Top 10 Favorite Criterion Covers

So for those of you who do not know, The Criterion Collection is, well, here is their mission statement:

Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements. Over the years, as we moved from laserdisc to DVD, Blu-ray disc, and online streaming, we’ve seen a lot of things change, but one thing has remained constant: our commitment to publishing the defining moments of cinema for a wider and wider audience. The foundation of the collection is the work of such masters of cinema as Renoir, Godard, Kurosawa, Cocteau, Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky, Hitchcock, Fuller, Lean, Kubrick, Lang, Sturges, Dreyer, Eisenstein, Ozu, Sirk, Buñuel, Powell and Pressburger. Each film is presented uncut, in its original aspect ratio, as its maker intended it to be seen. Every time we start work on a film, we track down the best available film elements in the world, use state-of-the-art telecine equipment and a select few colorists capable of meeting our rigorous standards, then take time during the film-to-video digital transfer to create the most pristine possible image and sound. Whenever possible, we work with directors and cinematographers to ensure that the look of our releases does justice to their intentions. Our supplements enable viewers to appreciate Criterion films in context, through audio commentaries by filmmakers and scholars, restored director’s cuts, deleted scenes, documentaries, shooting scripts, early shorts, and storyboards. To date, more than 150 filmmakers have made our library of Director Approved DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and laserdiscs the most significant archive of contemporary filmmaking available to the home viewer.

So for an American cinephile, the Criterion releases of films are the best version available for home viewing.  As stated above, they offer the best possible video quality, in the correct aspect ration, and offer plenty of supplemental content.  Their releases aren't cheap, but they are worth the price.  Most of the films in the collection are only available in the U.S. through them.  Criterion films also have fantastic cover art.  So here is a list of my top ten favorite Criterion covers. 

10. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998): Directed by Terry Gilliam

This film is pretty nuts and I'm pretty certain I have little idea as to what happened in it.  The cover does a great job of recreating the craziness of the film.  Since you (and me) probably want to see this film more than once, owning the Criterion release is a great idea.

9. The Ice Storm (1997): Directed by Ang Lee

I have not seen this film, nor do I have any idea what it is about.  But the cover sure does look pretty doesn't it?  I'm a huge fan of Lee's Brokeback Mountain and I enjoyed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, so I will probably give this one a watch at some point.

8. House (1977): Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi

Rumor has it that this movie is really crazy.  The cover itself looks pretty ridiculous.  I know nothing about the film other than it is a crazy Japanese horror movie, which is all I need to know going in.  Of the four movies on this list that I have not seen, this is the one I need to see the most.  

7. The Night Porter (1974): Directed by Liliana Cavani

Yup.

6. Repulsion (1965): Directed by Roman Polanski

I now realize that there are a decent number of crazy movies on this list.  Repulsion is the first in Polanski's apartment trilogy, the other two being Rosemary's Baby and The Tenant.  The cover is simple, but effective in representing the psychological state of the main character.

5. Walkabout (1971): Directed by Nicolas Roeg

Again, haven't seen it and I don't have a clue what it's about, but look at that cover!  It's SO striking!  I do know that the director, Nicolas Roeg, was first a cinematography, which lends to the visual strength of the film.  The screenshots that I have seen are gorgeous. 

4. Salò: or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975): Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

This is the last of the crazy films on this list and I think (since I haven't seen one of them) this may be the craziest.  It is certainly crazy in its own "unique" way.  This film is constantly ranked as one of the most disturbing films ever made and the cover acts as a nice warning.

3. The Seventh Seal (1957): Directed by Ingmar Bergman

This film contains some of the most powerful images of black and white cinematography and this cover does a good job at capturing the weight of these images.  The cover is simple and beautiful, showing the knight's face partly covered in shadow, symbolizing his inner struggle in the film.

2. Seven Samurai (1954): Directed by Akira Kurosawa

I believe Seven Samurai was the first Criterion film I ever saw, and I remember looking at it and being a tad confused as to why it was so fancy.  The cover, here, is taken from the image of the Samurai's banner in the film.  The six circles represent each of the "true" samurai and the triangle...well, you will just have to see for yourself.  

1. The Thin Red Line (1998): Directed by Terrence Malick

I was in awe the first moment I saw this cover.  The actual image itself is beautiful, with the dull green hills, the shaded backs of the soldiers, the explosions in the distance, all against the blue-gray sky.  Then there is the thin red vertical line running down the cover making it look like the inside of a book (the film was adapted from a novel).  Another great cover to a Malick film is the one for Days of Heaven.

