change.

Winter’s Tale has merit but not enough of it to make it a must-see, even for fantasy fans. Some aspects surprisingly work (such as Will Smith’s cameo as the devil), but others are just hard to believe (such as the flying horse who is really a dog who is really an angel. Huh?). I would see it again, but I wouldn’t seek it out.

Best line: (Beverly Penn, in an instance where her voiceover rings true) “But be warned: as we seek out the light, darkness gathers and the eternal contest between good and evil is not fought with great armies… but one life at a time.”

Rank: Honorable Mention

© 2015 S. G. Liput

328 Followers and Counting

My Top 50 Movie Scores — Part 7

19 Sunday Jul 2015

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We’ve now reached the top 20 entries in my movie music countdown, and I’ve finally started including some of the more beloved film scores. Silvestri and Williams dominate the next five, but there’s still room for one greatly underrated favorite of mine. Enjoy!

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#20: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Oscar winner – John Williams

That’s right; after last week’s Jane Eyre, that’s two John Williams scores in a row. No wonder he’s the most represented composer here. His magical score for E.T. added to the endearing delight of Steven Spielberg’s classic about a boy and his alien. Can’t you still see Elliott flying E.T. on his bike across the moon? Whimsical yet powerful, it gets the goosebumps going every time.

 

#19: Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003), no nomination – Harry Gregson-Williams

Sinbad may be DreamWorks Animation’s most action-packed and overlooked work, but both the film and the score deserve to be remembered. The music ranges from the sultry song of the sirens to the impish mischief of Eris to the thrilling theme of Sinbad’s roguish misadventures. If not for Pirates of the Caribbean, this might have been the perfect pirate music. Oops, did I give something away?

 

#18: Cast Away (2000), no Oscar nomination – Alan Silvestri

Silvestri returns with a most impressive achievement. The majority of Cast Away has no music, in order to enhance the isolation of poor Chuck Noland, yet once he leaves his island home behind, the Grammy-winning music leaves an indelible impression. Utterly emotional, those plaintive strings make me want to cry every time. Wilson!

 

#17: Home Alone (1995), Oscar nominee – John Williams

A classic Christmas film deserves a classic Christmas soundtrack. The mischievous ditties recall Grieg’s ”Hall of the Mountain King,” while the twinkling theme “Somewhere in My Memory” always conjures the holiday season, no matter what time of year it is. John Williams strikes again!

 

#16: Back to the Future (1985), no nomination – Alan Silvestri

Time travel is never so much fun as with Marty McFly and Doc Brown, and Alan Silvestri’s accompanying score runs on excitement rather than plutonium. Again, the music immediately puts me in the movie during the best parts. Just listening to it, I feel like driving to 88 MPH.

 

VC Pick: Cannery Row (1982)

17 Friday Jul 2015

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Some funny folk know
Where to go,
Even though
There aren’t any canners on Cannery Row.

‘Tis not a disgrace
To embrace
Such a place.
You’ll see when you meet these new friends face to face.

In this blithe domain,
It is vain
To be sane.
Just mix with the locals, and they’ll entertain.
____________
Rating: PG (would probably be PG-13 nowadays, due to profanity)

My VC has often mentioned how much she enjoys this film and how she likes it more with every viewing, but somehow I had never gotten around to seeing it for myself…until now. Adapted from John Steinbeck’s book Cannery Row and (to a greater extent) its sequel Sweet Thursday, this Depression-era charmer has all the quirk of a cult classic, though it isn’t one to my knowledge. The actual storyline, set on the California coastline, is rather thin, and instead the film relies on humorous vignettes, establishing its cast of lovably screwed-up characters and letting them interact as only amiable neighbors can.

