Top 10 Scores Turning 20 in 2022

Back to our musical score time machine! For this edition, we're looking back to 2002Here's a look back at the scores of the year with my list of the 10 Best Scores Turning 20!

Let's start the ranking!

10. 
The Hours (Philip Glass)
Glass' minimalist score for (mainly) piano and strings helps link the disparate stories of the three lead women.  His repetitious patterns are always in the floating in the background but are excessive to those that don't care for Glass' work.

9. 
Minority Report (John Williams)
Williams matched Spielberg's dark future with a noir score that is often dissonant and Herrmann-esque.  Repeating figures add to the suspense, with the standouts being the lost son's theme and action material.

8. 
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (John Williams)
Much has been written about the reuse and rearranging of cues from the first Harry Potter film with many of those tracked moments helping establish the characters and locations.  Even in his busy year, Williams added new themes that expand on the last film and featured in concert arrangement on the album.  The highlight is easily the magical cue, Fawkes the Phoenix.

7. 
Frida (Elliot Goldenthal)
Goldenthal adapted his style, using a simpler orchestration and harmony to help marry his Mexican-esque melodies to the traditional Mexican folk songs peppered throughout the film (and some songs written by Julie Taymor and Goldenthal).  His unique sound shines through some of the cues and helps underscore the film's striking images.  

6. 
Spider-Man (Danny Elfman)
Elfman showed a new side to his superhero scoring.  His rousing Spider-Man theme during the swinging scenes is still the gold standard for the character.  He managed to also include a fun side for Peter's transformation, somber responsibility, with dark synth and percussion of the Goblin.  The energy and propulsive music helped later Marvel scores.  

5. 
Far From Heaven (Elmer Bernstein)
Bernstein's final film score is lyrical and romantic, matching the 1950s-set melodrama. We hear plenty lush strings and solo piano in his restrained chamber ensemble.  Bernstein showed his talent at letting us hear the characters through music.
   
4. 
Road to Perdition (Thomas Newman)
Like their previous collaboration on American Beauty, Newman's score shines.  Full of Newman's unique style, it features some great emotional underscoring and Celtic influences for the darker moments. 

3. 
Signs (James Newton Howard)
It's amazing how much transformation Howard got from the 3-note motif first heard in the main titles.  It's heard through the ominous suspense cues and even the softer moments. Everything builds to the emotional climax - one of his shining moments.

2. 
Catch Me If You Can (John Williams)
Williams got to show off elements from his jazz past starting with the great animated title sequence.  His triumphant light music heard in The Float is the standout.  Overall, the music emphasizes the fun caper and also supports the darker drama. 

1. 
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Howard Shore)
With a considerably darker movie, Shore had to weave several action moments with the thematic work of the previous film.  He expands the world with excellent vocal and instrumental solos, theme for Rohan, Helm's Deep sequence and the eerie end credits song.  It's a great score, stuck between two other fantastic scores.

Honorable Mentions:

Ice Age (David Newman), Return to Neverland (Joel McNeely), Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones (John Williams), The Sum of All Fears (Jerry Goldsmith), The Time Machine (Klaus Badelt), Treasure Planet (James Newton Howard)

Any personal favorites of yours from 2002 that I didn't include? 

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