Top 15 Greatest Movies Currently Available on Netflix Streaming

I sometimes hear people complain that there are no good movies available on Netflix streaming.  I think we may be using different services, because my instant queue is full (the cap is 500).  To help out in finding good movies to watch I have constructed a list of what I believe to be the 15 greatest movies available for streaming on Netflix.  These are not my 15 favorites, but what I actually consider to be the best.  Since this is still my opinion, I only included films that I have seen.  I provided with each film its IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes Rating, as well as its ranking on the latest Sight and Sound polls as a means of evidence for each film's quality. 


15. Irreversible (2002)

Starting the list off with a touch of controversy.  The film is infamous for its rape scene but its not tasteless (which is kind of weird to say).  I can't really say that this movie is for everyone, but for those who can handle it and understand its message, it's a must watch. 

IMDb: 7.3
Rotten Tomatoes: 56%
S&S Critics: 447
S&S: Directors: N/A

14. Let the Right One In (2008)

If you hate Twilight (which you should) and actually like vampire lore, then it is pretty hard to top this film.  I beautifully shot film with a love story we care about; this is vampire romance done well.  This film is violent too, but I found the sound effects to be more unsetteling than the images.

IMDb: 8.0
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
S&S Critics: 546
S&S: Directors: N/A

13. Paths of Glory (1957)

I placed this film's ending as my second favorite in my last list and one of the reasons the ending is so effective is due to the quality of the rest of the narrative.  Kubrick made this film 11 years before 2001 but Paths of Glory is evidence that he was a genius since his early years. 

IMDb: 8.5 
Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
S&S Critics: 377
S&S: Directors: 107

12. Hour of the Wolf (1968)

 Some may find this movie "weird" while interesting people will recognize it as surrealist and awesome.  The 1960s marked Bergman's transition to modernist narratives and this is one of his greatest efforts.  If you like strong images and story that is not too simple, then you will enjoy this.

IMDb:7.7
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
S&S Critics: 447
S&S: Directors: 44

11. Ran (1985)

This was the last grand film directed by Akira Kurosawa and it's clear that he went all out with it.  It is a loose adaption of Shakespeare's King Leer and set in feudal Japan.  Epic and tragic, this is one of the finest examples of Japanese cinema as done by one of the country's greatest auteurs.    

IMDb: 8.3
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
S&S Critics: 377
S&S: Directors: 132

10. Mulholland Drive (2001)

Often hailed as David Lynch's greatest film (I personally prefer Eraserhead), Mulholland Drive is an exceptional example of neo-noir.  I would describe the story to you, but I'm not too sure what happened myself. 

IMDb: 8.0
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
S&S Critics: 28
S&S: Directors: 75

9. Sunset Blvd. (1950)

Much of this film will probably seem familiar to viewers.  It has many classic lines of dialogue as well as a narrative technique that influenced American Beauty.  Sunset Blvd. is one of the best examples of film-noir from Hollywood's golden period.

IMDb: 8.6
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
S&S Critics: 63
S&S: Directors: 67

8. In the Mood For Love (2000)

In the Mood For Love is probably the best film to ever come out of Hong Kong.  Set in the 1960s, here is a complex portrait of life and relationships between people.  I almost included this film on my list of favorite soundtracks and I did use one of the songs in my second short film. 

IMDb: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
S&S Critics: 24
S&S: Directors: 67

7. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

If anyone is ever curious about what German Expressionism is then look no further than The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.  The screenshot alone should be enough to explain that this film is highly stylized.  It's considered to be a first for a certain narrative strategy, but you will have to watch it to find out what it is for yourself. 

IMDb: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
S&S Critics: 235
S&S: Directors: 322

6. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

The Searchers is often hailed as the greatest western ever made but I really think Once Upon a Time in the West is the better film.  One of the main reasons being that Once Upon a Time is actually entertaining.  It is slow paced, but has great story telling with an excellent climax.

IMDb: 8.7
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
S&S Critics: 78
S&S: Directors: 44


5. Metropolis (1927)

As I read Brave New World over the summer I thought to myself, "wow, this book must have really influenced Metropolis."  Then I looked at the dates.  It was the other way around.  Metropolis has been monumentally influential on science fiction, with benchmarks such as being the first film to feature a robot.

IMDb: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
S&S Critics: 36
S&S: Directors: 132

4. Battleship Potemkin (1925)

50% of all film classes at least make mention of The Odessa Steps Sequence.  Some find that other than that scene, the film is rather boring.  I disagree, and find that Battleship in its entirety is thrilling and seeing the whole film only makes The Odessa Steps Sequence more effective.

