In Time - Craig Armstrong

I haven't seen the movie yet, but with Craig Armstrong composing, I had to check out the score.

Favorite: Track #08 -  08 - Waking Up in Time

Pearl Harbor - Hans Zimmer

Franklin D. Roosevelt: "...December 7th 1947... a date that will live in infamy..."

This is definitely a date that should not be forgotten. The movie is typical Hollywood, but it depicts the massive destruction and casualties that occured on that fateful day. I originally saw the 1st teaser trailer for Pearl Harbor in the theater and it captivated me. The teaser trailer integrated the beginning portion of FDR's speech and had the score from Hans Zimmers A Thin Red Line. Unfortunately the teaser was pulled due to issues with using the score from A Thin Red Line.  Never forget the men and women of our armed forces protecting us.

Favorite: Track #03 - Brothers

Listen to Your Heart - Kent Moran

"Music's a powerful thing. A song can change your mood. Make a memory. One song can change your whole life."  Such a true statement from the movie.  Music can resonate so many emotions that you're feeling.  I originally saw this movie on the Lifetime channel. (Definitely not a channel that I normally watch)  The music captivated me from the start.  Kent Moran starred as Danny in the movie and also composed the soundtrack and score.

The movie touches upon a variety of things.  Danny buys a paper everyday from a guy on a street corner yet he doesn't read the paper and ends up throwing it away at the end of the day.  His reason?  He likes the guy that sells them.  No one likes buying a paper from someone like him, they'd rather buy it at a store... at the end of the day it's the same paper.  It's the little things that a person does that can have a profound affect on others.

There are 23 tracks on the album.  The first seven tracks are vocal music while the remaining 16 tracks is score.  The score is comprised mainly of piano and strings.  Many of the tracks are short which is somewhat of a tease as it makes you wanting more.  The feel of the score to me feels like you're reminiscing.  I would have never came across Kent Moran had I not seen the movie.  Glad I didn't change the channel that day.

Favorite: Track #09 - Café Dinner

August Rush - Mark Mancina

"The music is all around us. All you have to do is listen" August Rush was a movie about an orphaned boy gifted with musical talent looking for his parents. He composes music which he hopes to bring his parents back to him. Mark Mancina composes August's Rhapsody which fits perfectly for the grand finale of the movie. It's something that I wish Michael Kamen would have done for the grand finale of Mr. Holland's Opus. That was a score that didn't really catch my ear.  The ending music for that movie was just a let down.  It's possible because it was more classical music sounding.

Favorite: Track #10 - August's Rhapsody

Vangelis - 1492 - Conquest of Paradise

I think this is the only score that I have composed by Vangelis.  He's probably best known for the Chariots of Fire theme.

Favorite: Track #02 - Conquest of Paradise

The Pacific - Hans Zimmer

To all the men and women in our armed forces on this Veterans day and every day... THANK YOU! So many people go through their daily lives more concerned of petty problems, they don't realize that you are out there protecting our freedoms.  I don't think anyone reads this blog, but  I want to make sure that your duty in the armed forces does not go unnoticed.

Special thanks goes out to Big Jake and Frost Sphere.

Favorite: Track #18 - Dear Vera

The Cider House Rules - Rachel Portman

Everyone has to go out into the world to experience things to find oneself... and sometimes things come full circle.

Favorite: Track #16 - Homer Returns To The Orphanage

I Am Legend - James Newton Howard

The movie was interesting.  Sometimes you try to do what's best for humanity... yet sometimes you're blinded by the repercussions. CGI is nice in some movies, but sometimes they over do it and it just makes the movie look fake.  The score is reflective and haunting.

Favorite: Track #06 - Sam's Gone

Edward Scissorhands - Danny Elfman

Edward Scissorhands was a very strange an unique movie. I wonder if Johnny Depp regrets doing the movie.  He's definitely come a long way in terms of acting.  I can't help but mention Winona Ryder is also in the movie... albeit as a blond.  Danny Elfman was a good choice to score the movie.  The main theme played throughout the movie has a mystic and fairytale sound to it.

Favorite: Track #15 - The Grand Finale

Never Let Me Go - Rachel Portman

I came across this score after looking at the discography of Rachel Portman.  I've enjoyed all her scores ever since hearing The Cider House Rules.  I have no idea what the movie is actually about, but the score seems very haunting.  Maybe one of these days I'll watch the movie.

