Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 8)

Look, Curb Your Enthusiasm's seventh season would've been a very tough act to follow for any season, but Season 8 feels especially lackluster, losing a lot of what made the first seven seasons work and following up the Seinfeld reunion with the least ambitious arc in the series.

Season 8 really focuses on two storylines: Larry David going to New York, and Larry David entering the dating scene upon his divorce from Cheryl. I found both of these storylines to be pretty lackluster, especially compared to the show's previous story arcs. Larry David going to New York isn't as game-changing as it sounds. He only leaves halfway into the season, and the setting change doesn't really make much of a difference. It's just Curb, but with different guest stars. Larry dating people fares a little bit better, but not by much. The majority of episodes this season has Larry date someone different, before inevitably ruining the relationship at the end of the episode. And while this does lead to some great comedy, it does start to get a bit predictable and lacking in tension. When Larry is in a longer relationship with someone like Cheryl or Loretta, his usual blunders can leave the viewer worried that he'll ruin things with them. But when a quick breakup is always an inevitability, I started to feel less concerned and uncomfortable whenever he'd mess things up. There are no consequences anymore, as it's not like any of those girlfriends are going to show up again in later episodes, half of them are in a different state entirely!

But those are just the storylines, how's the comedy? Thankfully, Curb Your Enthusiasm is still very funny, even in its eighth season. There are plenty of subplots I found hilarious, and as of right now, Leon staying around lends the show a lot of energy whenever he's on screen. And at its best, we got some all-time classics like Palestinian Chicken and Mister Softee. However, even with how funny the show still is, it really felt like something was off, and with the season behind me, I think it might actually be Larry. Before this season, the one word I can use to describe Larry is reluctant. He's reluctant to socially interact, he's reluctant to commit himself to be a great husband, and he's reluctant to beat around the bush. It's this fatal flaw that gets him into situations, whether it's because of his attempts to get out of things or because he gets dragged into a conflict against his will. Season 8 Larry, on the other hand, is inflammatory. He starts so many of the conflicts this season, with the most frustrating one being his decision to draw Hitler mustaches on magazines and show it to a kid. I think it's because Cheryl is gone, that Larry can just do whatever he wants now. He has no filter anymore, and Leon being around just amplifies it. There's no one to call him out anymore, which was made very apparent when in Episode 7, when he makes the "pick a side" argument about a bisexual person and no one bothers to tell him how offensive that is. Season 8 of Curb Your Enthusiasm feels a lot more crass and cold than prior seasons of the show, and while one may argue that this was a purposeful decision on Larry David's part, I can't quite say I enjoy it.

Still, there were a few episodes I did really enjoy from this season even with my criticisms:

Palestinian Chicken: Larry David tackling one of the most inflammatory conflicts in recent history was always going to be a bit of a risk, but his decision to poke fun at both sides and the conflict at the whole was a fantastic one. Larry doesn't care about either side, he just cares about the food, and I find that hilarious. Also, Marty having a sudden religious awakening is a great subplot.

Mister Softee: This was hands down the best New York episode and it's not even close. Larry's trauma about the ice cream truck, the orgasm-inducing car, Leon with the glasses, the whole Buckner storyline, the hysterical softball coach, Mister Softee simply manages to take a bunch of fantastic subplots and gags, and manages to bring them all together into a cohesive whole.

Overall, Season 8 felt like a huge step down from Season 7, and quite possibly the end of Curb Your Enthusiasm's peak. While the season is still funny and can churn out some great episodes, the lackluster story arc, lack of Cheryl, and shift in Larry's characterization makes easily for the weakest season since the fifth.

2/5 Stars

Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 7)

Season 7 is the peak of Curb Your Enthusiasm. It's consistently hilarious, boasts the greatest story arc in the series, and writing one of Larry David's greatest wrongs.

Season 7 actually gets off to a bit of a shaky start, spending two episodes to hastily write off the Blacks family (with the exception of Leon, who stays behind). Ultimately I do think this was for the best, the season's main storyline wouldn't work with Loretta around, but was a bit of a shame coming off of the heartwarming Season 6 finale. Thankfully, Season 7 quickly makes up for this with hands down the greatest story arc in the whole series: The Seinfeld reunion. That's right, this entire season was about Larry writing and shooting a Seinfeld reunion, bringing the cast back together for one final show, and it's easily the best TV show reunion ever. For starters, it's a "producing a film" plotline, which I will always be fond of. You get to see the casting, screenwriting, table read, and shooting phases of making a Seinfeld episode and I just find that really fascinating. And on a comedy standpoint, this storyline allows Larry David to get a bit meta, from poking fan at how Larry based George on himself, to lampshading how reunion episodes usually don't work, to frequently bringing up the controversy over the finale. And speaking of which, adding even more to how awesome this storyline is is the fact that the fictional reunion episode is also a genuinely great episode of Seinfeld in its own right, and a way better ending than the one we actually got.