IMDb: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
S&S Critics: 11
S&S: Directors: 75

3. 8 1/2 (1963)

It's nice that this film has been on Netflix for a while because that hopefully means it won't be leaving any time soon.  I say this because anyone who watches it will probably want to watch it a second time.  About 30 minutes into the film and you will understand why.

IMDb: 8.1
Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
S&S Critics: 10
S&S: Directors: 4

2. Apocalypse Now (1979)

To me, this is to war films as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is to horror films.  Both create a world of absolute chaos, completely free of reason.  Apocalypse Now may feature my favorite screenplay of any film.  Both the written and improvised dialogue is hypnotic. 

IMDb: 8.6
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
S&S Critics: 14
S&S: Directors: 6

1. Bicycle Thieves (1948)

This is probably the quintessential example of Italian neorealism, which may be the most influential movement in the history of cinema.  The film's plot is simple, but the emotions it conveys and the ideas it represents are anything but.  Watch this movie.

IMDb: 8.4
Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
S&S Critics: 33
S&S: Directors: 10

Top Ten Favorite Movie Endings

Endings are a pretty important part of a movie.  My TA for a script analysis course I took told me that the first act is inspiration and the third act/ending is the message you, the filmmaker, are trying to send.  What constitutes a good ending is a matter of fun, interesting debate.  A friend of mine argued  the quality of Gladiator's ending by stating that when he and his friends watched the film one time they were talking and were distracted during most of the film.  But once the last scene began to play, everyone was silent.  This is certainly a strong argument but I do not think that is the only criteria necessary for a strong ending.  I find that an ending's strength often times comes from its relationship to the narrative that has played out for the duration of the film.  As an isolated scene, an ending may be weak, insignificant, and meaningless, but when seen after all the events that have just occurred, it is striking.  I am not saying these are the best endings ever made, these are only my favorites.  The ones that leave me satisfied, excited, or thinking.  WARNING: THIS IS A LIST OF SPOILERS (DUR) IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE AND DO NOT WANT IT SPOILED THEN DO NOT READ THE BLURB ABOUT IT AND DO NOT WATCH THE CLIP

10. Rocky (1976)

Rocky is probably one of the greatest sports films ever made.  For me, what makes Rocky (and other famous sports movies) so great is that it does not solely rely on the sport that is the subject of the film.  Yes, Rocky is about a boxer, but I would argue that it is more a love story than a boxing story.  Just look at this poster for the film.  In it, we see the backs of Adrien and Rocky.  If you look in the center of the picture you will see the two holding hands.  I believe that this is evidence that the film is more a love story than one of boxing.  The love story is further emphasized in the ending.  The results of the fight are hardly audible and it is not really clear who won or what the conclusion of the fight was.  What is clear, and what is audible, is the final lines between Rocky and Adrian.

9. Winter Light (1963)

This movie was already blowing my mind before the ending, but its final moments stabbed me deep in the gut.  Bergman further demonstrates that he was an absolute film-making genius in these final moments.  Specifically, I am referring to when Algot, the hunchbacked sexton, shares with Tomas, the pastor, his theory about Jesus' suffering.  In this scene Bergman is able to paint the agony and suffering that Tomas must be going through.  The decision to not have Tomas physically act his pain or verbally express it is brilliant, because I think that simply acting it would not be enough.  Instead, drawing this connection to Christ and juxtaposing the two is infinitely more effective, with Tomas sitting there with a blank face.  It's the Kuleshov Effect, but with words.

8. Glory (1989)

When I was younger and had this film on VHS I would rewind and re-watch the final moments of this film time after time after time.  This is drama at its finest!  We have these characters that we have become attached to throughout the film and all their efforts culminating in a single charge.  Once Shaw dies and the music strikes my emotions go nuts, my heart pounds, and the hair on my neck rises.  We lose two of the most prominent characters almost instantly and the viewers feel the rage and force of the 54th as they charge into Fort Wagner.  We also see bits of character development with Trip and Thomas and this only adds to the excitement and tragedy of the scene.

7. Schindler's List (1993)

I was barely holding on throughout Schindler's List, trying as hard as I could to hold in my tears, but once the scene came, I was done for.  After all he had done, after all the lives he had saved, after all he had sacrificed, Oscar Schindler still thought he could have done more.  He looks at all of his remaining possessions and is ashamed of them.  Why had he not sold the car?  If one compares this Schindler to the one found at the beginning of the film the only similarity would be that of physical appearance.  That is one of the most impressive parts about this film; Schindler has a massive arc, but the viewer can't point to a single moment in the film when he decided to become a hero.  It is so gradual, and so human.