Favorite: Track #01 - The Pier

Jurassic Park - John Williams

Since Jurassic Park was recently released on blu-ray, it's fitting that I would recommend the score. The main theme brings out the excitement and prestige of the movie. Slowed down it brings a a dramatic flare.  If you're bored, check out youtube and search for Jurassic Park slowed down.

Favorite: Track #07 - Welcome to Jurassic Park

William Shakespear's Romeo & Juliet - Craig Armstrong

I was never a fan of reading William Shakespear's Romeo & Juliet. And I didn't like the 1996 movie either. The only thing I did like from the movie was the score. There were 2 CD's released for the movie, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture and William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music from the Motion Picture, Volume 2. While the first CD contains soundtrack music to the movie, Volume 2 contains the music score with some dialogue from the movie.

Favorite: Track #09 - Kissing You (Love Theme from Romeo + Juliet) Instrumental

The Thin Red Line - Hans Zimmer

Composed by Hans Zimmer, The Thin Red Line was a movie about the battle of Guadalcanal.  The movie had a ton of big name actors.  The track Journey to the Line starts off slowly. It slowly builds and then peaks with strong brass instruments which got my adrenaline running.

Favorite: Track #03 - Journey to the Line

Forrest Gump - Alan Silvestri

Forrest Gump... a movie about a man that isn't normal... or is it movie about a man that is more normal than most people? Forrest Gump might not have the social skills or brains as most people, but he more than makes up for it with his heart.  It's something that most people don't see and it took his one true love years to realize that what she's been searching for has always lied with him.  It's something that I hope that someone will one day see in me.  The movie might be out there, but it's a movie after all. Composed by Alan Silvestri, it's a sweeping score with plenty of piano and strings.  The main theme is something to remember.  The track I Never Thanked You is touching during the scene were Lt. Dan is at peace with the demons, yet the words thank you never makes it out of his mouth to Forrest.

Favorite: Track #13 - I Never Thanked You

Heaven & Earth - Kitaro

This is the only soundtrack that I have composed by Kitaro. I had never heard of him until seeing the movie Heaven & Earth. His music captures you from the very beginning of the movie.

Favorite: Track #04 - Saigon Reunion

Buffy The Vampire Slayer - The Score - Christopher Beck

The TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a series that I loved watching.  It was based on a movie which starred Kristy Swanson as Buffy.  In the TV series, Sarah Michelle Gellar took on the role as Buffy.  The series also starred Alyson Hannigan who is now on the hit series How I Met Your Mother.  The track Magic Snow Music comes at the end of the episode Amends. (Season 3 Episode 10)

Favorite: Track #10 - Magic Snow Music (from "Amends")

The Village - James Newton Howard

The Village, another movie directed by M. Night Shyamalan and also scored by James Newton Howard.  The combination seems to be a good one as I like the scores for each of his collaborations with Shyamalan.  The featured violinist is Hilary Hahn.  The violin is played throughout each track.  Haunting and eerie yet beautiful.

Favorite: Track #05 - Will You Help Me?

The Last Of The Mohicans - Trevor Jones & Randy Edelman

I'm not exactly which composer composed which track for this score. In any case there are multiple tracks that I really like.  The Glade Part II is played during the night time scene where Daniel Day-Lewis character Hawkeye is talking with Madeline Stowes character Cora.

Favorite: Track #04 - The Glade Part II

How To Make An American Quilt - Thomas Newman

The How To Make An American Quilt CD includes 14 tracks scored by Thomas Newman and 6 tracks by various artists such as Bing Crosby and Patsy Cline.  I originally came across this soundtrack after seeing the movie, but I only saw the movie because Winona Ryder was in it.

Favorite: Track #01 - Quilting Theme

The Last Airbender - James Newton Howard

Known for directing The Sixth Sense, M. Night Shyamalan fell really short with The Last Airbender. The character development seemed non existent. Halfway through the movie, you could really care less about the characters and whether they were going to survive or not. The emotion for those characters were never there. The music on the other hand, scored by James Newton Howard plays with lots of emotion that is very distinct in the track Flow Like Water.

