Songs in Films 2014

I have said in the past that music videos are the superior form of film. Images that can be cut overlapped with other sensory elements such as music is the reason we are watching stories instead of reading them. I have combined the great uses of music in this years in film with some of my favorite scores of this year.

Film: Under The Skin

Artist: Mica Levi

Starting with my favorite score of the year, Levi's work is so much a part of a mostly quiet film, adding atmosphere to slow walks, dark hallways and open space. I picked this track because it is the most memorable but front to back every track is top tier work.

Played throughout WILD the same way Mrs. Robinson is played in THE GRADUATE, sometimes used as a reoccurring score but at the right moments taking over montages. The song is wonderful with or without the film.

A disappointing film for me, but the score, which is drum heavy, keeps the beat and pace for the always flowing film.

This scene captures the essence of the film, as things are tough she is trying to stay above the line of depression. Here, there is some forced happiness but also some pure joy as the film explores a complex set of emotions set off by a simple game.

Another disappointing film, and a score I don't think works that well with the film. Like many of Zimmer's scores it is overwhelming and distracting but outside of the film it is a Zimmer score that builds much like most of his post inception scores but there is so much more going on than just horns blasting.

A song so catchy that it made all of us become what it was parodying.

\\

There isn't anything too special about this one other than it is solid. Alexandre Desplat is constantly putting out good work such as this as well as his score for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL but I chose this one because I will be writing about the latter again.

This one is a spoiler if you haven't seen the film or know how plots usually work out in films. But an excellent moment in a film all about emotional disconnection.

Similar to the score for THE IMITATION GAME, it is just a standard "Academy Award" score but it really is a beautiful piece of music.

This is one of two scenes in a film that is not very good. THE SKELETON TWINS is carried by the performances of Wig and Hader and their chemistry in a scene such as this show how incredible talented and charismatic they are. 

There are other scores and songs I