My Favorite Original Soundtrack Music of the 21st Century

 I'm a sucker for heart-wrenching soundtrack music--especially of the fully-orchestrated, classically-oriented kind. The following movie soundtracks served the magical purpose of sucking me deeply into the films they accompanied, making these films better, even more memorable, than they already were.

HANS ZIMMER The Last Samurai (2003)

Once in a great while a film is so enhanced by its musical soundtrack as to make it bigger, better and more impactful than it would be without it. Such was the case with Hans Zimmer's amazing soundtrack to the film The Last Samurai. So many scenes were emotionally and even visually enhanced by the incredible presence of Zimmer's masterful musical contributions.

1. "A Way Of Life" (8:04)
2. "Spectres In The Fog" (4:08)
3. "Taken" (3:36)
4. "A Hard Teacher" (5:44)
5. "To Know My Enemy" (4:49)
6. "Idyll's End" (6:41)
7. "Safe Passage" (4:57)
8. "Ronin" (1:53)
9. "Red Warrior" (3:56)
10. "The Way Of The Sword" (7:59)
11. "A Small Measure Of Peace" (8:02)

ALEXANDRE DESPLAT  The Danish Girl (2015)

Once in a great while a film is so enhanced by its musical soundtrack as to make it bigger, better and more impactful than it would be without it. The The Danish Girl is truly a cinematic marvel--the acting, cinematography and editing are truly exquisite--but Alexandre Desplat's brilliant soundtrack is gorgeous beyond words. Each scene is enhanced artistically--in beauty, and in emotional power and depth--by the melodic, sometimes minimalist jazz contributions of Maestro Desplat. From the very first opening theme of the movie I knew I was in for something special: that the music was going to suck me into this film as deeply as I can go. And it did. Without question or hesitation I can say that The Danish Girl was both my favorite and the best movie that I saw from 2015--and the soundtrack lives on as one of my all-time favorites.

1. "The Danish Girl" (2:10)
2. "Lili's Dream" (5:23)
3. "Watching Ulla" (2:07)
4. "Gerda" (1:58)
5. "Make-up & Costume" (3:15)
6. "Watching" (3:28)
7. "The Mirror" (3:56)
8. "Einar Returns Home" (1:37)
9. "To Dresden" (2:21)
10. "Aggression" (3:35)
11. "Radiation" (2:21)
12. "Gerda In The Rain" (4:01)
13. "Fonnesbech" (1:42)
14. "Schizophrenia" (2:01)
15. "One Step At A Time" (3:57)
16. "Lost Blood" (2:15)
17. "Lili's Death" (4:44)
18. "Roses Of Picardy" (4:38)
19. "Danish Waltz 1" (Bonus Track) (1:48)
20. "Danish Waltz 2 (Bonus Track) (1:33)

CLINT MANSELL The Fountain (2006)

Though Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz give commanding performances, it is the scenery, cinematography, and moving soundtrack that made this film one of the most wonderful art experiences of the second half of my life. I also love the treatment in the subject of man's obsession with defeating Death while discounting the fact that the Other Side is one of the most beautiful, liberating "places" one can exist. 

1. "The Last Man" (6:09)
2. "Holy Dread!" (3:51)
3. "Tree Of Life" (3:44)
4. "Stay With Me" (3:36)
5. "Death Is A Disease" (2:34)
6. "Xibalba" (5:22)
7. "First Snow" (3:08)
8. "Finish It" (4:25)
9. "Death Is The Road To Awe" (8:25)
10. "Together We Will Live Forever" (5:01)

HANS ZIMMER Interstellar (2014)

Once in a great while a film is so enhanced by its musical soundtrack as to make it bigger, better and more impactful than it would be without it. Such was the case with Christopher Nolan's epic sci-fi movie, Interstellar. Special recognition must be extended to London virtuoso organist Roger Sayer who brilliantly interpreted the final versions of Hans Zimmer's notations and ideas for the film's actual soundtrack. Organ was the central, most significant instrument in this soundtrack, so, Maestro Sayer's contribution was no little thing. 

