Filmtracks Modern Soundtrack Reviews

11/20/09 -	Chariots of Fire: (Vangelis) - All New Review

Buy it...

only if you specifically appreciated the short, but incredibly obvious contributions by Vangelis in the disparate context of this overrated film.

Avoid it...

if you expect anything more substantive than the catchy title theme, for Vangelis' score as a whole is ridiculously undeveloped for the plot and doesn't even make for an engaging or coherent new age listening experience on album.

Rating:

** Read the entire review

11/17/09 -	Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery/The Spy Who Shagged Me: (George S. Clinton) - All New Review

Buy it...

if you groove to enthusiastic and competent parody scores, in which case this product gives you a solid survey of George S. Clinton's first two outings in the Austin Powers franchise.

Avoid it...

if the 1960's and 70's music of John Barry and Burt Bacharach drove you nuts in its original incarnations, because their styles and mannerisms are bloated in obvious fashion for comedic effect in both of these scores.

Rating:

*** Read the entire review

11/14/09 -	Broken Arrow: (Hans Zimmer/Don Harper) - All New Review

Buy it...

if you wonder what Hans Zimmer would write if given a Spaghetti Western, because Broken Arrow is his best merging of his passion for Ennio Morricone's music and his early Media Ventures blockbuster sensibilities.

Avoid it...

if you love being pounded into submission by the overbearing staccato movements and bass domination of Zimmer's later action scores, a sound that eventually had very little do with the kind of instrumental nuances heard in this surprisingly well-balanced score.

Rating:

**** Read the entire review

11/12/09 -	Two Weeks Notice: (John Powell) - All New Review

Buy it...

if no quantity of conservatively pretty romantic comedy underscore for small ensembles is enough to satisfy your desire for intimate piano, guitar, bass, organ, and percussion performances of easy harmony.

Avoid it...

if you demand at least a minimal lasting impression to be left upon you by your film scores, even ones as light and inconsequential as this.

Rating:

*** Read the entire review

11/8/09 -	The Terminator: (Brad Fiedel) - All New Review

Buy it...

on the 1994/1995 Edel album if you seek a comprehensive survey of Brad Fiedel's raw, synthetic score or, conversely, on the original 1991 score and song combo if you seek all five major songs heard prominently in the film and cleverly reflecting its narrative.

Avoid it...

on either album if you are only casually interested in the effective, but now badly dated music for this film, because both CD albums have skyrocketed in value as they have gone out of print.

Rating:

*** Read the entire review

11/6/09 -	Queen of the Damned: (Richard Gibbs/Jonathan Davis) - All New Review

Buy it...

only if you are an enthusiast of the concept and are familiar with the distinct differences between the original songs heard on screen and the gloomy, partially orchestral underscore for the film.

Avoid it...

if you expect anything remarkable to emerge from this score, for its is largely an unmemorable collection of orchestral dissonance and electronic textures.

Rating:

** Read the entire review

11/4/09 -	Love Actually: (Craig Armstrong) - All New Review

Buy it...

on the European compilation album if you seek a strong combination of the song and score highlights that you heard in the film.

Avoid it...

on the American song compilation album if you appreciated Craig Armstrong's memorable score in the film, in which case the composer's short but sweet promotional, score-only album should be your target.

Rating:

**** Read the entire review

11/1/09 -	The Godfather Part III: (Carmine Coppola/Nino Rota) - All New Review

Buy it...

if you are primarily in search of the vocalized portions of this soundtrack, including the Harry Connick, Jr. song or the extensive excerpts from the opera "Cavalleria Rusticana" that dominate half of its only album.

Avoid it...

if you expect any part of Carmine Coppola's original score to compete with the far more effective and compelling thematic continuity that Nino Rota provided for the first two films.

Rating:

*** Read the entire review

10/29/09 -	The Godfather Part II: (Nino Rota/Carmine Coppola) - All New Review

Buy it...

if you seek to investigate only one score in this famous franchise, a compelling combination of the memorable themes from the first score with several powerful additions for the continuation.

Avoid it...

if, like the first score, you expect to hear either a truly well-rounded work outside of its primary set of themes or, for that matter, any definitive album release of the music.

Rating:

***** Read the entire review

10/26/09 -	The Godfather: (Nino Rota) - All New Review

Buy it...

if you have fond memories of the classic Nino Rota themes that enamored and impressed audiences with their ability to merge Sicilian tradition with symphonic romanticism for this influential production.

Avoid it...

if you expect to hear either a truly well-rounded score outside of its primary three themes or, for that matter, any decent album release of the score whatsoever.

Rating:

**** Read the entire review