> 2024: YEAR IN REVIEW
> by madtrombone
> Well well well, it’s that time of year once again! Kudos of course to
> Craig for organizing this again, along with the entire Filmtracks
> community for providing insights and discussion as always this year. I
> listened to a good number of scores in 2024, and would wager that it was a
> great year for scoring - 16 scores received a 4/5 or higher rating from me
> this year, and 9 more received between 3 and 4 stars. As has been the
> trend for years now, video game and television scores made a significant
> impact in 2024; 4 television scores and 2 video game scores received a 4/5
> or greater rating from me this year. However, film remains the most
> numerous category, with 9 movies receiving 4+ stars. That’s enough
> prelude; I now present my list, starting low and ending with my number one
> pick (for those who just want the list without commentary - this is for
> you Craig - please scroll to the very bottom of this post). Each score
> receives some commentary, ranging from quick thoughts to in-depth review
> depending on what I felt like writing. My top ten starts at, well, tenth
> place.
> THE LIST
> 25. MV - MEGALOPOLIS (Osvaldo Golijov) - ***
> I genuinely wonder if there will ever be another movie that is the same
> flavor of awful as Megalopolis. Casual moviegoers would be forgiven
> for not believing that the director of such classics as The
> Godfather and Apocalypse Now was responsible for this film,
> which overflows with quite frankly astounding ineptitude. The entire
> ensemble cast gives career-worst performances, the visuals look like they
> were rendered by a college student in Blender, the plot makes zero sense,
> and the script whiplashes between ridiculously formal and downright
> bizarre (“go back to the cluuuub”). It isn’t even one of those “so bad
> it’s good” films; no, it’s just bad. As a result of this staggering
> incompetence, frequent Coppola collaborator Osvaldo Golijov turns in a
> score that is equally harebrained. Let’s start with the bad.
> Some of this score is completely unlistenable. Some of this score sounds
> like nothing I’ve ever heard before (and not in a good way). Source music
> includes the bizarre collection of Julius Fucik’s “Entry of the
> Gladiators,” a Puccini aria that begins extremely abruptly on album, and a
> Lizst work. The electronica elements are hamfisted and annoying, and the
> “romance” material is unappealing and unmemorable. The budget orchestra
> recorded in Hungary tries their best to do justice to the score, and while
> they handle the material reasonably well, it is painfully clear in several
> places that this is no LSO or Hollywood Studio Symphony. All of this taken
> in sum would result in no higher than a 1.5 star rating if it weren’t for
> the score’s saving grace; the New Rome suite, and all of its derivative
> material. Not much of it appears on album outside of the suite, but when
> it does, Golijov finally allows his orchestra to rise up and roar with
> pomp and flair that echoes Miklos Rozsa’s legendary Ben-Hur. There
> are powerful declarations of horns, flurries of triumphant trumpets, and
> smearing trombones a la Goldenthal. Sweeping string melodies and striking
> woodwind applications also go a long way, and while budgetary
> constrictions likely would have prevented this, I can’t help but think a
> choral element would also have been very welcome here. Riding on the
> strength of this material alone, Megalopolis barely manages a three
> star rating. Check out the New Rome suite, if nothing else. Just steer
> clear of the rest…
> 24. MV - GLADIATOR II (Harry Gregson-Williams) -
> ***
> Nearly a quarter of a century in the making, this sequel to the most
> influential “epic” film since Ben-Hur follows the deceased Maximus’
> son Lucius as he undergoes his own quest to reclaim his honor and dethrone
> the corrupt emperors of Rome. The announcement that original composer Hans
> Zimmer would not be scoring this sequel to one of his most influential
> works was a controversial one, but fears were generally assuaged when
> longtime Ridley Scott collaborator and former Zimmer pupil Harry
> Gregson-Williams was chosen instead. A quick glance would indicate strong
> potential; Gregson-Williams enlists a London orchestra (which he conducts
> himself, as usual), several choirs, specialty strings, a team of
> arrangers* and solo winds performed by veteran virtuoso Richard Harvey and
> multi-instrumentalist wizard Abraham Cuperio. Gregson-Williams also
> described in press interviews before release that not only would some of
> Zimmer’s themes return, they would be integrated with Gregson-Williams’
> new themes.
> Unfortunately, Gregson-Williams’ work here generally reaches “passable”
> status and then firmly refuses to aim higher. The new themes are fine
> enough, but only shine when they are augmented by or augmenting Zimmer’s
> legacy material. The orchestrations are frighteningly generic, with all
> the specialty instruments providing nothing more than splashes of simple
> regional flair. Despite the film containing many eye-popping battle
> sequences, very little action music makes it onto the (quite long) album,
> and what does make it is borderline unacceptable; Extremely boring string
> ostinatos, hamfisted unison brass, and a hefty bank of electronics that
> frequently annihilates the acoustic elements in the mix do not help. The
> biggest sin, however, is the fact that this music sounds almost NOTHING
> like Zimmer’s action music for the original. Thematic and stylistic
> continuity are both critical for sequel scoring, and Gregson-Williams’
> action music downright fails at both of these. Thankfully, the dramatic
> material fares better, with pleasant choral writing, ancient viol textures
> and the occasional stirring string ensemble section. The moments where
> Gregson-Williams actually pays tribute to or adapts Zimmer’s legacy themes
> are generally strong, with “Strength and Honor” especially being a light
> that shines through the dark around it. Overall, this is a score that does
> the bare minimum in some places, does less than that in others, but
> provides just enough anthemic highlights to earn three stars.
> *Note; Apple Music credits John Powell as an additional composer on the
> tracks “Lucius…Roman Invasion” and “I’ll Wait for You.” WTF was he doing
> on this project?
> 23. VG - BLACK MYTH WUKONG (Zhai Jinyan & Various) -
> ***
> An action game that presents a unique spin on the classic Chinese
> mythological tale of Sun Wukong and the Journey to the West, Black Myth
> Wukong’s score was composed by a team led by Zhai Jinyan, with several
> songs bringing in outside vocal or songwriting talent. The score offers up
> some strong highlights, with a very catchy main theme and the occasional
> great action cue popping up here and there. Unfortunately, much of the
> action music is generally reliant on percussion ensemble writing instead
> of larger scale orchestral/choral tones, and due to budgetary limitations,
> only ethnic and solo instruments are recorded live. The brass in
> particular sounds quite poor in sampled form (for example, the trombones
> at 1:38 into the otherwise interesting “The Yellow Wind Rises” are
> honestly pathetic). Combined with an overlong and non-standardized
> release, one can’t help but recall the similar situation faced by
> Masayoshi Soken while scoring last year’s Final Fantasy XVI.
