My Favorite Movie Soundtracks (Part 1)

I've been in a bit of a music-centric headspace lately. I started working on this post shortly after publishing My Favorite John Williams Scores and now Hamilton has got me back in the mood.  I wanted to cover some of my favorite movie soundtracks. I've decided to split my favorites into two parts - the first part covering the soundtracks with the best music actually sung onscreen by the characters and the second covering those with non-diegetic songs, the more commonly used soundtrack. Additionally, I will have a separate post for My Favorite (non-John Williams) Scores at a later date.

Music is one of the most important aspects with movies, something that can make a good movie great or a great movie an all-time classic. It's one of the more underrated (by general audiences, at least) components of film making, right up there with cinematography and editing.

The choices below are just based on how much I enjoy the songs/performances themselves, not the movie as a whole.

1. Sing Street

 

Sing Street was a revelation for me - an unexpected gem that I completely fell in love with and watched three or four times in about a month. In between viewings, I would listen to the soundtrack. Like the best movies about music, the songs work equally well within the confines of the movie and on their own while driving, working out, or just puttering around the house. The movie is set in the 1980's and centers around high school students who start a pop band, so bands like Duran Duran, The Cure, and Hall & Oates play a big influence on the characters. The music those characters create, however, is significantly better than anything those bands ever churned out. Songs like "The Riddle of the Model", "Up", "To Find You", and "Girls" are all wonderful and infinitely re-listenable, but my favorites are definitely "Brown Shoes" and "Drive It Like You Stole It". Both of these performances were among my favorite scenes of 2016 and I've watched them probably 50 times on YouTube.

2. Chicago

 

I'm not a huge fan of musicals, but Chicago is one that I absolutely adore. The Broadway songs transfer very well to the big screen and the cast is damn near perfect. Renee Zellweger ("Funny Honey", "Roxie", "Nowadays"), Catherine Zeta Jones ("And All That Jazz", "Cell Block Tango", "I Can't Do It Alone"), Richard Gere ("All I Care About", "We Both Reached for the Gun", "Razzle Dazzle"), Queen Latifah ("When You're Good to Momma") and John C. Reilly ("Mister Cellophane") all perform their songs pitch perfectly. If I had to pick one cast member to single out, it'd probably be Richard Gere simply because he surprised me so much. I never knew he had such talent - his singing and tap dancing astounded me. It doesn't hurt that he has one of the best characters, either. My favorite song from the film is hard to narrow down, but, if pressed, I'd go with "We Both Reached for the Gun". It's a great song - fun and catchy - plus the performances by Gere and Zellweger are sublime.

3. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

 

O Brother is my second favorite movie of all-time and I've watched it probably 20 times in the last 20 years. It never fails to entertain me and much of my enjoyment stems for the songs. While "Man of Constant Sorrow" is the obvious standout, the whole soundtrack is very good. "Down to the River to Pray" is a fun, sexy, and catchy song performed (on the soundtrack) by Alison Kraus and (in the movie) by a trio of beautiful sirens. "You Are My Sunshine" has always been a favorite of mine - my mom sang it to me when I was a kid and to my son when he was little - and seeing the fantastic Charles Durning perform it here is a treat. "In the Jailhouse Now" not only features Tim Blake Nelson's surprisingly solid singing voice, but also his (and John Turturro's) playful dancing. "O Death" by Ralph Stanley is a haunting, almost spiritual experience. Stanley's deep baritone singing a cappella while the three main characters are about to be hung is a rare somber moment in an otherwise hilarious and upbeat movie. "Man of Constant Sorrow" is repeated a few times throughout the movie, but my favorite is definitely at Homer Stokes's rally where we get to see a fun, joyful performance from George Clooney, Nelson, and Turturro (overdubbed by Dan Tyminski, Harley Allen, and Pat Enright) plus some fabulous dancing from Durning! It's a scene that makes me smile from ear to ear no matter how many times I watch it. 

