The latest in Tadlow and Prometheus' series of re-recordings of film scores is actually the first complete release of Jerry Goldsmith's Emmy-winning score for what may be the first American TV miniseries, billed as "An ABC Novel for Television" - the lavish, all-star version of Leon Uris' semi-autobiographical novel QB VII.  Ben Gazzara played the Uris figure, who's taken to court (at Queen's Bench Seven, hence the title) when he accuses a respected doctor (Anthony Hopkins in a breakout performance) of working with the Nazis during the war. The supporting cast included Leslie Caron, Edith Evans, John Gielgud, Jack Hawkins, Sam Jaffe, Juliet Mills, Dan O'Herlihy, Milo O'Shea, Anthony Quayle, Lee Remick, Robert Stephens and Joseph Wiseman. The original soundtrack LP (later released on CD by Intrada) featured highlights from the score, while the new Tadlow release features the 94-minute score in its entirety, some of the more striking cues giving listeners a taste of what it might have been like if Goldsmith had scored Schindler's List (as he openly wished he could have). 

Director Kenneth Branagh has followed up his smash hit Thor with a brand new reboot of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan franchise. JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT (one can assume a Shadow Recruit is required for a Ghost Protocol) casts Star Trek's Chris Pine as Ryan, with Keira Knightley as his love interest and Branagh himself as the Russian villain. The score, as with every Branagh film except for his little seen A Midwinter's Tale and The Magic Flute, was composed by Patrick Doyle, and Varese Sarabande will release the soundtrack on January 14, 2014.

If you scroll to the end of this column, you will find the lists of eligible scores and songs for the 2013 Oscars. 

CDS AVAILABLE THIS WEEK

Aegis (re-release) - Trevor Jones - Island
Airport (re-release) - Alfred Newman - MCA (import)
Airport 1975 (re-release) - John Cacavas - MCA (import)
The Angel Trilogy - Craig Safan/Christopher Young/Eric Allaman - Buysoundtrax
Carrie - Marco Beltrami - Sony (import CD-R)
Exploding Sun - James Gelfand - MovieScore Media/Kronos
Frida (re-release) - Elliot Goldenthal - Universal (import)
Hours - Benjamin Wallfisch - Varese Sarabande
Jurassic Park (re-release) - John Williams - MCA (import)
La Ragazza Con La Valigia - Mario Nascimbene - Quartet
QB VII (re-recording) - Jerry Goldsmith - Tadlow/Prometheus
Recycling Lily - Phillip Schweidler, Moritz Schneider - MovieScore Media/Kronos
Rollercoaster (re-release) - Lalo Schifrin - MCA (import)
Saladino - Angelo Francesco Lavagnino - Kronos
Shine (re-release) - David Hirschfelder - Phillips (import)
Taps/The Only Game in Town - Maurice Jarre - Kritzerland
The World Is Not Enough (re-release) - David Arnold - MCA (import)

IN THEATERS TODAY

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - Andrew Feltenstein, John Nau - Song CD on Universal Republic
Coyote - District 78
Her - Arcade Fire, Owen Pallett
The Past - Evgueni and Youli Galperine
Walking with Dinosaurs - Paul Leonard-Morgan
White Reindeer - Fritz Myers

COMING SOON

December 24
47 Ronin - Ilan Eshkeri - Varese Sarabande
Free Birds - Dominic Lewis - Sony (import)
Out of the Furnace - Dickon Hinchliffe - Sony (import)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - Theodore Shapiro - Sony (import)
December 31
Kill Your Darlings - Nico Muhly - Sony (import)
January 7
The Abyss: The Deluxe Edition - Alan Silvestri - Varese Sarabande CD Club
Brass Target - Laurence Rosenthal - Varese Sarabande CD Club
Runaway: The Deluxe Edition - Jerry Goldsmith - Varese Sarabande CD Club
Star Trek Nemesis: The Deluxe Edition - Jerry Goldsmith - Varese Sarabande CD Club
Suspect - Michael Kamen - Varese Sarabande CD Club
Vibes - James Horner - Varese Sarabande CD Clue
January 14
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Patrick Doyle - Varese Sarabande
Oldboy - Roque Banos - Varese Sarabande
Ride Along - Christopher Lennertz - Varese Sarabande
January 21
I, Frankenstein - Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil - Lakeshore
Person of Interest: Season Two - Ramin Djawadi - Varese Sarabande
Date Unknown
Aglaja - Zbigniew Preisner - Quartet
Anton - Daniel Tjernberg, Mikael Tjernberg - Intermezzo
The Best of Silent Hill - Akira Yamaoka - Perseverance
A Christmas Carol/A Child Is Born - Bernard Herrmann
Colpo Di Mano - Stelvio Cipriani - GDM
Death Played the Flute - Daniele Patucchi - GDM
Delitto A Porta Romano - Franco Micallizzi - Digitmovies
Die Spionin - Nic Raine - MovieScore Media/Kronos
The Doll Squad - Nicholas Carras - Monstrous Movie Music
Firefly: Music for Solo Piano - Greg Edmonson - Buysoundtrax
John Wayne at Fox - The Westerns - Elmer Bernstein, Hugo Montenegro, Lionel Newman - Kritzerland
La Lunga Spiaggia Fredda - Stelvio Cipriani - Digitmovies
Ladyhawke - Andrew Powell - La-La Land
Legends of Chima - Anthony Lledo - MovieScore Media/Kronos
Libera, Amore Mio! - Ennio Morricone - GDM
The Little Wizard - Panu Aaltio, Mark Timon Barcelo, Miguel Cordeiro - MovieScore Media/Kronos
The Mongols - Mario Nascimbene - Digitmovies
Music on Hold - Guillermo Guareschi - Howlin' Wolf
Omaggio a Donaggio - Pino Donaggio - MovieScore Media/Kronos
Patrick - Pino Donaggio - Quartet
Sabrina/We're No Angels - Frederick Hollander - Kritzerland
A Secret/Menachem & Fred - Zbigniew Preisner - Quartet
Sherlock: Series Three - David Arnold, Michael Price - Silva
Silent Night - Kevin Riepl - Howlin' Wolf
Thief - Tangerine Dream - Perseverance
Three Days (of Hamlet) - Jonathan Beard - Buysoundtrax