The story arc is more than just fanservice, though, as the reason why Larry made the reunion in the first place was so that he could cast Cheryl in it and win her back. The addition of these personal stakes makes the season way more compelling and fun, and by having Larry date around while still ultimately trying to get back with Cheryl allows for the perfect balance of poking fun at Larry's dating life while keeping Cheryl in the show as a straight man. Trust me, the show never gets this balance right again. As far as the general comedy goes, this season is absolutely fantastic. There's not a single weak episode in the pack, not a single joke that falls flat. The improv is on point, the Rube Goldbergian subplots are tight, and as a whole, this season caught me off guard with its jokes and one-liners more than any other season of Curb. 

Unlike Seasons 4 and 6, however, this season's high points can be absolutely soaring at times:

The Reunion: While not the funniest episode of the show, The Reunion was just incredibly cool to watch. Seeing all of the cast members of Seinfeld reunite after all these years to shoot a reunion is just great, and all of those jokes poking fun at the awful Seinfeld ending slayed me.

The Black Swan: Maybe it's just me but I really feel like the golf club gets some of the show's best episodes, probably because of their often surreal premises and the way they utilize the supporting cast. Case in point, The Black Swan is absolutely hysterical, especially once Larry accidentally kills the titular swan. The episode suddenly transforms from an average Curb episode to a straight-up murder mystery, and it's glorious.

The Table Read: Easily one of my favorite episodes of the show, The Table Read is jam-packed with subplots, clever ideas, and jokes making for probably the highest joke-per-minute ratio of the whole series. For starters, watching the reunion table read was so cool, and I love how the reunion episode took beats from some of the best episodes of Curb. But outside of the fanservice element, The Table Read is just damn funny, from the rash, to Funkhouser's awful joke, to the pen. But then there's Leon posing as a Jewish doctor named Duberstein, which might just be one of the funniest subplots in the series. By the time he said you have to have a Bar Mitzvah every 13 years to "recharge your mitzvah", I was on the floor dying of laughter.

Seinfeld: Hands down the best finale in the whole series. Seinfeld finally shows off large portions of the reunion, and as mentioned above, it's a genuinely fantastic episode of the series. But it also wraps up a bunch of subplots like Michael's supposed disease, introduces an important new character in Mocha Joe, and has the funniest cliffhanger in the whole series. I still quote "do you respect wood" to this day, and Larry almost getting back with Cheryl only to ruin it at the last minute is peak Curb.

Overall, Season 7 is the best Curb Your Enthusiasm by a long shot. Every single episode is funny, the main story arc manages to be a meta spectacle that still maintains personal stakes, and the last two episodes are easily some of the best in the series.

5/5 Stars

Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 6)

Seasons 6 & 7 make for the best "era" of Curb Your Enthusiasm. They have the best story arcs, the best comedic moments, certain characters make their first appearances, other characters haven't left yet, and one big twist that I loved when I first saw Curb... but now leaves me a bit mixed. 

Season 6 has a fairly unique story arc, not really building up to some grand climax like, say, the restaurant or play arcs. In this season, Larry and Cheryl have a the Black family whose home was destroyed in a hurricane move in, and that's pretty much it. I actually really like this storyline, partially because the Blacks make for a very likable and colorful addition to the cast, but also because it allows Season 6 to focus squarely on the comedy, which is always a good thing. Season 6 of Curb isn't just funny, it's consistently funny, lacking any downright weak episodes whatsoever. Even Season 4 had Wandering Bear, but I enjoyed every single episode in Season 6. As much as I like this show's story arcs, after how much of hit-or-miss mess last season was, this back to basics approach was for the best. However, there is one slightly dramatic subplot this season, as Larry and Cheryl's relationship is slowly starting to get a bit strained throughout much of its first half of the season. It's not something I really noticed during my first watch, but I couldn't help but notice it this time around. If this was any other season of Curb, it would probably be neatly resolved by the finale... but this is not any other season of Curb.

