The Sad Wilting of the Legend of Zelda

Back in 1996, when the Nintendo 64 first came out, the excitement towards the next Zelda game was beyond disbelief. The demand for what would eventually be Ocarina of Time was so great that the gamers flocked towards a similar RPG/adventure game that came out before, turning Quest 64 into a surprise hit. While Quest 64 mildly fanned the flames, the explosive demand for Zelda 64 was hogging all the Nintendo Power storylines. When Ocarina of Time finally got its release in 1998, it was one of the biggest stories in the history of gaming. The perfect reviews came flying in, the controversies were rocking the shoreline, and the sales were bringing the Nintendo 64 into the limelight of the gaming war against the Playstation and the Sega Saturn.

Let’s turn the switch into today. With the greatest generation of gaming we have ever experienced (I honestly mean that), the Nintendo Wii is going to receive a second Zelda game in its already-impressive library of games. A second Zelda game in a Nintendo system’s lifetime has only happened twice: the NES (technically...) and the Nintendo 64 (although we can argue that Majora’s Mask would have been much more successful as a Gamecube launch title). The game is scheduled to come out next year. But the hype meter isn’t quite there. In an age in which gamers are stoked about an upcoming release years before its eventual arrival date (See: Gran Turismo 5), the fact that Skyward Sword is receiving no attention whatsoever is quite baffling. Even though Ocarina of Time was not feeding many updates to gamers, our curiosity was running wild. Now, I barely hear anything. Even the applause was a bit muffled when the game was presented in this previous E3.

Remember the craziness surrounding the trailer for what eventually became Twilight Princess? Gamers were sobbing at seeing the next Zelda. Literally sobbing. Now? Nothing. A few claps, a few cheers, but nothing outstanding. So what happened? How did we get from overwhelming hype to mere whispers? I have a theory, and its just a theory. But its one that is not good news for Zelda fans. But I believe that the appeal of the Legend of Zelda franchise has shrunken a bit, is still shrinking. It looks like the maturity of the gaming world has finally caught up to Zelda, and unless Nintendo does an incredible turn-around to their latest installment, we just might see the first Zelda flop.

The Zelda franchise has remained among the best in all of gaming history because it was always multiple steps ahead of the curve, in terms of quality, maturity, storytelling, and technical feats. The original Zelda for the NES was the first to have a save feature, since the original quest was quite lengthy. The second Zelda would be among the first to mix RPG with adventure/action. To add to that, Zelda II would also be among the first games to have many non-player characters play vital roles in the hero’s quest. While Zelda II's impact on the franchise was minimal, it was still a sucess and would alter the way adventure and RPG games are made.


And then we come to Link to the Past, which would be the biggest video game in the history of the 32-bit warfare between Genesis and the Super Nintendo. It was your average epic quest except the storyline was among the most mature of its time, and the budgeting behind this game was among the largest for any product in the early 90s. It wasn’t just a game; it was a benchmark in video game production. To this day it has aged amazingly well and remains one of the best video games in history. The quiet success Link’s Awakening would be the final stab at the Sega Game Gear, destroying it with incredible sales responding to incredibly extensive Zelda gameplay that by miracle was minimized to a couple gigabites. The colorful Game Gear was destroyed by the colorless Game Boy because of games like Link's Awakening. And any game that can overcome the storyline flaw of (Spoiler?) "it was all just a dream" deserves a place in gaming history.


Ocarina of Time would raise the bar even higher by introducing a state-of-the-art camera system, the best graphics for years to come, a targeting system that is used even today, and some of the most expansive and incredibly diverse gameplay in history. The perfect scores from critics and gamers were confirming the fact that the gameplay we were seeing here was something new and something incredibly good for the world of gaming. The Zelda franchise was constantly raising the bar, constantly introducing gameplay elements that forever alter the production of video games. Then with Majora’s Mask, we hit a new high in presentation and execution that to this day, has not been met by any adventure game----and I am including Wind Waker and Twilight Princess.


Majora’s Mask would introduce the gaming world to one of the darkest and most mature stories ever told in the medium, followed by a day/night 3-day system that not enough modern-day video games use. While Ocarina of Time was the first to use the day/night system, Majora’s Mask expanded and perfected it by giving the gamers a three-day time limit to save the world before its impending doom. While it was the least successful Zelda at the time, it was because it came out towards the very end of the N64 lifespan with limited marketing. This would be part of Nintendo’s first heavy push of mature storytelling to combat the Playstation’s array of mature games; as Perfect Dark came out the same year.

However, the gaming world caught up to Zelda. By the time Wind Waker came out, the XBox and Playstation 2 already had a heavy dosage of massive-scale games with deep and involving storylines, state-of-the-art graphics, epic soundtracks, and mature presentation and gameplay that proved that the medium wasn’t just for kids anymore; now teenagers, college-goers, and adults are playing games and enjoying them immensely. Grand Theft Auto III became the new medium-changer, by introducing us to a sandbox-style of gaming that gave gamers full control on what to do. What was Zelda’s reply? Cartoonish graphics, watered-down gameplay, lack of voice acting, and overall, nothing new to the table. All of a sudden, Zelda wasn’t ahead of the curve, it was inside the curve with the likes of Halo, Grand Theft Auto, Final Fantasy, Splinter Cell, and other major developed franchises.

