EPL Staff Picks
{"list":{"id":"256128202","name":"EPL GSC Music Picks - Stand Alone Soundtracks","description":"The soundtrack CD is often a kind of post-movie hangover cure. You loved the movie and you want to relive the memories in the privacy of your own home or car until you can buy it on DVD, but you don't really feel like spending the $13.95 to go back to the theatre... SO you buy the soundtrack to tide you over! Once you have the movie in your hot little hands, the soundtrack often becomes forgotten - cast into the backseat of your car or at the bottom of a dusty CD rack. The soundtracks on this list, however, have a different fate. These are the albums that stand alone with or without the movie. These are the discs that you would gladly buy with or without the Hollywood affiliation. In some cases, they're what make a great movie even better. In others, they might be its only redeeming quality. Regardless, these albums hold their own long after you've picked the popcorn out of the treads of your sneakers.","language":"en-CA","item_count":10,"created":"2014-03-31T22:17:13Z","updated":"2014-04-15T20:39:17Z","list_type":{"id":"TOPIC_GUIDE","name":"Topic Guide"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/list/show/201423523/256128202","user":{"id":"201423523","name":"EPLGreatStuff_Mandy","profile_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/collection/show/201423523"},"list_items":[{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"528217005","title":"Garden State","sub_title":"Music From The Motion Picture","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/528217005","publication_date":"2004","authors":[],"primary_language":{"name":"Undetermined"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"\u0026quot;Garden State\u0026quot; is an unexpectedly quirky movie written and directed by Zach Braff. It's hard to say, however, if the movie would be as strong without its accompanying soundtrack. Therefore, it's no surprise to learn that Braff included a copy of his chosen soundtrack with every script he mailed to producers. He believed that it was integral that each carefully selected song make its way into the movie, regardless of how difficult it might have been to obtain the copyright permission. The result was a really good movie paired with an even better soundtrack. Some of the most notable songs come from The Shins, Coldplay, Zero 7 and the Cary Brothers."},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"758258005","title":"(500) Days of Summer","sub_title":"Music From the Motion Picture","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/758258005","publication_date":"2009","authors":[],"upcs":["093624977193","093624977193"],"primary_language":{"name":"English"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"The perfect complement to a quirky movie is always a quirky soundtrack. While it's technically a romantic comedy, \u0026quot;(500) Days of Summer\u0026quot; marches to the beat of its own drum. So, naturally, musical selections from artists such as Regina Spektor, The Smiths and Feist are a given. Be prepared, however, for surprises like Hall and Oates, and Simon and Garfunkel. Surprisingly, the soundtrack flows together quite naturally without feeling awkward or disjointed."},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"645346005","title":"Once","sub_title":"Music From the Motion Picture","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/645346005","publication_date":"2007","authors":[],"primary_language":{"name":"English"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"\u0026quot;Once\u0026quot; is an easy choice for this list since the movie is basically just an extension of the soundtrack. With professional musicians rather than actors cast in the leading roles, \u0026quot;Once\u0026quot; feels a lot more like a documentary than a movie. The soundtrack consists of songs written by the two lead actors, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, and are performed with the kind of intensity and passion that only can be conveyed when performed by the songwriters. The opening track, \u0026quot;Falling Slowly,\u0026quot; won the 2007 Academy Award for best original song and turned its songwriters into overnight stars. "},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"408959005","title":"Moulin Rouge!","sub_title":"[music From Baz Luhrmann's Film]","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/408959005","publication_date":"2001","authors":[],"primary_language":{"name":"English"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"If you're sensitive to motion sickness, maybe skip the movie \u0026quot;Moulin Rouge.\u0026quot; Within the first five minutes, Baz Luhrmann's signature swirling camera shots and surprising visual turns can be so distracting, the viewer doesn't even notice that they're listening to a medley of \u0026quot;Lady Marmalade\u0026quot; and \u0026quot;Smells Like Teen Spirit.\u0026quot; Fortunately, the companion soundtrack shows us all what we might have missed in one easy-to-handle package. Comprised mainly of cover songs performed by the movie's two stars, Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, the \u0026quot;Moulin Rouge\u0026quot; soundtrack also contains tracks from artists such as Beck, David Bowie and Rufus Wainwright. It matches the feel and pace of the movie perfectly, but also works on its own if you feel like listening to something completely off the wall."