Atonement (Soundtrack) by Dario Marianelli

We've heard it said quite often, "They just don't make movies like that anymore." Usually this refers to some beloved film from decades long gone. Having watched the film and listened to the score countless times now, I'm happy to report that "they" most certainly do make movies "like that" today. Director Joe Writght's adaptation of Ian McEwan's best selling book, ATONEMENT, is well written, finely acted, beautifully photographed, and engagingly edited. ATONEMENT is easily one of the best films of 2007 and features one of the year's most innovative, dramatic scores.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

Win January Prize Pack: I AM LEGEND and LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING (THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS)!

Start 2008 off right by entering our January caption contest, which will put you in the running to win our New Year’s prize pack! The winner will receive a copy of James Newton Howard’s score to "I AM LEGEND" AND the "LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS)" boxed set, composed by Howard Shore!










First, check out the contest rules HERE (remember, each contestant is allowed up to THREE submissions). Then enter the contest HERE.

Top Stuff from 2007

"2007 sucked."

You and I both have likely heard that quite a few times recently. Beyond referencing their own personal challenges faced during the last year, some have also been eluding to the year in entertainment. Granted, the year hasn't ended on not the nicest of notes with the writers strike and a sub-par-holiday-movie season, but 2007 certainly wasn't all bad.

Was there actually anything really good in 2007? Of course there was...you just have to think for a second or two. Nothing coming to mind? Ok...I'm here to help. Over the next few days, I'm going to post my list of 2007 Goodness. One note for you - this list isn't all music-specific, but good stuff pertaining to movies, tv, games and music.


So to get you started here is number 10...

Viral Marketing for CLOVERFIELD

During the disappointing Summer of 2007, some life was injected into our "expectators" (our internal organ which allows us to get psyched for some upcoming flick, game, or new technological revolution). I'm not quite sure where the expectator is located, but I've heard it's near the pancreas.... Anyway, many people's expectators got to working as an unnamed trailer was released, followed by stills and an obscure site: http://www.1-18-08.com/

Speculation has run rampant since July but most of us know now that these tidbits turned out to be some clever viral marketing for J J Abrams latest flick, CLOVERFIELD. The site ethanhaaswasright.com appeared to be more viral goodness, but was actually a game, which turned out to be ALPHA OMEGA, an rpg video game set to release the same day, 01/18/08, as CLOVERFIELD. Ah well.

Still, all of the official viral stuff was enough to get me excited at the possibilities for this film. No word on who is scoring the picture yet. The safe bet would seem to be on Michael Giacchino, but how cool would it be if Abrams got really innovative and had no score at all? Wait...what am I saying????

Check back soon for the #9 top stuff of 2007

Tracksounds Wishes You a Merry Christmas!

Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends.

Thanks for the wings,

Love,

Clarence

From all of us at Tracksounds.com, we wish you a great Christmas full of great times with great people! May you and yours finish out the year safely and highly entertained.

I Am Legend - First Impressions

While fully enjoying the holiday season and the time-off it usually affords me, I was able to take in two of the seasons biggest films in one day - a true rarity for me: ATONEMENT and I AM LEGEND. This particular post is obviously focused on WILL SMITH'S latest venture, but more on ATONEMENT later on.

My experience of I AM LEGEND can be summed up thusly. It was better than I expected, but not as good as I had hoped. It's a good story and well acted by Smith. Considering that he is 99% of the film, in terms of acting, I have to say he did a marvelous job. The CG left a bit to be desired...as usual, but I was able to suspend disbelief long enough enjoy the ride.

Now when it comes to JAMES NEWTON HOWARD's score...well...there ain't much there. The suspense and tension seemed to be maximized by silence rather than by employing some dissonant creepy crawly cues. I spent a lot of energy trying to anticipate the next surprise-shock-moment. With no musical clues...I failed every time. When I was actually conscious of Howard's score it was usually in the softer, tender moments. The music did the job, but wasn't hugely remarkable. Perhaps it will be more dynamic on the soundtrack release.

For now I say...check out the film for the film's sake. Don't look for much in terms of another great score from James Newton Howard...there just isn't very much of any.

Full Trailer for THE DARK KNIGHT

The full theatrical trailer for next year's THE DARK KNIGHT is out and its lookin' good. The Joker...the Bat Cycle...the Tumbler...good one-liners....how can you not love this? Music is in the trailer is apparently from the BATMAN BEGINS (Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard), but it all works. Unfortunately, it doesn't come out until July 18, 2008.