There’s Doc (Nick Nolte in one of the few roles I’ve seen of his before his “grizzled old man” makeover), the benevolent marine biologist who has special plans for some captured octopi. There’s Mack (M. Emmet Walsh), the leader of a quintet of goodhearted bums, and Hazel (Frank McRae), the anxious dimwit fated to become President of the United States but who may be wiser than even he knows. There’s Joseph and Mary, owner of the local grocery who happens to accept frogs as currency (and yes, that’s the name of one man). There’s Fauna, proprietress of Cannery Row’s friendly neighborhood brothel, and the Seer, a homeless codger who has visions and plays his trumpet to the rising sun. And then there’s Suzy (Debra Winger, possibly at her prettiest), the newcomer in need of a roof, a job, and maybe a little love.

All these colorful personalities bounce off each other perfectly, aided by the droll narration of John Huston himself (known to me as Gandalf in the Rankin/Bass version of The Hobbit) Thus, they do have quite a bit of waggish fun: party fiascoes, unprecedented frog hunts, dance challenges, beer milkshakes, rattlesnake conversations, and so on. Where else are you going to hear a line like “A man sentenced to be President of the United States could not go to a party as a dwarf”? In addition, Cannery Row itself happens to be an ideal backdrop for these amusing misadventures, a huge set (which is clearly a set) of dirty inlets beneath salt-encrusted boardwalks and nocturnal serenades of bluesy jazz, although there’s a good deal of classical and swing music too.

By the end, the jocularity gives way to some buried guilt and dark possibilities, yet the story’s irresistible charm still wins out. Both my VC and I were left smiling as the credits rolled, satisfied that this endearing microcosm of friendliness and romance had found its “greased grooves.”

Best line: (Hazel) “I love Doc! He was a character witness for me, and I ain’t got no character.”

VC’s best line: (Suzy, to Doc) “Look, every time I talk to you, I get more confused. I like you just fine when you’re not around.”

Rank: List-Worthy

© 2015 S. G. Liput

327 Followers and Counting

The Son (2003)

15 Wednesday Jul 2015

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Grief can make it hard to live,
And even harder to forgive,
And when we see someone to blame,
It’s easy to despise the same.

Yet kindness can bear added weight
When aimed at someone we could hate.
We might be able to start living
If we first attempt forgiving.
_______________

Rating: Unsure (Nothing objectionable I recall)

The Son (or Le Fils in French) is a critic’s movie; that is to say, it’s the kind of film that critics swoon over while ordinary movie watchers scratch their heads asking, “Is this great filmmaking?” Granted, I’ve never seen anything else by the French Dardenne brothers, but I had only heard good things and was expecting much more from these Cannes favorites.

The plot itself is extremely simple, the kind of story that could have been just as (or more) effective with a half-hour running time. I agree that Cannes Best Actor Olivier Gourmet is quietly persuasive as Olivier, a teacher of carpentry at a vocational school. In the beginning, there’s a drawn-out mystery when a new student named Francis applies, causing Olivier to stalk and leer and act almost creepy as he allows the boy into his class. Disclosing the secret taxed my patience, but its eventual revelation is shrewd and gradual. Let’s just say that Olivier has reason to not be so kind to Francis, and Olivier is well aware of it, even subconsciously. A perceptive example is when he calls all his students by name but refers to Francis as “you.” This standoffish benevolence puzzles Olivier himself, his ex-wife, the boy, the audience, and (according to the Dardennes) even the filmmakers themselves, yet I consider this up-to-interpretation uncertainty more of a weakness than a strength. There’s a subtle and admirable theme of forgiveness versus revenge, one that was lauded by critics for its naturalism, but in this case, the abrupt ending might have benefited from some additional dialogue, since even the words “I’m sorry” don’t make an appearance.

This somewhat stilted “naturalism” carries over to the camera work too. Olivier Gourmet is a good actor; it’s a shame that I mainly saw the back of his head. For the majority of the film, it is as if we are looking over his shoulder, as he walks down corridors, runs, drives, carries beams, and performs various other mundane activities. It reminded me of the beginning of Captain Phillips, but whereas that film only employed this technique for the opening car ride, The Son gets tiresome with its overuse. I will admit that certain scenes utilize this method strongly, such as when Olivier looks straight into the camera when backing up his car, but these are few and far between.

