Top 10 Michael Giacchino Movie Scores
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Watching Lost was for many of us the introduction to the musical magic of Michael Giacchino. It certainly wasn’t his first credit, but out of the sheer scope and variety of Lost he demonstrated his ability to create iconic themes that will never leave us, from television to film to video games and several blockbuster franchises.
I can’t claim to have seen his entire filmography, but to me these are his best.
10. Inside Out (2015)
A story about feelings and growing up requires range and delicacy. Giacchino’s score for Inside Out is both simple, demonstrating a single girl’s journey, and vast enough to cover the emotional rainbow. He effortlessly jumps around genres and themes. The piano motifs are resonant and pure, and it’s a solid work of musical expertise.
9. Society of the Snow (2023)
In Giacchino’s third collaboration with director J.A. Bayona, he creates a chilling and even bleak backdrop to the harrowing story of the Andes flight disaster. The true story adaptation raises the stakes and so Giacchino, known for his uplifting and dramatic themes, delivers what is likely his most acutely intense score to date. The haunting vocals really stick with you.
8. Coco (2017)
Coco’s Best Original Song winner “Remember Me” is one of several written by a whole team of songwriters, including Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Germaine Franco and co-director Adrian Molina. Who could blend and bolster the original songs with musical themes invoking family, folklore, loss, and memory better than Giacchino? Soaring strings and plucky guitars tug the heart-strings and make the film unforgettable.
7. The Batman (2022)
Imagine following the memorable scores of Danny Elfman, James Newton Howard, and Hans Zimmer. That was Giacchino’s humble task with Matt Reeves’ The Batman and he started it off with a bang. This jarring and gritty score, unique to both the franchise and Giacchino’s work, was featured from the first trailer for the film and signaled a new era for the IP.
6. The Incredibles (2004)
The first of many Pixar pictures for Giacchino, The Incredibles’ score—I’ll only say it once in this list—is simply iconic. It’s swingy, jazzy, loud, and grand. A more Looney Tunes take on superheroes, which matches the tone quite naturally. It’s easy to see why Pixar would trust him with another seven film scores and counting.
5. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Aside from Solo, which heavily indexes on the original themes, this is the only Star Wars film not scored by John Williams, and though it is a standout it also fits so perfectly within the canon. What brings fans back to a film with such a tragic, fated end? I’d argue that’s due largely in part to this score, which reminds us that “rebellions are built on hope.”
4. Jojo Rabbit (2019)
The tonal challenges of this fantastical, satirical period piece are obvious, but the brilliant collaboration of Taiki Waititi and Giacchino helped this film soar and resonate with audiences everywhere. There are more vocals in the score than Giacchino typically plays with as well as several classical music pieces woven throughout.
3. Star Trek (2011) / Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
These film scores are so percussive and dramatic that I had to include them in this list. Especially the second film in J.J. Abrams’ trilogy, whose first piece is so good that for a second you forget you’re watching a Star Trek movie. The film’s classical setting is matched by a classic-sounding trilling piano before we are thrown into an explosive opening title.
2. Super 8 (2011)
This is one of J.J. Abrams’ most Spielberg movies and Giacchino’s most John Williams score—even more than the Star Wars film on this list. Horns that challenge us and strings that lift us, themes that are simple and remarkable and remind us of home. He gets to play with genres like coming-of-age, sci-fi, and the 1970s, and paired with the killer original soundtrack, the musical score is a true delight.
1. Up (2009)
Oozing nostalgia and adventure, from the tiny quieter moments to those the size of a floating house, it’s hard not to put this Oscar-winning score at the top of the list. The first 8 minutes are a dialogue-free prelude that manages to cover the most important moments of an old man’s life in such a complete way that leaves you devastated and seeking hope. Giacchino’s score provides the emotional cues needed to tell that story and set the tone for the rest of the movie.