> Took a bloody long while, as these bastards tend to do, but here we are at
> that oh-so-glorious year of 2004!

Considering my Howard Shore series is getting new installments every month or so as well, I think we're fine. Or not. Hey, that's 2025 in a nutshell!

------

> Hidalgo - ***

I've seen the film a few years ago... but remember nothing about the score. It was good/functional, but nothing has stuck with me.

> Hellboy - ***1/2

Probably agree with your rating, not so sure about "best of the concept" though. This is one of the few Beltrami scores that I can actually remember outside of "yeah, it worked fine in-film", tho.*

*and yes, that includes the local favorite 3:10 to Yuma. Sorry, folks.

> The Alamo - *

This reminds me I need to finally get around to watching both this and the John Wayne Alamo flicks. Have had both in my collection for a few years but never watched them.

> Van Helsing - ****1/2

This is one where I REALLY want an expanded release of. There's a ton of more interesting "downtime" material not included in the '04 album that's really good. Also another prime example of a composer absolutely COOKING for a rather crappy film... even if it does have Prime!Hugh Jackman and Prime!Kate Beckinsale.

>Plus, THAT GUITAR IN JOURNEY TO TRANSYLVANIA!

I think that's a balalaika, if memory serves. In the guitar family, though.

> Troy - ***1/2

Funny you should post this now as I recently ordered the '04 CD from Amazon to add back into my collection (needed a cheap ad-on for my order and remembered "oh yeah! Soundtracks!"). The whole Horner/Yared debacle is fascinating and from what I've heard of the unused score, it A) should definitely be given its own specialty label release someday (come on, WB...) and B) would have fit Petterson's film just fine. Heck, large chunks of it sound very similar to what Horner scraped together last second.

Once I have the CD again, I'll probably do a "Revisited" review for Soundtrack-Universe if my opinion has changed any.

Aside:
Have you ever watched the Director's Cut of Troy? Finally picked it up a year or two back and it's rather interesting. Essentially the same movie but very different tone/vibe from the theatrical cut.

> The Day After Tomorrow - ***1/2

Another one for the category of "haven't seen it in years but remember the music being fine".

> Spider-Man 2 - ****1/2

Possibly a 5/5 for me....?

> King Arthur - *****

I would probably give Arthur (no, not THAT one...) a solid 4/5. It's another "all hands on deck" sounding affair, but man is it powerful and effective.

> I, Robot – ***1/2

> Marco did some quirk work with this sucker. Alex Proyas wanted to collab
> with Trevor Jones again for his new Will Smith bot-battling flick, but
> Jones had to pull out at the last minute, leaving Marco Beltrami 17 days
> to write and record the entire score.

Well, that's disheartening to know we missed out on another Trevor Jones score...

> The Bourne Supremacy - ****1/2

Between this and the 2000's Scoreboard Awards, I really need to re-watch the Bourne trilogy.

> Catwoman – *1/2

> I mean…it’s not like Klaus Badelt was given a lot to work with.

... wait, there's a Catwoman movie?!??

> Collateral - ****

Michael Mann and Terrence Malick are probably the kings of "hiring a composer and then massively reworking everything about the soundtrack". That said, I can't deny that more often than not their finished products are fantastic... even if they are travesties from a purely score-lover standpoint. Don't remember much about Collateral, but everything you said pretty much applies to my feelings for Mann's Heat.

> Aliens vs. Predator – ***

> It’s fine. The horror is decent, the action kinda fun, the lack of any
> memorable themes an issue, and within, like, 35 minutes it’s over.

Yeah, pretty much.

> Resident Evil: Apocalypse - ***

> Of all the composers you may have thought scored a Resident Evil movie…I
> bet Jeff Danna isn’t high on your expectation list.

Jeff also adapted Akira Yamaoka's music from the games Silent Hill for the (actually pretty good) 2006 movie adaptation. So I guess one of the Danna Bros. was/is into horror films.

> Sky Captain – ****

As a film, this is kinda in the same area as something like The Phantom for me: retro throwback but firmly rooted in the era it was made. Also fun but HIGHLY flawed.

The music's good. Need to listen to it on album some day.

> National Treasure – ***1/2

Been ages since I've seen this. Remember the music being fine.

> Alexander - *****

... I really need to listen to this as an album.

> Next Up: Desplat emerges, Badelt overachieves, Horner has a blast, and
> Zimmer delivers an awesome score that essentially changes Hollywood music
> for the worse, forever.

You're right about Zimmer... Madagascar massively ruined Hollywood scoring to this day.