Perhaps when I see more from the Dardennes, I’ll see that this approach is simply their preferred style. Perhaps I just didn’t “get” it like all the real critics did. Perhaps further exploring their filmography will give me a greater appreciation for their artistry. Or perhaps I’ll simply watch something far more appealing, like Inside Out.

Rank: Dishonorable Mention

© 2015 S. G. Liput

327 Followers and Counting

My Top 50 Movie Scores — Part 6

12 Sunday Jul 2015

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Once more, it seems that my list of top 50 film scores tends to opt for the less acclaimed favorites, though there’s still an Oscar winner in the mix too. Again, these are original soundtracks that excel as background music for their films and for writing, exercising, working, driving, and any other mundane activity in need of inspiration. There’s nothing quite like movie music, and it just gets better from here. Enjoy!

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#25:  National Treasure/National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2004/2007), no nominations – Trevor Rabin

It’s no secret that I love these movies, but the scores for both really are phenomenal, thanks to the lead singer of British band Yes, Trevor Rabin (also known for Armageddon and Remember the Titans). At times, the music is straight adventure movie fare, often conveying a sense of urgency and/or mystery, but often it builds to this historically-themed magnificence that perfectly captures the appeal of the films themselves. Of the two, I probably prefer the score for Book of Secrets a tad more, but I couldn’t separate them. Here’s hoping Disney will make this a trilogy one of these days!

 

#24:  Elizabethtown (2005), no nomination – Nancy Wilson

It’s also no secret that I adore this film, a hilarious, heart-tugging, romantic, endlessly quotable reflection on love and death. It also possesses one of the few scores I actually own. Nancy Wilson of Heart (who was married to director Cameron Crowe at the time) provided the perfect bluegrass-inflected guitar music to accompany Orlando Bloom’s visit to his dead father’s hometown in Kentucky. Not many films have both a memorable score and an outstanding rock music soundtrack, and whenever I hear either one, I’m instantly in the mood to watch the movie again.  The links below show a song of each.

 

#23: Chariots of Fire (1981), Oscar winner – Vangelis

The sight of a flock of Olympic runners jogging along a beach was made truly iconic by this classic synthesizer-laden score. Capturing the simple majesty of running (in slow-motion), this music is even better than the movie itself, which is saying a lot. Beautiful on every level.

 

#22: Dinosaur (2000), no nomination – James Newton Howard

Leave it to James Newton Howard to write a magnificent score for a poorly reviewed Disney film. I personally like the film, and probably everyone else would if it consistently carried the same prehistoric glory as its soundtrack. Filled with power and awe, the music from the breathtaking opening scene (reminiscent of Moses) is enough alone to earn this a spot on my list.

 

#21:  Jane Eyre (1970), no nomination – John Williams

While not his most well-known work, there’s a haunting beauty to Williams’ music for the 1970 version of Jane Eyre, starring Susannah York and George C. Scott. Evoking Gothic mystery and sweeping romance, the delicate score cemented this film as my favorite rendering of Emily Brontë’s story. And like Wuthering Heights the same year, it does a weepy number on my VC. Those Brontë sisters surely knew how to write bittersweet yarns from the moor, which seem to bring out the best in composers.

 

Roman Holiday (1953)

11 Saturday Jul 2015

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For visiting tourists, there’s no place like Rome;
For young Princess Ann, it’s too much like home
And all of the cities in which she’s a slave,
Condemned to repeat boring answers and wave.

Escaping outside for a chance to be free,
She’s found by a grudging reporter, and he
Will grant all her wishes for leisure and fun,
As long as an interview comes, one on one.