> 22. MV - TREASURE TRACKERS (Robin Hoffmann) - ***½
> (rd)
> Before I talk about the music itself, I want to voice my overwhelming joy
> that composer Robin Hoffmann has made the entire score available in PDF
> format on his website* for study and perusal. As an aspiring composer and
> orchestrator, finding examples of large-scale film scoring to dig into and
> discover the secrets of the industry is something I can’t get enough of.
> Indeed, Hoffmann’s orchestration and command of his ensemble is crystal
> clear. However, since this film shares a similar tone and plot premise to
> The Goonies (music by Dave Grusin), it suffers from the same
> problem that sank that score: it’s honestly kind of boring. The action
> music is infrequent, and when it does occur, it doesn’t have a whole lot
> of meat on its bones. The softer, conversational moments go in one ear and
> out the other, and the comedic “Mickey-Mousing” music makes no impact.
> Having said this, Hoffmann clearly has the chops to work with a large
> symphonic palette (he has also composed works for concert band), and I
> hope he gets a chance to go bigger soon.
> *https://www.robin-hoffmann.com/score-sheets/
> 21. MV - NOSFERATU (Robin Carolan) - ***½ (rd)
> File this one under Sir Broxton’s Nun Dilemma (patent pending); much like
> the film it accompanies, much of Robin Carolan’s Nosferatu is
> intentionally off-putting and warped. Grim string textures and soft
> electronic moaning contrast with frightful and horrid outbursts of
> screeching orchestral and choral chaos. Throughout the score, Carolan
> takes tiny chunks of more tonal highlights and dangles them on a stick in
> front of you, only to dispel the illusion as soon as Bill Skarsgard’s
> unbelievably terrifying Count Orlok extends his hideous claws. Having said
> that, this sour sonic soup is exactly what the film needed, and in
> context, the festering evil and nigh unlistenable chaos help cement the
> bleakness and terror of the events onscreen. This is also Carolan’s first
> truly orchestral score, and he makes use of enough extended techniques and
> effects to fill an orchestration manual. As all who have listened to this
> score know, the highlight comes in the form of the 8-minute finale,
> “Daybreak.” Here, Carolan finally allows some light to shine through the
> gloom, embracing the darkly romantic style his sizable orchestral string
> section was born to play. While it’s unlikely Carolan will be actively
> seeking out projects which allow him to pursue tonal symphonic music on a
> large scale, “Daybreak” makes that scenario quite tantalizing indeed.
> 20. MV - MUFASA: THE LION KING (Various) - ***½
> (rd)
> On paper, this soundtrack seems like it should be a knockout. Songs by Mr.
> Hamilton himself, interpolations of Hans Zimmer’s legacy material, and a
> score by a veteran orchestrator taking his second stab at solo big-screen
> work after his workmanlike efforts for 2023’s Wish. Unfortunately,
> every facet of this Lion King prequel soundtrack gets to
> “workmanlike” status and then steadfastly refuses to aim any higher. The
> songs are mostly short, not all that catchy and devoid of the snazzy
> lyrics Miranda usually provides. The new quasi-ethnic material by Lebo M
> and Nicholas Britell (who reunites with director Barry Jenkins in an
> otherwise confusing assignment) fails to do more than just regurgitate the
> same general African atmosphere of the original 1994 film. Dave Metzger’s
> score kicks up plenty of racket in the action sequences and is
> appropriately intimate when required, but doesn’t contribute any new
> melodies to compete with (let alone surpass) Zimmer’s. That’s a pretty big
> general complaint in general: the new music for this film is a bit
> melodically sparse and nebulous, making the use of Zimmer’s legendarily
> stirring themes stick out like a sore thumb. In general, this is a
> passable soundtrack, but one can’t help but lament what could have been
> achieved here.
> 19. VG - STAR WARS OUTLAWS (Wilbert Roget II & Various) -
> ***½ (ru)
> The first Star Wars game to be produced without EA since 2013,
> Star Wars Outlaws released to generally positive (if lukewarm)
> reception, but undersold and has thus far failed to win any end-of-year
> gaming awards. The EA Star Wars games have long been the domain of
> John Williams expert Gordy Haab, but Ubisoft approached Wilbert Roget II
> to score Outlaws. Roget, fresh off the success of his superb work
> on Helldivers II, brought along fellow video game composers and longtime
> friends Jon Everist (whose score for The Lamplighters League was
> one of my favorite scores of 2023) and Kazuma Jinnouchi (who contributed
> some really excellent music for a few of the recent Halo games).
> The Royal Scottish National Orchestra co-performs the score with a studio
> orchestra in Nashville. The result is a good but not spectacular score.
> There is one big decision the three composers made that primarily this
> score’s mediocrity; it doesn’t commit to the Williams sound OR the
> contemporary sound. Rather, it’s stuck in limbo between, with the
> occasional flurries of impressive orchestral bombast simply not mixing at
> all with the lengthy ambient and synth passages. The themes are passable
> but unmemorable, only remaining in the listener’s mind when they are
> really prominently pushed to the forefront. A handful of ethnic
> instruments amble along in some cues, one villain theme sounds like it was
> stylistically ripped straight from Helldivers II (complete with
> sampled percussion), and much of the score simply goes in one ear and out
> the other. Having said that, when Roget allows his orchestra to really let
> rip, the results are across-the-board fantastic; the action is this
> score’s saving grace, and yet because of the stealth/open-world nature of
> the game, the places where action music could be applied are frustratingly
> few. Roget has proven many times over (especially this year) that he is no
> slouch, but the mix of questionable stylistic decisions and a bad hand
> dealt to him by the studio makes this nothing more than a “good” score. At
> the very least, “Battle of the Revelator” is an action cue well worth
> adding to your collection.
