In this music column series, we ask music and film personality Okuhama Leila, who is active as an MC at festivals and music programs around the world, about artists to watch this month.
With the spread of streaming services, we live in an age where we can keep up with music trends not only in Japan but around the world in real time. Which artists are currently trending on Spotify's top charts (most played songs) and viral charts (songs that are currently trending on social media)? This time, we'll be introducing soundtracks with memorable music from past Academy Award-winning and related films!
The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony is finally here. This year's ceremony was held a little earlier than usual on February 9th (February 10th Japan time), but as many of the films nominated for Best Picture were also shown in Japan before the ceremony, there was more excitement than usual, including speculation about the winner.
In this article, we'll introduce some of the most memorable soundtracks from films that have made waves at the Academy Awards so far, along with some anecdotes from the ceremony.
La La Land
Director Damien Chazelle won Best Director, Emma Stone won Best Actress, and the other awards were Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Original Song, and Best Original Song. However, when it came time to announce the final award, Best Picture, an unprecedented incident occurred. The presenter mistakenly received an envelope containing the winning films, so the winner was announced for "La La Land" instead of "Moonlight." The cast and crew took the stage in joy and delivered moving speeches, but behind them, the Academy Awards staff were buzzing. The producer of La La Land, who had already finished his speech, announced, "Moonlight has won Best Picture!" Despite the uproar, the staff praised Moonlight for the win.
CNN reported on the incident on Twitter
Despite the unexpected incident, "La La Land" won the most awards of the year. As a musical film, the music plays a key role, and one of the film's charms is its captivating songs, which resonate with viewers upon hearing them. Composer Justin Hurwitz is an essential composer for director Chazelle's films. The music expresses the harsh reality of pursuing dreams in LA, the heart-pounding excitement of falling in love, and the sweet and bitter emotions. Ryan Gosling, who has trained hard to master jazz piano, and Emma Stone, who captivates with her singing and dancing, are also perfect. This film is classical yet modern, romantic and heartbreaking, and it touches my heart every time I watch it.
Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino and winner of Best Adapted Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards, is one such film that brings to mind musical memories when remembering it. Set in northern Italy in 1983, the film depicts the summer romance between 17-year-old Elio and 24-year-old graduate student Oliver.
The freshness and divinity of lead actor Timothée Chalamet as Elio are breathtaking, and when the film was released in Japan in 2018, pamphlets sold out in an instant, creating a huge buzz. This film helped him become widely known as a leader of the next generation in the film industry. Timothée Chalamet's presence and the protagonist's feelings are expressed in three songs written by singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, including "Mystery of Love," which was also nominated for Best Original Song. The songs delicately convey the inner thoughts of the protagonist, who rarely speaks about his feelings, adding greatly to the depth of the story.
"The Mystery of Love" was also performed at the Academy Awards, featuring composer Sufjan Stevens and guitarist St. Vincent in supporting roles, for a quiet yet moving performance. The soundtrack also features many of the piano pieces that graced the film, gently accompany Elio and Oliver's memories of their brief and vivid summer. The rich aftertaste of the film is undeniably the result of these scores; a miraculous match between film and music. Personally, both the film and the soundtrack are works I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Baby Driver
Baby Driver, which was nominated for three categories at the 90th Academy Awards, is a film in which music is at the heart of the story.
The main character, Baby, is hired as a driver by a criminal organization because of his genius driving skills. However, he suffers from tinnitus due to an accident in his childhood, and he constantly listens to music to alleviate the tinnitus. Without music, he would not be able to perform his perfect job - the car chase to escape. This is a car action movie in which the images and music are synchronized throughout the entire film.
The director is Edgar Wright, who has directed many comedies. He is a die-hard rock fan, and while in Japan to promote this film, he even attended the Fuji Rock Festival in the rain. (After discovering it on the director's social media, I spent a while trying to find Edgar Wright at Fuji Rock!)
The three films introduced here are not only enjoyable as films, but their appeal can also be felt through their soundtracks. Rediscover not only the 2020 award-winning films, but also important works from the past that you shouldn't miss, along with their music!
With the spread of streaming services, we live in an age where we can keep up with music trends not only in Japan but around the world in real time. Which artists are currently trending on Spotify's top charts (most played songs) and viral charts (songs that are currently trending on social media)? This time, we'll be introducing soundtracks with memorable music from past Academy Award-winning and related films!
Okuhama Leila's Music Recommendations Vol. 10
__________________________________
The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony is finally here. This year's ceremony was held a little earlier than usual on February 9th (February 10th Japan time), but as many of the films nominated for Best Picture were also shown in Japan before the ceremony, there was more excitement than usual, including speculation about the winner.