In the seventh episode of the season, Larry and Cheryl get into a fight and separate. This was a big twist and a shocking change to status quo because that sort of stuff didn't normally happen in Curb, and at first, this seems like a fantastic idea. It shakes up the series, leads to a great final few episodes where Larry deals with the separation, and lets Larry finally enter the dating scene opening the doors to a whole new level of comedy. However, it's hard not to think of how this twist transforms the show in the future, where Cheryl practically becomes a minor character, and without that straight-man figure, Larry becomes more and more of a curmudgeon-y jerk who never really faces lasting consequences anymore. And that all just leaves me mixed about that twist. While it was a good idea at first that made Seasons 6 & 7 into two of the best of the show, the fact is that Larry needs Cheryl, and as the two slowly part ways, Curb starts to lose its luster. Still, that's not something I can really judge this season for, it's a problem I'll continue to discuss in future seasons.

As consistent as this season was, I did find a few episodes worth noting:

The Anonymous Donor: Leon's first episode! I forgot just how funny The Anonymous Donor was, it's stuffed to the brim with fantastic storylines. From Ted getting all the attention despite being the titular anonymous donor, to Leon bursting onto the scene, to the blanket debacle, to Larry and Jeff being kicked out of each others' houses, to that hilarious final misunderstanding. Everything just clicks into place in this one.

The TiVo Guy: As mentioned above, this was the episode with the big twist where Larry and Cheryl end up breaking up. It's just as surprising as it was the first time I saw it, but I also forgot how funny the first ten minutes of this episode are. Larry loses Cheryl because he prioritizes the Tivo Guy over her, and their argument where Cheryl calls out pretty much everything Larry has ever done is just priceless.

The Bat Mitzvah: If you thought The Grand Opening was heartwarming, this is the happiest ending any season of Curb can and will ever have. The final ten minutes of this episode are fantastic, from Larry trying to dispel the rumors about him at the bar mitzvah, to Loretta and Larry sharing a dance, to that funny and adorable final montage of Larry integrating with the Blacks. Many tend to refer to this as the best Curb finale and I totally see why, it's definitely the one that makes me the happiest.

Overall, Season 6 really is the most solid season of Curb. The Black family are fantastic introductions to the show, the comedy is consistently strong, and while it may not bode well for the future of the show, Larry and Cheryl's breakup is a fantastic twist that gives the series a nice shake-up.

4/5 Stars

Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 5)

Oh, boy, I was dreading this season. I recall this being my least favorite season of Curb Your Enthusiasm

Season 5 of Curb Your Enthusiasm has two major storylines, both of which kinda suck. First, there's Larry mishearing his father and getting the impression that he might be adopted. Even more, his "actual parents" might even be Christian. Look, a religion-centric plot isn't a bad idea. I've been loving whenever Curb pokes fun at religion, not to mention my favorite episode of the show (which happens to be in this very season) being entirely about Judaism. But this storyline is just uncharacteristically serious (not to mention implausible) for Curb. Like this is a soap opera plot, it's way too melodramatic to be in such a self-aware show. And that's not even it, there's also Richard Lewis needing a kidney exchange and Larry accidentally volunteering. This plotline is a bit better, since it's at least funny to see Larry frantically try to find another donor, but it still suffers from being way too serious for a show like this. Whenever this season buckles down and focuses on the comedy, it's as good as Curb has ever been, but so much of it is spent on these dull and overly serious plotlines... and that's not even getting into the finale...

And thus begins The "The End" Tangent...

Curb's Season 5 finale (seemingly originally intended to be the series finale) is one of the worst episodes of television I've seen in my life. It was bad when I first watched it, and it's even worse now, and I just have to tear it apart. So Larry learns that he is adopted, and that has real parents are Christian. Upon meeting his parents, Larry suddenly decides to become Christian, which makes absolutely no sense. Larry may be more secular than most, but he's integrated in the Jewish community, and if his interactions with Cheryl's family are any indication, he knows literally nothing about Christianity. So of course, Larry decides to go ahead with the kidney surgery... until one of the most baffling scenes in the episode. So his PI runs into the hospital while he's being carted off to do surgery and tells him he's not adopted, at which point Larry tries to back out of the surgery, only for the doctors to ignore him? How did they allow the PI in there? And whatever happened to surgical consent?!

But of course, things get so much worse. Larry dies during the surgery. Yeah, he dies. And then he goes to heaven! What ensues is about 5-10 minutes of Larry annoying some guest stars playing angels in an incredibly unfunny manner until they decide to just bring him back to life. This moment came so close to Curb jumping the shark. An otherwise grounded sitcom revealing heaven exists, not to mention the fact that much of this show's cast is in a religion that doesn't even believe in heaven to begin with?! And it still gets worse, because the episode also cuts to Larry's friends while he's dead, and they're... uncharacteristically happy? Cheryl immediately starts asking about money, and no one else seems to care that Larry David died. Like I get they were trying to do a The Invitations thing, but that episode worked because Susan had no attachments to the cast. She's not a part of the main four, we know only George cared about her. Larry on the other hand does have attachments to the rest of the main cast. He's Cheryl's husband, Jeff's best friend, Susie's... acquaintance. Even with all their arguments, we know they care about each other to some degree. Hell, they all reacted with horror to Larry's near death experience at the start of this very season! Everyone in this episode is out of character, plain and simple.

