Best Movie Soundtracks (Epic Individual Songs)

When I made my first top five list, it was celebrating the top five soundtrack composers (read that here: http://bit.ly/1DFprh2). I am now starting a new series where I will take a close look at different parts of movie soundtracks (where would we be without them).  In the first one, I will be looking at the best epic individual songs from movie soundtracks.

*Disclaimer:  No lyrics (a later list in the series)*

#5: The Avengers Theme (The Avengers)

Composer:  Alan Silvestri

http://bit.ly/1QnghIv

An epic team-up like the Avengers is going to need an epic theme song to represent them.  Alan Silvestri, the brilliant mind behind the scores of Forrest Gump, The A-Team, and Back to the Future franchise, did not disappoint.  The theme builds up as we imagine Captain America, Iron Man, and the rest of the team coming together.  It’s music like this that gets fans pumped for the upcoming fight.

#4: Driving With the Top Down (Iron Man)

Composer:  Ramin Djawadi

http://bit.ly/1GPvqvg

Before he was creating the amazing theme song for Game of Thrones (I may not be a fan of the show at all but check out how great this is: http://bit.ly/1khg7kb), Djawadi created the soundtrack for the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Entering the movie, superhero fans didn’t know what to expect and he helped use his great music to pump up fans even more.  Driving With the Top Down has become Iron Man’s theme and will be remembered as one of the most epic songs from an Avengers movie.

#3: Mind Heist (Inception)

Composer:  Hans Zimmer (originally Zack Hemsey)

http://bit.ly/17xI73s

Zimmer borrowed a great song from Zack Hemsey and turned it into an iconic soundtrack.  While this individual song isn’t necessarily in the movie itself (it was the music in the trailer), it quickly became associated with Inception and a form of it is used in almost every trailer released today.  Check out the trailer that propelled this song into pop culture: http://bit.ly/1hRDPET

#2:  Star Wars Theme (Star Wars)

Composer:  John Williams

http://bit.ly/1niMyA5

I know a ton of people are surprised not to see this as the number one song on this list, but the theme for Star Wars falls second on our list (check out the honorable mentions though!).  Whenever anybody hears this song, them immediate think of the opening crawl to one of the greatest movie franchises of all-time.  John Williams is the greatest composer of all-time and it’s tracks like this that cement him there.  It will be a long time before anybody can even begin to rival him (sorry Hans Zimmer).

Honorable Mention

The Imperial March (Star Wars/John Williams)

A Dark Knight (The Dark Knight/Hans Zimmer)

Duel of the Fates (Star Wars/John Williams)

Welcome to Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park/John Williams)

Binary Sunset (Star Wars/John Williams)

Ride of the Valkyries (Apocalypse Now/Carmine Coppola)

#1: Bridge of Khazad Dum (The Fellowship of the Ring)

Composer:  Howard Shore

http://bit.ly/1cPbZHR

It doesn’t get any more epic than this.  This song from Lord of the Rings is in the first installment of the franchise and follows the fellowship as they make their way through the Mines of Moria and battle with the Balrog.  It is as epic as they come.  Imagine charging into battle with this music blasting in the background.  Watch the scene here and tell me the music doesn’t add to it:  http://bit.ly/1H1umdb

Which songs do you think were the most epic in movies?  Comment and let me know what you think.  Check in later tomorrow for the best songs performed from Musicals in movies.

Top 5 Christopher Nolan movies

Christopher Nolan is the greatest contemporary director in Hollywood today (http://bit.ly/1NZyz1d).  He has been known for his psychological thrillers and crazy plot twists.  While he has developed a cult of fan boys, my stance is pretty simple:  I am a fan of good movies and Nolan makes good movies.  With his lowest rotten tomato score being a 76, he can back up the claim that he has some of the greatest work of the last 15 years.

 

#5:  The Prestige (2006)

The Prestige focuses on two rival magicians that are willing to risk their entire lives to see the other one fail.  Featuring Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, and Scarlett Johansson, The Prestige has a star-studded cast that play perfectly off of each other.  This movie is known for its triple plot twist at the end of the movie.  Viewers left the theaters and were in shock.  They tried to wrap their head around how they couldn’t see the twists coming but were amazed at the same time.