So now we have Twilight Princess. The trailer years before promised a new-look-no-cartoon-whatsoever Zelda, a much more mature Zelda. A Zelda that can and will match the likes of the competition at the time (Fable was breathing down their necks ---with the developers being their own worst enemy---see Fable III). So we finally get our Twilight Princess after being delayed multiple times (an expected outcome in the Gamecube days) for the Gamecube and for the Nintendo Wii. So what did we get? Same ol’ Zelda, decent game, but not quite bringing anything new to the table yet again.

The mature Zelda we were promised instead became a mild retread of Ocarina of Time and Link to the Past. Majora’s Mask remains the most mature of the Zeldas. Unlike what the Mario franchise experienced with the Mario Galaxy games or what the Metroid franchise experienced with Metroid Prime, the Zelda franchise has yet to have a seemingly fresh rejuvenation since 1998—when Ocarina of Time struck. The sales weren’t the best, and it was a launch title. It was not able to outsell Ocarina of Time, and the market was much much smaller back in 1998.


This isn’t to say that Twilight Princess was a bad game, but the hype for Zelda gameplay had diminished, because it’s starting to become formulaic. Twilight Princess was bigger and badder, but still felt the same. Once the DS games feature more originality and creativity, we have an issue at hand. It barely sold 500,000 copies in Japan, the original country that embraced the franchise. And after releasing multiple consecutive games that can easily be hailed as among the best ever, all of a sudden we see Call of Duty, Halo, and even Mario embracing the epic scale—leaving Zelda in the dust.

So how do we save the Zelda franchise from creating a flop and leveling its reputation to the level of forgotten Nintendo franchises like Star Fox and F-Zero? A major change must be done, and not just in the playcontrol scheme. Super Mario Galaxy’s major success was because of its innovative gameplay, not the innovative motion controls. Mario Galaxy introduced a new way of playing Super Mario, by expanding its creativity to the utmost levels and still tying it to the core charm of the plumber. Miyamoto and the staff found every possible way to sneak in gameplay elements never before experienced in Mario games before and since. Now we have Super Mario riding through space and entering dozens of different planets, each with their own unique obstacles and gravitational pulls. Then add the totally enhanced art style and soundtrack. Mario got an upgrade, one that everyone noticed. Zelda needs this sort of upgrade.

Voice acting I have never found to be too crucial, but with the technology progressing, budgets flying, and presentation of gaming reaching levels I had never anticipated prior to the release of the XBox 360, its time for the Legend to get with the program. It does not have to be all dialogue and heavy voice-acting, and does not have to have sweeping cut scenes similar to Final Fantasy (by the way, is anybody still playing XIII?) Link does not have to talk, he can be the Samurai Jack type, letting his actions deliver his emotions and intentions.

However, the music is no excuse, it has to be orchestrated. If Super Mario and Smash Brothers can do it, so should Zelda. How fitting would it be for Link to travel with a 50-piece orchestra blasting in the background? The Legend of Zelda introduced the world to the beauty of combining music with the gameplay (See: Link to the Pasts’ epic opening song). Koji Kondo is the best composer in all of gaming, and I am sure can crank out a beautiful assortment of music to go with Link’s next quest. But orchestrated music must be done.

Last but not least, this game needs its special niche to separate itself from the usual epic games. Link to the Past had its amazing Dark World. Ocarina of Time had its incredible usage of time travel. Majora’s Mask had its time travel mixed with an impossible time limit--mixed with a beautifully sad story of death, and the emotional perils of being the hero. Oracle of Ages/Seasons used an interconnecting system that allowed you to play two quests in whatever order you choose. Even Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks had their clever use of the DS touchscreen. Wind Waker and Twilight Princess were missing that special edge, that special niche. Not sure what it should be, but the developers need to figure a way to introduce a gameplay element that will have gamers seeing and playing Zelda in a different way.


My recommendation is the Fable effect—in which Link’s decisions alter the way the game is played. What if you choose to live your life a bit longer instead of heading out to save Zelda? What if you choose to join the dark side in order to get closer to Zelda? What if you don’t choose to rescue Zelda at all? Whatever you choose alters the way the game plays out over the years. It would be like Fable, but with the special Zelda charm that Fable has yet to really achieve. This would also pitch the franchise to a maturity level that some of us gamers have been desiring since Majora’s Mask. This would lead to multiple scenarios, multiple endings, and endless single-player replay value that just doesn't exist in modern-games.

Personally, if it were up to me, I would add this level of major decision-making to the game. But whatever the developers come up with, it has to deter itself from your average hero-save-princess quest, because the competition of these types of games are much heavier and deadlier than ever. Nintendo has been mildly suffering amongst the hardcore gamers because of its lack of ability to provide deeper gameplay values into most of its franchises (See: Metroid—going backwards, Star Fox, F-Zero). Skyward Sword can be the beginning of a new good chapter in gaming, much like what Link to the Past did all those years ago.

Bottom Line: I am a big fan of the Zelda franchise, but I admit that I am not at all excited about the next Zelda, because the franchise has seen better days, has seen more innovative days, and is facing some stiff competition. After seeing what Nintendo did to Super Mario (Mario in an epic-like game was unheard of a decade ago…now we have seen two for the Wii), I believe that they can save Zelda. But Skyward Sword has yet to prove this, and I want to be proven wrong in the coming months when we see more details. Otherwise, this might be the first major Zelda release I will not try to purchase opening day.

The Legend of Zelda needs a change, needs a facelift, and needs it soon, for its popularity has taken a mild hit this generation. Zelda will forever be a part of Nintendo history, but in the direction its going, its pulse on the world of gaming is weakening. Skyward Sword can’t just be another quest, it has to truly rise up and give gamers a one-two punch of maturity and incredible gameplay that will bring us back to the 90s Zelda quality. Zelda needs to return to being the frontrunner in how games should be made. I want this game to succeed, but most of all, I want this game to impress me, I want this game to epically and undoubtedly blow me away like what Zelda used to do two gaming generations ago.