So that's The End. An episode that lacks any common sense, is filled to the brim with contrivances, confirms the existence of heaven, messes up all the characters, and worst of all, straight-up isn't funny. And keep in mind, this was supposed to be the series finale. Between this and the Seinfeld finale, I just don't trust Larry David to end a series well.

And Back To Season 5...

As I have been alluding to, though, this season does have a big high point, typically when it isn't focusing on the story arc:

The Ski Lift: For being in such a weak season, The Ski Lift is my favorite episode of the show. It has everything I would want from a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. Want religious humor? You get Larry pretending to be Orthodox and his hilarious attempts at faking Yiddish. Want sex jokes? You get the big vagina argument. Want to see Larry suck at life? You get to watch him try to ski. And most importantly of all, you want screentime for Susie? You get to see her pretend to be married to Larry, and it's glorious.  

Overall, Season 5 is the worst season of Curb. It has two dull and overly serious plotlines, generally weaker writing, and one of the worst endings to a show I think I've ever seen. Thank goodness Curb didn't end here, if it weren't for The Ski Lift, this season would be almost irredeemable. But don't worry, the worst is over. We've just arrived at the best era of the show. 

1/5 Stars

Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 4)

As Curb Your Enthusiasm continues on, it continues to improve at a very steady pace, leading to Season 4, easily the strongest and most consistent one out of the original five.

Coming off the heels of the fantastic restaurant storyline, Season 4's main premise is also one of the show's better ones. It involves Mel Brooks casting Larry David in the lead role of his Producers play, along with Ben Stiller (who quickly gets replaced by David Schwimmer). I've always loved storylines where the cast puts on a show or shoots a film, so this season is right up my alley. However, I don't think this storyline sticks the landing quite as well as Season 3 did, even if it does end on a pretty genius twist. While the play is happening, there's also a subplot about Cheryl challenging Larry to have sex with another woman for their anniversary, but it was pretty forgettable. However, as far as plot goes, the actual highlight of the season was a three-episode arc in the middle, which finally introduces the Funkhouser family, an integral part of later Curb seasons. It's a manic mini-arc where Larry gets kicked out of his golf club, wars with the weatherman, and frames a friend for carrying marijuana. It's Curb at its most unhinged. 

Speaking of the comedy, this is easily the most consistently funny season of the bunch, lacking the slow start that Season 3 had. Everything I said about the previous seasons improving on the improv and one-liners apply to this one even more, and outside of a single episode (Wandering Bear), there really isn't a single one I'd call subpar. As mentioned above, the peak of this season was easily the Funkhouser episodes, which basically take the bonkers Krazee-Eyez Killa episode from last season and expands it to three. Add in the survivor episode and you get some of the best black comedy in the show yet. However, my biggest criticism towards Season 4 is that it doesn't really reach the same heights as most of the other seasons. The Car Pool Lane is probably Season 4's best episode, but it's still nowhere near high points like The Doll or Krazee-Eyez Killa, and that's not even getting into episodes from the later seasons. Season 4 is consistent, with hardly any low points whatsoever, but it doesn't really have many high points either.

Still, there were some episodes I liked more than others:

The Weatherman: Similarly to The Special Section, I found this to just be a really funny episode, from the introduction to the Funkhouser family, to Larry's weatherman conspiracies, to Larry falling into the toilet bowl, to all the dentist shenanigans. The Weatherman simply works really well as the start of that fantastic three-episode stretch I kept raving about.

The Car Pool Lane: There's a lot to this episode, it's a lot. Larry pays a prostitute to just sit in his car so he can use the car pool lane, fakes being racist to get out of jury duty, gets Marty framed, and smokes marijuana and hallucinates. The sheer insanity of this episode and constant escalation of absurdity makes for a very fun time, but what really impressed me was the fact that this episode also somehow managed to exonerate a murder suspect by confirming his alibi. You know, in case things couldn't get any weirder. 

Opening Night: This finale was a bit more of a mixed bag than the last one. It went on a bit long and spent a lot of its runtime just showing scenes from the play. But as an ending to the main storyline, Opening Night still worked wonderfully, from the genius twist reveal that Mel Brooks wanted to tank his hole to Larry losing his last chance at adultry because he doesn't want to have sex with a republican.