 

#4:  Memento (2000)

This is the movie that put Christopher Nolan on the map.  The movie follows a detective (Guy Pearce) who cannot form new memories.  He leaves a huge list of clues behind as he tries to piece together who murdered his wife.  The psychological thriller has multiple plot twists and keeps viewers on their toes.  It is one of the best debut movies for directors and remains a huge cult classic.

 

#3:  The Dark Knight (2008)

Wow it hurts to put The Dark Knight at number three but that’s how great Nolan is.  This movie moved him from a solid director to one of the best directors today.  Heath Ledger gave one of the greatest acting performances of all-time with his role as the Joker (just watch how perfect this scene is:  http://bit.ly/1DPXXFi).  Nobody had ever done something like this before and Jared Leto will have a difficult time matching it in Suicide Squad.  Marvel may have beaten DC with the shared universe, but DC still has the best superhero movie ever with The Dark Knight.

 

#2:  Inception (2010)

This movie created the modern trailer.  Almost every preview you see for movies now follows the sequence and includes the “bwah”s that were first shown in Inception.  This mind-bender is a must-see for everybody, movie fan or not.  Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Tom Hardy’s chemistry mixed perfectly together as they helped create one of the best movies of all-time.  The dedication to realism is insane (instead of using green screens, he built a 150-foot hotel wing put on a rotation machine in this scene:  http://bit.ly/1FI2R4Y).  Nolan’s attention to detail makes the movie seem even more realistic and crazy.

 

Honorable Mention:

Insomnia (2002)

Batman Begins (2005)

 

#1:  Interstellar (2014)

This movie is perfect.  It is a complex scientific movie that completely holds up when tested (unlike Gravity which fell apart as soon as somebody looked at it).  The movie stars Matthew McConaughey as a pilot in the future that teams up with three astronauts in an attempt to find a new planet for humanity to colonize.  As time goes on, they feel pressured as Earth’s natural resources begin to run out.  The movie is a technical masterpiece (check out the wormhole scene: http://bit.ly/1FI3Sdf) and explores so many scientific theories. It is a must see and was the most polarizing movie of last year.

 

Which director/actor should I do next?  Let me know who you want to see.

5 Movies that would make great TV shows

I don’t know about you, but there have been times that I walk out of a movie theater thinking that the movie I just saw would be an amazing TV show.  We have seen this with movies like Fargo, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, M*A*S*H* and Friday Night Lights all become successful television shows.  Here is a list of five movies that I think would make great TV shows:

#5:  Watchmen

While I may not be the biggest fan of Zack Snyder’s comic book adaptation, I think it would be cool to see the world of Watchmen fleshed out a little bit with a TV series.  We would watch humanity try to recover while superheroes are no longer accepted by society.

#4:  The Usual Suspects

You could essentially take this movie and turn it into a House of Cards type TV series where we follow a criminal instead of a politician (unless of course they are the same thing :p).  We could all use a little more Kevin Spacey narrating his schemes to the audience while showing a facade to those around him.

#3:  Inception

This would be a great crime show.  We could bring back the original cast from the movie and watch them travel multiple criminal’s minds as they try to prevent or solve crimes.  You could even bring in guest stars to be business heads, criminals, or politicians that Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt interrogate.  It just sounds like an awesome show idea.

#2:  Spider-Man

Yep, you heard me.  It has been a long time since the web-slinger has had a really successful movie.  I know every superhero has a plethora of villains to go with, but I feel like Spider-Man has the most potential as a TV show.  There are a ton of great villains to pull from and can even have the Sinister Six meet up on occasion and try to defeat Spider-Man

#1:  The Matrix

There is so much potential here.  Although the story line kind of ended with the third movie, I feel like it would have been even better to turn it into a TV series.  Imagine going on Netflix and streaming the latest season of The Matrix.  If you could get the original cast back, there is so much you could with the Matrix universe and I would have loved to see a TV series about it.

What movie would you want to see continued as a TV series?  Comment and let me know

Top 50 Movies of All-Time (#10-1)

Here we go! The final part of my Top 50 movies of All-Time series.  Make sure to catch up on the 40 movies leading up to this!

Honorable Mention:  http://t.co/v85d8L17a9

#50-41:  http://t.co/J9gALKkZpc

#40-31:  http://t.co/S3IgVOVBG3

#30-21:  http://bit.ly/17ZYgPc

#20-11:  http://bit.ly/1ATYtu6

Without further ado, here are the top 10 movies out there:

#10:  American Hustle (2013)

David O. Russell struck gold for the second year in a row with American Hustle.  After being nominated for Best Director with Silver Linings Playbook the year before, Russell earned another nomination during the 86^th Academy Awards.  This movie set the record for most Oscar nominations ever with 10 but somehow managed to not win a single one.  Loosely based on a true story, American Hustle is an amazing movie with a star-studded cast:  Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner.  It doesn’t get much better than American Hustle.

