Glisten Effect
Editorial Reviews
Scoreboard Forum
Viewer Ratings
Composers
Awards
   NEWEST MAJOR REVIEWS:
     1. Superman (2025)
    2. Jurassic World Rebirth
   3. F1
  4. M3GAN 2.0
 5. Elio
6. How to Train Your Dragon (2025)


   CURRENT BEST-SELLING SCORES:
       1. Top Gun (2-CD)
      2. Avatar: The Way of Water
     3. The Wild Robot
    4. Gladiator (3-CD)
   5. Young Woman and the Sea
  6. Spider-Man 2 (3-CD)
 7. Cutthroat Island (2-CD)
8. Willow (2-CD)
   CURRENT MOST POPULAR REVIEWS:
         1. Spider-Man
        2. Alice in Wonderland
       3. The Matrix
      4. Gladiator
     5. Wicked
    6. Batman (1989)
   7. Raiders of the Lost Ark
  8. The Wild Robot
 9. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
10. Doctor Strange: Multiverse
Home Page
Archives:   2000-2006 | 2006-2015 | 2015-2021
Menu Options ▼
Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)

Soundtracker94
(syn-070-121-103-189.res.spectrum.
com)
Profile Picture

  Responses to this Message:
JB11sos
Boden Steiner
AhN
JBlough
Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Tuesday, July 29, 2025 (10:24 p.m.) 

I have come to the conclusion that trying to cram an entire years worth of "catching up" in a very short amount of time is something 33 year old Ben is less able to do than 20-something Ben, so... I did not undertake too deep of a dive into '07 (or probably any of the years to come). That said, I did revisit a handful of titles I either vaguely remembered liking or gave speed-run refreshers for those I was fairly certain would make the Top 10. In the case of one title in particular, I'm very glad I did.

Alright, without further delay, here is my Top 10 of 2007 (as of now) followed by Honorable Mentions. Brief statements of each (or some) included.

------

Top 10

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Hans Zimmer & Friends)
For what began as a slapdash last second replacement job by Zimmer & Co. to end up with... this... is wonderful. Rich, multi-thematic and a zenith of all the bits and pieces from the prior two entries. It's one of the best "third part of a trilogy" scores around.

2. There Will Be Blood (Jonny Greenwood)
Not to everyones sensibilities, but the troubled and driving soundscape perfectly mirrors Paul Thomas Anderson's epic, bleak character study. It's a case where I can't imagine the film without Greenwood's music.

3. Atonement (Dario Marianelli)
Another case of a score being intimately entangled to perfection with its film. Creative, romantic and oh so tragic... this is probably the best of the Wright/Marienelli collabs thus far.

4. Lair (John Debney/Kevin Kaska)
Alright, I'm going for a painfully normie pick for my sole video game entry. But it's... soooo... gooood. The temp tracking is a bit too obvious in parts, but Debney and Kaska are able tor use above that and make this fantasy epic their own. Good stuff.

5. Spider-Man 3 (Christopher Young)
I'm admittedly basing this off of the music heard in-film, which I know had several "extra composers" mixed in, but even in its less-than-ideal state... man, Young can cook when given the chance. Give Young more chances to cook, you cowards!!!

*shakes fist in air*

6. Trick r' Treat (Douglas Pipes)
For all the horror flicks that came out in '07, not very many had scores worthy of year-end consideration. But this... this is fantastic. Everything to love about a well executed, intelligently written scary score that is also highly accessible to those less inclined to the genre. Wish Pipes could do more genre work.

7. The Golden Compass (Alexandre Desplat)
So this is the title that I'm glad I revisited the most before finalizing my list. Easily the second fantasy score of the year and one of Desplat's more memorable/accessible offerings that I'm ashamed to say I rarely revisit. Really need to pick this album up soon...

8. Eastern Promises (Howard Shore)
Shore, Cronenberg and gut wrenchingly melancholic Eastern European drama-thriller music. Also Viggo Mortensen but naked fighting in a sauna.

9. Zodiac (David Shire)
While Fincher's needle-drop tunes of the period are admittedly the prime musical takeaway from the film, Shire's brief yet haunting score still leaves an impression. Exquisite use of a brief score for maximum emotional impact.

10. Transformers (Steve Jablonsky)
It's a rehash of a bunch of RCP/MV works that Bay no doubt temptracked the living heck out of the film with... but man, I still love what Jablonsky did here. It's so blunt with all of its emotions yet still has a sense of life and fun to it all. Too bad most of the Bay sequels ended up drawning in Grim!Dark RCP stylings instead....

-------

Honorable Mentions (no particular order):

Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone (Shiro Sagisu)

Was in the Top 10 until I remembered it's the equivalent of Lion King (2019) or HTTYD (2025) and decided to keep with precedent and not include it. You should still check it out, though!

Heroic Age (Naoki Sato)
Was in the Top 10 until Golden Compass. You're welcome, Vik.


Enchanted(Alan Menken)

Delightful self-parody by Menken. Most of the songs are still great in a very tongue-in-cheek way all these years later.

Ghost Rider (Christopher Young)

Better within the film than as a standalone listening experience. That said the romantic tracks are wonderful The Shipping News-lite highlights.

The Bourne Ultimatum (John Powell)

It's kinda shocking just how influential these three scores by Powell were on the entire thriller-action-spy genre.

Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Nick Cave/Warren Ellis)

This one's for you, Riley.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Nicholas Hooper)
The best of the two Hooper penned Potter scores.