Overall, Season 4 is easily the best Curb Your Enthusiasm season to date. It doesn't reach the heights of other seasons, but its solid premise, fantastic Funkhouser arc, and general consistency makes for an overall great entry in the series.

4/5 Stars

Favorite Movie Scores (& Individual Pieces Of Music)

While I constantly rave about video game music, let's face it, this blog isn't primarily a video game blog. It's a blog about film, albeit usually TV shows, so I wanted to finally talk about my favorite film scores:

1. Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom
• The Indiana Jones movies have my favorite scores in the whole medium of film. They're romantic, adventurous, and downright beautiful at times. But Temple Of Doom is the best of the bunch, with the already amazing John Williams at the peak of his craft. This is one of his darkest and most mature soundtracks, befitting one of Spielberg's darkest films, but it also manages to simultaneously be incredibly frantic, fun, and spirited. The music in Temple Of Doom can be goofy one moment, borderline horror music the next, and triumphant the next. It captures the film's tone so well you can pretty much pick up the story just by listening to the soundtrack.
• Composer: John Williams
• Notable Tracks: Short Round's Theme, Nocturnal Activities, Bug Tunnel/Death Trap, Fast Streets Of Shanghai, Slave Children's Crusade, The Mine Car Chase
2. The Matrix Reloaded
• The Matrix Reloaded has a very early 2000s soundtrack, filled with trance, rave, and EDM music, and I absolutely adore it. Don Davis brings such a strong sense of style to his Matrix soundtracks to the point where I just can't picture the series without him, but what really makes Reloaded my favorite of the bunch is the action music. Every single fight in the film is  pretty much timed to its theme, making what are already some of the coolest action setpieces in all of film even better. Songs like Chateau, Burly Brawl, and Furious Angels are propulsive, thrilling, and incredibly catchy, just incredible pieces of music all around.
• Composer: Don Davis
• Notable Tracks: Main Title, Furious Angels, Zion, Burly Brawl, Chateau, Mona Lisa Overdrive
3. Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
• Okay, so technically you could argue that since the Lord Of The Rings tells one continuous story, I could just count its whole soundtrack. But if I had to pick one movie, it has to be the first movie's. Fellowship Of The Ring's scores introduces pretty much all of the trilogy's defining leitmotifs, and thus tends to have the best and most memorable versions of them. The ring's theme is mystical and eerie, the fellowship theme is one of the most thriling pieces of music ever composed, and the Shire theme is incredibly comfy. Howard Shore's music has pretty much forever colored my perception of Middle Earth, it's pretty much an integral part of the location for me.  
• Composer: Howard Shore
• Notable Tracks: Concerning Hobbits, The Breaking Of The Fellowship, The Ring Goes South, The Bridge Of Khazad Dum, A Knife In The Dark, One Ring To Rule Them All
4. My Neighbor Totoro
• Studio Ghibli's soundtracks being good is pretty much a cliché at this point, there really are a ton of picks for the best one. But since My Neighbor Totoro was my first Ghibli film, its music stuck with me the most. The music in Totoro captures the same sense of childhood innocence and wonder that the film does, making for an absolutely delightful listen... at least in the moments where Hisaishi isn't composing his heart out for songs like The Path Of The Wind, which are some of the most awe-inspiringly beautiful pieces of film score ever.
• Composer: Joe Hisaishi
• Notable Tracks: The Path Of The Wind, A Lost Child, Tonari No Totoro, Stroll, The Village In May, Cat Bus
5. Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
• Of course I had to put something from my favorite film franchise, and while The Phantom Menace's score was really close, The Empire Strikes Back is pretty much the definitive Star Wars soundtrack. Some of the best themes from A New Hope such as Binary Sunset and Leia's Theme are brought back, but it's this movie's score that adds some of my personal favorite pieces such as the Han and Leia theme, Yoda's theme, and especially the Imperial March, one of the most defining themes of the whole series.