1. "Dreaming Of The Crash" (3:55)
2. "Cornfield Chase" (2:06)
3. "Dust" (5:41)
4. "Day One" (3:19)
5. "Stay" (6:52)
6. "Message From Home" (1:40)
7. "The Wormhole" (1:30)
8. "Mountains" (3:39)
9. "Afraid Of Time" (2:32)
10. "A Place Among The Stars" (3:27)
11. "Running Out" (1:57)
12. "I'm Going Home" (5:48)
13. "Coward" (8:26)
14. "Detach" (6:42)
15. "S.T.A.Y." (6:23)
16. "Where We're Going" (7:41)

DARIO MARIANELLI Atonement (2007) featuring Jean-Yves Thibaudet

One of the most gorgeously cinematic movies I've ever been exposed to, with so many unforgettable scenes and colors, Dario Marianelli's soundtrack music is so perfectly fitting that one can't be quite certain if the two can be extracted from one another.

1. "Briony"1(:44)

2. "Robbie's Note" (3:06)

3. "Two Figures By A Fountain" (1:16)

4. "Cee, You And Tea" (2:26)

5. "With My Own Eyes" (4:40)

6. "Farewell" (3:32)

7. "Love Letters" (3:11)

8. "The Half Killed" (2:11)

9. "Rescue Me" (3:20)

10. "Elegy For Dunkirk" (4:16)

11. "Come Back" (4:27)

12. "Denouement" (2:28)

13. "The Cottage On The Beach" (3:25)

14. "Atonement" (5:22) 

15. "Debussy: Clair De Lune" (4:51)

ABEL KORZENIOWSKI A Single Man (2010)

Tom Ford's film is not only one of the most gorgeous, innovative, and compelling films I've ever seen in my life but blessed in being graced by some drop-dead gorgeous original soundtrack music. Colin Firth's performance is flawless and incredibly engaging despite his suicidal mission, but it's the use of a spectrum of color, full and bright to dull and sepia-like, coordinated with Firth's character's mood that is one of the most memorable and ingenious effects I've ever experienced from a film. 

1. "Drowning" (1:48)
2. "Snow" (1:15)
3. "Becoming George" (3:51)
4. "Gun" (0:51)
5. "Daydreams" (1:59)
6. "Mescaline" (3:12)
7. "Going Somewhere" (2:00)
8. "Christopher" (0:39)
9. "Swimming" (1:39)
10. "Stillness Of The Mind" (3:55)
11. "And Just Like That" (4:53)

HANS ZIMMER Inception (2010)

Christopher Nolan's conceptually fascinating film journey can be quite confusing and even obtuse but it is made eminently more engaging and enjoyable by it wonderful soundtrack.

1, "Half Remembered Dream" (1:12)
2. "We Built Our Own World" (1:56)
3. "Dream Is Collapsing" (2:24)
4. "Radical Notion" (3:43)
5. "Old Souls" (7:44)
6. "528491" (2:24)
7. "Mombasa" (4:54)
8. "One Simple Idea" (2:28)
9. "Dream Within A Dream" (5:04)
10. "Waiting For A Train" (9:30)
11. "Paradox" (3:25)
12. "Time" (4:36)

NICHOLAS BRITELL - Original Soundtrack Music to the Netflix Film The King (2019)

Another film viewing experience in which I knew from the music of the opening scenes that I was in for something very memorable. 