4. Walk the Line

 

Johnny Cash is one of my favorite musicians and Joaquin Phoenix is one of my favorite actors working today, so the combination of the two made for a movie right up my alley. While I don't love it quite as much as I used to, the music is still excellent. Phoenix captures Cash's on stage essence just perfectly and his singing voice is very good, too. He can't quite match Cash's distinct voice, but I don't think many people could. Phoenix's renditions of "Get Rhythm", "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "Cry Cry Cry", "Folsom Prison Blues", and (my personal favorite) "Cocaine Blues" are rollicking good fun. Reese Witherspoon won the Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter Cash, and for good reason. While she doesn't embody June with the same precision as Phoenix, she's outstanding in the role and her performances of "Wildwood Flower" and "Juke Box Blues" are great. Witherspoon and Phoenix duet on several memorable songs, as well - the standout is "Jackson" - and their on screen chemistry is electric. Added to all of these songs are "Lewis Boogie" (by Waylon Payne as Jerry Lee Lewis), "You're My Baby" (by Jonathan Rice as Roy Orbison), "That's All Right" (by Tyler Hinton as Elvis Presley), and "I'm a Long Way from Home" (by Shooter Jennings as his dad, Waylon Jennings). It's a phenomenal soundtrack of rockabilly cover songs and something any 50's Memphis fan would surely love.

5. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

 

Willy Wonka was a childhood favorite and something that has endured well into my adulthood. I never really think of it as a "musical" but I don't know why - it obviously is one and the songs are some of the best moments of the entire film. All the songs were written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley and performed by the various cast members including Aubrey Woods ("The Candy Man"), Jack Albertson and Peter Ostrum ("I've Got a Gold Ticket"), Julie Dawn Cole ("I Want It Now!"), and Gene Wilder ("Pure Imagination"). The Oompa Loompa characters have fantastic and insanely catchy songs after each child is dispatched of. They're not only fun songs, but could teach naughty kids some valuable lessons! Wilder's selection is by far my favorite of the soundtrack, though. It's usually is the first thing I think of when the movie comes to mind. The song itself is very good, but I think Wilder elevates it nicely, with his singing voice and - more importantly - his character as Wonka. Seeing this odd man is his garish costume singing such a sweet and tender song is just such an interesting concept.

6. Hairspray

 

Hairspray is just a big ball of fun. There are fun characters, fun performances, a fun plot, and fun songs. Nikki Blonsky plays the lead and she gets to sing some of my favorite songs, including the infectious opening number "Good Morning Baltimore". John Travolta returns to what he's best at - singing and dancing - and has duets with Blonsky ("Welcome to the 60's"), Christopher Walken ("You're Timeless to Me"), and Michelle Pfeiffer ("Big, Blonde, & Beautiful"). Queen Latifah, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Amanda Bynes, and Brittany Snow all contribute to the overall greatness of the soundtrack, as well, either with songs of their own or in group efforts. James Marsden was probably the biggest surprise of the whole movie for me, though. I never knew he had such a talent for singing! His work on "Nicest Kids in Town" and "It's Hairspray" almost steal the show. The highlight of the soundtrack is the climatic number "You Can't Stop the Beat" where most of the main cast gets to join together to defeat the bad guys and dance off into the sunset. It's a rollicking good time and a perfect way to end such a delightful movie.

7. Begin Again

 

Director John Carney has a way with movies about music. He also directed Once - which was on my preliminary list of movies for this countdown - and Sing Street, my number one pick. Most  of the songs are in regular rotation on my Pandora and I never get tired hearing them, even though Pandora plays them at least once a day, everyday. The movie stars Keira Knightley as an amateur singer-songwriter and Knightley performs all of her songs herself. Now, I've long been a fan of hers as an actress, but she really surprised me with a wonderful singing voice. Almost all of my favorite songs - including "Tell Me If You Want to Go Home", "Like a Fool", and "A Step You Can't Take Back" - from the soundtrack are sung by Knightley. Adam Levine co-stars and, surprisingly to me, isn't too bad. I don't like his music with Maroon 5 very much at all, but "Lost Stars", "A Higher Place", and "No One Else Like You" are all very good. My favorite song from the soundtrack is Knightley's "Coming Up Roses" and it's just not me who enjoys it - I've had several Uber passengers comment on it when it comes up on my Pandora.