In this article, we'll introduce some of the most memorable soundtracks from films that have made waves at the Academy Awards so far, along with some anecdotes from the ceremony.
First up is the musical film "La La Land," which was nominated for 14 awards at the 89th Academy Awards, tying the record for the most awards ever, and was expected to win many awards.
Director Damien Chazelle won Best Director, Emma Stone won Best Actress, and the other awards were Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Original Song, and Best Original Song. However, when it came time to announce the final award, Best Picture, an unprecedented incident occurred. The presenter mistakenly received an envelope containing the winning films, so the winner was announced for "La La Land" instead of "Moonlight." The cast and crew took the stage in joy and delivered moving speeches, but behind them, the Academy Awards staff were buzzing. The producer of La La Land, who had already finished his speech, announced, "Moonlight has won Best Picture!" Despite the uproar, the staff praised Moonlight for the win.
And the best picture award goes to ...?Here's how the #Oscars mix-up between "La La Land" and "Moonlight" happened https://t.co/mMeWu4wSiy pic.twitter.com/oxNkGo0VMI
— CNN (@CNN) February 27, 2017
Despite the unexpected incident, "La La Land" won the most awards of the year. As a musical film, the music plays a key role, and one of the film's charms is its captivating songs, which resonate with viewers upon hearing them. Composer Justin Hurwitz is an essential composer for director Chazelle's films. The music expresses the harsh reality of pursuing dreams in LA, the heart-pounding excitement of falling in love, and the sweet and bitter emotions. Ryan Gosling, who has trained hard to master jazz piano, and Emma Stone, who captivates with her singing and dancing, are also perfect. This film is classical yet modern, romantic and heartbreaking, and it touches my heart every time I watch it.
Call Me By Your Name
Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino and winner of Best Adapted Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards, is one such film that brings to mind musical memories when remembering it. Set in northern Italy in 1983, the film depicts the summer romance between 17-year-old Elio and 24-year-old graduate student Oliver.
View this post on Instagram
The freshness and divinity of lead actor Timothée Chalamet as Elio are breathtaking, and when the film was released in Japan in 2018, pamphlets sold out in an instant, creating a huge buzz. This film helped him become widely known as a leader of the next generation in the film industry. Timothée Chalamet's presence and the protagonist's feelings are expressed in three songs written by singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, including "Mystery of Love," which was also nominated for Best Original Song. The songs delicately convey the inner thoughts of the protagonist, who rarely speaks about his feelings, adding greatly to the depth of the story.
"The Mystery of Love" was also performed at the Academy Awards, featuring composer Sufjan Stevens and guitarist St. Vincent in supporting roles, for a quiet yet moving performance. The soundtrack also features many of the piano pieces that graced the film, gently accompany Elio and Oliver's memories of their brief and vivid summer. The rich aftertaste of the film is undeniably the result of these scores; a miraculous match between film and music. Personally, both the film and the soundtrack are works I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Baby Driver
Baby Driver, which was nominated for three categories at the 90th Academy Awards, is a film in which music is at the heart of the story.
The main character, Baby, is hired as a driver by a criminal organization because of his genius driving skills. However, he suffers from tinnitus due to an accident in his childhood, and he constantly listens to music to alleviate the tinnitus. Without music, he would not be able to perform his perfect job - the car chase to escape. This is a car action movie in which the images and music are synchronized throughout the entire film.
The director is Edgar Wright, who has directed many comedies. He is a die-hard rock fan, and while in Japan to promote this film, he even attended the Fuji Rock Festival in the rain. (After discovering it on the director's social media, I spent a while trying to find Edgar Wright at Fuji Rock!)
The three films introduced here are not only enjoyable as films, but their appeal can also be felt through their soundtracks. Rediscover not only the 2020 award-winning films, but also important works from the past that you shouldn't miss, along with their music!
The Viral Chart, updated daily, lets you find out the hottest songs on social media around the world! Be sure to check it out.
【Profile】
Okuhama Leila
Music and film personality. Active as an on-stage greeter for films and MC for music programs. Currently writes for the new releases introduction column in the women's magazine "GINZA." Her hobby is attending music festivals overseas.
【Inquiries】
Spotify
www.spotify.com
Okuhama Leila
Music and film personality. Active as an on-stage greeter for films and MC for music programs. Currently writes for the new releases introduction column in the women's magazine "GINZA." Her hobby is attending music festivals overseas.
【Inquiries】
Spotify
www.spotify.com
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