6. When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Ultimate goal in life?  Living out this scene.  Harry is defeated and alone, but he remembers all of the great times he has had with Sally.  He remembers all the good, all the reasons he loves her, and all the reasons that make any argument they have had beyond trivial.  Then there is his silly looking run; this can't wait he has to confess his love!  He confronts Sally, spills his guts, gets rejected, then lays down one of my all-time favorite lines of any movie ever to seal the deal.  It is perhaps the single best line of dialogue of any romantic comedy.  Right up there with the ending of Some Like it Hot.  Sally even says she hates him right before he gives her a big hug.  I find that so funny. 

5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Here is a classic WTF? ending.  Although, much of what is actually happening to the character is pretty straight forward, the way in which Kubrick goes about showing it to the audience is mesmerizing, and not so straight forward.  I watched it with a huge grin the first time I saw 2001; one, because it is nuts, and secondly, because I could just imagine people being so confused while watching this ending.  For me, part of what makes this films so great is the massive amount of mystery surrounding it.  The viewer is never entirely sure what is going on in the film and it all builds up to the viewer REALLY not knowing what is going on.

4. The Godfather (1972)

Most of the youtube comments for this scene revolve around the idea that this is the greatest ending in the history of cinema.  It's certainly up there.  Really, what is there to say about this ending and The Godfather that has not been said a bagilion times?  The music, the acting, the cinematography, heck, even the editing is amazing!  I love the swipe at the end to create the effect of the door closing.  That may even be my favorite part of the ending.  That, and Michael losing his cool for a second.  With epics it sometimes seems hard to imagine an ending.  After so much has happened how can this movie possibly end?  Coppola manages to do so in a relatively calm and exceptionally effective way, by suggesting rather than flat out telling.

3. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Clarice did it!  She solved the crime, stopped the bad guy, and got some FBI cake!  All is over and happy now.  There are no loose ends or anything to make anyone the least bit worried.  Clarice, you got a phone call.  Oh yeah... that guy.  Hannibal the Cannibal is still out there, and is as charming and polite as ever.  Jodie Foster has an amusing look of shock during this whole scene while Hopkins could not look more relaxed.  Isn't it just great that he actually bothers to call her?  He knows he won't be caught and just wants to have a little fun, promoting his intellect in the process.  It's also interesting that a somewhat minor character (in terms of screen time) has the last line and is the final image.  Walking down the street, looking oh so suave.   

2. Paths of Glory (1957)

The power of the ending to Paths of Glory comes so much from the context of the whole story.  Isolated, it does not really mean much, I don't think, and I can't really imagine anyone really giving it a second thought.  But after watching the film, and seeing the cruelty that just unfolded amplifies the emotional effect of this scene.  The men all start off acting obnoxious and wild, but once the woman (played by Kubrick's future wife) begins to sing they slowly calm down.  What's next, is that they actually seem touched by the music, some even crying.  Now they do hum along with her, but I wonder if they actually know what she is singing.  They are French and she is speaking German.  An American audience almost definitely won't know what the lyrics mean.  I looked them up after a viewing and now the scene is even more effective.

Star Wars (1977)

I am such a huge sucker for this scene.  I sit at the edge of my seat, with a big smile, heart pounding, and I know exactly what is going to happen.  I've seen the film so many times, I have most of its entire dialogue memorized.  It doesn't matter that I know exactly how this scene will play out, I still get excited and absorbed in it.  For me, it is just SO exciting.  Oh no!  Vader is moving in!  Luke you're doomed!  "Let go Luke!", "hmm, the force is strong with this one.", "You turned off your targeting computer!"  "I have you now!"  BLAST! "yeeeehaaaaaa!!"  HAN SOLO TO THE RESCUE! Does it get any better than that?   Nope.  The one flaw with the ending is that Chewie does not get a medal at the end. 

Top Ten Favorite Opening Credits Sequences

Due to adjusting to school starting up, and all, I have not been able to make a list for about a month.  So instead of working on Swahili I have decided to construct this list.  I believe that opening credits offer the filmmaker a great opportunity to set the tone to his/her film and get the audience excited.  I also believe that there should be an academy award fort opening credits (I think there used to be one).  So here are my ten favorites.  There are no James Bond movies on the list because I think that is a list in itself.  Enjoy.

10. Enter the Dragon (1973)

I love how much the song hits you when this sequence starts up, due to how quietly the scene prior ends.  Oh, and the song is awesome too.

9. Run Lola Run (1998)

Once this sequence began I knew that I had made a great choice in deciding to watch this movie.  You should do the same.

8. The Big Gundown (1966)

Most would probably assume the Spaghetti Western I would have on this list would be The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.  WRONG!  Instead I chose this masterpiece!  Not many credits here but the images and music are certainly amazing. 

7. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

I prefer the original version to the 2.0 one, but they are both great.  Even the opening credits to Ghost in the Shell visually influenced The Matrix.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird: 1962

Youtube failed me by not having the actual on the site.  So instead this guy will explain why it is so great.

5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 

This opening is so iconic that even people who have not seen it, feel as if they actually have. 

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

As I sat in the theater waiting for this film to begin I was hoping that the Karen O Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross cover of Immigrant Song would be in the film.  My prayers were answered and then some.

3. Psycho (1960)

Every time when those first few notes I instantly become excited that I am about to see one of the greatest films ever made.  Those stringed instruments just CUT into you, don't they?

2. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

I have indicated many times that I love monster movies.  So to see the classics wonderfully animated with the names of actors such as Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi in the same film together is a wish come true.

1. Enter the Void (2009)

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I went to see Enter the Void solely off a recommendation from a friend.  Then the credits began to roll and I had an idea of what I was about to experience, something I had never before.

Top Ten Favorite Movie Sequels

Film sequels, generally, are not held in high praise.  That is not reason to dismiss them though, since classics do emerge from time to time.  Here is a list of my favorite sequels of all time.  There are some glaring omissions from my list but I address that at the end.

10. Godzilla vs Destroyah: Takao Okawara

There are 28 Godzilla movies, so I had plenty of sequels to choose from.  Godzilla vs Destroyah is my favorite of them all because it is the Godzilla film where you care the most about Godzilla.  He is more than just a giant monster destroying the city or saving the day from another Kaiju.  Instead, he is a figure we have seen in numerous other films, becoming attached to, and is now on the brink of death.  This makes Godzilla a stronger character with more than destruction defining him. 

9. Three Colors: Red: Krzysztof Kieślowski

This is kind of a cheat since it really is not a direct continuation of the story in Three Colors: Blue or Three Colors: White, but hey, it's part of the same trilogy and came out after them, so it's a sequel.  One reason why I am including this on the list is to encourage a viewing from people who may not have heard of it.  Red features believable and interesting characters that have conversations that really make the viewer think.  These are not merely black and white issues but ones that challenge us.

8. Batman Returns: Tim Burton

I love the look of the Tim Burton Batman movies.  The strong element of German Expressionism mixed with Burton's own 'clowns from hell' style is always satisfying to the eye.  Some of the action and set pieces don't hold up quite as well to the Nolan films but I still find the characters, as a whole, to be more interesting in the Burton films.  Danny Devito is great as The Penguin, playing a tragic but at the same time disgusting and horrible creature, while Bruce Wayne's relationship with Selena Kyle is also played out well.  

7. Rocky IV: Sylvester Stallone

During this movie I noticed a lot of changin....  In all seriousness, Rocky IV is an all out extravaganza of awesome 80's fun.  Can you name another movie that ended The Cold War?  I didn't think so.  After Rocky III, the series almost became tiring, but Rocky IV fixed that up by killing off a major character, adding some political flair, and mixing up the montage in the best way possible.  Seriously, the training montage is one of the best things to happen to movies.

6. The Dark Knight: Christopher Nolan

Before he decided to rise, The Dark Knight was shaping to be one of the greatest of film franchises.  So many people have praised this movie I feel like saying anything would be uninteresting and redundant.  So instead, I will just say what I don't like about the movie.  Actually, my only major complaint is the fans.  Man are they annoying.  I do not mean everyone who likes the movie is annoying; it's mostly non-Batman fans that overly praise this movie that get on my nerves.

5. Terminator 2: Judgement Day: James Cameron

James Cameron really knows how to make a sequel.  The man directed both this and Aliens, two movies that are often times considered to be of the best sequels ever made.  Terminator 2 is a movie that I watched constantly as a kid growing up, which I guess can be seen as strange.  The set pieces are excellent and get my heart pumping but the real highlight of the film are the human elements.  This is the humanity shown by the actual humans, but more importantly, the machine.

4. The Empire Strikes Back: Irvin Kershner

So much of what is iconic about Star Wars comes from its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back.  Darth Vader's big reveal, Yoda's teachings, and even The Imperial March.  Although, I prefer the original, I am in the minority with that opinion with most people hailing Empire as the best in the franchise.  Much of the praise is for the darker tone, including a lack of a happy ending.  I agree, Empire is a fantastic film, the original just has more little things a prefer.

