With Oblivion opening next week, it brings with it an original score composed by popular group M83. The score is fantastic, and movie scores always make great music to listen to while doing homework, so here are five other great ones.
5. Tron Legacy (2010): A movie by the same director as Oblivion; this score, however, was written by techno group Daft Punk. The score blends computers and a full orchestra to make an incredibly original and bombastic score. On a side note, fans of Daft Punk will be happy to know the group will be releasing another studio album.
4. The Last Airbender (2010): Though the film itself is an abomination of filmmaking, composer James Newton Howard managed to create a spectacular score, the only light in this stinkpile of a movie. The song “Flow Like Water” will give you shivers all the way through.
3. Beyond Rangoon (1995): Another not-great movie that is strengthened by a fantastic score, this time by Hans Zimmer, the man who can’t make a bad soundtrack. Many of Zimmer’s scores for movies set in Asia are gorgeous, and this one stands as the best (sorry Kung Fu Panda 2). The score transports you to another place all together.
2. Star Trek (2009). Composer Michael Giacchino works a lot with Pixar, but when he doesn’t he’s often found working for director J.J. Abrams, and this is his best collaboration with the director. Sad and exciting, joyous and intense, this soundtrack is everything you want from your movie music and more.
1. Lincoln: I still believe this should have won at the Oscars this year for Best Original Soundtrack, but that’s beside the point. John Williams’ latest creation, Lincoln, shares the same intimacy and vulnerability of the film itself: it’s beautiful, it’s poignant, and it’s hopeful. Not Williams’ typical action movie soundtrack, much more personal.