THIS WEEK IN FILM MUSIC HISTORY

December 20 - Richard Hazard died (2000)
December 21 - Matthieu Chabrol born (1956)
December 21 - Miklos Rozsa begins recording his score for Something of Value (1956)
December 21 - Goldfinger opens in New York (1964)
December 21 - Thunderball opens in New York (1965)
December 21 - Frank Cordell begins recording his score to Mosquito Squadron (1968)
December 22 - Alfi Kabiljo born (1935)
December 22 - Guido De Angelis born (1944)
December 22 - Miklos Rozsa begins recording his score to Tribute to a Bad Man (1955)
December 22 - Fred Steiner's scores for the Star Trek episodes "By Any Other Name" and "The Omega Glory" are recorded (1967)
December 22 - Gordon Zahler died (1975)
December 22 - James Horner begins recording his score for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1988)
December 22 - Joe Strummer died (2002)
December 23 - Daniele Amfitheatrof begins recording his score for Devil's Doorway (1949)
December 23 - Elmer Bernstein begins recording his score to Saddle the Wind (1957)
December 23 - The 7th Voyage of Sinbad opens in New York (1958)
December 23 - Jeff Alexander died (1989)
December 24 - Franz Waxman born (1906)
December 24 - Carlo Rustichelli born (1916)
December 24 - Mike Curb born (1944)
December 24 - Bernard Herrmann died (1975)
December 25 - Nathaniel Shilkret born (1895)
December 25 - Pete Rugolo born (1915)
December 25 - To Kill a Mockingbird opens in Los Angeles (1962)
December 25 - Charles Chaplin died (1977)
December 26 - Albert Sendrey born (1911)
December 26 - Stephen Graziano born (1954)
December 26 - Curtis Mayfield died (1999)

DID THEY MENTION THE MUSIC? 

FROZEN - Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez (songs), Christophe Beck (score)

"But make no mistake. Featuring terrific female characters, endlessly funny sidekicks and a genuinely jaw-dropping score, this loose adaptation of 'The Snow Queen' is the best film from Walt Disney Animation in close to a generation. Indeed, 'Frozen' could be plucked from the screen and dumped successfully into a Broadway theatre with only a few tiny alterations."

Donald Clarke, Irish Times

"But the advantage to following 'Tangled’'s lead is that director Chris Buck ('Tarzan,' 'Surf’s Up') and co-director Jennifer Lee (who gets sole screenplay credit, and also co-wrote 'Wreck-It Ralph)' unfold the story with the lively pacing, banter, and carefully calibrated comedy/drama mix that made 'Tangled' a hit. And the film does find fresh ground both in the Anna/Elsa relationship and in exploring how denial and repression have poisoned Elsa, whose mantra has become 'Don’t feel -- conceal.' When she finally lets herself open up for a moment, she gives the film its most powerful sequence with her joyous statement-of-purpose song 'Let It Go.' It’s 'Frozen'’s version of Menzel’s career-defining hit 'Defying Gravity,' from her breakout role as Elphaba in Broadway’s 'Wicked.' With sequences like that on offer, it’s frustrating that so much of 'Frozen’'s music is cute but unmemorable, saddled with clunky lyrics that sound like first drafts. ('Don’t know if I’m elated or gassy, but I’m somewhere in that zone / ’Cause for the first time in forever, I won’t be alone,' Anna sings, eagerly imagining the coronation ahead.) And after a chipper choral song from the trolls three-quarters of the way through the film, the songs dry up altogether."

Tasha Robinson, The Dissolve

"In synopsis, 'Frozen' may sound somewhat cold potatoes, but what distinguishes it from Disney’s recent animations ('Tangled,' 'The Princess and the Frog') is that all the elements work; both Olaf and Sven are classic comic relief characters, and the songs, by 'Book of Mormon'/'Avenue Q' writer Robert Lopez and his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez are sheer delight; aside from the tuneful power-ballads 'Do You Want To Build A Snowman?', 'Let It Go' and 'For The First Time in Forever', the subversive highlights are the snowman’s wonderfully blithe song about summer, and the match-making trolls' stirring rendition of 'Fixer Upper'."