#9:  Argo (2012)

The winner of Best Picture during the 2013 Oscars, Argo was a brilliant historical movie telling the unknown story of six embassy workers that escaped during the Iran Hostage Crisis.  They were able to seek refuge with the Canadian ambassador, but the Iranians started getting suspicious.  Portraying CIA agent Tony Mendez, Ben Affleck helps orchestrate a plan to film a fake movie in Tehran in an attempt to bring everybody back to the United States.  The movie is highly suspenseful and keeps you on the edge of your seat.  While I may not be a huge fan of Affleck, he did a great job directing and starring in Argo.

#8:  Star Wars (IV):  A New Hope (1977)

This movie completely changed American cinema.  When George Lucas released his first Star Wars movie, everybody thought it was going to be a complete joke until they went to the theater.  Audiences around the world were stunned by the visual effects that were decades ahead of its time.  We would not have the visual masterpieces we have today without Lucas’ willingness to take a risk with Star Wars  As a huge part of pop-culture, there is no question as to why New Hope cracked the top 10.

#7:  Schindler’s List (1993)

This Steven Spielberg classic brought the story of Oskar Schindler to the masses.  Few people knew the lengths Schindler went to in order to protect Jews during the Holocaust.  A revered businessman, Schindler risked everything he had and saved over 1000 Jewish lives.  Liam Neeson gave a spectacular performance in the black-and-white movie that shows some of the most brutal actions ever done by human beings.  Here is a brilliantly created scene where Schindler is discussing the true meaning of power with a Nazi general:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5lQA3bipHc  Schindler’s List is a must-see for anybody who calls themselves a movie expert.

#6:  Whiplash (2014)

Although I gave Birdman the movie of the year when giving out my movie awards, Whiplash has grown on me over the last few months.  J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller give two of the best performances I have ever seen (aside from Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance in Nightcrawler)—Teller even taught himself how to become an expert at the drums just to take the role.  Look at the beautiful chemistry as Simmons berates Teller in an effort to get him to improve:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnuImW1dWAk  While it only won three Oscars, Whiplash is definitely one of the better movies from 2014.  That final scene was far and away the most intense final scene I have ever seen in my life.  Who ever thought a movie about a jazz band could become one of the best movies out there?

#5:  The Dark Knight (2008)

The second installment of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy shocked audiences everywhere.  Heath Ledger’s role as the Joker is the best portrayal of a super villain in existence.  The movie took superhero flicks to a new level by showing the moral quandaries Batman is faced with, primarily:  how long is too long before killing somebody is right if it saves the lives of thousands of others?  We watch the transformation of the shimmering “White Knight” of Gotham, Harvey Dent, descend into madness.  The Dark Knight is the best superhero movie out there and Marvel will have to try pretty hard to ever top DC’s Batman masterpiece.

#4:  Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is the perfecting ending to the second best trilogy out there.  As the winner of the Oscar for Best Picture, Return of the King left the show with an armload of Oscars.  While it felt like it was going to end like five different times, the action in Return of the King makes it one of the top five movies in existence.  For those of you who don’t agree, let’s see if Aragorn can change your mind:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXGUNvIFTQw  If  you haven’t already, make sure to check out the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

#3:  Star Wars (V): The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Usually the sequel is not better than the original, but The Empire Strikes Back blew that generalization out of the water.  After a victory in New Hope, the rebels find their backs against the wall as Darth Vader and the rest of the empire unleashes everything they have to put them down.  It is the first time we meet Yoda, the first time Luke fights Darth Vader, and it has the greatest movie plot twist of all-time.  I wish I could travel to the past just to see everybody’s reactions when Vader said, “No, I am your father.”  It still sends shivers down my spin whenever I see it.  Even after removing the nostalgia factor from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back still stands up as the third best movie out there.