> 18. VG - DRAGON’S DOGMA II (Various) - ***½ (ru)
> The sequel to the 2012 game of the same name, Dragon’s Dogma II is
> a complete reimagining of its predecessor; hack-and-slash becomes
> third-person RPG, and the setting is now open world. None of the original
> composers return for the sequel, with an entirely new team tackling the
> music. As the adventure begins, the music gets off to a slow start. Most
> things are sampled (the sound files in “End of the Struggle” give off
> “middle schooler messing around in GarageBand” vibes), the action cues
> have few defining elements, and slow, simplistic source music abounds.
> With the exception of the swashbuckling “Griffin’s Theme,” there are
> generally few highlights in the entire first disc. Indeed, the seemingly
> endless slew of cues that are one minute or less in length is really
> annoying, and while they lessen in frequency some as the score progresses,
> they never truly exit the picture. Trimming these cues removes a huge
> amount of superfluous music from the album presentation, and I am working
> on a “highlights only” to share. But over the course of the score, the
> composers slowly begin to shed these dull, generic location cues and
> background action wallpaper and delve into more impressive territory. The
> ratio of live musicians to sampled elements also becomes noticeably more
> favorable, and the quality of the remaining samples increases as well.
> Some of the action music here has unexpected but excellent dance-like
> elements embedded into the rhythms, such as in the conclusive “One Swing
> for Victory,” the boldly dramatic “The Dragon’s Theme” and especially
> “Witness True Power,” which raises positive memories of both Two Steps
> From Hell and Brad Derrick’s work for The Elder Scrolls: High Isle.
> The four Gigantus cues are highlighted by the strong “The Gigantus Nears”
> and the even stronger “The Gigantus Strikes.” The brutally propulsive
> “Deathbringer” would be right at home in a Souls soundtrack, and that is a
> compliment. Even in more heavily sampled cues like “Dullahan's Theme,” “A
> Myrmidon’s Sacrifice,” and “One Swing for Victory,” the writing is still
> generally engaging enough to keep a listener’s attention (along with
> inspiring fantasies of how good these cues would sound recorded live!). In
> general, the sampled choir is also mixed too quietly and gets kind of lost
> in the massed brass and strings. The album concludes with a concert
> presentation of the main theme, a solo piano piece, and an original song,
> the latter of which is innocent and pretty but also generic and
> forgettable. Overall this is an accomplished score that does its job for
> the most part, but truly excels in its middle and latter portions.
> 17. MV - THELMA THE UNICORN (John Powell) - ***½
> (ru)
> Compared to masterworks like HTTYD, Solo or Pan, this is
> most definitely a step below Powell’s usual modus operandi. However, this
> cheesy little animated flick didn’t need a gigantic score, and Powell
> delivers mostly a charming bundle of light-hearted strings and sleazy
> lounge stylings. A few select cues (“Schemes and Fantasies,” “Rescue and
> Coming Clean”) allow Powell to make use of a massively expanded symphonic
> and choral palette; these two cues belong on any playlist of the
> composer’s work.
> 16. TV - GUNDAM: REQUIEM FOR VENGEANCE (Wilbert Roget II) -
> ****
> I don’t pretend to know much of anything about the Gundam
> franchise. From what I gather, it’s anime teenagers fighting either each
> other or some other enemy in big war robots. Whatever. This television
> installment conscripted rising star Roget to write the score, and on paper
> this is a very strong work; there’s a large orchestra (minus woodwinds),
> choir, a host of solo and ethnic instruments, and a bank of several
> themes. The action music is generally quite good, with explosive brass
> salvos, slicing strings and bubbling synthesizers pushed to the forefront.
> The softer material is a bit anonymous, but is pretty enough, and allows
> for more interesting solo applications. The drawbacks here: while Roget
> establishes several recurring melodic identities early on, they are
> applied confusingly, and several of them outright disappear by the time
> the score ends. The synth material sometimes overwhelms the acoustic
> elements, or spends minutes grumbling and groaning without much meat on
> the bones. The album is also quite long; a good bit of it could have been
> trimmed while preserving a decent narrative (or what’s provided of one)
> and the larger-scale highlights. A very good score, but not a great one.
> 15. MV - RED ONE (Henry Jackman) - ****
> Jackman’s work for this atrocious film is generally workmanlike on the
> whole, but there are several moments of inspired writing that shine
> through and elevate it to a four-star rating. Most notably, the theme for
> Santa is a delight, and the concert version of the theme in “Red One” is a
> career highlight for Jackman.
> 14. MV - KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (John Paesano) -
> ****
> Surprisingly for a POTA score, the highlights here are not the
> rambunctious and chaotic action cues (which are still very good), but are
> instead the sweeping lyrical portions, led by the utterly beautiful
> “Discovery.” Paesano continues to up his game.
> 13. VG - INDIANA JONES AND THE GREAT CIRCLE (Gordy Haab) -
> ****
> The first mainline Indiana Jones game in 15 years, Bethesda’s
> The Great Circle received positive reviews from critics for its
> spirit of adventure and faithfulness to the film series. Gordy Haab, who
> has channeled the sound of John Williams for years with his work on
> Star Wars video games, was brought along to score this game.
> Recording an orchestra/choir in London and a big band in Nashville, Haab
> proves again that he is perhaps the most qualified individual alive to
> score in Williams’ style without involvement from Williams’ own team (for
> example Conrad Pope or William Ross). Indy’s march and a few other choice
> themes are used very sparingly, and while Haab’s new melodic material is
> adequate, it cannot compete with the sheer wow factor of Williams’ music.
> On the instrumental front, Haab matches Williams’ orchestration styles as
> he has before, and this remains the single most impressive aspect of
> Haab’s work on these Williams-adjacent game scores.
> About 90 percent of this score is drenched in the Williams “mystery”
> sound, which fits the style of the game, but it means that the slimy low
> woodwinds and eerie strings get old very quickly (this is easily my
> biggest complaint). The action music, when it does come, comes only in
> short bursts, and while it is accomplished, it simply does not have enough
> time to really leave a mark. Haab conscripts a large mixed chorus for the
> Great Circle itself, and as a result, the large-scale material in cues
> such as “The Heavens Open Up” are quite entertaining without ever truly
> matching Williams’ own material for the Ark or the Grail. The score album
> ends with a few source big band tunes, all of which are very fun and
> toe-tapping (but it’s still clear that Haab is not a frequent big band
> writer; the flow of the tunes are weird when you pay attention). Overall,
> this is an accomplished and more than adequate effort, and Haab has most
> definitely earned his pay here, but one can’t help the nagging feeling
> that you would be better off just listening to Williams’ work anyway.