Eddie Harrison, The List

"Packed with mostly forgettable music, 'Frozen' is a superbly written ditty based on the Hans Christian Andersen fable 'The Snow Queen.'"

Gary Wolcott, Tri-City Herald

"In a year of weak animated features, 'Frozen' -- loosely based on 'The Snow Queen' -- takes the lead by default. There's not much flair in the story of princess sisters Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel), divided by Elsa's uncontrollable ability to turn things, even Anna, to ice. But the animation is pretty, the songs are tuneful, and Josh Gad gets big laughs as Olaf, a snowman with a sun fetish."

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"While there’s lots of talk about true love and melting hearts, the emotions never quite ignite. It’s hard to generate a sense of warmth when the plot points all feel so coldly calculated, and it doesn’t help that the musical numbers are so pedestrian. 'The Little Mermaid' may have been embarrassingly retrograde in terms of its gender politics, but try getting 'Under the Sea' out of your head. Broadway veteran Menzel -- she starred in 'Wicked' -- sells the heck out of the songs."

Adam Nayman, The Globe and Mail

"The early part of the film is peculiarly rushed, a pastiche of plot points that are ticked off rather than developed. But it does establish the sisters as polar opposites, and rings in the first of the songs, by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, that give the story its buoyancy and dramatic clarity."

Joe Neumeier, The Wall Street Journal

"Is it perfect? No. The villains and the romantic elements feel a bit tacked-on, and the songs, which by themselves are quite good, are predictably deployed; the movie feels like it’s already preparing for its inevitable Broadway debut. (I’m assuming 'Disney’s Frozen on Ice' is already in the works.). But maybe some of that predictability simply goes with the territory."

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture

"It's a slap-up Christmas treat, a wide-eyed charmer of a film with terrific musical numbers from Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (who worked on 'The Book of Mormon' and 'Avenue Q'); there are lovable characters and a robust, satisfying story with a big heart and a neat twist."

Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

"It all seems so cynical, this attempt to shake things up without shaking them up too much. 'Frozen' just happens to be reaching theaters as Thanksgiving and the holiday shopping season are arriving. The marketing possibilities are mind-boggling. And in the tradition of the superior 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'The Little Mermaid,' surely "'Frozen: The Musical' will be headed to the Broadway stage soon. The songs -- which are lively and amusing if not quite instant hits -- are already in place. 

Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com

"Thankfully, the jokes consistently land, particularly those involving cheery, innocent snowman Olaf, and the snowy, icy animation is impeccable. The big songs are also appropriately stirring: Idina Menzel belts 'Let It Go' like it insulted her mother and Gad’s 'In Summer' is a cheery, comic ditty straight out of 'The Book Of Mormon’'s playbook."

Helen O’Hara, Empire

"Initially, 'Frozen' was to reunite much of the creative team behind 'Beauty And The Beast,' including songwriters Alan Menken and Glenn Slater (whose work on 'Tangled' played a big part in that film’s success). Instead, the finished movie features tunes by Robert Lopez ('The Book Of Mormon,' 'Avenue Q') and his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez. They’re humorous songwriters and a good match for Bell’s plucky vocal performance. But a few of the songs are clunkers; the standout piece is a duet between Elsa and Anna, at a moment when reconciliation becomes further complication.

Kevin McFarland, The Onion AV Club

"The studio has found its footing again with 'Frozen.' The production, based on Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen,' has the successful Disney combination of a solid story, strong animation, breakout character and memorable music. That's the blend that has worked for decades and continues to work here. ll of this is good, but it's the performances by Menzel and Bell that make the movie work so well. 'Wicked' fans know Menzel has an incredible voice. But Bell's musical skills aren't as well known and this film will change that. Not only do they make the animated characters seem believable, they have the singing voices to do justice to the strong lineup of songs, including 'For the First Time In Forever,' 'Love Is an Open Door' and, especially, 'Let It Go.' It's the strongest soundtrack since the 1996 release of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame.'"

Rick Bentley, Fresno Bee

"The quirky thing about 'Frozen'-- not to be confused with the 2010 stranded ski lift horror film -- stems from the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, the former being the creative force behind the Tony-winning musicals 'Avenue Q' and 'The Book of Mormon,' two sexually frank, adults-only works that would never, ever, bear the Disney logo. In 'Frozen,' the Lopez team whips up some punchy, humdinger songs for two sister princesses, whose frosty relationship serves as the catalyst for this energized return to familiar Disney terrain -- with a few surprises in store."

Dann Gire, Daily Herald

"'Frozen' is a winter wonderland of computer animation: the stunning backdrops of wintery fjords, the gorgeous interiors of the Ice Castle, and the Broadway pageantry of the song-and-dance numbers from husband-and-wife team Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (Disney’s 'Winnie the Pooh'). The fact that there’s a 'Wicked'-esque vibe to their compositions, particularly with a show-stopping Anna-Elsa duet, 'For the First Time in Forever,' isn’t coincidental either; Menzel won a Tony for her performance as the original Elphaba in the Broadway production."

