The Movie Mixtape

Because all good movies need a good soundtrack.

The Oscars were this past weekend, and while I’m no movie or soundtrack aficionado, I think it’s a safe bet to say the musical tribute number could have been way better. Now I love me some Beyonce like any other white middle class American girl, and Hugh Jackson is dreamy to look at (and boy can that man dance), but I found myself flipping over to watch Paula Abdul stumble around on the Home Shopping Network. I understand that “Moon River” was a wonderful song, but are these select few a good representation of contemporary soundtracks? This week is a mixtape of the songs that really made a movie stand out in my mind. Grab a bag of popcorn and settle in. 

New Order - Ceremony ("Marie Antoinette") - This song really did blend with the rich and decadent cinema styling of Sofia Coppola, and I was excited to see this movie after the trailer used this song. Not the best movie ever, but the music really did wonders for the advertising.

Glen Hansard - Say It To Me Now ("Once") - A movie about music that ended up being upstaged by the original music. "Once" is a simple and beautiful love story; filled with soft wonderful songs. I love this song because Glen Hansard (The Frames) is so raw and real when he sings it. An emotionally jarring song for an emotional movie.

Rufus Wainwright - Complainte De La Butte ("Moulin Rouge") - A theatre nerd's wet dream - Moulin Rouge had a killer soundtrack. Although I love Beck’s cover of “Diamond Dogs,” it was this song that really made me feel like I was in the slums of Paris.

Seu Jorge - Life On Mars? ("The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou") - A Wes Anderson film is guaranteed to have wonderful music, but add in acoustic covers of David Bowie in Portuguese and you have something strange and wonderful, yet it fits in perfectly.

Jamiroquai - Deeper Underground ("Godzilla") - Yes, this movie was awful, yes the song with Puff Daddy made me want to slit my wrist, but overall this was a wonderful 90’s soundtrack. With the likes of Ben Folds Five, Rage Against the Machine, Foo Fighters and, of course, Jamiroquai.

Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug ("Lost Highway") - Nine Inch Nails is a perfect band to orchestrate a David Lynch movie. Sinister, schizophrenic, dark and foreboding, this song mimics the confusion and uneasiness one expierences when watching a David Lynch film.

The Coasters - Down In Mexico ("Death Proof") - Quentin Tarantino is a huge music nerd, obvious by the deep cuts and perfectly cued music that appears on all his soundtracks. But one of my favorite Tarantino music moments happens in "Death Proof." Arlene gives Stuntman Mike a lap dance to this Coasters classic. If it wasn’t for this song, the scene would be just another pretty girl acting like a sex pot, but this song makes even me feel a bit flushed watching it.

The Polyphonic Spree - Move Away And Shine ("Thumbsucker") - The Polyphonic Spree guarantee an inspiring song. Add in a story of overcoming your obstacles, show a kid going off into the real world, then play this song. It makes me misty eyed just thinking about it.

DeVotchKa - How It Ends ("Little Miss Sunshine") - DeVotchKa make wonderfully moving background music, thus is the case at the end of Little Miss Sunshine. Despite all the turmoil and jaded cynicism of the music, it ends on a beautiful high note, and DeVotchKa makes the perfect soundtrack.

Posted by Lisa White on Feb 26, 2009 @ 7:00 am

seu jorge, new order, rufus wainwright, mp3, glen hasard, once

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