8. Singin' in the Rain

 

Singin' in the Rain is widely considered one of the best movie musicals of all-time. There's good reason for that sentiment as the film is filled with wonderful characters, great songs, and impressive dance numbers, not to mention a stellar script and top notch direction. It's hard to separate the songs from the dance numbers in my mind, since this isn't a soundtrack that I've listened to on its own. There are several memorable numbers including duets from Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor ("Fit As a Fiddle" and "Moses Supposes"), solo efforts from Kelly ("You Were Meant for Me" and "Singin' in the Rain"), O'Connor ("Make 'Em Laugh"), and Debbie Reynolds ("All I Do Is Dream of You"). While the titular song is by far the most famous, it's not quite my favorite song from the movie. That honor goes to "Good Morning" which is sung (and danced) by all three leads in a showstopping performance that might be one of the best musical moments of any film, ever. The combination of singing, dancing, and physical humor adds up to something really special.

9. Black Snake Moan

 

This is probably the least seen movie on this list, but I've been championing it to friends and internet strangers alike since I first saw it in the summer of 2007. Black Snake Moan is a steamy, intense movie about a Southern bluesman - a never better Samuel L. Jackson - who attempts to rescue a provocative, wayward Christina Ricci. Jackson's Lazarus uses his soulful music as his main tool to win Ricci's Rae over and the songs - and Jackson's guitar playing - are very good. I don't have a lot of experience with blues music, but what I've heard, I've liked. Jackson is a surprisingly good singer and guitar player and his five songs are the highlight of the soundtrack for me. "Just Like a Bird Without a Feather" and "Alice Mae" are both great, but the title track is my favorite of the bunch. While Jackson plays "Black Snake Moan", lightning and thunder crash in the background and it all adds up to a perfect little movie moment. It's been years and years since I last watched the movie, but that scene is still fresh in my memory.

10. South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut 

 

I will freely admit to not being a big South Park fan. I've probably seen a dozen episodes (out of the 300+ total episodes from the last 23 years) and I've liked maybe half of them. I don't particularly love the movie either, but it's got some great songs. Like everything South Park related, Trey Parker and Matt Stone wrote most of the songs (some along with Marc Shaiman) and provide most of the vocals. It's impressive to know that two guys are almost wholly responsible for such a large, intricate work. "Mountain Town", "Uncle Fucka", "It's Easy, Mmmkay", "Kyle's Mom's a Bitch", and "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" are all fun and catchy songs. The Oscar nominated "Blame Canada", though, is the highlight of the movie for me. It's a rousing epic of a song, like something out of a perverted version of Les Mis. Actually, the whole movie works like a traditional musical, just one populated with foul mouthed, animated pre-teens and their equally offensive adult counterparts.

Well, there's my list! Did I leave any of your favorites off? Are any of my choices "new" to you? If so, I'd highly recommend them all and would love to hear your opinion of them.

Thanks for reading!

Hamilton

* The cast, soaking up the spotlight *

Hamilton has been a worldwide phenomenon pretty much since it debuted on Broadway back in 2015. Theaters have been sold out, millions of albums have been sold/downloaded, both the biography the play is based on and a behind the scenes tome ranked among the national bestsellers, and the cast have become household names. 