Kirk Baird, Toledo Blade

"This colorful yet labored Walt Disney musical production (a loose adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen story 'The Snow Queen') is likewise attempting a kind of course-correct. Plasticine CG animation aside, 'Frozen' might have been produced during the Mouse House’s early-to-mid-'90s heyday, when the studio breathed new life into its fantastical tales of lovelorn sovereigns, ethereal beauties and misunderstood beasts and, with composers like Alan Menken and Elton John on staff, gave Broadway superproductions a run for their money. Sad to say, the magic is missing here: The songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are admittedly catchy, notably Menzel’s showstopping, self-actualizing ballad 'Let It Go,' but the story -- aside from a climax that plays like a too-knowing rebuke to Disney formula -- goes tediously through the motions. It isn’t only Papa Walt’s head that’s been put on ice."

Keith Uhlich, Time Out New York

"It's a worthy follow-up to 2009's 'The Princess and the Frog' and 2010's 'Tangled' in terms of musical score and magical appeal. 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman' is a lovely musical number that illustrates Anna's emotional yearning, sung with heartfelt sweetness by Bell. Tony-award winning composer and lyricist Robert Lopez ('The Book of Mormon') and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, wrote the catchy songs, splendidly capturing the moods of the film -- from heart-rending to humorous. Given the endearing characters, good-natured comedy, memorable music and beautiful design of this animated charmer, it's easy to imagine the Broadway show that will likely be created in its wake."

Claudia Puig, USA Today

“'Frozen' has eight original songs by the married team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, musical theater veterans whose blend of playful wit and sentimentality here comes closer than any score for a Disney animated film to capturing the charm of the Alan Menken-Howard Ashman collaboration in its glory days."

Stephen Holden, New York Times

"It's a surprise the first time characters break into song in 'Frozen,' the throwback animated Disney film. Has it been that long since a plot in a family film has been put on hold for a jaunty musical interlude? Has it been that long since we've seen a big-eyed, well-dressed princess yearning to be swept off her feet? Has it been that long since happily ever after? 'Frozen' is a charming return to the genre, successful in its attempt to merge new technologies and musical styles with Disney's 76-year-old animated-princess-musical template. There's no 'Whistle While You Work' in the soundtrack, but the music consistently entertains. The writing in particular is smart, with nuanced characters and a premium on clever wordplay over cheap laughs and deprecating humor. Writer-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee dial down the witchcraft and other dark elements, and introduce more modern merchandising-friendly characters. But it's hard to be cynical when Olaf the talking snowman's song 'In Summer' -- about his clueless yearning to live in tropical climes -- is so catchy and clever. Unlike anything in 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' some of these songs would work on 'Dance Dance Revolution.' The centerpiece tune, 'For the First Time in Forever,' has a borderline 'American Idol' vibe. But there are musical gems buried in the snow. 'Reindeer Are Better Than People,' 'In Summer' and 'Love Is an Open Door' all hit their mark, with the solid lyricism blending particularly well with the kinetic animation. Even as composers Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez successfully write more modern radio-friendly tracks, 'Frozen' still feels like a first cousin to the Alan Menken/'Beauty and the Beast' years.

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle

"The script by Jennifer Lee (Disney’s first female director, working here in partnership with Chris Buck) bases its central conflict on misunderstanding rather than villainous aggression. There’s a kingdom in peril, but its fate is secondary to the threatened loss of a precious relationship. And the third act, for all its exhilarating rough-housing, is about reaffirming emotional bonds, not beating back an evildoer. This shift of emphasis gives 'Frozen' an innovative charge that compensates for its average joke quota and undercooked musical score."

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Directors Chris Buck ('Tarzan') and first-timer Jennifer Lee (who previously co-wrote the script for 'Wreck-It Ralph') use Hans Christian Andersen’s 'The Snow Queen' as an inspiration -- not a foundation -- for a funny, exciting and visually dazzling adventure that qualifies as a full-blown musical. There are eight original songs, written by the husband-and-wife team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, all of them terrific. An eventual Broadway adaptation is almost certainly assured."

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

"Oh, and 'Frozen' is a musical. If that last description seems an afterthought, blame the tunes. Composers Robert Lopez (from 'The Book of Mormon') and wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez pilfer low-hanging-fruit chord progressions that are so formulaic they seem like parody songs from 'Enchanted.' The anthemic showstopper 'Let It Go' sounds as if it were written by the same committee of programmers it took to animate the scene. Humorous excursions such as Olaf’s bouncy 'In Summer' fare better.  The frequent musical interludes only stall the adventure, which finally gains momentum once the sisters exit the palace. Snow monsters, wolves and trolls liven up the quest, although the latter -- which appear like Smurfs fashioned from rocks and moss -- are included more for comic relief. A late-act plot twist finally introduces a tangible villain that helps the story finish stronger than it started.