Enjoy high def versions here!

Golden Globe Nominees

Ok. So I'm the last one on the net to make some sort of post about this. Well it is the Christmas season and life just gets a little busy. Plus, Senator Mitchell's little report seems to be all anyone is talking about anyway.

Well, in case you were under the same rock as me and haven't heard, below are the Golden Globe Nominees for 2008...in regards to music that is.

ORIGINAL SCORE

Into the Wild

Grace is Gone

Kite Runner

Atonement

Eastern Promises

ORIGINAL SONG

"Despidida" - Love in the Time of Cholera

"Grace is Gone" - Grace is Gone

"Guaranteed" - Into the Wild

"That's How You Know" - Enchanted

"Walk Hard" - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

What can I say? I'm mostly bamboozled by the nominees. I can roll with ATONEMENT and EASTERN PROMISES easy enough...but the rest? Well, it just wouldn't be right to NOT have a few eyebrows raised.

Now when it comes to the ORIGINAL SONGS...all I can say there is that I'm utterly shocked that "A Hero Comes Home" and "Lyra" did not get nominated...simply because they are both so very terrible. I truly thought they were shoe-ins.

Now that we have these noms out of the way, I can't wait to read the disappointing list from the Academy! Oh...but nothing will be more exciting than this year's CUE AWARDS. Stay tuned for some announcements on that soon...and word is that this year's awards will be unlike any others. You won't want to miss it.

For now - feast up the rest of the GG Noms here.

Listen to Music from Crysis by Inon Zur

A little bit of game music and game music new for you today...

First off, have a listen to INON ZUR's trailer music for the hit game CRYSIS. If you didn't buy the collectors edition of the game, then you've likely been waiting to hear about a possible soundtrack release for the non-collectors out there. Well, good news! The official soundtrack from CRYSIS will be released by Sumthing Else in January or February of 2008.

And more game soundtrack release news...Jesper Kyd's score for ASSASSIN'S CREED is slated for release to coincide with the PC release of the game in March 2008.

For now...enjoy the tracks here (right column and scroll down)

BIOSHOCK wins Video Game Award for Best Score

Last night the 2007 VIDEO GAME AWARDS were delt out in Las Vegas. As might have been expected, BIOSHOCK won a handful of awards including Game of the Year. Garry Schyman's memorable score for the game also won a VGA.

Congrats to Garry Schymann and the rest of the 2007 VGA winners!

Game of the Year - BioShock

Studio of the Year - Harmonix

Best Shooter - Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Best RPG - Mass Effect

Best Military Game - Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Best Individual Sports Game - Skate

Best Handheld Game - The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Best Graphics - Crysis

Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show - The Simpsons Game

Best Rhythm Game - Rock Band

Best Driving Game - DiRT

Best Action Game - Super Mario Galaxy

Best Team Sports Game - Madden NFL 08

Best Soundtrack - Rock Band

Breakthrough Technology - The Orange Box/ Portal

Best Xbox 360 Game - BioShock

Best Wii Game - Super Mario Galaxy

Best PS3 Game - Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Best PC Game - The Orange Box

Best Original Score - BioShock

Best Multiplayer Game - Halo 3

Most Addictive Video game Fueled by Dew - Halo 3

You can watch the award shore tonight (Sunday, Dec. 9) at 9:00 PM ET/PT

Blades of Glory (Soundtrack) by Theodore Shapiro

Not Exactly Glorious…But Fun Nonetheless
Review by Cap Stewart

In the realm of sports, the phrase “Blades of Glory” might conjure up images of amazing feats and astounding accomplishments. The last thing that would naturally come to mind (before the release of this movie, anyway) would be Will Ferrell and John Heder, let alone as men in tights…on ice…in skates. Of course, that’s kind of the point. Comedy springs from the unexpected, and the plot of BLADES OF GLORY is no exception.

Not exactly unexpected was the selection of THEODORE SHAPIRO to provide the score. No stranger to comedy, Shapiro had previously written the music to STARSKY & HUTCH, DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY, and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (just to name a few). The composer has stated that he prefers not forcing comedic elements into a film, but rather to play seriously and let the comedy come out of the story. This tendency is evident in BLADES OF GLORY. The musical devices and genres Shapiro uses are rather varied, but the most prominently used is the heroic sports music, and this music ends up being the score’s saving grace.