> 12. MV - HAROLD & THE PURPLE CRAYON (Batu Sener) -
> ****
> While the film’s comedic and spontaneous nature does hold this score back
> in terms of how long it can really commit to thematic development, Batu
> Sener does manage to demonstrate his undeniably solid scoring chops after
> years of training under John Powell. The surprisingly bombastic “Duel of
> the Crayons” and the spirited end credits suite are the clear highlights.
> Here’s hoping more work of a larger scale comes his way soon.
> 11. MV - ALIEN ROMULUS (Benjamin Wallfisch) - ****
> It must be daunting to follow in the footsteps of names like Goldsmith,
> Horner and Goldenthal. But Benjamin Wallfisch is no coward, and as such
> provides a score with just as much subdued mystery, frenetic action and
> dark emotion, respectively. (Other than one or two tips of the hat to
> Goldsmith, there are no direct quotes of previous themes in the
> Alien franchise.) About half of the album is dedicated to
> Goldsmith-esque sequences of grim, mysterious tension dominated by
> groaning low strings, eerie woodwinds and ambient pad synths. The rest is
> action of an extremely brutal variety, with the full force of Wallfisch’s
> London orchestra and choir screaming as loud as they can in your face.
> Brass howls and stomps wildly, strings slash and chop with gusto,
> woodwinds shriek and trill, percussion slams relentlessly, and the mixed
> choir alternates between apocalyptic chanting and hell-raising blocks of
> crushing harmony. The thematic highlight comes in the final cue, “Raine,”
> which is sadly quite short but delivers a really fantastic and sprawling
> explosion of tonal glory. A challenging listen in many places, but damn if
> it doesn’t work really well in the film, and there’s more than a few
> highlights if you’re willing to stick through it.
> 10. MV - HERE (Alan Silvestri) - ****
> For fans of vintage emotional scoring, this is a dream come true. For me
> personally, it’s 10 minutes of absolutely divine music that warms the
> heart, which is then copy-and-pasted like half a dozen times on an already
> short album. Even the credits suite is cobbled together from previous
> pieces of score. Combined with the trio of action cues that simply don’t
> knock up enough racket to really leave an impression, and you are left
> with a score that could have easily been a stunning career-high for
> Silvestri but ended up only being “very good.” Still, it’s a treat.
> 9. MV - THE WILD ROBOT (Kris Bowers) - ****½ (rd)
> Easily the best Dreamworks film since 2019’s The Hidden World, The Wild
> Robot is an emotional and artistic powerhouse in nearly every regard.
> Dreamworks has long been the domain of Hans Zimmer and his protege John
> Powell, but up-and-coming composer Kris Bowers was enlisted to score the
> film, and turns in perhaps the best score of his career. A large orchestra
> is joined by an array of specialty percussion and the occasional mixed
> choir. As he did with the recent Haunted Mansion remake, Bowers
> proves he is more than capable enough to marshal these forces and put them
> to work with dense, intelligent ensemble writing. Synthetic elements for
> the robotic elements of the story are liberally employed, especially in
> the second half. Unfortunately, Bowers layers these on a bit too thickly,
> with their inclusion in late film action cues occasionally smothering the
> symphonic elements. (By the way, “I Could Use A Boost” would indeed have
> been a wonderful cue if the cheesy percussion and hideously processed
> brass didn’t make the whole thing come across as bad trailer music. Why
> choose specifically this cue to replace the live brass with keyboarded
> horns!?) Despite all these problems, there are several fantastic
> highlights on album, the themes range from passable to outstanding, the
> score works wonders in context, and seeing a melodically-driven orchestral
> film score being nominated for and winning so many awards warms the heart.
> Bowers’ career has never been promising, and new high-profile assignments
> for him are virtually guaranteed.
> 8. MV - SPELLBOUND (Alan Menken & Glenn Slater) - ****½
> (rd)
> Despite the film apparently not being all that great, longtime
> composer-lyricist partners Menken and Slater deliver a solid musical
> effort. The main “I want” song is performed with gusto by Rachel Zegler,
> the highly entertaining “I Could Get Used to This” is a fun samba
> diversion with its flashy Latin horn section, and “What About Me?” lets
> the orchestra tackle some surprisingly dark textures. Having said that,
> Menken’s score suites are even more attractive and are some of his career
> best work. The sweepingly sentimental “Elian” and the whizbang orchestral
> firework show “Flinks” are both extraordinary, but the massively
> swashbuckling “Journey” alone justifies the product’s existence.
> 7. TV - NETFLIX’S AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER S1 (Takeshi
> Furukawa) - ****½ (ru)
> The second live action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender
> following the legendarily awful 2010 film, Netflix’s version of the tale
> garnered lukewarm reviews from critics and fans but was successful enough
> to warrant a second season being greenlit. The Avatar franchise has a
> history of good music, with co-composers Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin
> Wynn crafting a careful blend of world music styles for the original
> animated show. James Newton Howard provided a thunderous and dramatic
> effort for the 2010 film, and 2024 composer Takeshi Furukawa’s work
> manages to bridge the gap between the two very well. An enormous orchestra
> and choir recorded in Vienna form the base of the score’s sound, and they
> are joined by an array of ethnic winds, strings and percussion. Indeed,
> from an orchestration and mixing standpoint, this score is damn near
> flawless.
> Furukawa does conjure up some new themes, but they are frustratingly
> elusive and the single biggest detriment to his work; without themes to
> latch onto, some of the score simply fails to remain in the listener’s
> consciousness after it is over. However, the proficiency of writing and
> overwhelmingly massive scope of this recording are enough to maintain
> interest even through the multitude of less than 2 minute cues in the
> album’s middle section. The action music, led by the astounding “No
> Survivors,” is dark, heavy and relentless. The sweeping ensemble portions
> are graceful and moving, culminating in the massive release of choral and
> orchestral power in “Aang Becomes the Ocean Spirit.” Zuckerman and Wynn’s
> work is incorporated in a few choice spots throughout, with the
> apocalyptic reimagining of the main title being the clear high point.