I, of course, knew about Hamilton, but I had never seen it performed live or even watched any clips on YouTube. Nor had I ever even listened to any of the songs. I was interested in seeing the play eventually, but kind of figured that wouldn't happen. I don't get to New York City as often as I'd like and even the touring company is hard to snag tickets for. When I heard that Disney had purchased the rights to distribute a filmed production of the stage play, I was excited. I only needed to wait until October 2021 to see it on the big screen at my local movie theater! I'd been waiting years already, so another 18 months or so didn't seem like that big of deal. 

Then Covid-19 hit and changed Disney's plan. Since nothing new was debuting in theaters, the Mouse House decided it would debut Hamilton on its streaming service Disney+ and moved up the date to July 3rd - a fitting weekend when Americans were already planning to celebrate the founding fathers.

* Hamilton, center stage, flanked by his compatriots *

My wife and I sat down in our living room to watch Hamilton in the middle of the day on July 5th. Would I have preferred to see it live on Broadway during our long delayed NYC trip? Of course. Would I have preferred to see it on the big screen at a movie theater? Again, yes. But our living room was the only option and I was still absolutely floored by what would unfold over the next 2 hours and 40 minutes. To say my already lofty expectations were exceeded would be putting it mildly. Hamilton might be the best "movie" I've seen in recent years and would definitely earn a place on a lot of the different lists I so very much love putting together for this blog.

Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, from the his college days through his time as a war hero during the Revolutionary War, to his tenure as America's first Treasury secretary, and beyond to his untimely death from Aaron Burr's dueling pistol. While the basics of his life are well known, I'll freely admit that I didn't know too many details about the man who appears on our ten dollar bill. I've seen his face thousands of times over the years, but didn't know much about him or his influence on our burgeoning country.

Hamilton includes wonderful songs that encompass so many different emotions. Different moments are thrilling, funny, sad, and/or just educational. Songs that are in genres that I normally don't care for like rap and hip hop. Songs that are brilliantly written by the genius (literally, the man won a MacArthur Genius grant) Lin-Manuel Miranda and performed by a cast of marvelously talented singers/actors/dancers. Songs that are so endlessly re-listenable and catchy that I've listened to parts (or all) of the soundtrack nearly every day since I first watched the show. And I can't see myself stopping anytime soon. 

I wasn't too familiar with any of the cast members, but pretty much every actor on stage - in big roles and small - was perfect. It helps that the original cast had been performing the play for about a year at the point this movie was filmed back in 2016. I've heard Miranda describe them as "the most well-rehearsed cast in movie history" and they hit every note, every action just perfectly.

* Hamilton and Burr - friends and enemies, depending on the time *

Miranda plays Alexander Hamilton, the star of the production. It's understandable why he would give himself the lead role - who wouldn't want to write them self a star making role? - and Miranda is very good. To my untrained ear, he's a fine rapper/singer and he more than handles his own in the acting department. He moves around on stage with a certain fluidity and grace, embodying Hamilton with confidence and swagger. During the sad songs, Miranda's acting is brilliant. You really believe that he's going through these various traumatic experiences. But Miranda isn't the best performer in his play, in fact he's probably the worst of the leads. He's just not as talented as the other men and women who he cast - which is the best way to produce any play or movie. You want to surround yourself with the best possible talent available. Even if they outshine you, you're going to get credit for putting them all together and for writing the beautiful, poetic words they get to deliver.

* Thomas Jefferson in all his swagger *

I'd be hard pressed to pick my favorite performer in the cast. Is it Daveed Diggs, who plays the dual role of Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson? He's certainly outstanding as both characters, one Hamilton's good friend and compatriot and the other, his political arch rival. Diggs can sing and dance with abandon and is simply a joy to watch. His cocky portrayal of Jefferson might be the highlight of the play's second act. Watching him prance around during the second act's opening number "What'd I Miss?" is something I won't soon forget.

