Sound and music are an important part of the cinematic experience. From the first “talkies” of the 1930s to the vomit-inducing sound design of last year’s The Substance, sound can make or break a movie. Along with that comes original music made specifically for their own movies. Known as original soundtracks (OST), they not only elevate their movies, but are also home to some iconic songs made by the best musicians today. Tracks like “Imperial March” by John Williams for the Star Wars franchise and… basically every movie Williams composed for take on a life of their own when done correctly. But what makes a soundtrack iconic as opposed to generic?
The answer to that question will come later. But for now, I will say this. Soundtracks are supposed to help underline a scene’s emotional and cinematic beats. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it needs to be effective. Judging from the highlights of this year’s releases, that idea has certainly proven to be true. Let’s take a look at some tracks sure to be on the playlists of both casual moviegoers and hardcore cinephiles.
5) F1
Hans Zimmer is no stranger to making great soundtracks. From the standout track “Cornfield Chase” from Interstellar (2014) to the infamous sound effect that accompanied the Inception (2010) trailer, I consider Zimmer to be film composer royalty. While the F1 soundtrack doesn’t reach the same heights as others in his extensive career, I think it works for the film’s intentions. It aims to be an above-average popcorn movie. Is it cliché? Sure. But can you seriously tell me you didn’t feel anything when Sonny wins the final race as the music crescendos into a parade of fireworks? I doubt it.
A lot of why F1 can afford to overcome its generic plot is through Zimmer’s infectiously energetic soundtrack. Rather than make something “technically” impressive, he focuses on the emotional aspect. He crafts tracks to help emphasize how a scene should feel. And when the movie’s gimmick is putting the audience in the cockpit of an F1 car, it should feel fast, loud, and fun.
Best track
The eponymous track that opens the movie is a great example of that mindset. It starts off lively, loud, and grandiose, then transitions into a melancholic refrain. Essentially, it gives us who Brad Pitt’s character, Sonny, is without saying a word. It also promises what many people came for: an adrenaline-fueled action movie with a tinge of masculine melodrama.
4) The Roses
The Roses was a movie that went under the radar for most people. It might even be the first time you’ve heard about it. It’s understandable, though, since this was a stacked year for cinema. The release date definitely didn’t help either, since it was sandwiched between Weapons and One Battle After Another. Despite that, however, I think it’s an underrated film. Reading the plot on paper, it sounds like another one of those “marriage-core” movies that usually climaxes in a yelling match between the leads [think Marriage Story (2019) or the dreadfully dull Malcolm and Marie (2021)]. The Roses, though, is less “compilation of dramatic scenes made for an actor’s film reel” and leans more into being a black comedy. And by black, I mean pitch black.
Led by Cumberbatch and Coleman as a curmudgeonly, charming husband and wife duo, The Roses elevates itself in this genre by extracting every bit of chemistry they have with each other. They balance a fine line between being venomously hateful towards one another while also being kindred soulmates. Because of this constant tone shift, the score reflects that back and forth to a wonderfully playful degree. Jumping around the album, it’s a mix of beautifully orchestrated love songs and anxiously tense melodies. Some of them would be more fitting in a James Bond movie rather than a rom-com. Seeing as Theodore Shapiro also did the Severance score, though, it makes sense how he can jump naturally between these wildly distinct sounds. It’s jazzy and light throughout, but it also keeps you on your toes, which perfectly describes this endearing hidden gem to a tee.
Best track
I was surprised to find out that the album only clocks in at just over half an hour. Considering that the movie itself is only two hours long, the OST is used sparingly yet quite effectively. A great example of that is with the song “Prelude,” which is exactly one minute long. Being a lively clash of drums and pianos, it battles each other for the spotlight, which fits the movie’s theme. It’s short, sweet, and leaves you wanting more.
3) Tron: Ares
When I heard that a sequel to Tron: Legacy (2010) was coming out, I was cautiously optimistic. It didn’t help that every bit of news that came out about its production seemed to diminish my excitement more and more. With Jared Leto as the lead, I, along with many people, didn’t have much faith in it. It seemed like another nostalgic cash grab, but for a movie that wasn’t even old enough to be nostalgic for. That was, until they announced who was doing the original soundtrack.
While I’m not exactly the biggest Tron Fan, I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that Legacy‘s biggest… well, legacy, was its Daft Punk original soundtrack. Even by the Grammys’ own words, it’s considered to be in a league of its own. So it only makes logical sense that Ares had to follow suit. And despite my own thoughts about the movie as a whole, I can wholeheartedly say that it made the right choice with the announcement that Nine Inch Nails would be heading the OST.
Even the wording in the announcement was perfect. It wasn’t Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross going by their names like every other movie they’ve done together. It’s Nine Inch Nails. And you could tell. With the first released single, “As Alive as You Need Me,” which sounded like a With Teeth B-side, it was clear they weren’t gonna pull any punches. It’s gritty and electronic, similar to their Challengers OST, but it still has that softness that’s reminiscent of The Social Network. With a classic EDM sound underlined by a grungy edge, it’ll certainly make for an exciting listen.
