This year brought in cinemas impressive blockbusters such as World War Z, unexpectedly successful sequels like Fast and Furious 6 and Despicable Me2, surprises in the form of The Great Gatsby, Stoker, The Croods and obvious failures such as After Earth, A Good Day to Die Hard, Jack the Giant Slayer. Soundtracks enriched cinematic quality, balancing or enhancing the artistic message and audience emotions. Here are our top best soundtracks of 2013. Which one is your favorite?
1. Spring Breakers
The soundtrack of the extreme teen metaphor brought to the screen by director Harmony Korine excellently promotes a very fashionable trend of electronic music: trap. Mixing rap and dance rhythms is the result of the collaboration between two famous artists: Skillrex and Cliff Martinez. It’s a music genre that doesn’t agree with all people but fits perfectly with the subversive idea of the movie: a former Disney princess indulges herself into a world of decadence, drugs and crime.
2. Despicable Me 2
One of the best animations of the year makes its ways accompanied by cute minions and the highly attractive rhymes of Pharrell, the rapper hired to compose the soundtrack. The voice and playful rhythm of the rapper animate the soundtrack and turn the ex-super-villain Gru into a cute and innocent character.
3. Oblivion
The great sci-fi extravaganza of Joseph Kosinski needed the appropriate music. Producers went with Joe Trapanese (renowned composer, collaborated with Daft Punk for Throne: Legacy and contributed to the musical arrangements for many famous Hollywood productions) and Anthony Gonzalez, the leader of a electronic French band.
4. Star Trek into Darkness
J.J. Abrams returned to the world of Star Trek with Into Darkness and composer Michael Giacchino followed. Giacchino offers this time a number of songs more focused and forceful, but they don’t stand as much as his creations from the 2009 movie. Although sometimes you feel that the music doesn’t exactly correspond to the Star Trek concept, the fact that it adapts to the new style proposed by Abrams movie – more action, less adventure – is a plus.
5. The Great Gatsby
Baz Lurhmann recreated the music of the twentieth century through a mix of songs that have tried to translate the atmosphere of the golden age of jazz in a compilation which thrills and charms the modern audience. The combination of contemporary and vintage sounds is provided by Jay-Z, along with an old collaborator of Luhrmann, Anton Monsted (who supervised the music from Moulin Rouge).
6. Django Unchained
The new infusion of violence delivered with style by one of the most influential filmmakers of Hollywood could not have had an ordinary soundtrack. Western sounds, ‘70s rock or instrumental blues all give a more concentrated dose and of the cool personality of Jamie Foxx. Tarantino choose the music of Luis Bacalov from Sergio Corbucci’s Django western in1966.
7. The Lone Ranger
The variety of musical instruments and genres included in this soundtrack conquer the audience hopelessly. Silver, Ride, For Good and Country or Finale will certify Zimmer’s musical genius.
8. Iron Man 3
One of the leading voices in Hollywood soundtracks is Brian Tyler, with a portfolio consisting of Rambo, Constantine, Star Trek: Enterprise, The Expendables, Fast Five, Now You See Me and many other famous titles. For such an impressive superhero like Iron Man, Tyler spared no effort and created excellent musical pieces, full of power and passion, a thrilling journey from beginning to end. Can You Dig It in the final credits of the film simply makes you dance.
9. World War Z
The whole world is threatened. A quick and aggressive army of zombie epidemic is spreads. Mankind is taken by surprise. One man could be the savior. Brad Pitt is the hero and Mark Beltrami, the soundtrack composer, who is no stranger to horror movies (Scream, Mimic, Blade II) proves once again his mastery in sound accompanying tense moments. The soundtrack of World War Z is intelligently designed. Music is a warning, complex, aggressive, perfectly molding the thrilling action scenes. It seems that producers have asked Beltrami to lower the music because it seemed too aggressive.
10. Pacific Rim
For his grand sci-fi project with giant monsters and robots, Guillermo del Toro chose Ramin Djawadi (Prison Break, Iron Man, Game of Thrones). Djawadi’s music has rhythm, excites and prepares the ground for the avalanche of special effects. As mention Guillermo del Toro, his musical themes are grand, which transpires but a generous dose of soul, of human emotion. For the full experience, you should hear the whole soundtrack.
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