• Composer: John Williams
• Notable Tracks: Rescue From Cloud City, Han Solo And The Princess, The Imperial March, Yoda's Theme, The Battle Of Hoth, Lando's Palace, The Clash Of Lightsabers, Finale
6. Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl
• Hans Zimmer's always at his best when he just lets loose and goes completely bonkers, and Curse Of The Black Pearl's soundtrack pretty much requires that. Just as the movie is a rip-roaring rollercoaster ride of an action film, its soundtrack is just nonstop excitement and energy, perfectly captures this series' glorified "constant adventure" portrayal of pirates. Sure it uses the main Pirates leitmotif a lot, but it's a damn good leitmotif and probably the definitive pirate-related piece of music.
• Composer: Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt
• Notable Tracks: He's A Pirate, The Medallion Calls, Swords Crossed, Walk The Plank, The Black Pearl, Skulls And Crossbones
7. Batman 1989
• No one really talks about Elfman's Batman score, and that's a shame because it really is the best score for a superhero movie even after all these years. It's a score so good it elevates the film itself, not just capturing the movie's melodramatically gothic vibe but commanding your attention throughout its entire runtime. It can be haunting, romantic, and exciting, and most importantly of all, it nails the themes for its two main characters. This score has the definitive themes for Batman and Joker. The former gets a mysterious tune that captures the spirit of the character, protecting Gotham from the shadows. Meanwhile, the Joker gets a bombastic piece of circus music that feels eerily light-hearted compared to the rest of the score, just like how the character's colorful nature contrasts from Gotham.
• Composer: Danny Elfman
• Notable Tracks: The Batman Theme, Waltz To The Death, Roof Fight, Finale, Up The Cathedral, Descent Into Mystery, The Bat Cave, Flowers
8. Up
• Michael Giacchino is one of the most reliable film composers around, always understanding the assignment even when it's for a six season long TV show (how is Lost's music always so good?!). But while some may prefer his more jazzy stuff like Mission Impossible or The Incredibles, I think his magnum opus is the Up soundtrack, which contains some of his most elegant, soaring, and emotional pieces of music to date. And when the movie takes a more light-hearted tone, Giacchino gets a chance to pull off some fun 1930s-esque music. It's a very consistently strong score that absolutely deserved all the awards it got.
• Composer: Michael Giacchino
• Notable Tracks: Married Life, Carl Goes Up, Paradise Found, Stuff We Did, Escape From Muntz Mountain, Memories Can Weigh You Down, The Spirit Of Adventure
9. Star Trek: The Motion Picture
• It's hard to describe "space music". It's the type of music that perfectly depicts the awe and wonder of exploring the unknown, stuff like Buzz Lightyear's theme in Toy Story. Jerry Goldsmith's score for The Motion Picture is the best space music, constantly amplifying the adventurous spirit that the film pretty much hinges on. At times, The Motion Picture's soundtrack is optimistic, hopeful, and soaring. But other times, it's eerie. Just like the film, it's not afraid to emphasize how scary the unknown parts of space can be too. TMP's score is so good and all-encompassing that the rest of the franchise struggles to reach these highs.
• Composer: Jerry Goldsmith
• Notable Tracks: The Enterprise, Main Theme, Ilia's Theme, Klingon Battle, V'Ger Flyover, The Meld
10. Puella Magi Madoka Magica Rebellion
• Yeah, this shouldn't be a surprise coming from the big Madoka fan. The original's score is already my favorite anime soundtrack, and Kajiura didn't let up for the movie sequel. Rebellion's score is just as ethereal, haunting, and dramatic as you'd hope for from a Madoka soundtrack, and is possibly even more mature in the way it twists and distorts leitmotifs from the show. The battle themes are bombastic, the tragic themes are classical, the weird themes are... very weird, and it all captures that distinct Madoka vibe perfectly.
• Composer: Yuki Kajiura
• Notable Tracks: Absolute Configuration, Once We Were, Holy Quintet, I Remember, Another Episode, Never Leave You Alone, Flames Of Despair, I've Been Waiting For This Moment, Your Silver Garden