Read the full review

Speed Racer Trailer

Well, here he comes. You probably have known for sometime that the Wachowski Brothers were re-imagining this popular 70s cartoon. Look - Speed Racer was a childhood hero of mine and so when it was first announced that The Wachowski Brothers were making of movie out of it, I was torn. I thought it was inevitable. Someone would remake it and so I had some hope that the Wachowski's would do the original justice. On the other hand, that is one of those iconic shows that I just wish Hollywood would keep there grubs off of.

So - the first trailer is out now. As I'm still getting over the casting announced months ago, I now have to up my meds after watching the trailer. Aside from Matthew Fox's impression of the "coolest race car driver ever," Racer X - I'm not so thrilled with what the trailer contains. Oh yes. At least they threw in one or two actual Asians - Hiroyuki Sanada? Nice!

The trailer music is certainly nothing most score-folk are going to flip over - that housie-trancie-electronica and the hyper-real visuals make it seem as though The W's wanted this to go straight to HD DVD or something. Then there's that "new" car for Speed found later in the trailer. Since there is a "6" on the side of it... well, let's hope for the best for ye old Mach 5.

It's early yet folks, but my hopes are fading fast...

You can check the trailer here

The Golden Compass by Alexandre Desplat - First Impressions

THE GOLDEN COMPASS has been one of the most anticipated films of the year. For New Line, it has been heavily invested in and so has huge expectations attached to it. Same goes for fans of the books.

For that band of film music folk, there has been a little trepidation in awaiting ALEXANDER DESPLAT's score. He has excelled with his minimalist style for films like THE PAINTED VEIL or THE GIRL WITH THE PEARL EARRING, and, along with AARON ZIGMAN delivered an exemplorary effort for MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM, but just how would he do for a big, fantasy flick?

Yes...I heard a spattering of the score here and there prior to seeing the film, but now that I have experienced Desplat's music in context...I'll just come out and say it. I'm disappointed...and in a major way. It certainly doesn't help that the movie was only "ok" at best. Don't get me wrong. The first half of the film is a visual feast, but once we hit the "north," things really take a turn for the worst. It's at times like these that a score can come to the rescue of a mediocre film...but it just doesn't happen in THE GOLDEN COMPASS.

Truthfully, what I have heard of JAMIE CHRISTOPHERSON's score for THE GOLDEN COMPASS game engages me much more. Christopherson may have utilized themes from Desplat's music (I didn't immediately recognize any though), but if so, somehow, they are more interesting via his arrangements.

The big moments of the film (the ice bear fight, the end battle) all have big music...but I was left wanting much, much more than I received. In fact, even as I write this, not one single theme, not one sequence, remains in my mind. Check that. There is one thing that does remain: Kate Bush's end credit song "Lyra." A saving grace? Sorry. It's even worse than Idina Menzel's "A Hero Comes Home" from the BEOWULF soundtrack. Still with those names attached to those disappointing diddies, I'm betting they will both find there way to the land of Oscar Nom.

I almost feel sorry for fantasy-franchises these days. The genre has almost been ruined by Howard Shores seminal work for the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. Since 2003, no other franchise has come anywhere close in terms of the film or its score. Not HARRY POTTER. Not THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA. Not THE GOLDEN COMPASS.

In the short term, I think New Line will be alright with the box office returns, but I'm not so sure about the success of sequels. Fans of the books have already made their outcry against the changes made and I'm uncertain just how many new fans the film will bring to the books. Perhaps the score will be more entertaining on its soundtrack release...I'm really hoping it will. Until then, my attention looks forward to I AM LEGEND and beyond...

Interview with Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco - Beowulf: The Game

Just prior to the release of the BEOWULF the film and the Ubisoft video game tie-in, Tracksounds was able to fire off a few questions to one of the most prolific scoring duos of the game world. Sascha Dikiciyan and Cris Velasco talk about their work on BEOWULF: THE GAME, influence from Alan Silvestri's score, recording at Skywalker Sound, meeting George Lucas, and their careers beyond the genre of game music.

Read the full interview here

Best Music Annie Award Nominations

The 35th Annie Awards Nomination list has just been announced. The Annie Awards seek to honor the best in animation for the year - ranging from feature films, to shorts, to video games. Included in the extensive list are two "best music" categories. And the nominess are:

Music in an Animated Feature Production

Olivier Bernet – “Persepolis” – Sony Pictures Classics
Danny Elfman, Rufus Wainwright & Rob Thomas – “Meet The Robinsons” – Walt Disney Feature Animation
Michael Giacchino – “Ratatouille” – Pixar Animation Studios
Rupert Gregson-Williams – “Bee Movie” – DreamWorks Animation
Amy Powers, Russ DeSalvo & Jeff Danna – “Disney Princess Enchanted Tales” – DisneyToon Studios/Walt Disney Video/Disney Enterprises, Inc.