Dan Niccum, Kansas City Star

"With the full-throttle emotionalism of its Broadway-style musical numbers and its two spunky-princess heroines, the movie is a throwback to the Disney cartoons of the pre-Pixar era."

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

"Or maybe it’s just that their songs -- where character is revealed and emotions are explored -- just aren’t that great. Elsa gets a soaring diva number as she flees into the mountains (on which Menzel, needless to say, slays), but most of the songs, by husband-and-wife songwriters Robert Lopez ('The Book of Mormon') and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, feel musically thin and far less witty than those written by, say, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman in past Disney extravaganzas. As lyrics go, 'Don’t know if I’m elated or gassy, but I’m somewhere in that zone' is no 'When the sardine begin the beguine it’s music to me.'

Dan Kois, Slate.com

"The real highlight, though, is the music by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Sure, there's a dash of Broadway cheesiness in many of the song-and-dance numbers, but they are sweet nonetheless -- and catchy to boot. Clearly, Disney has designs on adapting 'Frozen' for the stage should it do brisk enough business at the box office."

Mike Scott, New Orleans Times-Picayune

"What’s crucially missing, however, is a hissable villain. Nor are there any memorable tunes, which is too bad given that Broadway star Menzel is playing Elsa. And despite the 3-D animation, the overall visual effect warms the heart more than it dazzles the senses."

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

"With its themes of magic and misunderstandings -- not to mention Idina Menzel belting out some big songs -- it's not hard to confuse Disney's new cartoon 'Frozen' with Broadway's now-venerable hit, 'Wicked.' That's not a bad thing, either. Because with its pleasant score, pretty backgrounds and female protagonists, 'Frozen' not only evokes that earlier musical, but previous Disney entries like 'Tangled' -- and provides proof that the Mouse Factory doesn't have to rely on Pixar for all their toons. They try too hard and so, at times, does 'Frozen,' which provides two villains (the Snow Queen herself is simply misunderstood) plus a giant snow monster, who might scare the littlest ones. At times you want the movie to just cut the sideshows and get on with it.Still, the widescreen animation is lovely, and some of the songs -- the plaintive 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman,' romantic 'For the First Time in Forever' and Olaf's rambunctious 'In Summer' -- are smart and tuneful (Robert Lopez, who did them with his wife Kristen Anderson, previously worked on 'Avenue Q' and "The Book of Mormon.')

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

“'Frozen' is a full-on musical, but a clever one, with Elsa’s showstopper 'Let It Go' and Olaf’s hilariously naïve 'In Summer' the standouts.

Marc Mohan, The Oregonian

"As with the best of Disney musicals, 'Frozen''s songs soar. The original pieces come from Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who has a couple of Tonys on his shelf for co-writing 'Avenue Q' and 'The Book of Mormon,' the latter with those 'South Park' renegades, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Which makes you wonder whether 'Frozen' might be Broadway bound. You'd expect Menzel, who earned a Tony for making Elphaba so deliciously 'Wicked,' to crush all those soaring notes. But Bell is the stunner.

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

"As Anna tests her feelings toward both Elsa and her retinue of swains, Menzel, Bell and Groff lend vocal passion to a Broadway-ready score by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. The movie is almost sure to join the parade of Disney animated features ('The Lion King,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Tarzan') made into stage shows."

Richard Corliss, Time Magazine

"Of course, 'Frozen' is also unapologetically a musical, which would be easier to celebrate if the songs outshone the story. Co-songwriter Robert Lopez contributed to irreverent Broadway hits 'Avenue Q' and 'The Book of Mormon,' but the middling adult contemporary compositions he offers up here (composed with his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez) owe a far bigger debt to the blockbuster, 'Wicked.' Menzel predictably belts over Elsa’s soaring, sappy, 'Let It Go,' an anthem of banal self-acceptance that can’t make up for the movie’s lack of interest in her character. Most of the songs are pleasant if forgettable, though Anna and Hans share an enjoyably quirky duet titled 'Love is an Open Door,' and Olaf’s show-stopping comedy number 'In Summer' provides one of the few moments when 'Frozen' fully lives up to the Disney’s classics that have come before.

Geoff Berkshire, Paste

"Beyond allowing Disney to release a film that's apt for the holiday season (and one that, to boot, is notably secular), it's never clear why Elsa could summon the tundra in the first place, just as it's anyone's guess why Arendelle's theme music sounds African in nature. But what matters most is something that would surely please Disney-princess-fatigued moms: These sisters, both queens in their own rights, are doin' it for themselves."

R. Kurt Osenlund, Slant Magazine

"Perhaps the most endearing aspect of 'Frozen,' and the thing that really pushes it beyond the realm of something like 'Tangled,' are the songs, by the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. There are a handful of unforgettable songs, most notably the aforementioned 'Let It Go,' which we first heard Menzel perform at this summer's D23 Expo, and 'In The Summer,' a buoyant ditty performed by Olaf (Josh Gad), a living snowman brought to life by Elsa's magic, who more or less steals the show. The Disney Renaissance lived and died by its songs (many written by the dearly departed Howard Ashman); it's very clear that the Lopezes knew how important their songs would be and they do not disappoint."