Nintendo, impress me. I challenge you.


Allow for Link to rise again.

The day the AFC was turned upside-down

It was December 27th, 2009.


The Colts were undefeated taking on a surging Jets team that was fighting multiple teams for the final playoff spot. For the final spot, it was the Jets, Dolphins, Texans, Jaguars, Broncos, Steelers, Titans, and even the Bills (just kidding about that last part) knocking each other around for the 6th seed in the AFC. The Jets had one of the longer shots to nab the spot, as it was looking more and more like the Steelers or Texans were posed to take the spot. The Jets had to defeat an undefeated team on the road and then take on a rough Bengals squad in the final game. Chances were slim. On the other hand, all the Colts had to do was win at home, and then take on the laughable Bills. With those two wins, they would become only the third team in NFL history with an entire season without a loss. In the postseason, they would become the most feared team in all of football.

It was the third quarter and the Colts held a nice 15-10 lead. It was close, but the Colts had the edge in momentum and also in experience—plus they had Payton Manning. And then the Colts decided to stop pursuing perfection, much to the disdain of the fans that went to the game. The Colts fans wanted to see their team attempt a plateau rarely before accomplished. The Colts had the offsensive firepower, experience, and skill set to be able to win all 16 games—at least. But, in order to avoid potential injury, and since they already had clinched the conference, the coach pulled all the key players.

The Jets had their chance to hit. Before you know it, the Jets ended the Colt’s undefeated streak. All of a sudden, a new life burst into the franchise as they suddenly had a great chance of entering the postseason over the likes of the Steelers and the Titans. The momentum for the Colts took a much heavier hit than recently anticipated.Not only did they finally lose, but they lost at home, and the fans were furious at the results. They looked vulnerable—especially after losing to the Bills in their following game. In the meantime, the Jets destroyed the Bengals and all of a sudden, they surged past the better-looking Texans, Steelers, Dolphins (whom beat the Jets twice that season), and Broncos to enter the postseason in surprising fashion. We were no longer looking at the Colts in the playoffs. Instead, the playing field leveled. We no longer had the 16-0 Colts. We had a 14-2 Colts team in the playoffs with the tough Ravens, tough Patriots, and a nasty Jets team that had just defeated the Bengals AND the Chargers in the playoffs. It became an AFC power switchover.

The Colts would eventually top the Jets in the playoffs, but enough damage was done. The Colts did not look invincible when they entered the Super Bowl. The Jets on the other hand had a new attitude, a new look, a new positive outlook towards the upcoming season. Behind their interesting quarterback Mark Sanchez, they felt more than accomplished going as far as they did. The Saints would defeat a Colts team that had very little intimidation, and very little fear factor towards the opponent. If they had won their game against the Jets like they should have with Payton Manning and their offensive squad, then it would have been the Saints getting the harsh job of topping an undefeated team. While the Giants did meet the challenge against the Patriots, that was because the Patriots had underestimated their opponent. The Saints won, and questions began surrounding Payton Manning.

Right here, the AFC would shift into the firestorm that it is today. Most of you will disagree and say that what happened the season before has minimal effect on what is going on today. But just look at what is going on. The Jets are suddenly on top of the world with an 8-2 record, and this was essentially the same team from last year (with the exception of a re-energized Tomlinson). You telling me they improved as a team? Not really, but with an easier schedule than most squads and with a fresh new attitude, they’ve been winning their close games, and their cockiness has yet to let them down.

Now, the Dolphins (you can say injuries also affected the record—but they were starting a downward spiral before the hurt players), Titans, Bengals, Broncos, and most importantly the Colts are struggling a bit right now. And they all have generally the same exact squad from the year before. The Colts have been hammered with injuries as well, but from week 1 they were exposed to be a team with minimal change, and now the rest of the league is catching up. After getting trashed by the Texans (see the running team run over the Colts like a train taking out a leaf?), the fear of facing the Colts just wasn’t there anymore. The Jets now look like a powerhouse team, when just a year ago they should not have even entered the playoffs—but a team literally quit to preserve the players.

Bottom Line: The point of this random article is that after a simple football game nearly a year ago, a brand new powerful AFC team emerged, and another one began showing signs of age. With this switch of power, the Jets and Colts turned the AFC upside-down, as suddenly the Jets, Jaguars and Chiefs are leading their divisions, the Raiders are actually looking decent, and even the Cleveland Browns showed some signs of life after two upsets and a near third upset.

At the same time, the Colts are 6-4; and this was a team that a year ago was on a winning tear. Meanwhile the Bengals are in a dismal place at the bottom of the rankings, the once-promising Texans are just an afterthought, and the Broncos despite its promising young coach are a joke. The younger, lower-key squads are playing better because the Jets proved that anybody can indeed beat anybody, with or without a plethora of stars. Teams like the Browns no longer just get kicked around by the high-profile teams like the Patriots; every week has been a brutal battle amongst everyone involved. The AFC is now wide open for the taking, as all of a sudden the usually-successful teams like the Patriots, Steelers, Ravens, and Colts can be brought down, any given Sunday. And this craziness all started on that one afternoon.

On December 27th, 2009.


