Favorite Scores of the Year

The Academy revealed their 104 eligible scores for the year, and it made me think about picking my own favorite scores. These might change as I catch more films from this year, but for right now, these are the ones, the eligible ones anyway, that would be my pick for the top five:

Brave, Patrick Doyle

Doyle can do no wrong in my book, and this celtic-inspired score is truly beautiful.

Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin and Dan Romer 

I was not a fan of this movie but I did like the pluck-heavy score, also by the director. 

John Carter, Michael Giacchino  

The type of score that John Williams was knocking out twenty-five years ago, this is another triumph for Giacchino, who can seemingly compose for any genre. A rousing, adventurous piece of music.

Looper, Nathan Johnson

Director Rian Johnson's brother Nathan creates another perfect score for one of Rian's excellent films. I think this is not quite as impressive as the work he did for Brick and for The Brother's Bloom, but it is still easily one of the year's best.

Cloud Atlas, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek

Probably my favorite score of the year for a problematic but arguably great film. Beautiful music.

By the way, here are the five scores that will most likely get nominated for the real awards:

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Master
Zero Dark Thirty

Take it to the bank.