From worm rides to wide-open highways…
DUNE: PART TWO ★★★★★
Even by his own outsized standards, Hans Zimmer’s return to Arrakis is an extravagantly inventive and emphatic career peak. Splicing the duduk with Loire Cotler’s ecstatic voice, the love theme is as beautiful as Harkonnen Arena (Queen’s Ming’s Theme made steroidal?) is bodyslam brutal. And after extraordinary feats of Vangelis-grade worldbuilding, unleash-hell action cues and spice-tripping mystique, the pay-offs are immense: triumphant yet ominous, Kiss the Ring leaves you longing for Dune: Messiah.
Kong’s on song! Max Steiner’s score is revolutionary
DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS ★★★★★
Coen brother Ethan’s LGBTQ+ road movie bundles up a scattershot but spry mix of onmessage pop and classy scoring. Carter Burwell does the latter honours, mixing lively blends of guitar twang, noir-ish mood-crafting and dreamy send-offs (Hers and Hers). Songwise, The Liverbirds and Le Tigre set a brisk pace, psych-rockers Kennelmus and queercore punks Longstocking add colour, and Linda Ronstadt’s Long Long Time remains – after The Last of Us – a welcome travelling pal.