Favorite: Track #12 - Flow Like Water

Dax Johnson - A Moment In The Life Of Me

From the album Random And The Purpose, A Moment In The Life Of Me is a track that I can listen to over and over.  Every note, you can feel the emotion flowing from the fingers of Dax Johnson to the piano keys.  Listening to this track on long drives just seems to make the time disappear.  Still triggers memories of the past for me, but it'll be a song that I could never stop listening to.

Message In A Bottle - Gabriel Yared

Gabriel Yared most notable for composing the score to The English Patient. Message In A Bottle was a movie based on a book by Nicholas Sparks. If you've been reading this blog, it seems like I like most of the scores to any movies that were based on Nicholas Sparks book.  The score has a nice "reflective" feeling to it.

If you knew that your life was slowly fading away, what would you want to say to the one you loved?
Would you say them out loud, even if they are not ready to hear it?  Would you want to write the words down?  Sometimes writing the words you want to say is easier than actually saying it.  Nobody wants to say goodbye to the one you care so deeply about.  Letting go is part of moving forward.

Favorite: Track #06 - Images Of The Past

Searching For Bobby Fischer - James Horner

Scored by James Horner, Searching For Bobby Fischer is a movie about a boy who out of curiosity develops the love of the game of chess. A love of the game that gets lost due to the pressures from his father.  One would think the child would learn from his father.  In the end the father learns something from the child.

Favorite: Track #13 - End Credits

Source Code - Chris Bacon

I have never heard of composer Chris Bacon before. I had watched Source Code and the movie itself wasn't too good. It left a lot of questions.  What if you could rewind time and relive a moment... do you think you could change the outcome of that moment?  The following track had a smooth melody for a particular scene which really caught my ear.

Favorite: Track #15 - Frozen Moment

Field of Dreams - James Horner

Field of Dreams composed by James Horner. The movie may be far fetched, but it's a touching movie. What would you do if you heard voices to tell you to build a baseball field on your farm in the middle of all your crops? People tend to say things in the heat of the moment that they don't really mean. A moment that they wish they could take back. Making amends is something that puts people at ease. In the end, life is too short to let yourself be burdened from something in the past.

Favorite: Track #12 - The Place Where Dreams Come True

The Shawshank Redemption - Thomas Newman

Another score composed by Thomas Newman, the movie Shawshank Redemption is based on a short novel "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King.  This is one of my favorite movies.

Favorite: Track #21 - End Title

King Kong - James Newton Howard

One would think that the music for King Kong would be all out action. James Newton Howards score is a mix of action and drama. The main theme is played through the dramatic pieces. It plays with the emotion between the beauty of a woman named Ann and the beast known as King Kong. The track Beautiful is played during the scene where Kong is just peacefully sitting on a cliff. Ann is trying to get his attention not realizing where Kong's attention is. He's looking at the sunset, mesmerized by the beauty of the sunset? or is he reflecting that another day has passed?

Favorite: Too many to name... Track #11 - Beautiful or Track #21 - Beauty Killed The Beast V

The Piano - Michael Nyman

It's been forever and a day since I've seen this movie.

Favorite: Track #09- The Scent of Love

My Sister's Keeper - Aaron Zigman

Another movie I haven't seen, yet I really like the score.

Favorite: Track #11 - Prom Night

David Nevue - Words Left Unsaid

David Nevue is a composer that I came across as a suggestion on Youtube when I was listening to Dax Johnson. Solo piano music that you can feel the emotion put into it. You can hear some of his music on Whisperings - Solo Piano Radio
  

An Unfinished Life - Deborah Lurie

I heard this score before ever seeing the movie. I never realized that Robert Redford, Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lopez were in that movie. The movie itself wasn't too bad. Sometimes you blame someone for something you think they did wrong and you never let it go. In the end life is too short to hold it against them.

Favorite: Track #05 - An Visiting Griffin / A Lonely Evening

Meet Joe Black - Thomas Newman

I remember watching this movie and ordered the score right after. The track entitled Cold Lamb Sandwich was played during the scene where Anthony Hopkins character reminisces about his wife.

