The film music of 2019.

It's been another strange, wonderful year of film music. And without further ado...


My favorite scores of 2019:

(Alexandre Desplat - Warner Classics)

Wholly engaging thriller score with a heavy Greek influence.

Favorite tracks: "Adults in the Room", "Yani's Dance", "Caricatures"

(George Kallis - Aegean)

Sweeping score that posits Kallis as a talent to watch.

Favorite tracks: "Fabric of History", "Children at the Door", "Simply the Truth"

(Danny Elfman - Walt Disney)

Elfman's lovely music is the strongest element of the uneven remake.

Favorite tracks: "Train's A-Comin'", "Stampede!", "Nightmare Island"

(Bear McCreary - WaterTower)
McCreary's music is as massive and powerful as the monsters it accompanies.
Favorite tracks: "Godzilla Main Title", "Rise of Ghidorah", "Battle in Boston"

(Carter Burwell - WaterTower)

Burwell's meditative music greatly enhanced the underrated thriller.

Favorite tracks: "The Good Liar", "A Stop Along the Way", "Deeper Than it Looks"

(Terence Blanchard - Back Lot)
Blanchard contributed suitably stirring music for the biopic.
Favorite tracks: "I'll Be With You", "Walk Like You Have a Right To", "Gotta Go"

(John Powell - Back Lot)

Powell's music for the final chapter is more subdued than you'd expect, but still very good.

Favorite tracks: "Dinner Talk/Grimmel's Introduction", "Night Fury Killer", "Armada Battle"

(Alexandre Desplat - Sony Classical)

The latest adaptation of the story features a typically varied accompaniment from Desplat.

Favorite tracks: "Little Women", "Dance on the Porch", "Dr. March's Daughters"

(Randy Newman - Lakeshore)

Lighthearted in Newman's inimitable fashion, nicely contrasting the acclaimed drama.

Favorite tracks: "What I Love About Nicole", "Procession to the Trailer", "End of Story - Credits"

(Carter Burwell - Lakeshore)

Burwell provided appealingly eclectic music for the latest Laika feature.

Favorite tracks: "Dark Days", "Stagecoach", "Ice Fight"

(Benjamin Wallfisch - WaterTower)
The superhero story shifted moods quite often and Wallfisch ably captured all of them.
Favorite tracks: "Shazam!", "Subway Chase", "All Hands on Deck"

(John Williams - Walt Disney)

Winning valedictory effort from Williams, with some wry arrangements of his themes.

Favorite tracks: "Journey to Exegol", "Battle of the Resistance", "Finale"

Runners-up:

The Beach Bum (John Debney), The Elephant Queen (Alex Heffes), Frozen II (Christophe Beck), Halston (Stanley Clarke), Happy Death Day 2U (Bear McCreary), The Hustle (Anne Dudley), Minuscule: Les mandibules du bont du monde (Mathieu Lamboley), Parasite (Jung Jaeil), Ready or Not (Brian Tyler), Spider-Man: Far from Home (Michael Giacchino), Tolkien (Thomas Newman), What Men Want (Brian Tyler) and The White Crow (Ilan Eshkeri)


My favorite albums of 2019:

The Amazing Mr. Blunden (Elmer Bernstein - Intrada) - Magical and melancholy in equal measure, this Bernstein score sits perfectly at the midpoint of his more famous scores about children and ghosts.

The Bride of Frankenstein (Franz Waxman - La La Land) - One of the first (and finest) horror scores ever composed, focusing as much on beauty as terror.

The Disaster Movie Collection (John Williams - La La Land) - An unprecedented gathering of the Maestro's genre scores for The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake and (finally!) The Towering Inferno.

The Great Train Robbery (Jerry Goldsmith - Quartet) - The enjoyable caper movie received a score to match; elegant and propulsive, held together by an appropriately driving central melody.

Howard the Duck (John Barry - Intrada) - The teaming of Lucasfilm and Marvel may have been a disappointment (to say the least), but Barry's rich score made it worthwhile.

Jaguar Lives! (Robert O. Ragland - Dragon’s Domain) - The star-packed action misfire featured a lively score from Ragland, buoyed by a fun, Bond-like main theme.

Knight Rider (Stu Phillips - Varese Sarabande) - A splendid compilation of orchestral tracks from the cult favorite series.

Minority Report (John Williams - La La Land) - Williams' enjoyably eclectic music made for a vital component to the Spielberg chase thriller.