"You play to win the game!!"
~Herm Edwards

Dear Green Bay Packers,

This is it. This is your opportunity. This is your chance to end what you’ve started. A new era of football can begin right away; all you have to do is win your next game. No, better yet, crush the other team on your next game. That’s right guys; I am talking about the Minnesota Vikings, led by an almost-down-for-the-count Brett Farve. The Vikings are inches away from being utterly doomed this season, as the Bears and Packers are running away with this division. Last season, the Vikings were literally one poor interception away (guess who made it) from going all the way to the Super Bowl. All they needed was a good young quarterback and they were a Super Bowl-calibur organization.

Instead, they went with a man who screams attention just as much as your MTV reality stars. Instead, you went with a man that should have retired five years ago. Instead, you went with a quarterback that has more interceptions than touchdowns in the past two seasons. And you Packers started this, by giving him hope year after year after year, when deep down you all knew that his best days were long gone. He was a decent quarterback before (back in the 90s), but he is a wilted shadow of his former self. Yet here he is all over ESPN, all over the news, conquering all football media with his selfish and self-centered ways.

No more, Packers, you can end it all with one victory. You would be 7-3, and tied for the division lead. The Vikings would be a dismal 3-7, and closer to the Lions than the top of the standings. The Vikings can move on (I am sure their other quarterback would be stoked), the NFL can move on, and we can move on. Aaron Rodgers has his chance to fully relinquish all bitter memories of the previous Packer era. Aaron Rodgers can finally rise above the Farve shadow and give his Packer fans a new ray of hope. All it takes is this one game. Win it. Do it for your fans. Do it for us. And please do it for my sanity.

Sincerely,

Sick-of-hearing-about-that-overrated-overexposed-old-fart-quarterback
Milton

The Best of Dreamworks

Now that I have recently seen the highly-acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon, I consider myself a valid expert in Dreamworks films. The Dreamworks brand has made as much as Pixar over the years (3.4 billion vs. 2.8 billion), which is thanks to its heavier amount of input and it’s more successful marketing skills (and technically, because their films are much much easier to market). Despite the superior amount of money, Dreamworks really doesn’t even come close to Pixar in terms of animation, reputation, and quality. Despite all this though, they do have their share of great films that are indeed watchable and sometimes even memorable. I am going to rank the top 7 Dreamworks films they’ve released thus far—and I am excluding Megamind (which I have very little faith in…).

Just Missed the Cut: Antz.
Would have been in the top 7 if it weren’t for How to Train Your Dragon. It is one of the few Woody Allen-starring movies I can actually watch.


#7: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
The title makes no sense (they weren’t trying to escape from anywhere in the movie, nor were they trying to fly TO Africa), the sentimental value is silly nonsense, and the lead villain resembles Scar quite a lot (looks AND personality). That being said, the freakin’ penguins are here and just as clever and hilarious as ever. That being said, King Julien was just as silly and unpredictable as in the original. That being said, the movie still is a hoot to watch, especially the opening moments with the airplane scene. This movie is forgettable, but a barrel of laughs nonetheless.



#6: How to Train Your Dragon
While the movie lacks the laughs of the original book, the creators of Lilo and Stitch (before getting fired by the subtly impatient Pixar and switching sides) composed a great script full of deep sentimental value, plenty of action, jaw-dropping aerial scenes, and just an overall satisfactory work of filmmaking. Toy Story 3 is leagues ahead of this picture for the Best Animated Feature category in the Oscars, but if this film doesn’t at least get a nomination, I will be extremely surprised.


#5: Kung Fu Panda
I am not a fan of using popular actors just to voice characters in animated films. Not only do they usually deliver subpar performances, but they sometimes setback the entire film. Kung Fu Panda is an exception, and an example. Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie, and Seth Rogen could have been replaced by anybody, and it would not have dampened the film (actually, could have improved it). But, Jack Black and especially Dustin Hoffman delivered that extra “oomph” that propelled this movie into new surprising heights. The fight scenes were well-choreographed, the animation was nearly on par with Pixar, and the film’s energy kept you entertained.



#4: Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
This box-office flop was a magical film that despite not being above and beyond in terms of quality, maintained a steady pace of laughs, thrills, plot twists, and extremely hidden adult humor. This movie proved that Wallace and Gromit do better in a 30-minute format, but that doesn’t mean this movie isn’t watchable. And let’s not forget about those adorable bunnies.



#3: Madagascar
I had no hope in this movie before it came out. No hope whatsoever. Expecting a mediocre Dreamworks effort, I was treated to one of the funniest computer animated movies of all-time. Yes, the heart most certainly is not there (which became the base of all the critic’s complaints) but the fast-paced, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it New York-slapstick-pop culture brand of humor was on par from beginning to end. The cast of characters each had their funny moments, with King Julien and the penguins stealing the show (just like in the sequel). Many one-liners later, this movie easily stands as one of Dreamwork’s best works.


#2: Shrek
The original anti-Disney flick that ruined princess-based movies forever. This movie tore apart the Disney formula and bashed anything that resembles the mighty mouse and his minions. Not only was this movie something that nobody dared to make, but this movie was also hilarious, touching, smart, well-written, well-directed, well-acted, and just an overall amazing piece of work. For the first time in its history, Dreamworks had beaten a Pixar film in terms of money and also in terms of quality. It is just a total shame the sequels totally failed to live up to the original. They honestly weren’t even close.




#1: Chicken Run
Nick Park was already a major success with his Wallace and Gromit creations. However he hit his peak with this fantastically underrated gem. Chicken Run is the cleverest, funniest, and best of the Dreamworks bunch. While this is mildly unfair since it was not as much Dreamworks as it is an Aardman creation, its under the banner so I can/will include it on this list. This movie has it all, excellent and intelligent references, a unique plot, plenty of British charm, great voice acting, and best of all, an action sequence that resembles Indiana Jones. This is easily the best movie to carry the Dreamworks banner.