},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"708783005","title":"Twilight","sub_title":"Original Motion Picture Soundtrack","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/708783005","publication_date":"2008","authors":[],"upcs":["075678970610","075678970610"],"primary_language":{"name":"Undetermined"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"I know, I know. I get how you feel about \u0026quot;Twilight.\u0026quot; It's the Justin Bieber of movies. We love to hate it. It's the butt of every joke. But the soundtrack is surprisingly.... cool! The first \u0026quot;Twilight\u0026quot; movie, although marketed towards teenagers, was directed by indie director Catherine Hardwicke, and her dark, indie rock sensibilities inevitably made their way into the soundtrack. With tracks from Muse, Paramore and Iron \u0026amp; Wine, it makes up for all the cheesy things you hated about the movie (or secretly loved)."},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"169669005","title":"Dirty Dancing","sub_title":"Original Soundtrack for the Vestron Motion Picture","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/169669005","publication_date":"1987","authors":[],"upcs":["078635640823","078635640823"],"primary_language":{"name":"English"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"\u0026quot;Dirty Dancing\u0026quot; is a film that was shot in 1987 and set in 1963. It's hard to believe that now, in 2014, we're further away from 1987 than 1963 was at the time the movie came out. The soundtrack consisted of hits from the '60s combined with the \u0026quot;new\u0026quot; songs of the '80s and somehow it all works. Even now, 27 years later, it still holds up. Sure, you've probably heard that Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley song one too many times (you know which one I'm talking about), but you can always skip it! There's plenty of other gold on this disc. "},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"920333005","title":"O Brother, Where Art Thou?","sub_title":"[original Soundtack]","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/920333005","publication_date":"2011","authors":[],"upcs":["602527489278","602527489278"],"primary_language":{"name":"English"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"When the movie \u0026quot;O Brother, Where Are Thou?\u0026quot; was in its first stages of production, it was decided that the soundtrack was so crucial to the timing and feel of the movie, that it should be recorded before filming even began. In came seemingly obvious choice, producer T-Bone Burnett, to get the job done. Not surprisingly, the result was a multi-award-winning album that used bluegrass, country, gospel, blues and folk music to match the tone of the movie perfectly. (Listen to it while driving through rural Alberta to get the full effect.)"},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"442968005","title":"Forrest Gump","sub_title":"The Soundtrack","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/442968005","publication_date":"2001","authors":[],"upcs":["696998593220","696998593220"],"primary_language":{"name":"English"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"Although it's almost impossible to top a classic movie like \u0026quot;Forrest Gump,\u0026quot; the soundtrack nearly gets there. With hits spanning the same time period as the movie (from the 1950s-1980,) there is so much ground to cover, this would have to be a five-disc set to contain everything you hear in the movie. However, the selection on these two discs is a pretty decent compromise. It starts with Elvis and ends with Bob Seger, with a whole mess of The Doors, CCR and Fleetwood Mac in between. Only a movie this big could obtain the copyright licences to so many major pieces of music, and let's be thankful that they did. The next time you're looking for something to play at a cocktail party that will please everyone, slap this one in. (You're welcome!)"},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"192298005","title":"The Bodyguard","sub_title":"Original Soundtrack Album","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/192298005","publication_date":"1992","authors":[],"upcs":["078221869928","078221869928"],"primary_language":{"name":"English"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"It doesn't make sense to have a list of successful soundtracks without including the best-selling soundtrack of all time - the companion to the movie \u0026quot;The Bodyguard.\u0026quot; While the movie was originally quite successful, it ultimately has proven to be largely forgettable. The soundtrack, however, has forged on to sell over 45 million copies and contains some of the most recognizable hits of Whitney Houston's tragically truncated career."},{"list_item_type":"title","title":{"id":"317540005","title":"City Of Angels","sub_title":"Music From The Motion Picture","format":{"id":"MUSIC_CD","name":"Music CD"},"details_url":"http://epl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/317540005","publication_date":"1998","authors":[],"primary_language":{"name":"Undetermined"},"original_script":{"sub_title":""}},"annotation":"You know those horribly sad commercials that show a picture of a starving animal, while Sarah McLachlan's \u0026quot;Angel\u0026quot; tugs at your heartstrings in the background. Yes? Well if you'd rather save yourself the heartache, then skip track six on this disc. The rest, however, is pretty awesome. This album contains some of the best hidden gems of the late '90s, such as Alanis Morissette's \u0026quot;Uninvited\u0026quot; (which you may have heard in karaoke bars), as well as tracks from Paula Cole and the Goo Goo Dolls."}]}}
Once
Music From the Motion Picture
Music CD - 2007
Twilight
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Music CD - 2008
