Inspirational movie scores

I wonder from time to time whether pieces of music from film would be quite as evocative if we weren't aware of the context we first heard them in - but then I remember first hearing The Mission's On Earth As It Is In Heaven without having seen the film and think 'well, some of them can be!'

Anyway, for my money Mamoru Hosoda is a contemporary director offering many genuinely spine-tingling moments in his charming, emotionally generous films. He does through his winningly accessible storytelling, but he's certainly aided by his soundtrack collaborators.

150 Million Miracles scores the epic climax of Summer Wars, and for me anyway it's a true 'hairs on back of neck' moment when it reaches it's final crescendo.



In his more recent film Wolf Children, there's a joyous scene where the three main characters rush out and play in the snow. It's a magnificent moment, and aided by a piece of music that is simply pure joy and innocence. It helps that the music actually dynamically reacts to what is happening on screen, giving that extra spine-tingle.