Favorite: Track #08 - Cold Lamb Sandwich

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope - John Williams

Composed by the legend John Williams, the main title to Star Wars must be one of the most recognizable pieces of movie music. Watching Star Wars for the very first time, you hear the Fox fanfare start playing. You don't know what to expect when the movie begins. Then it start and the brass instruments in the main title jumps out and captivates you to pay attention. It's one of those themes that never gets old even after 34 years.

Favorite: Track #02 - Main Title

Also recently released is Star Wars on bluray. If you're a Star Wars fan, I'm sure I don't need to tell you to pick this one up. There are the purists that will complain that they digital corrected things in the original trilogy. I'm sure if they digital removed Jar Jar Binks... then people wouldn't complain.

The Legend of Bagger Vance - Rachel Portman

This is one score that I was lucky to get my hands on.  Unfortunately it's out of print and doesn't seem to be available through digital download.  It's a shame that scores go out of print.

Favorite: Track #07 - Junuh Sees The Field

In Memory Kathy

To an old friend and coworker that recently passed away, you will be missed.  It wasn't your time to go when you survived cancer.  But everything happens for a reason and it was your time to be in a better place.  I will always miss working with you on the weekends and having someone to complain with.  No words can ever express the loss of a friend.

Band of Brothers - Michael Kamen

To those troops currently serving or have served you are not forgotten. To those troops that have fallen you will always be remembered. There are too many people out there that take you for granted.  If only they would only step back and take a look at what their lives would be without the troops that are protecting this country.  Composed by Michael Kamen, Band of Brothers was an HBO 10 part mini series on World War II. This is one mini series that I highly recommend. It's available on dvd and bluray.

Favorite:  Track #01 - Main Theme

Hachi: A Dog's Tale - Jan A. P. Kaczmarek

Hachi: A Dog's Tale composed by Jan A. P. Kaczmarek. I have yet to see this movie, but I fell in love with the score. The whole score has a playful feeling to it. I am more into the tracks with piano, but overall it's a nice mix of piano, strings and brass.

Favorite: Track #09 - Parker's Dance Played On Piano

The Notebook - Aaron Zigman

Based on a book written by Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook is a story of love and how it never fades even if the mind fades. The score is composed by Aaron Zigman.

Favorite: Track #01 - Main Title

Into Thin Air: Death on Everest - Lee Holdridge

For me, there are usually a couple of tracks in each soundtrack that tend to catch my ear a lot more.  It's usually a track that when I hear it, it seems to play out more emotion.  I came across Into Thin Air: Death on Everest by Lee Holdridge. 

Favorite: Track #09 - Sarah

Dear John (Score) - Deborah Lurie

Composed by Deborah Lurie, Dear John was a movie based on a book by Nicholas Sparks. This was the first score that I ever bought composed by Deborah Lurie. Unfortunately there was no pressed CD released, but it is available through digital downloads. There is also a soundtrack album with vocal music from various artists that was released.

Favorite: Track #20 - Final Letter

Dax Johnson - A Father and Son

"A Father and Son" off the album Merciful Dwelling was the first song I've ever heard by Dax Johnson.  I was searching youtube for "how to" videos to come up with ideas for a valentines day gift.  Had it not been for this, I would probably have never come across his music. You can feel with every press of the piano key the emotion that he puts into it. This is emotion that resonates from his fingers to the piano through speakers and into your soul. It's a shame that his life was cut short. Sounds like a cliche' but his music will still live on forever.

Thor - Patrick Doyle

Composed by Patrick Doyle during a summer of super hero movies.  The movie itself was ok.  Definitely liked the score better.  I guess sometimes you just have the figure out when it's time to let go.

Favorite: Track #22 - Letting Go

I Want It Back

The time for moping around is over.  I want that feeling that I had back.  They say there's someone for everyone, and I want to find that someone.  If I don't find that someone atleast I can't say that I tried.

I've got the best friends in the world to help me through this.

Heartbroken

The music of Dax Johnson, music that I love makes me feel so sad right now. Listening to his music during long car rides made time go by.  Knowing that as each track passes, the CD comes closer to the end, and my destination is near. I might not be making those trips anymore, but the journey that I had to see someone you care about was so worthwhile. I'm sure the next journey I take, the music of Dax Johnson will be there and bring back happy memories and form new memories for the future.