Drew Taylor, The Playlist

THE GREAT BEAUTY - Lele Marchitelli

"The score by Lele Marchitelli also adds an elegiac and wistful tone that helps carry the emotional core of the movie, a core Sorrentino himself doesn't always manage to find in the opulence of his effort."

Kevin Jagernauth, The Playlist

"Costumes and production design are top class all the way through, with Lele Marchitelli’s musical choices including heavenly choirs of female voices and organ music."

Deborah Young, Hollywood Reporter

THE NEXT TEN DAYS IN L.A.

Screenings of older films, at the following L.A. movie theaters: AMPAS, American Cinematheque: Aero, American Cinematheque: Egyptian, LACMA, New Beverly, Nuart, Silent Movie Theater and UCLA.

December 20
DIE HARD (Michael Kamen), DIE HARD 2 (Michael Kamen) [Cinematheque: Egyptian]
THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (Miklos Rozsa), THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (Bernard Herrmann) [New Beverly]
HOME ALONE (John Williams) [Silent Movie Theater]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Cinematheque: Aero]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Silent Movie Theater]
MS. 45 (Joe Delia) [Silent Movie Theater]
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION (Angelo Badalamenti) [Nuart]

December 21
THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (Miklos Rozsa), THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (Bernard Herrmann) [New Beverly]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Cinematheque: Egyptian]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Silent Movie Theater]
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (Maurice Jarre) [Cinematheque: Aero]
MS. 45 (Joe Delia) [Silent Movie Theater]
SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT PART 2 (Michael Armstrong) [New Beverly]

December 22
THE BISHOP'S WIFE (Hugo Friedhofer) [Cinematheque: Egyptian]
ELF (John Debney) [Cinematheque: Aero]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Arclight Sherman Oaks]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Silent Movie Theater]
MS. 45 (Joe Delia) [Silent Movie Theater]
WHAT'S UP, DOC? (Artie Butler) [Silent Movie Theater]

December 23
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Cinematheque: Aero]

December 24
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Silent Movie Theater]

December 25
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Silent Movie Theater]

December 26
THE BANK DICK, TILLIE AND GUS [Cinematheque: Aero]
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Dimitri Tiomkin) [Silent Movie Theater]

December 27
DEAD ALIVE (Peter Dasent) [Silent Movie Theater]
DON JON (Nathan Johnson), MAGIC MIKE [New Beverly]
MY MAN GODFREY, MY SISTER EILEEN [Cinematheque: Aero]
NORTH BY NORTHWEST (Bernard Herrmann) [Nuart]
VERTIGO (Bernard Herrmann) [Cinematheque: Egyptian]

December 28
DON JON (Nathan Johnson), MAGIC MIKE [New Beverly]
END OF DAYS (John Debney) [New Beverly]
HIS GIRL FRIDAY, THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR (Robert Emmett Dolan) [Cinematheque: Aero]
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (John Williams) [Cinematheque: Egyptian]

December 29
BALL OF FIRE (Alfred Newman), BLUEBEARD'S EIGHTH WIFE (Werner Heyman, Frederick Hollander) [Cinematheque: Aero]
THE GODFATHER (Nino Rota), THE GODFATHER PART II (Nino Rota, Carmine Coppola) [New Beverly]
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (Maurice Jarre) [Cinematheque: Egyptian]

The following are the 114 scores that the Academy's Music Branch has currently declared eligible for the 2013 Original Score Oscar.