* Hamilton and Eliza, planning for their future *

Is it Phillipa Soo? As Hamilton's smart, brave, and (eventually) heartbroken wife Eliza Schuyler, Soo is a revelation, evolving easily from a carefree young lady smitten with her new beau to a strong, determined, and fierce woman who can do seemingly anything she sets her mind to. Soo's singing voice is fantastic and she can express happiness and sadness equally well. She and Miranda have excellent chemistry together and they're a joy to watch. As a side note, I think Eliza probably deserves a play all of her own. She led an interesting and remarkable life for 50 years after Hamilton left her a widow. 

Is it Christopher Jackson, as the inimitable George Washington? Washington is such a large character and someone I've known about since my early childhood, so I was surprised with how effortlessly Jackson was able to slip into the role and make it his own. Jackson leads my favorite song of the entire play, "Right Hand Man" and plays a pivotal part in several other great songs. His voice is booming, but also manages to showcase an underlying fragility in parts. Jackson also shines even while in the background of other parts of the show. He just commands the stage/screen.

* Burr admiring the phenomenal Schuyler sisters *

Is it Renee Elise Goldsberry, who plays Angelica - Eliza's big sister and possibly Hamilton's true love? Angelica is a linchpin of the story, the character who introduces Hamilton to Eliza and continues to inspire both of them throughout the story. Goldsberry can sing with fiery passion and completely floored me on several occasions. Her performance, both as a singer and as an actress, on "Satisfied" is mesmerizing and brings me to tears each time I see/hear it.  

Is it Leslie Odom, Jr? Odom plays Hamilton's friend/enemy Aaron Burr and also somewhat narrates the story as everything unfolds. I think in the hands of a less skilled performer, Burr might have ended up being more of a story device than actual character. Burr pops up throughout the play and moves the story along nicely, and Odom is so great that he grabs you from the very start. In a certain way, Burr could work as the hero of his own play, but since this is about Hamilton first and foremost, Burr ends up being the villain. The writing and Odom's performance are both of such a high caliber, though, that you get to know the man nearly as well as any of the heroes. "Wait for It" and "Dear Theodosia" are powerful, memorable songs and Odom sings them perfectly.

* King George showing off his wealth and class *

Other members of the cast - such as Okieriete Onadowan (as both Hercules Mulligan and James Madison), Jasmine Cephas Jones (as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds), and Jonathan Groff (as the dastardly King George) - each get their different moments to shine throughout the production, though they're not featured as much as the rest of the main cast. Groff, especially, is captivating as King George and really gets into the role, with burning eyes and spit flying as he performs "You'll Be Back". Stylistically, it is much different than the rest of the entries. Instead of rap/hip hop, "You'll Be Back" is a breakup song in the style of The Beatles or Electric Light Orchestra and Groff simple kills it.

Besides the wonderful songs and interesting story, Hamilton shines in terms of choreography and direction. The choreography, which sometimes includes 20 or more cast members at a time is just so interesting to watch. The performers weave in and out of different groups and all around the stage with such precision that I can't imagine the amount of time and effort that went into learning all the elaborate steps and dance moves. I couldn't find a choreography listed in the credits, so I don't know if Miranda himself is responsible for everything or if it was some combination of him, the director - Thomas Kail - and the actors themselves. Whoever it was, though, deserves a tremendous amount of credit. I especially liked how the choreography was designed to use a circular, rotating section of the stage in some moments. This little touch helped to liven up the action and really made certain scenes "pop" in an exciting way.

Kail certainly deserves praise for his direction, for the play itself and for this filmed version of it. I don't have nearly as much experience with stage directors as I do with film, but I imagine they have to do a lot of the same things. Things like coaching the actors, coming up with the "vision" of the production, and just overseeing all the other elements and ensuring that everything flows smoothly on set. Kail also directed several episodes of the terrific miniseries Fosse/Verdon last year, and his work there was exemplary, so the man obviously has talent.

* Hamilton and his revolutionary brothers *

I really can't think of a single thing that Hamilton doesn't excel at. From all the major components that I've already touched on to smaller, but no less important, aspects like costume design, props, lighting, and set design, everything is just wonderful.