#2:  Inception (2010)

Nobody left the theater and had nothing to say about Inception.  Christopher Nolan’s pet project that he had been working on since 2004, Inception solidified Nolan as one of the greatest directors out there today.  Nobody thought that he could follow up The Dark Knight with a movie even more interesting, but he proved them wrong.  A visual, technical, and creative masterpiece was a refreshing original movie in an industry filled with reboots and sequels.  Since Inception, almost every trailer has followed this format with the same music and “bwah””s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66TuSJo4dZM  Nolan’s dedication to his craft has never been more evident except in…

#1:  Interstellar (2014)

There is not a person out there who thought Interstellar was just “okay.”  This movie was either terrible or the best movie out there and I guess you can see where I land on it.  After witnessing Gravity’s success despite being filled with scientific holes, Nolan one-upped the sci-fi movie by delivering even better visuals, a hypothetically perfect scientific explanation, and managing to get great performances from actors who have been known to cheese it up a little bit (I’m looking at you McConaughey).  Even if you thought the movie was trash, it still dwelled on your mind days after you saw it.  I still can’t get it out of my head!  Interstellar was out of this world and had the best visuals I have ever seen in any movie.  I mean look at this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu4sinVuK14  That wormhole scene is one of the most beautiful technical pieces out there.  The fact that it did not get more love at the Oscars is nothing short of criminal.  Nolan took a huge risk with Interstellar and it paid off by giving him the distinction of having created the best movie ever.

How far off was my top 50?  What are your favorite 10 movies?  Let me know how much you agree or disagree.

Top 5 Movie Soundtrack Composers of All-Time

Movie soundtracks can be one of the most underrated parts of a movie.  Few people realize the difference a good soundtrack can make a movie versus a bad one (imagine watching the fellowship march through the mountains in Lord of the Rings without that epic music).  I decided to show my appreciation of these unsung heroes with a list of the top 5 composers in movie history.

#5: Howard Shore

Best Known For:  Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Speaking of that epic Lord of the Rings Music, Shore was slingshot into the mainstream after his work with Peter Jackson to create one of the most memorable soundtracks of all-time.  Along with the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit franchises, Shore has composed the music for The Aviator and Ed Wood, two other movies known for their great soundtracks.  Although he has been working on movies since the 1970s, he is finally getting the recognition he deserves here in the 2000s.

#4: Bernard Herrmann

Best Known For:  Psycho

The man behind the Twilight Zone theme and Taxi Driver, Herrmann has helped create some of the most haunting recognizable scores.  Not to mention, who doesn’t imagine the shower scene in Psycho every time they hear that high pitch horror track.  Alfred Hitchcock originally wanted the famous shower scene without music before he heard Herrmann’s track.  He launched himself to popularity with his first soundtrack–Citizen Kane.  Considered one of the greatest movies every created, Citizen Kane‘s soundtrack is one of the many great aspects of the movie.

#3: Alan Silvestri

Best Known For:  Back to the Future

Silvestri’s accomplishments stretch far beyond the Back to the Future trilogy.  Forrest Gump, The A-Team, The Polar Express, and multiple movies from the Avengers Marvel Cinematic Universe are only some of the musical masterpieces penned by Silvestri.  He has shown his broad diversity covering all genres of movies.  Silvestri is definitely one of the best musical composers of all-time.  Starting his career in the 1970s, Silvestri continues to compose great soundtracks to this day.

#2:  Hans Zimmer

Best Known For:  The Dark Knight

Considered the best modern musical composer, Zimmer has created a plethora of great scores.  Pairing up with Christopher Nolan, Zimmer has created the scores for The Dark Knight trilogy, Insterstellar, Inception, and The Prestige.  He has experienced great success outside of Nolan as well.  He won an Oscar for his work on The Lion King and has been behind the scenes for many great movies:  Gladiator, Castaway, Man of Steel, Black Hawk Down, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Bee Movie, and Sherlock Holmes.  He started his musical career assisting the The Buggles with the first MTV music video “Video Killed the Radio Star” and his career has shot off from there.  He is by far currently the best in the business.

#1: John Williams

Best Known For: Star Wars

Williams has been at the helm of some of the greatest movie franchises to ever be produced.  Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park , Harry Potter, Jaws, Superman, and Schindler’s List are just the tip of the iceberg.  Williams has been creating music for movies since the mid-1950s.  While he has slowed down his pace, Williams is far and away the greatest composer ever.  His work is unrivaled.  Almost anybody could hear some of his work and immediately recognize the movie.  It will be a long time before somebody tops Williams as the greatest of all-time.