3. The Silence of the Lambs: Jonathan Demme

For those who do not know, The Silence of the Lambs, is indeed, a sequel.  I am not referring to the Red Dragon film from 2002 but instead Manhunter from 1986.  Anyone who talks about The Silence of the Lambs puts much of their focus on Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal Lecter.  That is because he creates one of the greatest and most memorable characters to ever appear on film.  He does not steal the show though, for Jodie Foster also does a terrific job as Clarice Starling.

2. Bride of Frankenstein: James Whale

Like many of the entrees on this list, people often times consider Bride of Frankenstein to be better than the original film.  One of the major reasons is because director James Whale, with more creative freedom, goes deeper into the psyche of the monster, making him more relatable and tragic.  The other characters are also interesting, both returning and newcomers.  Dr. Frankenstein appears tormented and torn in creating the bride while Dr. Pretorius is one of the finest mad scientists presented on a screen.  "To a new world of gods and monsters!" 

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Peter Jackson

The Lord of the Rings movies were great up to The Return of the King.  With The Return of the King, the trilogy became memorable.  Once the third installment was released, thus completing the trilogy, one was able to finally see the whole picture, all the plot points tied together, and characters reaching their destinies.  Peter Jackson really wows the audience with grand battles and set pieces throughout the 251 minute run time.  In particular, the Battle of the Pelennor Fields is one of the great film moments.  Some people are not fond of how long the film takes to end, but I disagree with their complaints.  When a series has spanned over 10 hours it needs to take its time ending.  

Notable Omissions: The Bourne Ultimatum, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, and The Godfather Part II.  I have not seen The Bourne Ultimatum in a while and the other two films I have only seen once.  Therefore, I did not feel comfortable including them on the list without being able to give them the proper amount of thought and consideration.  Oh, and I guess people would be expecting Aliens.  Didn't make the cut.

Top 50 Favorite Movie Soundtracks

Here it is, the complete list of my top 50 favorite film scores.  Remember, these are all original scores, each franchise is represented as one entry, and this is a list of my favorites, not what I think are the greatest film scores.  Oh, and I have to have seen the movie for it to be on the list.  Enjoy.

50. Indiana Jones Trilogy: John Williams

Listen to This: Raiders March, Slave Children's Crusade, Finale & End Credits 

49. James Bond Series: Multiple Composers 

Listen to This: James Bond Theme, Alpine Drive

48. Wall-E: Thomas Newman

Listen to This: Eve, Directive A-113, Mutiny!

47. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ennio Morricone

Listen to This: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, The Ecstasy of Gold

46. Edward Scissorhands: Danny Elfman

Listen to This: Introduction (Main Titles), Ice Dance, The Grand Finale

45. Superman: John Williams

Listen to This: Main Theme, The Planet Krypton, Love Theme

44. Gamera Trilogy: Kow Otani

 Listen to This: Main Title, Air Battle, Gyaos Flies Over

43. The Grand Duel: Luis Bacalov

Listen to This: Parte Prima

42. Finding Nemo: Thomas Newman

Listen to This: Nemo Egg (Main Title), Filter Attempt, Swim Down

41.Terminator 2: Judgement Day: Brad Fiedel

Listen to This: Main Titles, I'll Be Back, Terminator Impaled 

40. The Fountain: Clint Mansell

Listen to This: The Last Man, Death is the Road to Awe, Together We Will Live Forever

39. Godzilla Series: Multiple Composers

Listen to This: Main Theme, Godzilla's Rampage, Requiem

38. Fargo: Carter Burwell

Listen to This: Fargo, North Dakota, End Credits

37. Suspiria: Goblin

Listen to This: Suspiria, Sighs, Markos

36. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Listen to This: An Itch, Under the Midnight Sun, What If We Could?

35. Saving Private Ryan: John Williams

Listen to This: Hymn to the Fallen, Omaha Beach, Wade's Death

34. The Bourne Trilogy: John Powell

Listen to This: Main Titles, Escape From Embassy, Berlin Foot Chase

33. Robocop: Basil Poledouris

 Listen to This: Van Chase, Home, Showdown

32. The Last of the Mohicans: Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman

Listen to This: Main Title, Elk Hunt, The Kiss

31. American Beauty: Thomas Newman

Listen to This: Dead Already, Angela Undress, Any Other Name

30. The Godfather(s): Nino Rota

 Listen to This: Main Title (The Godfather Waltz), A New Carpet, The Godfather Finale

29. Hoosiers: Jerry Goldsmith

Listen to This: Best Shot, The Finals

28. The Untouchables: Ennio Morricone

Listen to This: The Strength Of The Righteous (Main Title), The Untouchables, On The Rooftops