> Overall, with a better thematic tapestry, Furukawa’s work here could have
> been one of the all time greatest television scores ever written, and what
> we did get remains an extraordinary achievement. Furukawa is set to return
> for season 2, and I for one am quite excited.
> 6. STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW S1 (Mick Giacchino) -
> *****
> NOTE: According to IFMCA rules, this score is considered a 2025
> score. However, considering that this score was composed, produced and
> recorded solely in 2024, I think this rule is (pardon my french) stupid,
> and I am leaving it on the list. ATTN CRAIG: if it does not count, please
> remove it from my list and adjust accordingly; everything 7th place and
> lower would move up a slot.
> A lighter take on the Star Wars franchise, Skeleton Crew
> aims to capture the childlike wonder and spirit of the Amblin/Spielberg
> era of the 80s and 90s. The show follows the adventure of a group of kids
> as they cross the galaxy trying to return to their home planet, making
> curious discoveries and powerful enemies along the way. For the music,
> Disney brought on Mick Giacchino, son of prolific film composer and
> frequent Disney collaborator Michael. Giacchino Jr. has clearly done his
> homework, for his work here displays great skill and intelligence in
> nearly every facet of the writing. Making full use of the mid-sized
> orchestra provided to him, Giacchino turns in an energetic, powerful and
> dramatic score that is by far the best composed for a Star Wars
> television show to date.
> Giacchino pens two primary themes. A very strong villain theme for Jod and
> the pirates is introduced quickly in the opening cue, erupting with
> stomping ensemble force and sometimes accompanied by a hellish growl from
> manipulated guitar. However, the standout here is the kids’ theme, which
> is summarized in the first half of the suite and appears frequently
> throughout the score. This is easily the score's most malleable and
> memorable theme. Usually heard in either its full, sweeping melodic form
> or as a brassy fanfare, the optimism and joy that oozes from this theme is
> just delightful, and really sells the Amblin-esque adventure tone of the
> show. The orchestrations are handled excellently across the board.
> Frequent melodic and rhythmic lines for ensemble and solo woodwinds liven
> up the mix, and the strings are used to their fullest extent, their
> energetic ostinatos punching through the action cues and effects like
> tremolos and trills applied in more involved sequences. The brass players
> overcome the obvious restriction of smaller numbers by really giving their
> all to their performance, especially during the action sequences. The
> percussion is used tastefully and skillfully, suspended cymbal washes
> contrasting with lower toms and timpani. The combination of a slightly
> smaller ensemble and an occasionally flawed mix unfortunately betrays the
> performance in several ways; the brass sometimes come across as
> excessively punchy in the mix, while the low percussion is mixed WAY too
> roomy (the timpani and tom attacks are almost lost completely in several
> cues). However, much of this is down to budget restrictions: this is a TV
> show, not a blockbuster movie (and it’s not even a major TV show; Disney
> seemed afraid to market it for fear of disappointing fans of more
> “serious” shows).
> These themes and orchestrations are put to work almost nonstop, with
> barnstorming action and heroics comprising much of the score. There are
> several softer moments, such as the back-to-back solo celesta, cello and
> oboe at the end of “Into the Storm,” the delicate harp of “Neel and
> Hayna,” the warm blanket of strings in “Hayna’s Farewell,” and the
> sweeping finale “Paradise Lost.” However, the action music is where
> Giacchino truly lets his ensemble loose. There are so many outstanding
> action cues that mentioning all of them would be unreadable (I’ve already
> written enough commentary for this score lmao), so I’ll cherry pick my
> three favorites. “Hyper Escape” is breathless, bold, and daring, the
> lengthy “Crimson Jack’s Mad Dash” offers six minutes of superb ensemble
> bombast (including 7/8 sections reminiscent of Giacchino Sr’s. Jupiter
> Ascending”), and “At Attin Down the Hatches” is a relentless onslaught
> of powerhouse action scoring that pushes every player in the orchestra to
> their limits. The groovy end titles present both the kids’ theme and the
> villain theme in less bombastic incarnations (the almost folksy version of
> the villain theme is outstanding); on the flip side, the showstopping
> album-finishing suite unleashes both themes in their biggest, most
> dramatic and fully orchestrated versions.
> I didn’t expect going into this for Skeleton Crew to impress me so
> thoroughly, but it did. The action writing stands toe-to-toe with anything
> written for the big screen, the themes are memorable and intelligently
> applied, and (of course) the pun titles surely made Papa Giacchino proud
> beyond words. An outstanding score through and through; it’s only up for
> Mick from here!
> 5. MV - WICKED: PART ONE (Stephen Schwartz & John Powell,
> composite) - *****
> The most successful and influential Broadway musical since the turn of the
> 21st century, Wicked has waited over 20 years for a film
> adaptation, and it has finally received one (with a second to come this
> later year). It was obvious from the beginning that Stephen Schwartz’s
> music, Winnie Holzman’s script and Gregory Holman’s original story would
> translate well to the big screen, but few could have anticipated just how
> well, with the new cinematic adaptation receiving rave reviews and raking
> in huge amounts of cash. Following a handful of awful stage-to-screen
> adaptations since Wicked’s 2003 premiere (The Phantom of the
> Opera and Les Miserables especially leaving a sour taste) it is
> truly a relief that the film version of Wicked’s music received
> possibly the best case scenario anyone could have imagined. Original
> composer Schwartz returned to guide the musical production and pen new
> songs for the second installment, while veteran composer John Powell was
> tasked to adapt Schwartz’s themes into a fully symphonic and choral score,
> along with adding his own flair. To say that both men succeeded would be a
> grotesque understatement.
