Music Makes A Movie Come Alive

Trust me when I say I am obsessed.

I have been reading nuggets of info on "500 Days of Summer" online, without reading anything that gives the plot away, of course. (It has already started to air in theatres July 17 in the US.)

Most of the things I've read so far, never failed to mention the amazing soundtrack that comes with the film. Google "500 days of summer OST" and you'll see. I never bluff you.

I especially like what this website said:

"At Sundance every year, there are at least a few films released with killer soundtracks. 500 Days of Summer is one of this year’s musically talked about films."

So, me being me, I headed down to HMV yesterday to very hopefully get myself a copy. Cuz u kno, some soundtracks never make their way down to tiny lil Singapore at all, not to mention a new release such as this.

I am so very lucky. Not only do they have it, they've got the one and only copy in the store.

Could I be the only on in Singapore to own it now? Silly me.

For most of the movies I love, I own the soundtracks to them. Each time I listen to it, it brings me back to the mood and feel of the film and reminds me of why I loved it at that time. Some of my all-time favourite soundtracks are "My Best Friend's Wedding", "Notting Hill", "Jerry Maguire", "10 Things I Hate About You" (the representation of my glorious youth, I've gotta love it), "The Notebook" (the piano pieces in this one is really the killer), think you get the drift.

A good movie will almost always come with a good soundtrack. And the soundtrack is a good gauge of how the film will turn out, if you, like me, am listening to one without watching the actual film yet.

The 500 Days of Summer soundtrack is amazingly, extremely lovely. So indie and so insightful. The song choices are very interesting, it as almost telling a story within its soundtrack itself. I listen to each song, and try to imagine how it may fit into a scene in the film based on the movie stills I've seen so far.. it gives me goosebumps! The music is really good.

I like how the soundtrack starts with the 1st song called "A Story of Boy meets Girl", a very inspirational piece of music plays in the background of a short narration:

"This is a story of boy meets girl. The boy, Tom Hanson of New Jersey, grew up believing that he'd never truly be happy, until the day he met the one. The belief stemmed from early exposure to sad British pop music and reading from movie, 'The Graduate'.

The Girl, Summer Finn of Michigan, did not share this belief. Since the disintegration of her parents' marriage, she'd only loved 2 things. The 1st was her long dark hair, the 2nd was how easily she could cut it off, and feel nothing.

Tom meets Summer on January 8th, he knows almost immediately, she's who he has been searching for.

This is a story of boy meets girl. You should know upfront: This is not a love story."

I notice in the music in the soundtrack are mostly light-hearted and cheery, apart of the exceptional few slow numbers, relatively melancholic. If that is the way the movie is going to be, I think it is going to be great.

I like not knowing what to expect, but knowing it will end in tears worth crying. Bittersweet endings are my absolute fave. The masochistic part of me is very very roused right now.