27. The Last Samurai: Hans Zimmer

 Listen to This: A Way of Life, A Hard Teacher, Red Warrior

26. The Lion King: Hans Zimmer

Listen to This: To Die For, Under the Stars, King of Pride Rock

25. Road to Perdition: Thomas Newman

Listen to This: Road to Chicago, Cathedral, Road to Perdition

24. The Dark Knight Trilogy: Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard

Listen to This: Molossus, Introduce a Little Anarchy, No Stone Unturned

23. Equilibrium: Klaus Badelt

Listen to This: Encounter, More Reprimand, End Credits

22. Once Upon a Time in America: Ennio Morricone

 Listen to This: Poverty, Deborah's Theme, Childhood Memories

21. Gods and Monsters: Carter Burwell

Listen to This: Return to the Trenches, Frankenwhale, Friend? 

20. To Kill A Mockingbird: Elmer Bernstein

The main theme to this movie makes me think of a exhale of relief, followed by a smile.
Listen to This: Main Titles, Boo Who?, End Title

19. Field of Dreams: James Horner

I don't think I can get through the last scene of this movie without crying, and the music does not help me hold in the tears.  
Listen to This: The Cornfield, The Drive Home, The Place Where Dreams Come True

18. Naqoyqatsi: Philip Glass, featuring Yo-Yo Ma

Philip Glass always delivers and this soundtrack is one of his best with songs that I have trouble not finishing.
Listen to This: Naqoyqatsi, Primacy of Number, Intensive Time

17. The Silence of the Lambs: Howard Shore

 This music makes my spine tingle and it is one of the first soundtracks I became obsessed with back in middle school.  
Listen to This: Main Title, Lambs Screaming, Finale

16. Batman/Batman Returns: Danny Elfman

I prefer this soundtrack to The Dark Knight Trilogy, and I may prefer the first Batman to The Dark Knight...
Listen to This: The Batman Theme, Descent Into Mystery, Selina Transforms

15. Donnie Darko: Michael Andrews

Most people don't come away from Donnie Darko thinking that it has a great soundtrack, but I'm not really like most people.
Listen to This: Carpathian Ridge, Liquid Spear Waltz, Time Travel

14. Moon: Clint Mansell

When I heard the first few piano notes to the soundtrack I knew this movie was going to be great.  
Listen to This: Welcome to Lunar Industries, Memories (Someone we'll never know), Sacrifice

13. The Shawshank Redemption: Thomas Newman

Thomas Newman has received ten academy award nominations for best score and has not won any, even for his masterpiece, The Shawshank Redemption.
Listen to This: Shawshank Redemption (Stoic Theme), Zihuatanejo, Shawshank Redemption

12. Once Upon a Time in the West: Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone's best score, to Sergio Leone's best film, which is also the greatest western, ever.
Listen to This: Once upon a time in the West, Man With A Harmonica, A Dimly Lit Room

11. Braveheart: James Horner

Gift Of a Thistle is relaxing, Sons Of Scotland is inspiring and 'Freedom' / The Execution Bannockburn gets my heart pumping.  Greatness.
Listen to This: A Gift Of A Thistle, 'Sons Of Scotland', 'Freedom' / The Execution Bannockburn

10. Amélie: Yann Tiersen

I think it is impossible to come away from watching Amélie and not have a grin on your face.  The music shares that distinction, in that, it makes you happy just listening to it.  Paris is depicted in Amélie as a pristine and beautiful place, almost too good to be true.  Yann Tiersen's score has it's own magical quality all in its own.  Comptine d'Un Autre Été has an almost daydream nature to it while La Valse d'Amélie almost makes you feel like you are in a bit of heaven.
Listen to This: La Valse d'Amélie, Comptine d'Un Autre Été, La Dispute

9. Schindler's List: John Williams

I cried more the first time I watched Schindler's List than I think I have ever cried before.  For a solid week after my first viewing I could not listen to the film's main theme without breaking out into tears.  That was kind of annoying since I really like the song, but it is just too poignant.  While most of John Williams' scores have more of a fantastical adventure feel, his score for Schindler's List is more "serious" and calm.
Listen to This: Theme from Schindler's List, Schindler's Workforce, Making The List

8. Good Bye Lenin!: Yann Tiersen

Yann Tiersen makes his second appearance in the top 10 with his incredible score to Good Bye Lenin!  Like Amélie, the song Summer 78 feels like a daydream, with a floating through the air feeling to it.  The track, Good bye Lenin, always makes me feel like I should be thinking deep philosophical thoughts about life.  The title track to the score was actually the most played song on my itunes before I had to replace my dead hard drive.
Listen to This: Preparations for the last tv fake, Summer 78 (instrumental), Good bye Lenin