The 40 Best Movie Soundtracks of All-Time (The Top 10)

Top Video game Soundtracks
Top Movie Soundtracks Part 1

This is a continuation of my list, as I am revealing my top 10 picks for the best movie soundtracks in the history of cinema. Enjoy!!!

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10) Toy Story
Standout Song: You've Got a Friend in Me
Randy Newman had been in the business for a very long time before striking eternal gold here. This soundtrack propelled the Pixar flick into new heights, as "You've Got a Friend" basically became the modern-day "Wish Upon a Star," that one song that defines, represents, and transports you to Disney. But it wasn't just the opening track that makes this soundtrack a masterpiece; there's the sad "I Will go Sailing No More" and the upbeat "Strange Things" to help propel this gem into a bonafide Disney staple. But none of these songs compare to the music playing when Buzz and Woody are "falling with style" towards the end of the movie.




9) For a Few Dollars More
Standout Song: Title Theme
Ennio Morricone had been around for a while before creating this masterpiece. Unlike most movies, when the music seems like was added post-production, it seems like this movie was created first and the filming went along with what they were listening (Which I believe became the strategy for later Morricone/Leone collaborations). Unlike the music of today, Ennio never used a heavy orchestra or a complicated set of instruments; he used a catchy whistling tune, a few Western sound effects, other miscellaneous instruments, and a Fender guitar. Yes folks, a Fender guitar. His music isn't used too much in the movie, but when you hear it, you'll become instantly hooked.



8) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Standout Song: Jack Sparrow Suite
Of all the blockbuster films in recent memory, the music of the Pirates films stands out as the most memorable. When you can hum some of its music long after you saw the movie, you know the music is good. Now, while the music of the original movie was very good, its all about Hans Zimmer stepping in, improving to what was already there, taking cues from Ennio Morricone, and adding more variety. What we have now is a full-on orchestra as well as pipe organs and music boxes being used to compose songs. And who better to create a rousing number during a three-way sword fight (that eventually explodes into a massive action sequence involving unkillable pirates, a massive monster, and a very disgruntled captain) than Hans Zimmer? Of all the blockbuster soundtracks in recent years, this one stands out very far from the rest as the ultimate musical package.



7) Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Standout Song: Imperial March
Contrary to popular belief, the famous theme heard when Darth Vader shows up was not introduced in the original Star Wars, but actually in this one. That song alone places this movie high on the list. Now add the Battle of Hoth, the eerie music during the final battle, and the music that blasts when Han Solo becomes (Spoiler alert?) frozen solid. All of the great Star Wars themes from the original came back, and with some added material. John Williams did not just cut-and-paste, he created yet another amazingly epic assortment of music that will stand the test of time.



6) Beauty and the Beast
Standout Song: Be Our Guest
This was Disney Renaissance's defining moment. This animated film forever killed the notion that animated films were just for kids and kids-at-heart. This movie was very mature in its presentation, its delivery, and its music. From the great opening number lightly setting the tone to the hilarious "Gaston," to the charming "Something There" and "Beauty and the Beast" to the instant classic showstopper "Be Our Guest." Every song in this movie is wonderful, and the musical score that links the songs is just as impressive. And then there's the final five minutes, the famous "Transformation" scene (by Alan Menken).....very moving indeed. While Disney had always been in the frontrunning for best musicals in the history of film, Beauty and the Beast hit a level of quality that Disney animation before and since has rarely ever reached...and the same can be said for its soundtrack.




5) Psycho
Standout Song: Title Theme
The music here is so high on the list for one main reason: it literally scared people out of the theater. Any sort of soundtrack in which it invokes such emotion that you cannot get past the opening credits deserves the utmost praise. Bernard Hermann, a very underrated composer, was at the peak of his game by invoking a very scary sound to a scary movie. While the horror elements of Psycho didn't actually begin until halfway, the tension was quickly built with just the opening credits alone---and that is all thanks to the frightening sounds of the strings. And of course, I didn't even mention the eternally recognizable music that screams during the shower murder scene. That remains the scariest music ever composed. The entire soundtrack is scary, suspenseful, and totally rips at your soul.



4) Up
Standout Song: Married Life
There will be complaints about scoring this movie so high, but the fact remains that this music is among the best I've ever listened to. While it is not complex, it tugs at the heartstrings and doesn't let go. The music here is just as impressive as the best of classical music. Michael Giacchino has been composing excellent music for years (See: Lost) but went with a simpler approach with Up, and the result was fantastic. Up consisted of two main themes, playing constantly throughout the movie, and when the climax approaches, the musical themes literally blend together and clash. This kind of detail into music just isn't done enough, as most composers just tack on a score without truly studying the subject material. That is what separates good composers from bad composers, and what ultimately separates excellent music like Up from your typical soundtrack.



3) Pulp Fiction
Standout Song: Comanche
Very rarely will a soundtrack revive a dead (not dying, which eliminates Saturday Night Fever) genre of music and throw it into the mainstream for years upon years to come. Very rarely will you see a soundtrack flawlessly and perfectly fit the raw style and content in the movie. Very rarely will you see a soundtrack that is just too bad-ass for its own good. Take a lot of underrated and superb surf rock, mix it with some forgotten 70s hits, and top it off with some great covers of classic tunes, and you have yourselves the greatest collection of music ever constructed for a film. Where do I begin? Comanche? Jungle Boogie? Son of a Preacher Man? Bustin' Surfboards? Bullwinkle pt. II? Miserlou? The soundtrack here has it all, and succeeds on every level imaginable.



2) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Standout Song: Opening Theme
You know the opening theme. Everybody knows the opening theme. Decades from now everyone will know the theme. This is the song that propelled Morricone, Leone, and Eastwood into new successful heights. While the movie was indeed epic from beginning to end, it was the soundtrack that made the film larger than life. Ennio Morricone went the whole nine yards by using great guitar work, great vocals, a great whistling tune, and excellent use of strings, excellent use of sound effects, and just an overall grand scale that has yet to be met by any movie (except for my #1 pick of course). Each of the three main characters have their own themes, and they were all excellent. But its towards the climax where the soundtrack really kicks into high gear. Whether its "The Ecstacy of Gold," "The Trio," or the final song leading into the credits, Morricone's music intensified the western, maximized the tension, and raised the bar for movie soundtracks to come. It doesn't get better than this....unless we are talking about....

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1) Star Wars: A New Hope
Standout Tracks:
Main Theme
Cantina Song
Battle Theme
Death Star Theme
Battle of Yavin
Throne Room and End Title

I honestly don't know what other soundtrack can be on top of this list. I am more than accepting of other people's opinions, but there is absolutely no convincing me that another movie has better music than the original Star Wars. There is no way you can possibly find a movie with a better opening, better battle theme, better climactic song, and better ending song than Star Wars. Does not exist, has not exist, and quite possibly for the longest time will not exist. John Williams was at his absolute best here, as he brought out all his tricks (and subtle references to 20th century classical music and music of earlier films) and developed music that will stand the test of time just as well as the best of Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach.

From the magnificent opening on, John Williams propelled Star Wars from a fantastic sci-fi flick into a downright guaranteed masterpiece that will influence the way movies are produced and musically scored. Few soundtracks tie as close together to the film as John Williams' score hugging the movie like mother and son. If you can find me a movie with convincingly better music than Star Wars then I will quit writing forever and always. Until then, Star Wars is #1, and second place isn't even close.

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So, what are your favorite soundtracks? And is there one that I obviously missed? Comment back, I'd love to hear from you all.

Special Thanks to: YouTube and all the uploaders of this wonderful music.

The 40 Best Movie Soundtracks of All-Time

Tron: Legacy is coming out soon, and one of the most exciting parts of the movie is the soundtrack itself. Daft Punk, a fairly successful techno group, is composing the entire soundtrack. The potential amount of epicness is undeniable. Did you hear me? Undeniable. They did "Robot Rock." They contributed to DJ Hero, one of the greatest music games of all time. Come on now, they did "Around the World." In other words, the music in Tron: Legacy could be amongst the best we've ever heard in the movies--it can indeed happen. But that really outlandish statement made me think: just what are the best soundtracks ever made for movies?

Well ladies and germs, its time for another list! This list is about the movies that contained the best music--whether it was composed for the movie or not. I already did video games, so might as well move on to the next medium. These movies had songs/musical moments that well-represented the entire body of work. Some movies consist of music already released, but they fit the mood, theme, and style of the film. Other movies were enchanced by the music in the background, increasing the emotions that are taking place in that very moment. I honestly hope I did not skip one or miss one (unintentionally). Well, here's the list of the 40 best soundtracks in movies ever created.

40-26 are more like honorable mentions:

40) Frida
Great mix of Mexican folk music and subtle yet effective background music as we followed the life of Frida.

39) The Sting
Ragtime piano was re-introduced and forever embedded in pop culture thanks to this movie's careful selection of Scott Joplin tunes.

38) Space Jam
This was the best part of the movie. Mix good hip-hop with some Chris Rock and some R. Kelly and you have a bonafide hit.

37) Tarzan
Phil Collins gave this movie a lot of great music

36) Sleeping Beauty
The first truly epic Disney soundtrack in its history

35) The Jungle Book
The only time the musical genre of scat is ever considered decent

34) 8 Mile
Eminem and 50 Cent at their prime infused a lot of style to this surprise-surprise smash hit

33) Batman
Batman finally has his theme music

32) Shrek
It wasn't just the content that was anti-Disney, but its selection of pop music to an animated film became a staple to modern-day computer-animated movies

31) Almost Famous
The music here is one of the few instances in which it carried a movie through its weakest portions

30) Inception
Not complex, but heavy enough to grab your attention

29) Grindhouse
Great mix of dirty jazz and forgotten tunes

28) Desperado
Great tex-mex soundtrack with some unforgettable guitar moments

27) Spider-Man
Not only did Spider-Man get his theme song, but got a great selection of songs to back him up

26) The Little Mermaid
Part of the success of this movie was its bubbly and addicting soundtrack




25) Dirty Dancing
Standout Song: I've Had the Time of My Life
This movie became an unexpected smash hit, and to this day remains a popular film--even being called the "Star Wars for Females." Part of its massive success was thanks to its soundtrack, which has the spine-tingling "Time of my Life," which capped off the rather charming film about a dance instructor and his student falling for each other. But let's not forget its other songs "Hungry Eyes," "She's Like the Wind," and its revival of "Wipeout."



24) Aladdin
Standout Song: Friend Like Me
When Disney was at its peak in animated box office smashes, it was also at its peak in music. Nearly every single song in this movie was easy to learn, and hard to forget. This movie has a great opening number, a great show-stopper, a nice love song, and a second, milder show-stopper (Prince Ali). All it was missing was a great villain song for Jafar, one of Disney's best villains. But let's not forget its instrumental score, which was also well-written by Alan Menken.



23) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Standout Song: We Are Sex Bomb-Omb
While this movie bombed at the theater, the soundtrack was more universally accepted, with Beck in the background, and a lot of great indie fans contributing their talent. The mix of indie rock with post-grunge and garage rock made this a great movie to listen to as well as watch. One added bonus, Zelda's Lullaby.




22) Saturday Night Fever
Standout Song: You Should be Dancing
Not sure if anyone knows this but Saturday Night Fever and the Bee-Gees actually revived disco. Disco was totally dying before the movie came out, and it was launched into a plateau of success that not a single movie soundtrack would reach until Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard over a decade later. This movie has it all, great dance tracks, nice slow melodies, and a good blend of disco music that had already been successful before (Most notably "A Touch of Fifth"). Staying Alive will forever be a hit on clubs and birthday parties everywhere, and this soundtrack will forever be associated with the disco wave of the 1970s.



21) Goodfellas
Standout Song: Layla
Over 45 songs were in this film. And every single one of these songs perfectly matched their scenes, with Layla being the best and ultimate example. All of this music were from the 70s or older, and covered such a wide variety of genres, it never grows old, no matter how many times you see this masterpiece. To this day there has not been a movie that used so many songs so intricately.




20) Jaws
Standout Song: Opening
This film created a phobia. The most amazing part is that you don't see the full shark until (spoiler alert?!?!) more than halfway through the movie. In the meantime, you need to hold the audience together. That is where the music comes in. John Williams created a scary theme that grew louder and louder everytime the shark was nudging closer and closer to its next kill. The strings start out slow, but as the shark is ready to bite, they pick up in speed and intensity. That one strategy enhanced the scare factor in Jaws, and made the overall experience that much better.



19) Raiders of the Lost Ark
Standout Song: Raiders March
As if there isn't enough John Williams love. He composed a killer soundtrack to one of the greatest movies of all-time. From the epic opening to the epic chase sequence to the epic finale, the music throughout the film was nothing short of.....well..epic.



18) Grease
Standout Song: Summer Nights
The transition from stage musical to movie musical is not an easy one, it definitely is not. It is extremely hard to re-create the magic, talent, and music of Broadway and also translate it to a cinema flavor. However, the 70s classic Grease fired on all cylinders, and succeeded in ways the producers probably didn't see coming. In 1978, it was alllll about Grease, and it was allll about the excellent music featured in the film. Olivia Newton John and John Travolta gave the soundtrack a bolt of energy with their singing, but we can't forget the great vocal talent of the rest of the crew. It is hard to listen to Grease and not end the listening session without a smile.



17) Mary Poppins
Standout Song: Jolly Holiday
One of the more underrated choices, Mary Poppins nowadays gets very little love from the Walt Disney World nowadays. Where is her musical in the park? Where is her music? Where is anything Mary Poppins? This movie is full of so many nice and wonderful songs, the soundtrack is guaranteed to undepress (not a word, shut up) the loneliest of fools. From the whimsical Chim-Chim-Cheree to the somberly beautiful "Feed the Birds," Mary Poppins is one of the most underrated musicals in history, and the soundtrack is one of the major factors of its initial success, eternal quality, and everlasting magic.



16) Nightmare Before Christmas
Standout Song: Jack the Pumpkin King
Danny Elfman has had a very subtle career as a composer. He has been responsible for Batman, the Simpsons, and nearly every Tim Burton film that has existed. But Elfman's standout tour-de-force performance was his contribution to this film. Part of why this movie will stand the test of time is Disney's everlasting love for it, and because of the music; which has some outstanding musical numbers and great background music in-between performances. Nearly all the main characters get their own song, even the villain (in a show-stopping number I must add). While the movie's pacing was a bit off, the music saved it from being a total bore.



15) Forrest Gump
Standout Song: Free Bird
Jenny is at the lowest point of her life. She steps outside and climbs on a ledge, high off the ground. She is contemplating jumping, ending it all in a swift motion. While this scene is powerful enough, they add "Free Bird' in the background, making the scene twice as powerful. The fast-paced guitar solo describes her thoughts spiraling out on control as she sees suicide as her only way out of her troubles. This is what Forrest Gump's soundtrack does, they not only provide some great songs to listen to, but they fit into every scene they are placed in. From Jenny's "Freebird" to Forrest's "Fortunate Son," every pivotal moment has a song, and they work well. The difference between this movie and Goodfellas (which used a similar strategy), is the great background score of Alan Silvestri.



14) Into the Wild
Standout Song: Guaranteed
Eddie Vedder and his guitar had provided some excellent music throughout the 90s. But perhaps his best work of music was his contribution to this superb soundtrack. All of the songs were simple, not too heavy, but provided enough emotional weight to describe the trials and tribulations of our main character. Eddie Vedder's "Guaranteed" is one of the best songs ever composed for a movie, and then add "Long Nights," "Wish You Were Here," "Rise," and "Society" to the list of great songs featured. This soundtrack clearly never got the praise it deserves, as its most likely the least popular selection I have on this entire list by far. Nonetheless, you must give this soundtrack a chance.



13) Kill Bill 1 and 2
Standout Song: The Lonely Shepherd
Quentin Tarantino knows how to weave an excellent soundtrack, because his taste in music is so diverse, spans so many decades, that no two songs are ever the same, not even close. With Kill Bill, we have a pan flute masterpiece, a superb Tex-Mex rock song, a Japanese pop song consisting of the lone lyric "Woo-hoo," disco music, classic spaghetti western tunes, Quincy Jones, and even some Nancy Sinatra. All this is one movie (a two-parter technically, but one movie at heart), one soundtrack. And do I have to include the fact that RZA AND Robert Rodruiguez also contributed?