Mission: Impossible (Danny Elfman - La La Land) - Elfman's unique musical approach got the long-running franchise off to a strong start.

The Quinn Martin Collection - Vol. 1: Cop and Detective Series (various - La La Land) - Fascinating assortment of cues from Martin's series, highlighted by Goldsmith's pilot score for "Barnaby Jones".


Other amazing releases:

The Italian Job (Quincy Jones - Quartet)
Monsignor (John Williams - Intrada)
Nevada Smith: the Paramount Westerns Collection (various - La La Land)
The Orville (Bruce Broughton, John Debney, Joel McNeely and Andrew Cottee - La La Land)
The Quinn Martin Collection - Vol. 2: The Invaders (various - La La Land)
Return from Witch Mountain (Lalo Schifrin - Intrada)
RoboCop 2: DE (Leonard Rosenman - Varese Club)
Rooster Cogburn (Laurence Rosenthal - Varese Club)
Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies (Ron Goodwin - Quartet)
Virtuosity (Christopher Young - Quartet)

Even the nominations have hosts.

After a scary time last year when stupidity on the part of the Academy was forcing me not to give a shit about their prom, I'm interested again. Well...

- Five out of nine Best Picture nominees seen. Not too bad.

- Lupita Nyong'o was passed over for her virtuoso work in Us. No doubt, she was amazing, even managing to (almost) put over that bullshit final twist, but let's be honest. She was never getting the nomination. Toni Collette didn't get one for Hereditary and she's as White as sour cream.

- They said it couldn't be done. Adam Sandler giving a performance so good he'd be an Oscar nominee. He crushed it, but the nomination was not to be. In fact, Uncut Gems was completely shut out. Editing, Cinematography, Picture. Well, it didn't happen for Jim Carrey, either, which is also bullshit.

- Maybe, the Academy just dislikes "Saturday Night Live", as Eddie Murphy's terrific work in Dolemite is My Name was also ignored. No Costume Design nod, either and you'd have thought that to be a slam dunk.

- I'm starting to think that Academy members have also stepped barefoot on a few too many Legos. The LEGO Movie 2: the Second Part (which I, personally, considered better than the original) got zilch. You're forced to wonder what needs to happen for one of these movies to get a nod. (Yeah, I know "Everything is Awesome" won for the first movie and while I'm glad that "Catchy Song" was shortlisted, I'd have liked to see some love for "Not Evil".)

- I’d have been happy for Joaquin Phoenix to get a nomination for Joker, but that the film would get 11 nods - more than any other movie - is the biggest joke of all.

- What seemed like sure bets for Oscar only picked up a handful of nods between them. Let’s pour one out for Ford v. Ferrari (Sound and Editing) and Knives Out (Original Screenplay).

- Still, this is more than was received by Booksmart or Hustlers. What a stunning crock of shit.

- She was the best thing about Bad Times at the El Royale and, so, too, was she in Harriet. Cynthia Erivo earned a first nomination for Best Actress. It really seemed like, amongst the Hollywood version of Harriet Tubman's story, she was playing as if the film around her was at her level. Oddly enough, the song she co-wrote from that movie, "Stand Up", was recognized, making her a two-time nominee. And speaking of two-time nominees...

- Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress nominee Scarlett Johansson. Seriously, who saw that coming?

- Beyond the usual 'these scores were good, but not quite the best of the year, in my opinion', I have no complaints about the Best Original Score category. It will likely go to Joker, though I can only wonder how many nominations Shirley Walker would've earned if the current climate existed 20 years ago.

- How about that Jojo Rabbit? I was sure that it would've been forgotten and yet, here it is for Costume Design, Adapted Screenplay, Editing and Picture.

- Congrats to first time nominees Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce. And while Florence Pugh earned the nod for Little Women, in my heart, she was nominated for Fighting with My Family.

- Though not as substantive as previous Laika releases, Missing Link was a good deal of fun and I sincerely hope that its win at the Golden Globes gives the film an edge.

- Seriously, was Alita: Battle Angel released too early in the year? Those effects were (are) award-worthy.

- You know, I can't help but think that the toxic reaction to Bohemian Rhapsody's Oscar glory is what led to (unfair) backlash against Rocketman. Granted, it got an Original Song nomination for its subject (how many movies can say that?), but when you see Taron Egerton acting and singing his heart out in one flashy outfit after another, how do you pass that over? What a gyp.