The Orphanage (Fernando Velazquez) 

Really good more "normal" horror score that leans into melodrama more than musical carnage. Just barely missed the Top 10 when Trick r' Treat exists.

--------

Compsoer of the Year:
Christopher Young (Spider-Man 3, Ghost Rider, Lucky You)

'07 is a bit of a tough one to pick a CotY, honestly, but with one score in my Top 5 and another in the Honorable Mentions... yeah, Chris Young seems right.

----------

Thanks for putting this together JB11! Looking forward to the results... and how off-base my Top 10 is with the community. tongue


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


JB11sos
(pool-108-34-209-135.prvdri.fios.v
erizon.net)

  In Response to:
Soundtracker94
Got it! *NM*   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (6:10 a.m.) 



Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


Boden Steiner
<Send E-Mail>
(172.59.230.65)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
Soundtracker94

  Responses to this Message:
Jonathan Broxton
Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (8:36 a.m.) 

Trick 'r Teeat. Not sure how that slipped by me for 2007, but yeah, that might be there for me. Fantastic score.


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


Jonathan Broxton
<Send E-Mail>
(45-24-89-3.lightspeed.irvnca.sbcg
lobal.net)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
Boden Steiner

  Responses to this Message:
AhN
Soundtracker94
Boden Steiner
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (8:39 a.m.) 

> Trick 'r Teeat. Not sure how that slipped by me for 2007, but yeah, that
> might be there for me. Fantastic score.

I have Trick 'r Treat down as '09, because it only really played random one-off showings at festivals like Butt-Numb-a-Thon in '07. It sat on a shelf for 2 years after that, and didn't get a proper release until the fall of '09.

It is a fantastic score, for sure.


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


AhN
<Send E-Mail>
(136-33-0-127.googlefiber.net)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
Jonathan Broxton
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (8:52 a.m.) 

> festivals like Butt-Numb-a-Thon

Great moments in scoreboard history: Broxton bringing me awareness of the phrase "Butt-Numb-a-Thon"


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


Soundtracker94
(syn-070-121-103-189.res.spectrum.
com)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
Jonathan Broxton
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (8:07 p.m.) 

> I have Trick 'r Treat down as '09, because it only really played random
> one-off showings at festivals like Butt-Numb-a-Thon in '07. It sat on a
> shelf for 2 years after that, and didn't get a proper release until the
> fall of '09.

I totally forgot about it getting shelved until '09... all of the online sources say 2007, so that's what I went with. That said, I typically also go by wide release dates instead of film festivals, etc. so... my bad. >_o



Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


Boden Steiner
(c-24-9-36-64.hsd1.co.comcast.net)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
Jonathan Broxton
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (9:11 p.m.) 

> I have Trick 'r Treat down as '09, because it only really played random
> one-off showings at festivals like Butt-Numb-a-Thon in '07. It sat on a
> shelf for 2 years after that, and didn't get a proper release until the
> fall of '09.

> It is a fantastic score, for sure.

ah, yes, solved that mystery for me. I was really surprised it slipped me, but yep, there it is in my 2009.


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


AhN
<Send E-Mail>
(136-33-0-127.googlefiber.net)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
Soundtracker94

  Responses to this Message:
Soundtracker94
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (8:53 a.m.) 

> 7. The Golden Compass (Alexandre Desplat)
> So this is the title that I'm glad I revisited the most before finalizing
> my list. Easily the second fantasy score of the year and one of Desplat's
> more memorable/accessible offerings that I'm ashamed to say I rarely
> revisit. Really need to pick this album up soon...

> Heroic Age (Naoki Sato)
> Was in the Top 10 until Golden Compass. You're welcome, Vik.

You're incredibly sweet, and I will repay you by leaving Golden Compass off of my list


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


Soundtracker94
(syn-070-121-103-189.res.spectrum.
com)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
AhN
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (8:08 p.m.) 

> You're incredibly sweet, and I will repay you by leaving Golden Compass
> off of my list

I go to ALLL this trouble for you and you BETRAY ME like THIS?!??? I thought we were friends, Vik!

wink tongue


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


JBlough
<Send E-Mail>
(80.sub-174-200-64.myvzw.com)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
Soundtracker94

  Responses to this Message:
Soundtracker94
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (2:44 p.m.) 

> 9. Zodiac (David Shire)

> While Fincher's needle-drop tunes of the period are admittedly the prime musical takeaway from the film, Shire's brief yet haunting score still leaves an impression. Exquisite use of a brief score for maximum emotional impact.

I’m glad I used this exercise to finally get around to hearing that one, albeit in the 11th hour. Surprisingly absorbing music for how chilling it is at times.

I also got a kick out of the conversation snuck in at the end of the last track.



Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display


Soundtracker94
(syn-070-121-103-189.res.spectrum.
com)
Profile Picture
  In Response to:
JBlough
Re: Ben's Best of 2007 (ATTN: JB11sos!)   Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (8:10 p.m.) 

> I also got a kick out of the conversation snuck in at the end of the last
> track.

Funny aside:
I was listening to this in the background while doing other things and when that "Easter egg" came up, I nearly made an audible yelp. tongue


Post Full Response         Edit Post         Threaded Display



Copyright © 1998-2025, Filmtracks Publications. All rights reserved.
The reviews and other textual content contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Christian Clemmensen at Filmtracks Publications. Scoreboard created 7/24/98 and last updated 4/25/15.
Filmtracks takes no responsibility for any offense or mental trauma caused by this forum. Behold the Scoreboard motto to better understand why this party is relentlessly trolled.