I didn't get to comment on your previous posts since you restarted this journey since I was a few days behind each of them, so let me just state now I'm another member super excited to see it continue.

> Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - **
> Henry Jackman; add’l music by Dominic Lewis & Matthew Margeson;
> orchestrated by Stephen Coleman; conducted by
> Gavin Greenaway; score technical engineers Vivian Aguiar-Buff & Jason
> Soudah; music sound design Victor Chaga

I agree here. I really like the film and think it deserved a better score. I can appreciate it in context, but all I can say is I'm glad the Russo's brought back Silvestri for Infinity War and Endgame. Not sure what Jackman would have done with those films.

> Game of Thrones Season 4 (2014) - ***
> Ramin Djawadi; orchestrated by Stephen Coleman; technical score
> advisors Brandon Campbell & William Marriott

Fair assessment.

> Rio 2 (2014) - ***½

Never heard this one.

> How To Train Your Dragon 2 (2014) - *****...but really it’s a
> scale-breaking 6 stars

Yep, best score of that year, and of the trilogy. The film was actually much better than I gave it credit for when I first saw it in theaters (thought the first film is still the best).

>
> Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) - **

Such a shame that not of the sequels ever managed to capture the same guilty pleasure greatness of the first score.

>
> The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) - ***½

I actually really like this score. It's a bit too busy, but I also think the various themes gives the album enough variety that it never gets boring.

I still find it odd that Horner and Zimmer both have competing stories about this film. From what I've read, Horner claimed that the studio wanted him back for the sequel but he didn't like the script or style the film was going in, and declined it. Zimmer said he was the first choice for the first Amazing Spider-man movie but couldn't do it due to timing, but the studio then approached him first again for the sequel and he was able to make it work with his schedule. Don't know if we will ever know the truth.

As for the film, I still find it hard to believe it's made by the same director. In fact, I really can't think of another film and sequel that has such a different feel when directed by the same person. Although it's my least favorite Spider-man film, I would have liked to see one more film before another reboot. Having a story focused on Peter's grief after the death of Gwen would have really explored some interesting areas for the character we've not seen before or since.