- Nothing for Cats, not even Visual Effects. Huzzah! The system works.

The ceremony takes place on...February 9th?! Damn, this year is flying by!

The movies of 2019.

Well, it's about that time again.

My favorite movies of the year:

10. Uncut Gems - A tense and exciting drama, propelled by a revelatory performance from Adam Sandler.

9. The Irishman - One last mob movie hurrah from Scorsese; a rumination on the toll a life of violence can take.

8. Knives Out - Rian Johnson's murder mystery is rich in details and just the right amount of quirk, backed by a terrific cast.

7. Dolemite is My Name - One of Eddie Murphy's finest performances enlivens this sweet and hilarious story of Rudy Ray Moore.

6. Ready or Not - Kind of the twisted mirror of Knives Out; a riotous mix of "The Most Dangerous Game" and "Arrested Development".

5. Booksmart - Far more than 'the female Superbad', a delightful last-day-of-school comedy with splendid work from Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever.

4. Shazam! - One of DC's best movies ably combines elements of coming-of-age drama, body-swap comedy and startling horror, with a perfectly-cast Zachary Levi in the title role.

3. Ford v. Ferrari - Drama about racing and the bonds that result is fantastic with exciting racing scenes and a strong central team in Matt Damon and Christian Bale.

2. Avengers: Endgame - A truly impressive valedictory for Marvel Studios and an entertaining culmination of ten years of universe building.

1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Granted, it's as leisurely as Tarantino's last few movies, but in a rich setting like this and with colorful characters like these, should that really matter?


Runners-up:

The Art of Self-Defense 

Captain Marvel

Frozen II

The Good Liar

The LEGO Movie 2

Missing Link

The Peanut Butter Falcon

Rocketman

Spider-Man: Far from Home

21 Bridges

Underrated: Charlie's Angels, Fighting with My Family and Gemini Man

Overrated: Joker and Us

Guilty pleasures: Angel Has Fallen


My favorite things in movies - 2019: Angus Imrie and Patrick Stewart in The Kid Who Would Be King
The bridge crossing in Jumanji: the Next Level
Elsa sees into the past in Frozen II
The flea market performance of "Thunder Road" in Blinded by the Light
The foot chase in Joker
The frat house fight in Good Boys
The girls take a boat ride in Charlie's Angels
The journey of the propane tank in Stuber
Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Gemini Man (and between this, Scott Pilgrim, 10 Cloverfield Lane and - I know this is presumptuous, but to hell with it - Birds of Prey, isn't it time she had her own franchise?) Michael Moh as Bruce Lee in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
The motorcycle chase and subsequent fight in Gemini Man
The Mr. Mime interrogation in Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
The murder mystery party in Booksmart
Nick Nolte in Angel Has Fallen, especially when he sets off his security system Noah Jupe and FKA Twigs play baseball in Honey Boy
The recreation of the classic title sequence in The Addams Family  Sofia's dogs have their day in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Thomas Haden Church reopens his wrestling school in The Peanut Butter Falcon
"Those people we don't want here are trying to escape! Force them to stay!" - Missing Link
The "Up in the Frathouse" number in Black Christmas
Wesley Snipes in Dolemite is My Name

Holy shit, was that...?

Jai Courtney in Alita: Battle Angel
Tate Donovan in Rocketman
Stephen Merchant in Good Boys and Jojo Rabbit
Chris Rock and Bob Odenkirk in Dolemite is My Name
M. Emmet Walsh in Knives Out
Frank Whaley in Hustlers

What a tragic waste...

Laura Dern in Cold Pursuit
Djimon Hounsou in Serenity
Nicole Kidman in The Upside
Missi Pyle in Ma

Random thoughts:

- All Brie Larson wanted was for critics of all races to be given a chance, but of course, White guys (the most persecuted-against race in history) had to misinterpret that as 'I don't want White guys seeing my movie' and suddenly, she's something of a pariah among idiots. But then, you look at what's being said by 'precious' white male critics like Rex Reed, David 'everything's better with butter' Edelstein (note to self: start a charge.org petition to have this etched onto his tombstone) and Todd McCarthy (look up his review for Dora and the Lost City of Gold, if you dare) and you can't help but think that film criticism could use some diversity...and that those mouth breathers owe Miss Larson an apology. And be sure to add to the above list Owen Gleiberman (among his worst of the year list: Rocketman and the last 30 minutes of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and on his most overrated movies of the decade list: Paddington 2...but not Drive) and Richard Scheib (This one hurts because, unlike Gleiberman, I actually respected this guy. His comments about Will Ferrell in his Land of the Lost review were something of a red flag and his complaint about how Jasmine could never have been Sultan in Aladdin, quite a logical one about a film where a guy finds a wish-granting genie, was ridiculous. The straw that broke my back, though, was his Abominable review. Call me crazy, but xenophobia has no place in film criticism.)