> The song album is constructed in nearly the most flawless way possible;
> all the songs are there, in chronological order, performed by a solid
> cast, and boasting some truly massive reorchestrations courtesy of Jeff
> Aitmajan. The overture in particular that precedes “No One Mourns the
> Wicked” is astounding. As for the cast, it’s no surprise that Ariana
> Grande can sing, she completely sells both the obnoxious snootiness (“What
> is this Feeling,” “Popular”) and genuine heart (“One Short Day”) of
> Glinda, impressing with some really ridiculously high notes along the way
> (“No One Mourns the Wicked”). Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba delivers as well
> (“The Wizard and I', 'I'm Not That Girl”), with her towering performance
> of “Defying Gravity” especially lending that tune all the showstopping
> flair it could ever have asked for. Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero makes for an
> entertaining diversion in the upbeat but disjointed “Dancing Through
> Life.” The host of secondary voices mostly do justice to their roles
> (extended cameos from both Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in “One
> Short Day” are a delight), but not even Jeff Goldblum’s trademark goofball
> energy and a villainous turn from Michelle Yeoh can do true justice to the
> Wizard and Madame Morrible. Some songs, especially in their large-scale
> portions, kick up so much racket that a touch of distortion starts poking
> through (the final 30ish seconds of “Defying Gravity” is the biggest
> offender), but on the whole the mix is solid.
> John Powell’s score includes Schwartz’s melodies frequently; the
> “unlimited” motif from “The Wizard and I” opens the score in glorious
> fanfare form (“Arrival at Shiz University”). “Popular” and “What is this
> Feeling?” are sprinkled liberally throughout the first act of the film,
> “Dancing Through Life” and “I’m Not That Girl” appear in the middle, a
> moving rendition of the material from “No One Mourns the Wicked” graces
> the train sequence, and the finale takes the verse of “Defying Gravity”
> and transforms it into a magnificent, Man of Steel-esque roar of triumph.
> Powell also adds his own touches, such as ominous textures for the
> Grimmerie, bombastic HTTYD-style action during “Monkey Mayhem”
> among other places, and turning a small fragment of Morrible’s part in
> “The Wizard and I” into a full-blown villain theme for the Wizard’s
> dastardly plans. A symphonic medley of themes and songs also graces the
> end credits, sadly unreleased on album.
> Overall, it’s hard to imagine how the music of this film adaptation could
> have possibly been handled better. A true instrumental album* or film
> versions of the songs would be appreciated, but on the whole Schwartz and
> especially Powell have truly defied gravity here. Wicked: For Good
> releases this year, and I for one cannot wait.
> *The karaoke album doesn't count; they left in all the dialogue and
> background/ensemble voices. Really?
> 4. MV - THAT CHRISTMAS (John Powell) - *****
> The thing I love most about That Christmas is how it opens. Based
> on the premise of the film and the album cover, you expect a low-key,
> intimate work for mostly string and woodwinds. Instead, John Powell
> presents his heroic fanfare theme for Santa in the most tremendously
> swashbuckling and symphonically massive way he possibly can. The brass
> writing in the first half of “Meet Our Heroes” is simply magnificent in
> every sense of the word, and hearing all the Powellisms I know and love
> made me laugh out loud with pure joy multiple times. Indeed, this score is
> drenched in Powell’s sound, from the searching and beautiful main theme to
> the busier, slightly more comedic “filler.” Plenty of pathos is baked into
> the entire work, and the music works wonders for its film in context; the
> hefty emotional and action climax in “Searching and Finding” especially is
> easily one of the year’s best cues. Confusingly, there is no choral
> element to this score; I assume this is for budgetary reasons, but one
> can’t help to dream what this score would have sounded like had it been
> included (imagine some epic choir in “Meet Our Heroes;” goosebumps just
> thinking about it!). Having said that, this is still a delightful score,
> and while Powell has stated he does not intend to score another holiday
> film, we should count ourselves lucky that he has given us the gift of
> this one.
> 3. OTHER - JACK FROST: A WINTER’S TALE (Debbie Wiseman &
> Alan Titchmarsh) - *****
> NOTE: This is not technically a “score” by the traditional
> definition; however, it was composed for a specially-written text and it
> tells the story of that text, therefore I think it counts. ATTN CRAIG: if
> it does not count, please remove it from my list and adjust accordingly;
> everything 4th place and lower would move up a slot.
> Debbie Wiseman: one of the few film composers equally adept at writing
> contemporary classical music. Having written easily enough for the concert
> hall to dwarf her sizable film work, this is yet another feather in her
> cap. Composed for a string and woodwind dominated orchestra, Wiseman and
> poet Alan Titchmarsh team up and tell a spellbinding tale that follows
> less of a definitive story and instead offers a gorgeous and melancholy
> meditation on the winter season. As if this wasn’t enough, Wiseman also
> provides two original Christmas carols, two orchestral suites based on the
> main portion of the work, and three solo piano renditions. Magical in
> every sense of the word; set aside an hour and listen to the whole album,
> preferably with your eyes closed the entire time so you can dream along
> with Wiseman and Titchmarsh as they weave their tale.
> 2. VG - HELLDIVERS II (Wilbert Roget II) - *****
> Upon the creation of bootleg albums for the score, Helldivers II
> took the top spot on this list and held onto it for months until finally
> being dethroned by Rings of Power. Indeed, it took a masterwork
> such as the latter to trump Roget’s work here. With the efficient and
> pleasingly brief 40 minute album finally released in the latter half of
> the year, now everyone can enjoy the thrilling, muscular and unabashedly
> thematic work on display here. The main theme is a real earworm, the
> action is dense and powerful, and the narrative presented on album is
> clear and coherent. A successful score in essentially every category.
> Still, the final score on my list and my number one choice was virtually
> predetermined.
> 1. TV - THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER S2 (Bear
> McCreary) - *****
> With less interference from the especially nasty LOTR fans, this
> sophomore season received mixed-to-positive reception and continues to
> excel primarily in its visuals, action, and especially music. Season one
> composer Bear McCreary returns for the follow-up, having previously
> written one of if not the best scores of his career for the franchise.
> Luckily for listeners, in a year where the other notable LOTR score
> was a tremendous disappointment, this second season maintains the first’s
> standard of excellence. A good number of themes from the first season make
> returns here, ranging from brief cameos to prominent placements. Galadriel
> and Sauron continue to receive the most frequent and engaging development,
> and to my immense pleasure, the throwaway “Nolwha Matar” material makes a
> triumphant return as a general action motif. A whole host of new themes
> are penned for new characters and locales, along with several songs
> co-written by McCreary and a few of his collaborators on his recent rock
> opera The Singularity. Rufus Wainwright’s carefree folk vocals make
> “Old Tom Bombadil” a treat, and death metal vocalist Jens Kidman lends his
> growling tones to the brutally stomping rock-flavored material for the
> troll Damrod. None other than the Bulgarian Radio Choir contribute to
> “Rhun,” the spidery Shelob receives a suitably nasty action diversion for
> col legno strings, and the Numenorean drum ensemble from last season’s
> “Sailing into the Dawn” appears again in “The Great Eagle.”