Music in an Animated Television Production

Alf Clausen & Michael Price – The Simpsons “Yokel Chords” – Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox
Evan Lurie, Robert Scull & Steven Bernstein – The Backyardigans “International Super Spy” – Nickelodeon
Drew Neumann & Gregory Hinde – Billy & Mandy’s Big Boogey Adventure – Cartoon Network Studios
Shaw Patterson – El Tigre “Yellow Pantera” – Nickelodeon
James L. Venable & Jennifer Kes Remington – Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends “The Bloo Superdude and the Magic Potato Power” – Cartoon Network Studios

Congrats and good luck to all the nominees!

View the entire list of nominees

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Soundtrack) by Craig Armstrong and A.R. Rahman

Hollywood + Bollywood? By Golly wood!
Review by Christopher Coleman

One of 1998's surprise hits was director Shekhar Kapur's ELIZABETH. The visually pleasing film with solid acting performances by Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush help to earn the film 7 Oscar nominations. Even composer David Hirschfelder's score was nominated for an Oscar, but ultimately lost to Nicola Piovani's LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. Fast forward some ten years and part-two of the rumored trilogy, ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE brings back Kapur, Blanchett, and Rush...but this time with composers CRAIG ARMSTRONG and A.R. RAHMAN.

While ELIZABETH was met with both critical and popular acclaim, the second part has not faired as well. Much of the criticism lies within the art of the story falling prey to the art of editing suite and the costume and set department. Of course with the great technological strides made since 1998, the visual appeal of ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE could be argued as being even greater than it's predecessor. Ah...but a good film digital tricks doth not make, eh George?

Although his website dubbs him "Australia's Leading Film Composer" David Hirschfelder hasn't been attached to a major film since ELIZABETH, which begs the question as to what happened to such this promising composer of the late 90s. Reportedly, director Kapur's original impulse was to go for a dark, brooding type of score as ELIZABETH had, but later changed his mind wanting the film to be a bit more diverse. This choice inevitably effected the type of score the film would have to have. THE GOLDEN AGE ended up a modernized film demanding a modern-edged-score. For it to be handled by Armstrong and Rahman seems fitting.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

Journey from the Fall (Soundtrack) by Christopher Wong

The Other Side of Left Behind
Review by Christopher Coleman

On April 30, 1975, Saigon fell and the United States pulled out of Vietnam. Since then, audiences have been told and re-told the stories of the men who fought there and what happened to some who returned home. We all know very well that the scars of that "incident" run deep in the US. As horrific as that side of the story can be, it is, at the most, only half. After the fall of Saigon, some 2 million Vietnamese fled their country in search of safety and freedom. JOURNEY FROM THE FALL tells the story of one family's quest to reach the shores of the country that abandoned them and, for one of them, to stand for his beliefs in the face of the victorious Viet Cong...even if that stand is taken on the grounds of a political prison.

The film JOURNEY FROM THE FALL succeeds on many levels. Up-and-coming director/writer, Ham Tran, delivers the story beautifully through a solid screenplay, creative editing, and some mesmerizing photographic moments. Telling the story through flash-backs and flash-forwards commands the viewers attention and even when the film seems to lose its way in its final act, Tran shows this "waywardness" was quite in hand all along. JOURNEY FROM THE FALL an indy-flick but, not only that, it is a foreign-language indy, written and acted in Vietnamese (brilliantly acted, I might add). More often than not, films like this, with more heart than budget, get buried beneath the deluge of Hollywood schrot (and even the growiing indy-shrot). Many good films like JOURNEY simply slide under our Western noses with hardly a sniff.

One last, but by far not the least, reason for JOURNEY FROM THE FALL working as well as it does is CHRISTOPHER WONG's simple, but evocative musical score. Wong's score is dominated by two musical themes: the title theme and the "separation" or "imprisonment" theme. Both beautiful and sorrowful, he makes the most of these two themes throughout the score, while somehow avoiding overuse and tedium.

READ THE FULL REVIEW

New Blog! Upcoming Film Scores

Web soundtrack mogul, Mikael Carlsson (Moviescore Media) has recently started another valuable web resource, UPCOMING FILM SCORES. Wondering what your favorite composer is up to? Curious as to who might be scoring the next blockbuster? Well, Upcoming Film Scores will answer those questions and more.

Check it out, today!