- One of my local theaters was showing the original Black Christmas the night before the remake was set to hit theaters. My plan was to watch the original, then zoom over to the nearest first-run theater and check out the remake. However, just like in a bad sitcom, the people ahead of me bought the last tickets (There were two showings and my plan was to watch the earlier one, so instead of staying for the latter screening, I huffed my way home. No original, no remake, no way.). I finally caught up with the remake on Christmas Eve...and in hindsight, it probably worked out for the best. While the film worked as a 'girl power!' slasher movie, it was less effective as a remake of the original movie. (The 2006 remake was closer to the original, but burdened with cartoonish gore and an oppressively un-fun feel.) Still, if a project these days dares to make a pro-female statement, the knuckle-draggers will tear it down. Tragic.

- Speaking of horror remakes that turn people into morons...Child's Play. I find it endlessly comical that people will blast Don Mancini's directing efforts for being too goofy (yes, for a franchise about a killer talking doll), yet hold the remake up as a legitimately scary effort. With scenes like the doll controlling a self-driving car, killing its passenger and the one where Andy (and whose bright idea was it to make him into a sullen jerk?) tries to hide a watermelon on which the severed face of Karen's jerk boyfriend is placed, there's no way that people could take this seriously, unless they've got mental problems.

- Don't let my placement of a moment from Stuber throw you. The film is a monstrous disappointment. It's harder to discern what the bigger flop is: the action (which wastes the talents of the dude from the Raid movies on shaky-cam horseshit) or the comedy (which, true to form, favors lame 'naughty' jokes over genuine humor). Kind of a shame as Dave Bautista and Kumail Nanjiani made a good team and, as someone who recently got Lasik, one couldn't help but chuckle at what Bautista's temporarily blind cop had to go through.

- Ma was a couple of drafts away from being great, but - for better or worse - one of the more memorable moments was the brief glance of Luke Evans. Who expected that from a Blumhouse thriller?

- The year in PG-13 F-bombs: Jojo Rabbit, Ford v. Ferrari, Knives Out, Alita: Battle Angel, Hobbs & Shaw, Isn't It Romantic, Happy Death Day 2U and the year's best in show, Gemini Man.

- One of the stupider cinematic prospects of the year was the melding of Shaft and Ride Along. (I can't believe that some people thought this to be a better option than Men in Black: International, released the same day.) On the bright side, this big bag of nothing - and the unfortunate passing of John Singleton - will cause people to look at the 2000 reboot with more fondness. Seriously, it's really damn good.

- The live-action remake of Dumbo was watchable, with strong production values and a terrific cast...and ennui so thick, you could feel it wafting off the screen. Once upon a time, in his episode of Encore's "The Directors", Tim Burton remarked, "I wouldn't know a good script if it bit me in the face.". It sure bit him on the ass this time. For one thing, there's the young girl's interest in science that fails to pay off in any way, satisfying or otherwise, as well as the insane coincidence of Dumbo's mother showing up at the new and improved zoo. Some time ago, a picture circulated of Peter Jackson on the set of one of the Hobbit movies looking like his soul was crushed into dust. Between Dumbo and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, it is virtually impossible not to imagine Burton feeling this way. As a long-time fan, I sincerely hope that whatever he works on next reinvigorates his love of filmmaking...and hopefully, he has a good script reader at his side.

- The scene in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood where Cliff went back to his trailer and prepared dinner for his dog...was I the only one who thought that Cliff was going to partake of the dog food? [Edit: Well, as confirmed by the Honest Trailer for Every Quentin Tarantino Movie, Cliff does, in fact, taste the dog food. Protip, kids: getting old sucks.]

Gee whiz, Christina Hendricks trends a lot on Yahoo's front page.

Maybe, this is the universe telling me to haul ass on that script I want her to star in.

Well, another year has come and gone and people make resolutions, promising to improve their lives, only to fall back into destructive habits.

Anyway, that's my thought on the matter. Happy new year and such.