1. Ballade in C# Minor: Coronation (2:28)

2. Estampie – Eastcheap (1:16)

3. Song of Hal: Strings in C# Minor (5:12)

4. Tetrachord – War and Fate (2:14)

5. Canticle in E Minor (1:58)

6. Hymn – Mvmt 1: Prelude (3:53)

7. Ballade in F# Minor: Trebuchets (1:56)

8. Song of Hal: Strings in B Minor (4:20)

9. Ballade in B-flat Minor: Descent (2:23)

10. Antiphon (2:16)

11. Marche – Agincourt (2:46)

12. Hymn – Mvmt 2: Lament (3:41)

13. Tetrachord – Rex (1:26)

14. Hymn – Mvmt 3: Elegy (2:46)

15. Song of Hal: Conclusio in C Minor (4:50)

JOE HISAISHI Spirited Away (2002)

From the simple melody strains of the film's first notes I could feel that I was in for a very special adventure. One of the most amazingly harsh and challenging animated films I've ever experienced, it was greatly tempered and, thankfully, woven into a seamless journey by Studio Ghibli's music master.

1. "One Summer's Day = Ano Natsu E" (3:09)
2. "A Road To Somewhere = Torimichi" (2:07)
3. "The Empty Restaurant = Daremo Inai Ryoriten" (3:15)
4. "Nighttime Coming = Yoru Kuru" (2:00)
5. "The Dragon Boy = Ryu No Shonen" (2:12)
6. "Sootballs = Boira Mushi" (2:33)
7. "Procession Of The Spirits = Kamisamatachi" (3:00)
8. "Yubaba = Yubaba" (3:30)
9. "Bathhouse Morning = Yuya No Asa" (2:02)
10. "Day Of The River = Ano Hi No Kawa" (3:13)
11. "It's Hard Work = Shigoto Wa Tsuraize" (2:26)
12. "The Stink God = Okusaregami" (4:01)
13. "Sen's Courage = Sen No Yuki" (2:45)
14. "The Bottomless Pit = Sokonashiana" (1:18)
15. "No Face = Kaonashi" (3:47)
16. "The Sixth Station = Rokubanme No Eki" (3:38)
17. "Yubaba's Panic = Yubaba Kyoran" (1:38)
18. "The House At Swamp Bottom = Numa No Soko No Ie" (1:29)
19. "Reprise = Futatabi" (4:53)
20. "The Return = Kaeru Hi" (3:20)
21. "Always With Me = Itsumo Nandodemo" (3:35)

ALEXANDRE DESPLAT Girl With a Pearl Earring (2004)

Colin Firth, nubile Scarlett Johansson, Vermeer and Delft, Holland! How could you go wrong?! But then add the gorgeous original soundtrack music of a relatively- young and virtually unknown composer in Alexandre Desplat and you got something ever bit as engrossing as the worldwide bestselling book.

1. "Girl With A Pearl Earring"
2. "Griet's Theme"
3. "A New Life"
4. "The Master's House"
5. "Camera Obscura"
6. "The Birth Feast"
7. "Cornelia"
8. "Vermeer's Studio"
9. "Winter Nights"
10. "Van Ruijven"
11. "Home"
12. "Colours In The Clouds"
13. "The Master Is Painting"
14. "By The Canal With Pieter"
15. "Catharina's Pearls"
16. "Colours In The Clouds (Strings)"
17. "Girl With A Pearl Earring (Reprise)"
18. "Silence And Light (Piano Solo)"
19. "Griet's Theme (Reprise)"
20. "Griet Remembers"

Television series occasionally generate notice for their music. The one that comes to mind first is the first season of the 2013 British series Broadchurch with a soundtrack by Ólafur Arnalds. 

ÓLAFUR ARNALDS Broadchurch (2013)

My introduction to this electronic keyboard artist from Iceland, it was my then-79-year old mother who kept watching and rewatching this series claiming that it was the soundtrack that kept drawing her back (not to mention the compelling story). Now I understand why (but, also: What a cast! What a story production!)

1. "Main Theme" (3:05)
2. "Danny" (4:23)
3. "The Journey" (7:05)
4. "So Close" (3:51)
5. "Suspects" (2:46)
6. "What Did They Ask You?" (2:40)
7. "She’s Your Mother" (1:58)
8. "Excavating The Past" (5:36)
9. "The Meeting" (5:11)
10. "Broken" (4:19)
11. "I’m Not The Guilty One" (2:03)
12. "So Far" (4:32)
13. "Beth’s Theme" (5:15)