ADMISSION - Stephen Trask
AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS - Daniel Hart
ALL IS LOST - Alex Ebert
ALONE YET NOT ALONE - William Ross
THE ARMSTRONG LIE - David Kahne
ARTHUR NEWMAN - Nick Urata
AT ANY PRICE - Dickon Hinchliffe
AUSTENLAND - Ilan Eshkeri
BEFORE MIDNIGHT - Graham Reynolds
THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY - Stanley Clarke
THE BOOK THIEF - John Williams
THE BUTTERFLY'S DREAM - Rahman Altin
THE CALL - John Debney
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS - Henry Jackman
CLOSED CIRCUIT - Joby Talbot
THE COMPANY YOU KEEP - Cliff Martinez
THE CONJURING - Joseph Bishara
COPPERHEAD - Laurent Eyquem
THE COUNSELOR - Daniel Pemberton
THE CROODS - Alan Silvestri
DESPICABLE ME 2 - Heitor Pereira
ELYSIUM - Ryan Amon
ENDER'S GAME - Steve Jablonsky
ENOUGH SAID - Marcelo Zarvos
EPIC - Danny Elfman
ERNEST & CELESTINE - Vincent Courtois
ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH - Aaron Zigman
ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW - Abel Korzeniowski
EVIL DEAD - Roque Baños
47 RONIN - Ilan Eshkeri
42 - Mark Isham
FREE BIRDS - Dominic Lewis
FREE CHINA: THE COURAGE TO BELIEVE - Tony Chen
FRUITVALE STATION - Ludwig Goransson
G.I. JOE: RETALIATION - Henry Jackman
GANGSTER SQUAD - Steve Jablonsky
GRAVITY - Steven Price
THE GREAT GATSBY - Craig Armstrong
THE HANGOVER PART III - Christophe Beck
HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS - Atli Örvarsson
HAUTE CUISINE - Gabriel Yared
HER - William Butler and Owen Pallett
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG - Howard Shore
HOLLYWOOD SEAGULL - Evgeny Shchukin
HOURS - Benjamin Wallfisch
HOW SWEET IT IS - Matt Dahan
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE - James Newton Howard
IDENTITY THIEF - Christopher Lennertz
THE INCREDIBLE BURT WONDERSTONE - Lyle Workman
INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 - Joseph Bishara
INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED - Carlo Siliotto
THE INTERNSHIP - Christophe Beck
THE INVISIBLE WOMAN - Ilan Eshkeri
IRON MAN 3 - Brian Tyler
JACK THE GIANT SLAYER - John Ottman
JOBS - John Debney
KAMASUTRA 3D - Sreejith Edavana and Saachin Raj Chelorys
LABOR DAY - Rolfe Kent
LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER - Rodrigo Leão
LIVE AT THE FOXES DEN - Jack Holmes
LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED - Johan Söderqvist
MAMA - Fernando Velázquez
MAN OF STEEL - Hans Zimmer
MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM - Alex Heffes
THE MISSING PICTURE - Marc Marder
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY - Randy Newman
THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES - Atli Örvarsson
MUD - David Wingo
MURPH: THE PROTECTOR - Chris Irwin and Jeff Widenhofers
NOW YOU SEE ME - Brian Tyler
OBLIVION - Anthony Gonzalez and Joseph Trapaneses
OLDBOY - Roque Baños
OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN - Trevor Morris
OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL - Danny Elfman
PACIFIC RIM - Ramin Djawadi
PAIN & GAIN - Steve Jablonsky
PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS - Andrew Lockington
PHILOMENA - Alexandre Desplat
THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES - Mike Patton
PLANES - Mark Mancina
PRISONERS - Jóhann Jóhannsson
R.I.P.D. - Christophe Beck
REACHING FOR THE MOON - Marcelo Zarvos
ROMEO & JULIET - Abel Korzeniowski
RUNNER RUNNER - Christophe Beck
RUSH - Hans Zimmer
SAFE HAVEN - Deborah Lurie
SALINGER - Lorne Balfe
SAVING MR. BANKS - Thomas Newman
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY - Theodore Shapiro
SHORT TERM 12 - Joel P. West
SIDE EFFECTS - Thomas Newman
THE SMURFS 2 - Heitor Pereira
THE SPECTACULAR NOW - Rob Simonsen
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS - Michael Giacchino
STOKER - Clint Mansell
THOR: THE DARK WORLD - Brian Tyler
TIM'S VERMEER - Conrad Pope
TRANCE - Rick Smith
TURBO - Henry Jackman
12 YEARS A SLAVE - Hans Zimmer
2 GUNS - Clinton Shorter
THE ULTIMATE LIFE - Mark McKenzie
UNFINISHED SONG - Laura Rossi
WADJDA - Max Richter
WALKING WITH DINOSAURS - Paul Leonard-Morgan
WARM BODIES - Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS - Will Bates
WE'RE THE MILLERS - Theodore Shapiro and Ludwig Goransson
WHAT MAISIE KNEW - Nick Urata
WHY WE RIDE - Steven Gutheinz
THE WIND RISES - Joe Hisaishi
WINNIE MANDELA - Laurent Eyquem
THE WOLVERINE - Marco Beltrami

Some major films that didn't make the list, either because the scores were not submitted or they were considered ineligible due to the use of other music, include After Earth, American Hustle, August: Osage County, Carrie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Fast & Furious 6, The Fifth Estate, Frozen, The Grandmaster, Grudge Match, Kill Your Darlings, Last Vegas, The Lone Ranger, Lone Survivor, Much Ado About Nothing, Nebraska, One Chance, Only God Forgives, Out of the Furnace, RED 2, Renoir, Riddick, Snitch, Spring Breakers, This Is the End, To the Wonder, White House Down, World War Z and The World's End.

Some surprising inclusions (particularly because of song content, tracked-in cues, or the always questionable eligibility of sequel scores by returning composers) include The Best Man Holiday, Despicable Me 2, Escape from Tomorrow, Fruitvale Station, The Great Gatsby, The Hangover Part III, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Insidious Chapter 2, The Invisible Woman, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Love Is All You Need, Monsters University, The Place Beyond the Pines, Safe Haven, The Smurfs 2, Star Trek Into Darkness, Trance, 12 Years a Slave and Unfinished Song.

The following are the 75 songs eligible for the 2013 Original Song Oscar. Based on the multiple titles from specific films, one can only assume the final award will be a battle among The Great Gatsby, Kamasutra 3D and Live at the Foxes Den.