> Once the vicious Black Speech chanting in “Army of Orcs” emerges,
> everything from there to the end of the album is a nonstop volley of
> outrageously great music. The mammoth “Battle for Eregion” runs the gamut
> from showstopping ensemble/choral renditions of “Nolwha Matar” (the
> choir-led and trombone-backed statement over stomping ensemble rhythms at
> 3:42 is just fantastic) and mysteriously ethereal passages for strings and
> solo voice. “Durin’s Bane” starts softly and ominously, but builds to a
> rambunctious climax. And to finish the album/score, McCreary delivers the
> superb “The Sun Yet Shines,” which blends the humongous choral chanting of
> “Nolwha Matar” with massive brass statements of Galadriel’s theme, vivid
> string ostinatos, and volleys of pounding percussion; one hell of a
> closing salvo. Indeed, with this score, McCreary manages to match his own
> impossibly high standards, and with a third season confirmed to be coming
> soon, it isn’t long until he matches Howard Shore himself as master of a
> trilogy of works that serve as a shining example of scoring perfection.
> Before we get to the composer of the year and cue of the year awards, I
> would like to recognize some scores I technically “listened to” but either
> did not truly finish or did not spend enough time with to form a strong
> opinion. Accompanied by brief thoughts.
> WONDERLUST SEASON 1 (Luis Humanoide) - Penned by my favorite
> YouTube composer, there’s some absolutely superb orchestra/choral stuff in
> here, but I wasn’t sure about its eligibility, and nobody will have heard
> of it, so I left it here. Ask me for highlights if you’re interested!
> ****½ (rd)
> FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH (Nobuo Uematsu & Various) - I liked a
> whole lot of what I did hear of this one (“Materia Guardian” is a
> fantastic action cue), but 8 frickin’ hours of music on the album with
> zero trimming whatsoever ensured that even I couldn't muster up the
> patience to just finish the dang thing. Also, the bar was set so high by
> the previous installment’s “One Winged Angel Rebirth” that this game’s
> presentation of that material feels kind of lame by comparison.
> ****
> YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA (Amelia Warner) - I liked this one when I
> heard it, but it felt kind of one-note to me; the central anthemic theme
> always feels like it really wants to rise up and unleash its full power
> but is never given the chance to. ****
> GODZILLA VS KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE (Tom Holkenborg, Antonio di Ioro &
> Various) - File this one under pleasant surprises. Not the most
> memorable score ever, and nothing will ever beat Desplat and especially
> McCreary’s work on this franchise, but it’s a night and day difference
> between the first GvK and this surprisingly solid one. ***½
> (ru)
> TRANSFORMERS ONE (Brian Tyler) - I liked this score when I heard it
> in full on release day, but again, for whatever reason it lacks that
> “spark” (hah) that might prompt me to keep listening to it. Fits well in
> the film, though, and it’s just as workmanlike as any other Tyler
> score. ***½ (ru)
> WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL (Lorne Balfe & Julian
> Nott) - Quite charming, with the main title being a score highlight.
> However, much of the material is run-of-the-mill “animated comedy” that
> isn’t enough to float the more fun highlights. There’s still about 15
> minutes of top-tier stuff here. ***½ (rd)
> KUNG FU PANDA 4 (Hans Zimmer, Steve Mazzaro & Various) - Like
> Clem said in his review, the zany ethnic energy is enough to sustain the
> score’s runtime, and the old themes continue to be used in decently
> satisfying ways, but it does feel like it was written on autopilot (and no
> Zimmer collaborator will ever reach the same level as John Powell).
> ***
> GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE (Dario Marianelli) - Technically
> proficient and uses the right instrumental palette, but the themes aren’t
> super memorable and the action is surprisingly limp in many places.
> ***
> DRAGONKEEPER (Arturo Cardelus) - The final battle cue was very
> good, but the rest of the score kind of just felt like run-of-the-mill
> Oriental/orchestra fusion fare. ***
> ABIGAIL (Brian Tyler) - I liked the suite, but can’t really
> remember anything else. ***
> IF (Michael Giacchino) - See above. ***
> TWISTERS (Benjamin Wallfisch) - It worked well enough in the film,
> and there are some orchestral and choral action highlights, but the
> processed edge never really leaves this score, and both Mancina’s themes
> and Americana spirit are lost in transit. ***
> Quick aside; the “worst score” spot was solidly held by DUNE 2 (Hans
> Zimmer & Various) for most of the year, but commiserations to
> EMILIA PEREZ (Clement Ducol/Camille) for holding the triple crown
> of being a score A) that fails in context of the stunningly insulting
> film, B) is completely devoid of merit on album, and C) has the potential
> to sweep the upcoming film awards categories over the far superior work
> provided by Powell, Bowers and even to a degree Bertelmann and Blumberg
> (The Brutalist and Conclave both received a **½
> rating from me, but both had their merits, of which Emilia Perez
> has none, and the postlude from the latter was a pleasant surprise).
> As usual, there were many scores that interested me in some capacity, but
> I simply couldn’t get around to all of them. Here are the 2024 scores I
> missed this year but would like to try in future:
> ARGYLLE (Lorne Balfe)
> BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER (Frederik Wiedmann)
> CHALLENGERS (Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross)
> DAMSEL (David Fleming)
> DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (Rob Simonsen)
> A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW (Federico Jusid)
> HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA (John Debney)
> KENSUKE’S KINGDOM (Stuart Hancock)
> MOANA 2 (Various)
> THE PRIMEVALS (Stuart Band)
> SONIC 3 (Tom Holkenborg)
> STORMSKERRY MAJA (Lauri Porra)
> ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES
> CUE OF THE YEAR, in alphabetical order. Winner in bold.
