Much as I dislike the movie, and there's a lot to dislike about it, one of the best scores of the last ten years, if not longer, is Thomas Newman's score for American Beauty.
As much as any aspect of the movie, the score places American Beauty in the detached, isolated space it inhabits. Seriously, try to think about American Beauty with a typical orchestral score. It doesn't work; the score defines the movie and it becomes something else entirely with different music.
This isn't to say it's great fun to listen to on its own, but it's a great score. Best part of the movie, I think.
So, what scores do you think are great in that they uniquely contribute to a movie's atmosphere, rather than just being hummable?
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