In addition, I also wanted to give recognition to my favorite individual pieces of music in movie scores. Some are from movies on the previous list, and others are not.

1. Slave Children's Crusade (Temple Of Doom)
• If I had to say what my favorite leitmotif from the Indiana Jones series, it would be the Holy Grail theme hands down. It's mystical, ethereal, bittersweet, nostalgic, and... sadly never really given its own individual track, with most of its parts being broken up throughout the soundtrack. Thus, my favorite individual Indiana Jones track is easily the Slave Children's Crusade. After an entire film's worth of the main cast being put through the absolute worst torment, this song serves as the turning point for the heroes and the climactic piece of the whole movie. It's triumphant, bombastic, and single-handedly ramps up the momentum for Temple Of Doom's nonstop action-heavy final act. To put it simply, Slave Children's Crusade is Temple Of Doom. That movie would not work without this song.
2. Duel Of The Fates (The Phantom Menace)
• Hey, I did say I really liked The Phantom Menace's soundtrack. There really isn't much I can say about Duel Of The Fates that hasn't already been said. The chorus, the buildup, the way it rises and lowers in intensity throughout, the sheer grandiosity and scale of it all. This is hands down one of the most epic pieces of music ever composed, Williams just goes so damn hard. But while everyone associates this theme with Darth Maul, I actually like to associate it with the entirety of Phantom Menace's fantastic third act. The way the music and jumps between the different character perspectives is timed so well, it makes for one of my favorite scenes in terms of editing. 
3. No Time For Caution (Interstellar)
• So this theme became a bit of a meme nowadays, and it's often played over videos of intense situations. However, whenever I hear No Time For Caution in a video, it's impossible for me to pay attention because this theme is godly. The ticking clock in the background, the organ lead, the slow buildup, the dramatic chords, Hans Zimmer absolutely killed it with this one. It's intense, transcendent, and has you gripped every time you hear it. The perfect theme to signify humanity persevering through seemingly impossible odds.
4. The Path Of The Wind (My Neighbor Totoro)
• I already brought this up when talking about Totoro's soundtrack but, my goodness is this song fantastic. There isn't much I can really say about it other than the fact that it's just plain beautiful. But even more than that, The Path Of The Wind has such a fantastic buildup, and a phenomenal climax. It's the type of song that makes you forget all your worries and just take in the scenery.
5. The Ring Goes South (Lord Of The Rings)
• The Fellowship theme is one of the best pieces of music for just pumping you up. Try listening to it while going on a walk somewhere, it'll make you feel like you're going on a big adventure. I love how the first half of this song is actually a menacing version of The Shire theme that keeps you on edge... until it hits you with the Fellowship theme like a ton of bricks. Hands down the best usage of leitmotifs in the whole trilogy. 
6. Absolute Configuration (Madoka Rebellion)
• Homura vs Mami is one of my favorite fight scenes ever, let alone animated. It's a frantic, bombastic and oddly balletic flurry of gun fu and time stop shenanigans that exudes energy and creativity in every frame, and the phenomenal music that accompanies it elevates the fight even further. The wailing guitars, intense drums, and of course Kajiura's signature chorus make for one of most thrilling songs in the franchise.
7. He's A Pirate (Pirates Of The Caribbean)
• I said it once and I'll say it again. This is THE pirate theme. Sure it's an intense and exhilarating piece of music buoyed by Zimmer's signature booming drums, but it's also just damn fun. Just listening to it makes you want to sail the high seas and be a swash-buckling pirate, even if in reality, I'd never do that in a million years. Not unlike the Fellowship theme, He's A Pirate is really good at hyping you up and making you feel badass while listening to it.
8. The Enterprise (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
• This track plays during what is basically six straight minutes of the camera taking the tour around a swanky new improved Enterprise. It's a scene that should feel like long, drawn-out, hollow fan service... but it's not, and that's entirely because of this tune. Goldsmith knocks this scene is basically starship porn, so he writes a long love letter to the Enterprise, its unique design and features, and its mission. It's a hopeful tune that perfect encapsulates the spirit of Star Trek.
9. Married Life (Up)
• You've probably heard this all before. Up's opening ten minutes is one of the finest and most emotional sequences in any movie, and its music plays a big part of that. It's basically ten minutes worth of the same leitmotif played over and over again, but the way Giacchino modifies the leitmotif, amping up the tempo and switching tone at a rapid pace, makes for one of the most dynamic pieces of film score ever. If the events of the movie don't make you cry, I'm damn sure Married Life will.
10. What's Up, Danger (Into The Spider Verse)
• I really wanted to put Into The Spider Verse's fantastic soundtrack in my Top 10, but it does have a few needledrops in it so I didn't want to count it. However, What's Up Danger was made for this movie, and it shows. It's a great song on its own, but the way it syncs up with easily the best scene in the movie is so perfect. And the crazy thing, it was the first scene we saw of Spider Verse, it was the teaser trailer. But this track made Miles' leap of faith feel fresh, as if I had seen it for the first time all over again. 
11. Chateau (The Matrix Reloaded)
• I really could have picked any of the major fight themes in Matrix Reloaded, but the one that plays during the Chateau fight (already one of my favorite fights in the movie) is definitely the highlight. It's super fast-paced and frantic, and the mixture of orchestra and techno is incredibly well-done. But my favorite part of the theme is actually when Neo gets a cut, almost all of the instruments cutting out except for a jamming synth bass just stuck with me so much.
12. Waltz To The Death (Batman 1989)
• I already talked about how much I love this theme when discussing Batman's score. It's the perfect Joker theme. Compared to how low-key and eerie much of this film's soundtrack is, the Joker essentially getting circus music sticks out in the best way possible. But it's also not a light-hearted theme either, it's creepy in its own way, just as Joker is actually terrifying under his clown guise. 
13. Portals (Avengers Endgame)
• I'll be frank, the MCU doesn't tend to have the best music. Portals is the exception, and thank goodness it was. The titular portal scene is supposed to be the most pivotal and important scene in the whole film, so Silvestri needed to absolutely kill it, and he did! Portals perfectly evokes the scale and size of this event, seeing all these superheroes on the same screen, slowly building up to the grandiose reprise of the Avengers theme, the best and most memorable theme in the whole MCU.
14. Welcome To Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park)
• Jurassic Park is a really cool film because of how it's basically split into two halves. Everyone knows the scary second half where everyone is constant danger of being eaten by dinosaurs, but I also adore how the first half of the movie focuses on the sheer awe of seeing dinosaurs walk around right in front of you. And Williams captures that sense of wonder with this song so incredibly well, and thanks to Jurassic Park's still amazing effects, Welcome To Jurassic Park will always have that same effect on you every time you watch the film. That Brontosaurus coming into frame as this theme plays is pure movie magic. And that stomp... what a perfect film...
15. The Cleaner (Toy Story 2)
• Okay, so this is a bit of a weird pick but The Cleaner always stuck with me for some reason. Maybe it's because of childhood nostalgia from this being my favorite Toy Story (it still is), maybe it's because of how goddamn satisfying that scene of Woody being cleaned, or maybe it's just that charming and delightful to listen to. Either way, The Cleaner is a fantastic and underrated piece of music that perfectly evokes the charm of early Pixar.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (Season 3)

