Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008

Posted by Jorn Tillnes
January 26, 2009

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Recently I crosschecked 22 websites that review film scores (Including this site) and made a list over the 58 best film scores released in 2008 according to film music critics. What is a critic anyway? It’s people like me who without scruples say what they want about people’s hard work. Well I decided to only use sources I use and trust. Furthermore I decided that a film score would only be eligible if it had at least 4 reviews. That’s a pretty decent sample size I thought so that’s that. The sources I used: Soundtrack Magazine, ScoreNotes, Filmtracks, Movie Music UK, Music From The Movies, Tracksounds, SoundtrackNet, IGN Music, MovieWave, Maintitles, The Score Blog, ORG Scores, BSO Spirit (Spanish), Score Magacine (Spanish), Cine & BSO (Spanish), Moviemotion (Dutch), Colonne Sonore (Italian), Soundtracks.pl (Polish), MuzykaFilmowa, (Polish), Filmmusik 2000 (German), Cinemascope (Greek)

Let’s begin the countdown! (This might be bandwidth heavy, but click away!)

#58 The Mist
Mark Isham
012209 2018 criticstop51 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008  SCORE: 43/100  [asa facts]B0010DJ1VK[/asa]    

[asa default3]B0010DJ1VK[/asa]

 

#57 The Day the Earth Stood Still
Tyler Bates
012209 2018 criticstop52 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 43/100		  [asa facts]B001JKYGYG[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001JKYGYG[/asa]

 

#56 Body of Lies
Marc Streitenfeld
012209 2018 criticstop53 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 47/100		  [asa facts]B001FBSMX0[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001FBSMX0[/asa]

 

#55 Twilight
Carter Burwell
012209 2018 criticstop54 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 47/100		  [asa facts]B001JL43NO[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001JL43NO[/asa]

 

#54 Vantage Point
Atli Orvarsson
012209 2018 criticstop55 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 53/100		  [asa facts]B0012X6FYE[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0012X6FYE[/asa]

 

#53 Iron Man
Ramin Djawadi
012209 2018 criticstop56 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 55/100		  [asa facts]B00175G6Q4[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00175G6Q4[/asa]

 

#52 27 Dresses
Randy Edelman
012209 2018 criticstop57 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 56/100		  [asa facts]B0011V7OZG[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0011V7OZG[/asa]

 

#51 Jumper
John Powell
012209 2018 criticstop58 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 56/100		  [asa facts]B0012OTVBC[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0012OTVBC[/asa]

 

#50 Changeling
Clint Eastwood
012209 2018 criticstop59 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 56/100		  [asa facts]B001HADFG8[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001HADFG8[/asa]

 

#49 The X-Files: I Want To Believe
Mark Snow
012209 2018 criticstop510 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 58/100		  [asa facts]B001AKTZSM[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001AKTZSM[/asa]

 

#48 Sleepwalking
Christopher Young
012209 2018 criticstop511 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 58/100		  [asa facts]B0014BQR88[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0014BQR88[/asa]

 

#47 Meet Dave
John Debney
012209 2018 criticstop512 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 59/100		  [asa facts]B001AI1QYA[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001AI1QYA[/asa]

 

#46 The Life Before Her Eyes
James Horner
012209 2018 criticstop513 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 59/100		  [asa facts]B00160ANRI[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00160ANRI[/asa]

 

#45 Leatherheads
Randy Newman
012209 2018 criticstop514 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 59/100		  [asa facts]B0014DC1CM[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0014DC1CM[/asa]

 

#44 Fool’s Gold
George Fenton
012209 2018 criticstop515 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 61/100		  [asa facts]B0013LL0CW[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0013LL0CW[/asa]

 

#43 Get Smart
Trevor Rabin
012209 2018 criticstop516 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 61/100		  [asa facts]B0019H9WF2[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0019H9WF2[/asa]

 

#42 Burn After Reading
Carter Burwell
012209 2018 criticstop517 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 61/100		  [asa facts]B001DZN5W6[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001DZN5W6[/asa]

 

