Top 10 Scores Turning 10 in 2021

Back to our musical score time machine! For this edition, we're looking back to 2011!
Here's a look back at the scores of the year with my list of the 10 Best Scores Turning 10!

Let's start the ranking!

10. Soul Surfer (Marco Beltrami)

The music really helped capture the spirit and emotional journey in this true-life story.  Lovely themes intermingle with Hawaiian chants, ukulele strumming and drumming.  Beltrami naturally excels at the attack cues but shines with the dramatic inspirational core of the score.

9. The Tree of Life (Alexandre Desplat)

Much of Desplat's music doesn't appear in the Terrence Malick film.  The album thankfully gives us more of the contemplative score with minimalist aspects for piano and strings.  Like the film, the score beautifully flows from cue to cue.  

8. Priest (Christopher Young)

Christopher Young's massive action score is the highlight of the film.  Young adds electronics, choir and church organ to the big orchestra, giving the score a grand Gothic feel.  We also get many horror elements mixed into the long action cues, heroic themes and Lisa Gerrard's vocals.  

7. Rango (Hans Zimmer)

Zimmer infused the spirit of Jack Sparrow, Sherlock Holmes and Ennio Morricone for this animated wacky western.  We get plenty of aspects of spaghetti westerns and mariachi and the clever action beats that are full of energy.     

6. The Artist (Ludovic Bource)

In this "silent" film, Bource's music obviously stood out and ruled the awards circuit.  More than a pastiche of the silent era, he was able to expand on the emotion and joy of old Hollywood.

5. Super 8 (Michael Giacchino)

JJ Abrams and Giacchino captured the nostalgic feeling in their Spielberg-esque love letter.  Giacchino's strong themes contain action, mystery, and militaristic suspense - but the heartwarming emotion is the highlight and strongest aspect. 

4. Captain America: The First Avenger (Alan Silvestri)

Silvestri's big orchestral action score fits nicely for the Captain's film introduction.  Bursts of heroics easy fit into the bombastic action set pieces.  Much of the score's stylings and rousing themes would become part of the Marvel musical landscape and remain one of the MCU highlights.

3. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (John Williams)

The first animated film for Spielberg and Williams, he provided an energetic adventure score.  Motifs are woven through the score for just about every character.  The flighty and swashbuckling cues stand out, as does the comic and jazz moments.

2. War Horse (John Williams)

Williams evokes the English countryside with its lyrical melodies and lush orchestration.  The quieter moments lead to some tense war sequences and the masterful writing of the emotion-filled finale.

1. Hugo (Howard Shore)

A children's film with a traditional score isn't the usual Martin Scorsese fare.  Throughout the score, Shore incorporated French stylings, light instrumentation and unique harmonies.  The charming score unfolds with childlike mystery and adventure to a wonderous effect. 

Honorable Mentions:
Arthur Christmas (Harry Gregson-Williams), The Greatest Miracle (Mark McKenzie), Jane Eyre (Dario Marianelli), Kung Fu Panda 2 (Hans Zimmer/John Powell), Moneyball (Mychael Danna), Thor (Patrick Doyle)

Any personal favorites of yours from 2011 that I didn't include?