It’s been something of a mixed year for movies in some ways — a fairly sparse first half of the year, including the worst blockbuster season in living memory, followed by an absolutely rammed fall season that, even more than most, has seen a wealth of pleasures in movie theaters. But one thing for sure is that it’s been a really great year for music and the movies (and yes, .)

READ MORE: 11-Minute Video Essay Listens To The Power Of A Film’s Score

Perhaps appropriately for a year where a musical looks to be the Oscar front-runner, we’ve had all kinds of wonderful scores and soundtracks, from a young composer turning the biopic on its head to an instantly iconic Netflix synthpop score, from a blast of original hip-hop from a little-seen indie to some unusually convincing comedy songs from some ex-SNLers.

Continue reading The 30 Best Film Scores & Soundtracks Of 2016 at The Playlist.

“It’s definitely open. If there’s a story to tell, and we think people want to hear it, then who knows?” Matt Damon recently told Entertainment Weekly about the possibility of playing Jason Bourne again. And based on the opening-weekend numbers for his fourth time out playing the formerly amnesiac spy, audiences have been eager for more.

Universal‘s “Jason Bourne” opened strong, taking in $60 million.

Continue reading ‘Jason Bourne’ Is Back On Top, ‘Bad Moms’ Opens Strong [Box Office] at The Playlist.

It goes without saying that a film executive produced by Nas would come with a killer soundtrack. And that’s definitely the case with Steven Caple Jr.’s “The Land,” which has just released its tracklist, and the star-studded lineup promises vibrant music to compliment the film’s setting: Cleveland’s underground hip-hop scene.

Kanye West will be featured with Nas in French Montana’s track, “Figure It Out.” Other big names have made the list as well, with Erykah Badu (who also has a role in the film) in “This Bitter Land,” Machine Gun Kelly in “Dopeman,” and Pusha T and Jeremih taking on “Paid.” Nas, mastermind behind the film, will be featured on two tracks.

Continue reading Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Nas & More Featured On ‘The Land’ Soundtrack at The Playlist.

What happens when you get hip hop legend Nas to executive produce the soundtrack to an indie movie? You get some very serious results. “The Land,” the feature debut of writer/director Steven Caple Jr., will hit theaters this summer boasting new music from Kanye West, French Montana, Pusha T, Jeremih, and Nas himself. Not too shabby. And the first trailer for the movie makes it look like a good home for those jams.

Continue reading Watch: Trailer For ‘The Land,’ Which Will Feature New Music By Kanye West, Nas, And More at The Playlist.