#41 The Mummy: Tomb of the Emperor
Randy Edelman
012209 2018 criticstop518 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 62/100		  [asa facts]B001BTZNTC[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001BTZNTC[/asa]

 

#40 The Duchess
Rachel Portman
012209 2018 criticstop519 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 63/100		  [asa facts]B001DZN60C[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001DZN60C[/asa]

 

#39 Appaloosa
Jeff Beal
012209 2018 criticstop520 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 63/100		  [asa facts]B001EN5I9K[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001EN5I9K[/asa]

 

#38 Eagle Eye
Brian Tyler
012209 2018 criticstop521 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 63/100		  [asa facts]B001EW3DF2[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001EW3DF2[/asa]

 

#37 Stop-Loss
John Powell
012209 2018 criticstop522 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 64/100		  [asa facts]B0014DC1D6[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0014DC1D6[/asa]

 

#36 The Great Debaters
James Newton Howard & Peter Golub
012209 2018 criticstop523 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 64/100		  [asa facts]B000ZIZ0YS[/asa]  

[asa default3]B000ZIZ0YS[/asa]

 

#35 Nim’s Island
Patrick Doyle
012209 2018 criticstop524 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 65/100		  [asa facts]B0014DC1CW[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0014DC1CW[/asa]

 

#34 Horton Hears a Who!
John Powell
012209 2018 criticstop525 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 65/100		  [asa facts]B0014DC1CC[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0014DC1CC[/asa]

 

#33 The Happening
James Newton Howard
012209 2018 criticstop526 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 65/100		  [asa facts]B0018Q7K76[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0018Q7K76[/asa]

 

#32 Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Danny Elfman
012209 2018 criticstop527 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 66/100		  [asa facts]B001B0G6D8[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001B0G6D8[/asa]

 

#31 Valkyrie
John Ottman
012209 2018 criticstop528 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 66/100		  [asa facts]B001JKYGYQ[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001JKYGYQ[/asa]

 

#30 Doomsday
Tyler Bates
012209 2018 criticstop529 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 66/100		  [asa facts]B0014567L6[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0014567L6[/asa]

 

#29 10,000 B.C.
Harald Kloser & Thomas Wander
012209 2018 criticstop530 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 66/100		  [asa facts]B0013DI4BK[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0013DI4BK[/asa]

 

#28 Kung Fu Panda
Hans Zimmer & John Powell
012209 2018 criticstop531 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 67/100		  [asa facts]B0018Q7K5S[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0018Q7K5S[/asa]

 

#27 The Other Boleyn Girl
Paul Cantelon
012209 2018 criticstop532 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 67/100		  [asa facts]B0012X6FXU[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0012X6FXU[/asa]

 

#26 Hancock
John Powell
012209 2018 criticstop533 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 67/100		  [asa facts]B001AGGUHU[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001AGGUHU[/asa]

 

#25 Untraceable
Christopher Young
012209 2018 criticstop534 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 68/100		  [asa facts]B0010V4TBY[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0010V4TBY[/asa]

 

#24 American Gangster
Marc Streitenfeld
012209 2018 criticstop535 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 68/100		  [asa facts]B0012IWJ9O[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0012IWJ9O[/asa]

 

#23 Rambo
Brian Tyler
012209 2018 criticstop536 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 68/100		  [asa facts]B00126WY14[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00126WY14[/asa]

 

#22 In Bruges
Carter Burwell
012209 2018 criticstop537 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 68/100		  [asa facts]B0011O9UXW[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0011O9UXW[/asa]

 

#21 Quantum of Solace
David Arnold
012209 2018 criticstop538 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 69/100		  [asa facts]B001ESYAJY[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001ESYAJY[/asa]

 

#20 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Harry Gregson-Williams
012209 2018 criticstop539 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 71/100		  [asa facts]B0015HZAP2[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0015HZAP2[/asa]

 

#19 Bolt
John Powell
012209 2018 criticstop540 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 72/100		  [asa facts]B001EQUETG[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001EQUETG[/asa]

 

#18 Frost/Nixon
Hans Zimmer
012209 2018 criticstop541 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 72/100		  [asa facts]B001KZBKDK[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001KZBKDK[/asa]