> “Arrival at Shiz University” (from Wicked: Part One) - John Powell &
> Stephen Schwartz
> “Battle for Eregion” (from The Rings of Power S2) - Bear McCreary
> “Discovery” (from Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) - John Paesano
> “Journey” (from Spellbound) - Alan Menken
> “Materia Guardian” (from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth) - Nobuo Uematsu
> “New Rome” (from Megalopolis) - Osvaldo Golijov
> “The Right Side of History” (from Helldivers II) - Wilbert Roget II
> “Searching and Finding” (from That Christmas) - John Powell
> “The Sun Yet Shines” (from The Rings of Power S2) - Bear McCreary
> “This is Here” (from Here) - Alan Silvestri
> COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
> John Powell (Wicked, That Christmas, Thelma the Unicorn)
> Wilbert Roget II (Helldivers II, Star Wars Outlaws, Gundam RFV)
> Bear McCreary (The Rings of Power S2, The Singularity, etc.)
> Lorne Balfe (Argylle, Bad Boys, Beverly Hills Cop, Wallace &
> Gromit)
> As the end of the year approached, it became clear that this award would
> come down to a two-way showdown. Wilbert Roget II put up a really good
> fight this year, with a masterful score for Helldivers II and solid
> music for Gundam and Star Wars Outlaws. His career really
> took off this year, and I’m eager to hear what comes next from him.
> However, the full-fledged return of John Powell’s compositional voice
> after the recent drought, after being teased with last year’s wonderful
> Migration, finally exploded this year. Powell turned in an
> endearing and workmanlike score for Thelma the Unicorn, an
> intellectual triumph of adaptation via Wicked: Part One, and a
> holiday score equal parts rousing and tender with That Christmas.
> Also nominated are Bear McCreary for his masterful work on Rings of
> Power and his sprawling rock opera passion project The
> Singularity, and Lorne Balfe for the sheer volume of work he provided
> this year.
> BREAKTHROUGH COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
> Wilbert Roget II (Helldivers II, Star Wars Outlaws, Gundam
> RFV)
> Mick Giacchino (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, The Penguin)
> Takeshi Furukawa (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Mythic Quest S3-4)
> Nainita Desai (Tales of Kenzera: Zau, Nautilus)
> All four of these composers have composed works for film, TV and/or games
> before, but each of them had a year that brought them significantly
> further into the mainstream. Nainita Desai has been regularly composing
> for lower budget films for over a decade, but announced her capability for
> larger-scale scoring this year, with the ethnically-flavored Tales of
> Kenzera: Zau and the unfortunately restrained but still promising
> Nautilus. Takeshi Furukawa has flourished in video games recently
> with two excellent scores for The Last Guardian and Planet of
> Lana, but his mammoth and engaging work on Netflix’s Avatar: The
> Last Airbender has catapulted him into the mainstream. Mick Giacchino
> is the son of prolific film composer Michael, and has
> assisted/supplemented his father on projects before, but this year he
> really came into his own; his darkly moody work for The Penguin and
> the boisterously symphonic Star Wars: Skeleton Crew prove his
> talent and versatility. However, none of these composers could compete
> with the dynamite year Wilbert Roget II enjoyed in 2024. Roget has been
> quietly working away in game scoring for years (some of his excellent
> music for the canceled Star Wars: First Assault is available on
> YouTube), but announced his emergence into the mainstream with tremendous
> flair via his superb score for Helldivers II. Accomplished (if
> slightly flawed) work for Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance and Star
> Wars: Outlaws provided two more feathers in his cap.
> THE FINAL LIST
> 1. TV - THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER S2 (Bear
> McCreary) - *****
> 2. VG - HELLDIVERS II (Wilbert Roget II) - *****
> 3. JACK FROST: A WINTER’S TALE (Debbie Wiseman & Alan Titchmarsh) -
> *****
> 4. MV - THAT CHRISTMAS (John Powell) - *****
> 5. MV - WICKED: PART ONE (Stephen Schwartz & John Powell, composite) -
> *****
> 6. TV - STAR WARS: SKELETON CREW S1 (Mick Giacchino) - *****
> 7. TV - NETFLIX’S AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER S1 (Takeshi Furukawa) - ****½
> (ru)
> 8. MV - SPELLBOUND (Alan Menken & Glenn Slater) - ****½ (rd)
> 9. MV - THE WILD ROBOT (Kris Bowers) - ****½ (rd)
> 10. MV - HERE (Alan Silvestri) - ****
> 11. MV - ALIEN ROMULUS (Benjamin Wallfisch) - ****
> 12. MV - HAROLD & THE PURPLE CRAYON (Batu Sener) - ****
> 13. VG - INDIANA JONES AND THE GREAT CIRCLE (Gordy Haab) - ****
> 14. MV - KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (John Paesano) - ****
> 15 .MV - RED ONE (Henry Jackman) - ****
> 16. TV - GUNDAM: REQUIEM FOR VENGEANCE (Wilbert Roget II) - ****
> 17. MV - THELMA THE UNICORN (John Powell) - ***½ (ru)
> 18. VG - DRAGON’S DOGMA II (Various) - ***½ (ru)
> 19. VG - STAR WARS OUTLAWS (Wilbert Roget II & Various) - ***½ (ru)
> 20. MV - MUFASA: THE LION KING (Various) - ***½ (rd)
> 21. MV - NOSFERATU (Robin Carolan) - ***½ (rd)
> 22. MV - TREASURE TRACKERS (Robin Hoffmann) - ***½ (rd)
> 23. VG - BLACK MYTH WUKONG (Zhai Jinyan & Various) - ***
> 24. MV - GLADIATOR II (Harry Gregson-Williams) - ***
> 25. MV - MEGALOPOLIS (Osvaldo Golijov) - ***
From your 4-5 Stars Scores i agree with four scores:
TROP S2(complete score epis./albums1-8)
Kingdom of the POTA
Avatar: TLA
Here
/
Also on the Best/Top Scores of 2024 List Are:
Hearts of Iron 4: Gotterdammerung - VG
Mufasa: TLK
Destiny 2: TFS - VG
Kensuke's Kingdom
The Critic
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
We Were the Lucky Ones - TV
Dune:Pt.2
Cabrini
Nosferatu-R. Carolan
Buffalo Kids
Dragonkeeper
Se Potessi Dirti Addio - TV
The Book of Clarence
Diamanti
Stormskerry Maja
*(Unreleased Album)Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions - VG