"Amen" - ALL IS LOST
"Alone Yet Not Alone" - ALONE YET NOT ALONE
"Doby" - ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES
"Last Mile Home" - AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
"Austenland" - - AUSTENLAND
"Comic Books" - AUSTENLAND
"L.O.V.E.D.A.R.C.Y" - AUSTENLAND
"What Up" - AUSTENLAND
"He Loves Me Still" - BLACK NATIVITY
"Hush Child (Get You Through This Silent Night)" - BLACK NATIVITY
"Test Of Faith" - BLACK NATIVITY
"Forgiveness" - BRAVE MISS WORLD
"Lullaby Song" - CLEAVER'S DESTINY
"Shine Your Way" - THE CROODS
"Happy" - DESPICABLE ME 2
"Gonna Be Alright" - EPIC
"Rise Up" - EPIC
"What Matters Most" - ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH
"Bones" - FOR NO GOOD REASON
"Going Nowhere" - FOR NO GOOD REASON
"Gonzo" - FOR NO GOOD REASON
"The Courage To Believe" - FREE CHINA: THE COURAGE TO BELIEVE
"Let It Go" - FROZEN
"100$ Bill" - THE GREAT GATSBY
"A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" THE GREAT GATSBY
"Over The Love" THE GREAT GATSBY
"Together" THE GREAT GATSBY
"Young and Beautiful" THE GREAT GATSBY
"The Moon Song" - HER
"I See Fire" - THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
"Bite Of Our Lives" - HOW SWEET IT IS
"Try" - HOW SWEET IT IS
"Atlas" - THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
"Better You, Better Me" - THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE
"Bring It On" - JEWTOPIA
"Aygiri Nadani" - KAMASUTRA 3D
"Har Har Mahadeva" - KAMASUTRA 3D
"I Felt" - KAMASUTRA 3D 
"Of The Soil" - KAMASUTRA 3D 
"Sawariya" - KAMASUTRA 3D 
"In The Middle Of The Night" - LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER
"You And I Ain't Nothin' No More" - LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER 
"Let's Take A Trip" - LIVE AT THE FOXES DEN
"Pour Me Another Dream" -  LIVE AT THE FOXES DEN
"The Time Of My Life" - LIVE AT THE FOXES DEN
"Ordinary Love" - MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
"Monsters University" - MONSTERS UNIVERSITY
"When The Darkness Comes" - THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES 
"Sacrifice (I Am Here)" - MURPH: THE PROTECTOR 
"The Muslims Are Coming" - THE MUSLIMS ARE COMING!
"Oblivion" - OBLIVION
"Sweeter Than Fiction" - ONE CHANCE
"Nothing Can Stop Me Now" - PLANES
"We Both Know" - SAFE HAVEN 
"Get Used To Me" - THE SAPPHIRES
"Stay Alive" - THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
"So You Know What It's Like" - SHORT TERM 12 
"There's No Black Or White" - SOMM
"Cut Me Some Slack" - SOUND CITY
"You Can't Fix This" - SOUND CITY
"Let It Go" - SPARK: A BURNING MAN STORY
"We Ride" - SPARK: A BURNING MAN STORY 
"Becomes The Color" - STOKER
"Younger Every Day" - 3 GEEZERS! 
"Here It Comes" - TRANCE 
"Let The Bass Go" - TURBO
"The Snail Is Fast" - TURBO 
"Speedin'" - TURBO 
"My Lord Sunshine (Sunrise)" - 12 YEARS A SLAVE
"Make It Love" - TWO: THE STORY OF ROMAN & NYRO 
"One Life" - THE ULTIMATE LIFE
"Unfinished Songs" - UNFINISHED SONG
"For The Time Being" - THE WAY, WAY BACK
"Go Where The Love Is" - THE WAY, WAY BACK
"Bleed For Love" - WINNIE MANDELA

The Academy has also announced the ten films shortlisted for the Visual Effects Oscar--

ELYSIUM
GRAVITY
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
IRON MAN 3
THE LONE RANGER
OBLIVION
PACIFIC RIM
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS
THOR: THE DARK WORLD
WORLD WAR Z

--and the seven films shortlisted for the Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar--

AMERICAN HUSTLE
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
THE GREAT GATSBY
HANSEL AND GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA
THE LONE RANGER

There are some pretty big surprises in these last two lists (the Academy's press release about the Visual Effects shortlist gives the title of Guillermo Del Toro's Godzilla homage as "Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' Pacific Rim," but since both the eligible films and eligible scores lists give the title as simply "Pacific Rim," one hopes that the film's backers were suitably embarassed by the earlier title and have no longer insisted on it). Man of Steel and Oz the Great and Powerful seemed likely VFX contenders, while Lee Daniels' The Butler and Rush both seemed destined for the Makeup/Hairstyling list. The only thing certain is that John Williams will get his one-millionth nomination for The Book Thief, and honestly, he deserves it. It's the best score I've heard this year, and sadly there hasn't been a lot of competition for that title (though I haven't seen/heard Desplat's Philomena yet).