7. Glory: James Horner

At one point I actually considered Glory to be my favorite movie and also my favorite score.  It has been bumped to number 7 but it is still fantastic.  James Horner is on this list a bit and this is definitely, in my eyes, his best score.  The Boys Choir of Harlem really adds a lot to the score, especially in A Call To Arms.  I have fond memories of playing the charging of Fort Wagner scene over and over when I was younger, and one of the reasons I did so was because of the music.
Listen to This: A Call To Arms, Preparations for Battle, Charging Fort Wagner

6. Spirit of the Marathon: Jeff Beal

I am really shocked this score has received almost no attention.  In fact, I had to upload songs from it because there were none already on youtube.  I really don't understand why this is so; I think it is one of the greatest scores ever written on so many levels.  It has such a great range in emotions. When it needs to be, it is exceptionally epic, while in other moments it is beautifully peaceful.  This is definitely one of my top choices for music to listen to before a track meet.  Shocking, I know.
Listen to This: Opening Credits, Optimism and Injury, The Wall and Journey of the Soul

5. Star Wars: John Williams

This being in the top 10 should not come as a shock to anyone, and to some it not being ranked higher may be the surprise.  This score is simply incredible and AFI actually ranked Star Wars as the greatest American film score ever written.  The prequel films may have been awful, but the music sure was good, which is why two of the three sample songs I posted are from episodes one and three, respectively.  I don't know if I can even pick a favorite score out of the six films.
Listen to This: Duel of the Fates, Battle Of The Heroes, The Battle Of Yavin

4. Requiem for a Dream: Clint Mansell

This is a film that I first became interested in watching because of the score.  My older brother was showing me some music and the Summer Overture started to play.  I was shocked that he had the songs because I knew it as the song from The Two Towers Trailer.  Little did I know, that the song I was thinking of is a remix of the main theme to Requiem for a Dream.  This score cuts into you deep, perfectly for the images in the film to then emotionally thrash you.  On its own, though, the score still hits the right chords. 
Listen to This: Summer Overture, Ghosts of Things to Come, Southern Hospitality

3. Waltz with Bashir: Max Richter

This is the another score which I heard before I saw the movie.  I had a collection of music from the composer Max Richter and I loved it.  Then I saw on his wikipedia page that he also does films scores.  I looked in my itunes, with joy, to find that I had some music from Waltz with Bashi.  If I were to describe this score in a single word I would use, "haunting."  I can listen to What Had They Done? on repeat for hours upon hours and slowly move into a state of depression and somehow be okay with it. 
Listen to This: Iconography, What Had They Done?, Andante / Reflection (End Title)

2. Koyaanisqatsi: Philip Glass

Anyone who knows what movies I love should have been expecting Koyaanisqatsi to make the list.  The score is arguably half the film's content, so with that thought one would expect the score to be pretty good then.  It is far beyond good and closer to spectacular, in my opinion.  There is not a single song on the soundtrack I don't love listening to, but it is Prophecies that really takes the cake for me.  It's another one of those songs I can listen to on repeat for hours and be in complete bliss.  This may not only be my favorite score by Glass but also my all around favorite piece of music written by him.
Listen to This: Koyaanisqatsi, The Grid, Prophecies

1. The Lord of The Rings: Howard Shore

It just had to be this.  The Lord of the Rings is not only my favorite film score but one of my favorite all around things in the world.  One of the highlights of my life so far was being able to see this music performed live with Howard Shore conducting.  The score has its fair share of relaxing songs, such as Concerning Hobbits, but what is really fantastic about this score is just how grand and epic it is.  The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most massive films in the history of cinema and for it, Peter Jackson needed a score of equal proportions.  Howard Shore delivered and then some, with this masterpiece that stands as one of the highlights for the entire art of cinema.  
Listen to This: Concerning Hobbits, The Fighting Uruk-Hai, Khazad-Dûm
Théoden King, The Battle Of The Hornburg, The Last March Of The Ents,  
The Crack Of Doom, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields, The Siege of Gondor


Notable Omissions:
I noticed as I finished the list that I forgot two major films.  They are:
The Mask of Zorro: James Horner

Listen to This: Elena and Esperanza, Zorro's Theme, Diego's Goodbye

and

8½: Nino Rita

Listen to This: Nell'Ufficio Di Produzione Di, Carlotta's Galop, La Passerella d'Addio

I was too far into making my list to include these soundtracks so I will just acknowledge how awesome they are right here.


Top 3 Composers Represemted:
3. Hans Zimmer, James Horner, and Clint Mansell- 3
2. Ennio Morricone - 4
1. Thomas Newman and John Williams - 5