But Rome is a place where romances pervade,
And many big plans yield to memories made.
___________________

Rating: Not Rated (might as well be G)

One of those acclaimed older movies I’ve never seen before now, Roman Holiday is a renowned classic, and unlike The Philadelphia Story, it deserves that hallowed status. Audrey Hepburn’s original Oscar-winning role, at only about 24 years old, impressed Gregory Peck enough to earn her top billing, even though she was just being introduced. While she deserved it, Peck’s actions also indicate his generosity, and watching two earnest, utterly likable actors of Hollywood’s Golden Age remains a treat, thanks also to a shrewdly written screenplay.

It’s a plot that has been reused many times over in TV shows since: a discontented royal sneaks away for a day of fun and escape. Hepburn looks as regal as the reformed Eliza Doolittle, thanks to her natural beauty and the Oscar-winning costume design, and she performs certain scenes of immaturity splendidly, scenes that could have been ridiculous with a less talented Princess Ann. How she meets reporter Joe Bradley (Peck) is far from ideal, but it sets up quite a few laughs. Once the two of them start touring Rome, though, accompanied by photographer Irving (chuckle-worthy Eddie Albert), the on-location film becomes cinematic sightseeing at its best, despite being in black and white. Piazzas and landmarks like the Spanish Steps and the Mouth of Truth serve as a romantic backdrop for the trio’s jaunt; the famed Mouth of Truth scene made me feel rather ignorant, since I had no idea where its central gag originated (I only knew it from National Treasure: Book of Secrets).

(Some spoilers ahead.) While Bradley’s motivations in escorting Ann around town seem selfish at first, his plans evolve imperceptibly over the course of the day. I kept waiting for him to broach the subject of his demanding an interview, but by the time that opportunity passes, we’re left to wonder what it was that changed his mind. For Bradley and the princess, duty and affection take opposite paths, but loyalty remains their common bond and a common separation. As a romantic comedy, Roman Holiday elicits plenty of smiles but chooses the less predictably rosey path, a bittersweet sendoff that chooses nostalgia over love.

Best line: (Princess Ann) “What do you sell?”   (Joe, the newspaper writer) “Er, fertilizer.”

Rank: List-Worthy

© 2015 S. G. Liput
327 Followers and Counting

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

08 Wednesday Jul 2015

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When the dark is at its worst,
Some people may despair,
But some, refusing to be cursed,
See silver linings there.

Those linings may be hard to hold,
But promise they contain,
And when life’s strains are uncontrolled,
Think not they are in vain.

In bearing aches of head and heart,
Nobody is alone,
And silver linings may impart
New chances never known.
_________________

Rating: R

What do you get when you combine a talented writer/director with a uniformly Oscar-worthy cast of actors? Most of the time, you get a hit, and most of the time, that’s what David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook is. As the first film since Reds to earn all four acting nominations at the Academy Awards, it features four excellent actors who know what they’re doing, even if it’s more the stuff of Oscar nominations rather than wins, though Jennifer Lawrence still won Best Actress.

This is the kind of romantic comedy that makes you feel better about yourself, because at least your life (hopefully) isn’t as messed-up as these people’s. Bipolar Pat Solitano, Jr. (Bradley Cooper), is lucky to have two loving and understanding parents like Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver, who allow him to stay with them after his release from a psychiatric hospital. While he hopes to pick up with his wife, whose cheating caused his initial mental breakdown, he meets grieving widow Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who’s also lucky to have two loving and understanding parents. At first glance, they might seem perfect for each other, two mentally unstable people who might be able to support each other, but between Pat’s obsession with his unfaithful wife and their tendency to pity the other, things are as complicated as real life or more so. (I admire Pat’s commitment to his wife, but it’s one-sided and delusional.) Throw in a dance competition, financial risks, and a Stevie Wonder phobia, and who knows if new love may bloom?

The relatable drama balances the headaches of mental illness with comedic touches that seem like ideas drawn from real life rather than spawned in a writer’s head. I’ve personally felt Pat’s dissatisfaction with an unhappy ending, though I wouldn’t go as far as he does, except in the blogosphere. While not everyone approved of the depiction of mental illness, the Oscar-nominated screenplay by Russell fosters this sense of realism in being unafraid to allow the “sloppy and dirty,” imperfections and natural flaws in both the characters and their actions. Nothing is idealized, not even the climactic dance number, but it’s all good enough to be satisfying and win over an audience.