Best track
While “As Alive as You Need Me” is a great introduction to the album, “Infiltrator” reminds me of the track “Derezzed,” which is my favorite from the Legacy OST. The way the synth bass just bumps throughout the track with that gritty NIN sound makes it the perfect track to get your blood pumping, either in the club or at the gym.
2) Sinners
From Black Panther (2018) to Creed (2015), it’s clear that Ryan Coogler understands the importance of having a great composer. Sinners is no different. The movie continues this run by being both an amazing movie with an equally impressive soundtrack to boot. Again, things that could be said about almost every work in Coogler’s filmography. What differentiates him from his contemporaries is the fact that he wants his soundtracks to be albums of their own, just as much as backing tracks to his scenes. From the inclusion of artists like James Blake, Alice Smith, and Rod Wave, the album could easily be a “best of” compilation of the best artists working today. A major reason why the Sinners soundtrack works so well is due to his frequent collaborator and former classmate, Ludwig Göransson.
Recently, Göransson has been making quite an impression in today’s movie industry. While his work dates as far back as 2009, when he was the composer for the hit sitcom Community, his recent work took him to a different stratosphere. From Oppenheimer (2023) to Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019), he’s already cementing himself as a dynamic and exciting composer to look out for. Similar to veterans like Hans Zimmer and Bernard Herrmann, he’s a musical chameleon who quietly guides a film in the background but can also explode into iconic tracks when needed. His extensive knowledge of multiple music genres is also on display in Sinners. It has a mix of hauntingly soft blues tracks, hard-hitting rock and roll, and classic folk ballads.
Best track
While you could pick any track off this album to be the best, I chose “I Lied to You” purely because of its use in the film. It plays during an integral and awe-inspiring scene that will absolutely go down as one of the best in this generation. To pick any other song wouldn’t feel right. And the track itself is incredible on its own, as it goes through many changes in genre, emotion, and tone. Combining elements of blues, psych rock, funk, and hip-hop, it pays tribute to the artists before our time and the ones ahead of theirs. It’s a monumental piece of music that will stick with you long past your first viewing.
1) One Battle After Another
One Battle After Another is a lot of things. Shockingly relevant, hilarious, and emotionally personal are just the tip of the iceberg for a film this monumental. From P.T. Anderson’s airtight directing to memorable performances from everyone in the cast, it’s quite the highlight of the year for me. A huge reason for that is also because of the masterful soundtrack attached to it. While I am not a huge fan of Jonny Greenwood as a person, it’s hard to deny that he is a talented musician and composer. From his part in Radiohead to the other films he’s scored, he brings a peculiar and offbeat sound to every project he’s on.
As a frequent collaborator of P.T. Anderson, Greenwood is no stranger to bringing life to his film scores. But in OBAA, he takes the lessons learned from their previous projects together to create something wholly unique. He takes the warm passion found in tracks from Phantom Thread (2017) and combines it with the off-kilter sound he explored in Inherent Vice (2014) to create a kaleidoscopic score fitting for a film like OBAA.
Best track
Not only is this song amazing on its own, but it also plays an important role in the story. Some characters are given trust devices that play separate melodies, which then combine into one when they’re within a certain distance of each other. The track starts off with those beautifully simple melodies, then it culminates into an offbeat drum and guitar riff. The way in which the track is used diegetically reminds me of Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). It’s able to communicate so much without saying much, which is what a good soundtrack should do.
What makes a great soundtrack?
Coming back to question posed at the beginning, what makes a soundtrack go from good to great? While I’m not an expert at film composing (or basic music theory), I think I have an answer for what is the deciding factor.
The key is in how it’s used. For instance, take the character themes of Indiana Jones (1981) and Wonder Woman in Justice League (2017). In Indiana Jones, it’s used sparingly, only as an exclamation point to Indy’s heroics. Justice League, however? It uses Wonder Woman’s theme like a period. It blasts in your ears every chance it gets. Because of that, it goes from sounding cool to sounding like an iPhone alarm.
That’s why I believe all of the films on this list have great original soundtracks. They sound great on their own, but in the context of the films they’re in, it elevates their work into a higher level. In Tron: Ares, The Roses, and F1, the tracks are intertwined with the characters on screen. They tell a story just as much as the cinematography, directing, and acting do. But when they go a step beyond that and become intertwined with the movie itself, like some tracks from Sinners and OBAA, it leads to some of the most memorable moments in cinema this year.
Cinema is a collaborative art form. It takes a village to create something good. But to create something amazing, everybody has to be working at the top of their game. And nowhere is that more evident than in the relationship between director and composer. It is a uniquely important aspect of the filmmaking process, as both control the film from its most important fronts: Visuals and sound. To me, the former directs the body while the latter directs the heart.