12) Amadeus
Standout Song: Requiem
This pick is a bit unfair, since we are dealing with the music of Mozart, arguably the greatest composer in the history of man. But, picking his best work (from potential hundreds) is no easy task either. However the production staff of Amadeus pulls it off flawlessly. The music selected had one goal: to make us feel for the main character, whose hatred of Mozart stems from the fact that he knows that God handed Mozart the talent to make such beautiful music. And indeed with the flawless piano conciertos, haunting operas, and ultimate final work of art (the deep, the controversial "Requiem"), we can't help but wonder just why was Mozart given the ability to write music at age 4, compose operas at age 7, and manage to create eternal art with minimal effort. Its a beautiful movie, and it has a beautiful soundtrack to back it up.



11) Home Alone
Standout Song: Somewhere in my Memory
I don't know about you, but I am pretty sure Home Alone took every single popular Christmas tune and threw it in their movie. Even the Grinch makes an appearance in this holiday classic. Home Alone had a great musical score from John Williams, but its the massive setlist of Christmas music past and present that allows for it to stand out against any other holiday movie before and since. You can hear The Drifters, Chuck Berry, Rudolph Lee, and Mel Torme throughout the movie. Christmas just isn't Christmas until you watch this movie, and the massive assortment of holiday music is part of the reason why.

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Yes, I know, I never mentioned that I was going to cut this list into two. I know, I know, shame on me. But don't you worry, the top 10 is coming up. Has your soundtrack made the list? Are you afraid it won't make the list? Speak up, speak up!

Have a good night, the top 10 will be ready soon.

A Letter to Two Sports

Dear MLB:

Do not change the playoffs. No. Please don't. We have just witnessed one of the greatest seasons of baseball history. The crazy competition kept many fans and teams on the edge until the very last day of the season. The level of competition became fiercer than ever as even usually-laughable franchises like the Nationals and the Orioles saw rays of hope throughout the year. And now, there is talk of expanding the Wild Card system. Well, the reason that MLB has the best playoff system is because its so exclusive, and the teams that are in truly deserve it and did not just pick up scraps (See: 7th/8th slot in NBA). Just 4 teams each league is perfect, especially after such a grueling 162-game season.

The only reason why you've even considered expanding this was because of the firestorm that was the AL East, which consisted of four playoff-caliber teams that were wiping the floor against the other Wild Card wanna-bes (and potentially because nowadas the lower-market teams are outplaying, outperforming, and outright destroying the big-market teams, but that's another story/conspiracy theory). The only reason you've even thought about expansion is because of the evil that is known as the Rays-Yankees-Red Sox destroying the hopes of the other AL teams (even though the Rangers did actually wind up in the World Series, but I partially blame that on terrible fanbase (Rays), bad managerial decisions (Yankees), and the fact that the opponents were darn tired (Rays and Yanks)). We don't want to spend anymore time on the playoffs and turn it into a potential travesty like the NBA Playoffs (Which runs from April through June, which is 1/3rd of a baseball season). While the NFL's format isn't too bad (6 teams each), baseball relies much more on momentum than football, which may mean the 1st round bye-teams have a much stronger chance of getting upset.

The current format is the most fair, the most just, and the most reasonable for the teams and the fans watching them. There has been far too much exciting playoff and near-playoff baseball in the past decade for a change to happen. So, I repeat, please don't change near-perfection.

k thanks

Sincerely,
Big Rays Fan,

Milton



Dear BCS:

Die. Immediately. Disperse. Change. Do something. Anything. Please. If all professional sports went by your playoff format, we would see the same two high-profile, heavily-populated, bandwagon-crafting, over-spending, overrated big city teams in the finals every single year by default. We would always see the Yankees-Phillies, Lakers-Celtics, Patriots-Cowboys, USA-England, Federer-Nadal finals, because this is the money-making finales that all professional sports want to see. If we went by your format, then the truly deserving teams will never have a shot at the title, if they don't have the mainstream appeal that you desire. This is ridiculous.

How many more big games does Boise State have to win to finally gain that deserving #1 ranking? How many more undeserving teams are going to jump past Boise State for some inexplicable reason? How many more games does the Gators have to lose before dropping out of the top 25? When are the NCAA/BCS/Higher-ups of college football going to step up to the plate and announce a playoff? That is only fair, and would be totally beneficial to a professional organization that can be the top money-maker amongst all sports, if they actually give all teams a clear shot. I still find it insane that so many teams with perfect seasons never had its opportunity to become a champion. That is like not having a shot at the honor roll even though you got all As.

One of two things should happen: you still rank teams halfway in the season, but give the top 64 (or 32) teams a tournament in which they have a shot at the finals. Or, you can take all the teams (32 or 16) teams with the best records and pit them all in a tournament. The point is, something had to be done, this ranking nonsense has to stop. Boise State has been amazingly quiet throughout all this, but as someone who believes in fairness, I am very enraged. This is my first year in which I was actually following the college football teams (Go Boise State! Go Green! What the #*(& UCF is ranked??!!?!) and may be my last year since this ranking thing makes me want to throw large items around. The point of this is: make a playoff. Now. Immediately. Stop denying great teams a chance.

Go Boise.

Sincerely,
Disgruntled Sports Fan

Milton