When I first watched Curb Your Enthusiasm, I thought Season 3 was one of the defining high points of the series, but upon rewatch, I don't think that's entirely correct. This season does have its great moments, don't get me wrong, but I did end up feeling a bit underwhelmed coming off of Season 2... at least at first.

Season 3's main storyline was always one of my personal favorites of the series, focusing around Larry and a bunch of other actors investing in a restaurant. It's not even that it has that much more of a focus than Season 2's plot, I think it just has a more enjoyable premise that lets a lot of the same characters repeatedly interact over the course of the season, and it definitely sticks the landing a lot better than the previous season. Unlike Season 2, I remember being genuinely surprised by the finale having a happy ending for Larry and his friends, it was a rare and triumphant moment of success for the hapless protagonist. And it's a good thing that the restaurant storyline is so good because Season 3 does not get off to a very good start. In terms of the standalone episodes, the first half of Season 3 is honestly really weak, with no truly amazing episodes. It all culminated in The Terrorist Attack, easily my least favorite episode of the show so far. From the uncomfortable premise to Cheryl's odd characterization, I just don't think this episode was able to accomplish what it set out to do.

Thankfully, starting with the sixth episode, the general quality shot up dramatically. Where the first five episodes of Season 3 was one of the show's weakest stretches of episodes so far, the last five episodes of Season 3 was one of the show's best. From the sheer hilarity of watching Larry playing a gangster in a Scorsese movie, to the brief moments of pathos like Jeff's daughter choosing her dog over him and the aforementioned happy ending, to the incredible moments of crossing the line in The Special Section and Krazee-Eyez Killa, the last five episodes of Season 3 had a renewed sense of energy that gave the season an incredibly strong ending. I also think that as a whole, this season had a lot more strong one-liners than the last two, as if the whole cast (Larry included) really started to improve on their improv skills. Curb has never been a fast-paced show with its jokes, but Season 3 shows the jokes-per-minute ratio slowly improving compared to the previous two seasons.

When this season got good, we ended up getting some all-timer episodes:

The Special Section: This episode probably seemed better than it was coming off of The Terrorist Attack, but even on its own merits, The Special Section was just laugh after laugh after laugh. From Larry acting in a gangster film, to his father not telling him about his mother's death, to the titular "special section", to Jai Ya.

Krazee-Eyez Killa: Another iconic Curb classic, this was definitely the high point in the season... and was also a lot grosser than I remembered. Gross in a funny crossing-the-line kind of way, but gross nonetheless. The highlight was definitely Larry's interactions with the titular rapper, since they have a really offbeat kind of chemistry that I found super fun. But we also get another scene of gangster Larry, which is always a good time.

The Grand Opening: Curb's season finales tend to be a bit hit or miss, but The Grand Opening is the first one I'd call genuinely fantastic, and easily one of the show's best. Most of the episode (and season as a whole) built up to the restaurant opening, culminating in a phenomenal final scene that brings the cast together, ties up loose ends, an underrated lottery ticket gag, and has Larry manage to save the restaurant by screaming out expletives, finally getting some sort of happy ending.

Overall, Season 3 took a while to really get going, with a shaky first half and the show's worst episode to date. However, the great central storyline, fantastic second half, and perfect ending still made this a solid season even if it wasn't as thoroughly enjoyable as its predecessor

3/5 Stars