There’s something uplifting about watching a movie with a soundtrack that makes you want to furiously search Spotify for it as soon as it’s over. Sometimes it’s the only thing that saves a film – the Twilight soundtracks are all excellent (make of that what you will.) Juno I think deserves eternal recognition for being a combined soundtrack and movie triumph, but over the past year or so, these movies have stood out for me as having soundtracks worth listening to again; there’s a lot of good stuff to be found in the audio accompanying everything from a drugged up conman’s life story to a snowman singing about summer. Enjoy.
The Wolf of Wall Street
Thank God this soundtrack is as good as it is. The film is excellent, but God is it long. Silky jazz numbers such as “C’est Si Bon” by the wonderful Eartha Kitt contrast with some of the more modern tracks. Stand out songs include Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” and the brilliant (better than the original?) cover of “Mrs Robinson” by the Lemonheads. There’s even some Kanye West “Black Skinhead” in it — angry Leo + angry Yeezy= match made in (probably Kanye’s self-constructed) Heaven. It’s a nice mix of glamour and furious energy; a bit like Jordan Belfort himself.
12 Years a Slave
Famed film composer Hans Zimmer and singer John Legend scouted a strong line-up for this acclaimed movie. Legend himself sings one of the most poignant tracks, “Roll Jordan Roll” (yes, this was where the tears began. This movie breaks hearts.). For Legend, the project was intensely personal; his ancestors actually suffered a similar fate as the characters depicted (who are based on real people). They too were kidnapped and forced into slavery in Antebellum America. The reality of it makes the tracks poignant and painful to listen to, both alone or parallel to the picture. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zimmer said “One of the things I know of this movie is that it deeply scares people, and I think that’s what good movies are supposed to do”- and a deeply powerful soundtrack only adds to this effect.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
I’m sorry, but I never liked the books (*shields face*), but cinematically, the story works. With the soundtrack for the most recent film featuring the likes of the somewhat creepy goth-girl/somewhat it-girl Lorde and her cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule The World”, Catching Fire’s playlist seems to have aided the evolution of The Hunger Games series a little more. It’s a bit darker, a bit more ‘edgy’ (for want of a less cringey word) as the games get that bit more heated. Yes, you have to put up with a little bit of Coldplay, but hey, apart from that it’s pretty damn good.
Frozen
Disney’s perfect little movie-musical comes to life thanks to Book of Mormon composer Robert Lopez. The real question though is whether or not it can beat Tangled; that movie and its soundtrack have called me back far too many times than I would care to admit. Nevertheless, Josh Gad’s comic “In Summer” is a personal favourite from Disney’s most recent venture. “When I finally do what frozen things do in summer” the snowman Olaf sings, imagining what summer must feel like (oh the irony, oh the cuteness.) It’s a sing-along type of soundtrack that’ll probably be milked/murdered/whatever by amateur musical theatre performances for years to come.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Because for the best part of it, if you close your eyes, you’re in the Shire. That is all.
Edited by Luisa Parnell