One of the main complaints I've read online about Hamilton concerns the songs/music and how repetitive certain parts are. This didn't bother me in the least, though, actually the opposite - I thoroughly enjoyed the repeated motifs and turns of phrase. I liked how moments from one song were called back to later in the production. Also, according to my wife, this is a standard and expected device for many musicals, so I don't see why Hamilton should be criticized for it.

The other big complaint of course relates to the casting of black and brown people as historically white characters. This, again, didn't bother me in the least. While some see this as "stunt casting" it never rubbed me that way. It seems like Miranda wanted to get the best performers possible and also show how America was built by immigrants and people of color in a very real way, even if none of them happened to be our Founding Fathers. Washington, Jefferson, and Hamilton - in addition to scores of other white men - get all the credit, but there were just as many people of color and women who were instrumental in America's history. If you're upset about a play not casting exclusively white people to play these roles, I think that says more about you than you might like to admit.

* Lafayette bounding for joy *

If you've read more than a handful of my blog entries, you know how much I love making lists, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that I've made a list of my favorite Hamilton songs. The soundtrack consists of 46 tracks, but five or six of those are very short or reprises of other songs. So out of about 40 songs, I struggled to pare down a list of 20. Like I said before, a lot of these songs are absolutely wonderful in every way, so my ranking is just how I'm feeling right now. After the next time I watch the play or listen to the soundtrack, I may feel differently about the songs included on this list or their ranking.

1. "Right Hand Man"
2. "Satisfied"
3. "You'll Be Back"
4. "It's Quiet Uptown"
5. "The Schuyler Sisters"
6. "My Shot"
7. "What'd I Miss?"
8. "Alexander Hamilton"
9. "Helpless"
10. "Washington on Your Side"
11. "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)"
12. "Non-Stop" 
13. "Wait for It"
14. "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story"
15. "Guns and Ships"
16. "Stay Alive"
17. "Say No to This"
18. "Dear Theodosia"
19. "What Comes Next"
20. "The World Was Wide Enough"

 

Hamilton has been nearly universally praised and has won more awards than I could easily count. Among the major accolades are the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Obie Award for Best New American Theater Work, the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album, and 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score, and Best Actor statues for Odom, Diggs, and Goldsberry. Simply put, Hamilton is one of the most beloved pieces of theater from this century and maybe of all-time.

My wife has described me as "obsessed" with Hamilton and I freely admit that she's correct. I do have a tendency to get obsessed with a new favorite movie once in a while. The last time it happened was with Sing Street a few years ago - I rewatched that movie a bunch of times and listened to the soundtrack on repeat for the first month or so. Hamilton is different, though, since it's also inspired me to dig into the history portrayed on stage. So far, I've just been exploring different things online, but I do intend to purchase the Hamilton biography by Ron Chernow that inspired Miranda to write the play. And I've been thinking about buying Hamilton: The Revolution, Miranda's behind-the-scenes book about the production and his creative process. I'm sure it would shed an even greater light on his masterpiece.

* One image showing off the sets, costumes, and lighting prowess *

Hamilton is the rare piece of art that is infinitely rewatchable and fun, but also complex and deep, both on a personal and philosophical level. I have a friend who thinks Hamilton ranks among Hamlet and Moby Dick as the best works of fiction he has ever consumed. He's obviously more cultured than I am since I've never read Moby Dick or seen a production of Hamlet, but I can attest that Hamilton is among the best stage plays I've ever seen and one of the best things I've ever watched in my living room.

If movie theaters ever open back up and Disney decides to release Hamilton via that route, I'll definitely buy a ticket to catch it in all its glory on the big screen with professional surround sound. And if I ever get the opportunity to see it performed live on stage, I'll do that as well.

Until then, though, I'll just watch it from my trusty recliner in my living room. Maybe even again tonight!