My one complaint would have to be the crudity of the language. I know it doesn’t bother most people, but why must F-bombs be thrown around so casually in “great” movies? I’m not one to condemn a film only for foul language, but it just seems so unnecessary, making it less watchable for those sensitive to it. Robert De Niro, in particular, has an upset scene in which every other word begins with F. I suppose that’s realistic too, and I know this film is far from the worst offender, but without the language, you’d still have the outstanding performances and direction and miss nothing. Maybe it’s just me….

Nevertheless, Silver Linings Playbook is one of the better modern romantic dramedies, urging everyone to find their silver lining and illustrating love as a complex mix of empathy, madness, chance, and bribery. And it makes me want to try some “crabby snacks and homemades.”

Best line: (Tiffany) “You let me lie to you for a week?”   (Pat) “I was trying to be romantic.”

Rank: List Runner-Up
© 2015 S. G. Liput
325 Followers and Counting

My Top 50 Movie Scores — Part 5

05 Sunday Jul 2015

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Whereas last week’s installment of my Top 50 film scores had some Academy-recognized entries, this week’s choices return to some less appreciated favorites. Once more, this doesn’t apply to soundtrack compilations but rather original film scores, that modern classical that can make poor films listenable and good films great. Enjoy!

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#30:  Driving Miss Daisy (1989), no Oscar nomination — Hans Zimmer

Hans Zimmer can certainly do more than dark, swelling music for Christopher Nolan. His fully-synthesized score for 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy has just the right amount of Southern perkiness, enhanced for the humorous scenes and slowed for the dramatic ones. The old-timey sound evokes the mid-20th century setting and always brings to mind Morgan Freeman as he drives a sour-faced Jessica Tandy around. It never fails to put a smile on my face or get my foot tapping.

 

#29:  The Incredibles (2004), no nomination – Michael Giacchino

When a fantastic family film and a sweet superhero saga are one and the same, that achievement deserves a super score. Full of brassy bombast and intrigue, Michael Giacchino’s score for Pixar’s The Incredibles made it an even more awesome film. Certain parts also have a perfect James Bond quality to elevate the classy ‘60s super-spy vibe. This was also the start of an ongoing collaboration between Pixar and Giacchino, who provided the music for Ratatouille, Up, and Inside Out (not to mention Lost, the greatest TV show of all time. Oh yeah, in my opinion).

 

#28:  The Mummy Returns (2001), no nomination — Alan Silvestri

While not the most critically acclaimed of actioners, I’ve always enjoyed Brendan Fraser’s Mummy franchise, and Alan Silvestri’s score for the second film is an underrated gem. I never really notice how much I like it until I hear it during the end credits. With its decidedly Middle Eastern tone, the music complements the action during the film and recreates that same sense of adventure when heard alone.  Like many of these choices, I’ve found it’s excellent writing music.

 

#27:  The Avengers (2012), no nomination – Alan Silvestri

Without a doubt, my favorite superhero score has to go to arguably the best superhero achievement of them all, Marvel’s The Avengers. The music has such a grand, heroic tone that you can practically see Thor or Iron Man strutting in your mind’s eye. By itself, it’s downright awesome; when paired with the assembling team of superhero stars, it doesn’t get much more epic.

 

#26:  Treasure Planet (2002), no nomination – James Newton Howard

Treasure Planet may not be Disney’s most popular outing, but it boasts one of their best standalone scores. Inspiring and adventurous, sometimes wistful and folksy, the music is just one memorable element of this underrated sci-fi tale. The merging of traditional Celtic rhythms and a rock-Celtic style helps to propel the whole idea of combining the 18th-century setting of Stevenson’s novel with the film’s space-faring environment.