 

#17 The Bucket List
Marc Shaiman
012209 2018 criticstop542 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 73/100		  [asa facts]B00114XRQ8[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00114XRQ8[/asa]

 

#16 Speed Racer
Michael Giacchino
012209 2018 criticstop543 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 73/100		  [asa facts]B00175G7MC[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00175G7MC[/asa]

 

#15 The Dark Knight
Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
012209 2018 criticstop544 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 73/100		  [asa facts]B0017I1FP8[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0017I1FP8[/asa]

 

#14 Wall-E
Thomas Newman
012209 2018 criticstop545 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 73/100		  [asa facts]B0017LFKMY[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0017LFKMY[/asa]

 

#13 Wanted
Danny Elfman
012209 2018 criticstop546 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 74/100		  [asa facts]B0019Y8G5M[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0019Y8G5M[/asa]

 

#12 Tropic Thunder
Theodore Shapiro
012209 2018 criticstop547 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 74/100		  [asa facts]B001B093W4[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001B093W4[/asa]

 

#11 Journey to the Center of the Earth
Andrew Lockington
012209 2018 criticstop548 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 74/100		  

 

#10 I Am Legend
James Newton Howard
012209 2018 criticstop549 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 74/100		  [asa facts]B00114XRQI[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00114XRQI[/asa]

 

#9 The Spiderwick Chronicles
James Horner
012209 2018 criticstop550 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 75/100		  [asa facts]B00120H3RU[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00120H3RU[/asa]

 

#8 Surf’s Up
Mychael Danna
012209 2018 criticstop551 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 75/100		  [asa facts]B0013LCV48[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0013LCV48[/asa]

 

#7 Bangkok Dangerous
Brian Tyler
012209 2018 criticstop552 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 75/100		  [asa facts]B001DZLAWS[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001DZLAWS[/asa]

 

#6 The Incredible Hulk
Craig Armstrong
012209 2018 criticstop553 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 76/100		  [asa facts]B0019SMSUM[/asa]  

[asa default3]B0019SMSUM[/asa]

 

#5 The Forbidden Kingdom
David Buckley
012209 2018 criticstop554 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 76/100		  [asa facts]B001CHH71U[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001CHH71U[/asa]

 

#4 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
John Williams
012209 2018 criticstop555 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 77/100		  [asa facts]B00171MNM4[/asa]  

[asa default3]B00171MNM4[/asa]

 

#3 City of Ember
Andrew Lockington
012209 2018 criticstop556 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 78/100		  [asa facts]B001HQIERC[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001HQIERC[/asa]

 

#2 Defiance
James Newton Howard & Joshua Bell
012209 2018 criticstop557 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 82/100		  [asa facts]B001IQDAVG[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001IQDAVG[/asa]

 

#1 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Alexandre Desplat
012209 2018 criticstop558 Critics: Top 58 Film Scores of 2008
SCORE: 83/100		  [asa facts]B001KZBKD0[/asa]  

[asa default3]B001KZBKD0[/asa]

So it was The Curious Case with it’s 6 reviews (so far) spanning from a score of 60 to 100 that is the best liked among film music critics 2008. This list is by no means final and it can of course never be because reviews of 2008 scores can come in 2009 as well as 2012. Saying that, it’s quite interesting to see this list and I am surprised that some scores are so high and some so low. There are more scores in 2008 like Slumdog Millionaire, Passengers, Seven Pounds, Largo Winch, Revolutionary Road, The Spirit, Che, The Tale of Despereaux, Let The Right One In, Loft, The Visitor, Max Payne, Babylon A.D., Flash of Genius, Death Race, Milk, Mongol and others that I couldn’t find at least 4 reviews for. Maybe I will come with an update later on when I have more data, so take this list as you wish, but I’m sure it’s an interesting read.

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Comments
Comment by Bob on February 8, 2009 @ 6:52 am

great post. thanks alot!

Reply

Jorn Tillnes Reply:
February 8th, 2009 at 12:09 pm

You are welcome! Glad you liked it.

Reply

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