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Posted: |
Apr 13, 2010 - 8:51 PM
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By: |
KevinSmith
(Member)
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Top Ten Overrated Scores of the 2000s:
10) Avatar - James Horner
Yes, I feel that Avatar was a let down, only for the non Navi tribal bits pulling down the score. With the Na'vi cues, the score becomes much more enjoyable and interesting with this mystical world being created musically. I also felt that "War" without the chorus was a bit shallow to listen to, and the album needed a proper ending to it. Considering he had a year to perfect the score (like Howard Shore perfect), the end result can leave you wondering what went wrong...
9) Atlantis: The Lost Empire - James Newton Howard
I just didn't connect with this score as much as I would have expected. The action bits are good if a bit standard by Newton Howard standards. The choral cues are reminiscent of The Abyss, but that does not mean that is bad. I guess the thing that connect with me was the lack of memorability in its primary theme (compared with the great theme from Dinosaur the year before) and the somewhat inconsistent album.
8) Children of Dune - Brian Tyler
Holy track temp, Batman! Is this Gladiator Mark II? That being said, Tyler does a decent job of arranging the influences and making the score attractive enough to listen to. If you wanted a ruckus, look for it in parts of this score. What sinks this score to the overrated status, is the album presentation which is 77 minutes in 35 cues. The first half of the album is great but after that the cues which grow less interesting lowering to filler by the end.
7) Far From Heaven - Elmer Bernstein
I understand that this score was a nostalgic flash from the past with the jazzy sounds of the 1950s, but I just didn't see this score as a highlight of Elmer Bernstein's career. My expectations were probably too high. I do enjoy piano-y scores, I really do, but there's something about this one that doesn't pull me in. To say that this score is just as good as Frankie Starlight and To Kill A Mockingbird is definitely a stretch, but it's not bad; it's just overrated.
6) Stardust - Ilan Eskheri
The problem with this score is that its too generic in its writing; nothing new or fresh. There are scores that take influences and become better and rise above them (Andrew Lockington's Journey to the Center of the Earth). Stardust doesn't feel like that at all. There is not alot of thematic material or specific terrific moments to be remembered here. It's just a generic fantasy score for 60 minutes; exactly what you expect. But if you don't like surprises, dive in!
5) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - John Williams
First of all, my respect for John Williams is unquestionable, and my enjoyment of The Sorcerer's Stone was vast. When I listened to the Chamber of Secrets, I was disappointed. Even with the new themes, it felt like a rehash. Everything seems almost too predictable, probably because of the use of instrumentation (or we know how John Williams writes). Between Stone and Azakaban, Chamber is the weakest entry in Harry Potter by John Williams.
4) King Arthur - Hans Zimmer
If you created a list of purely loud scores, this would rank comfortably in the top 20. I actually felt tired listening with all the drums pounding and rhythms moving but never really going anywhere meaningful. The few subtle moments there are offer some promise but not enough, and the psuedo Gladiator song isn't bad. The best cue by far is the 10 minute finale, after listening to 50 minutes of either pounding loud or unsatisfying quiet.
3) Up - Michael Giacchino
If I had a choice of either Ratatouille or Up being Giacchino's first Oscar win, I would without hesitation pick Ratatouille. It's more stylized and has alot more substance. The one cue that sold mostly everyone is "Married Life", but for me, beyond that the score didn't have as big an impact on me as Ratatouille. Up certainly does not deserve all the attention that it got; it's like awarding the most not undeserving score rather than the most deserving score.
2) Mission to Mars - Ennio Morricone
The first couple of cues are easy listening with the love theme, but there's no sense of important or significant in the music. The shrieking dissonance heard through most of the score is completely and bordering on the verge of un-listenable in parts. If there would have been a more consistent approach to the score, my rating would be different. However, for all these elements, Mission to Mars remains one of the most overrated scores of Ennio's career.
1) The Golden Compass - Alexandre Desplat
Never has a fantasy score (the average fantasy score has a certain warmth to it to invite the listener in) felt so cold to my ears. The score never draws attention to itself, you could be listening to it for an hour, working on the computer, and then you realize it's over. And that's a bit damning considering Desplat's efforts to address the vast thematic needs of the movie (coming up with 9 or so themes, but none of them are particularly memorable in their own right). It's ironic that the atmospheric bits are a bit more interesting than the full scale action bits. This is one score that's for the critics and deserved its ranking as the most overrated score of the 2000s.
Coming soon:
10 Top Underrated scores of the 2000s...
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I would mostly agree with you, except for THE GOLDEN COMPASS, MISSION TO MARS and FAR FROM HEAVEN. It's funny that GOLDEN COMPASS isn't an attention-grabbing a listen for you, as for me one of its weaknesses as a score (as opposed to an album) is that it draws a lot of attention to itself by being an awkward fit with the picture.
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