Film Music Reporter

Two new movies are opening wide this weekend:

Expected to top the box office is the horror sequel Insidious: Chapter 2 directed by James Wan and starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins, Leigh Wannell and Barbara Hershey. The film’s original score is composed by Joseph Bishara (The Conjuring, Dark Skies). Void Recordings has released a soundtrack featuring the composer’s music digitally earlier this week. A CD and Vinyl version is set to come out next month. Check out our previous article for the full album details and audio clips. Also visit Film Music Magazine for a recent interview with Bishara about his work on the film.

Also opening wide is the crime comedy The Family directed by Luc Besson and starring Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tommy Lee Jones and Dianna Agron. The film’s original music is composed by Evgueni Galperine and Sacha Galperine. EuropaCorp has released a soundtrack album featuring the score, as well as the songs from the film, including New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down by LCD Soundsystem, Me and My Baby by Don Cavalli and Doce Doce by Fred Bongusto. To listen to audio clips and to check out the full album details, visit our soundtrack announcement.

Opening in limited release is the drama Wadjda written and directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, which is the first feature film shot entirely in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Max Richter (Waltz with Bashir, Disconnect, Perfect Sense) has composed the film’s original music. Milan Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score earlier this week in the US. Visit Amazon to order or download the album and to listen to audio clips. As reported earlier this year, Milan France has released a soundtrack album when the film opened overseas this past march. Sony Pictures Classics is releasing the drama stateside. Click here to learn more about the film.

Also opening in select markets is the indie comedy drama Jayne Mansfield’s Car co-written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton who also stars in the film alongside Robert Duvall, John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Robert Patrick, Ray Stevenson, Frances O’Connor and Katherine LaNasa. The movie’s music is composed by Owen Easterling Hatfield. Jayne Mansfield’s Car is set in 1969 Alabama and centers around the death of a quirky clan’s long-estranged wife and mother that brings together two very different families for the funeral. The indie production premiered at last year’s Berlin Film Festival and has been picked up by Anchor Bay Films for domestic distribution. To learn more about the dramedy, which is now also available on VOD, visit the official Facebook movie page.

Also opening in limited release is the indie drama Blue Caprice directed by Alexandre Moors and starring Isaiah Washington, Tequan Richmond, Tim Blake Nelson, Joey Lauren Adams and Leo Fitzpatrick. The film’s original score is composed by Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld. Check out an interview with the duo about their first film score on Pitchfork. Blue Caprice investigates the notorious Beltway sniper attacks from the point of view of the two perpetrators. The drama premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Sundance Selects/IFC Films for U.S. distribution. To learn more about the film, which will also be available on VOD starting September 17, visit the official movie website.

Another limited release this week is the drama Plush directed by  Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Thirteen), produced by Jason Blum (Insidious, The Purge) and starring Emily Browning, Cam Gigandet, Frances Fisher, Xavier Samuel, Brandon Jay McLaren and Dawn Ollvieri. Nick Launay and Sleepmask’s Ming Vauze have composed the film’s music. No word on a soundtrack release. Plush centers on a rising rock star who finds herself in a spiral after losing her band mate and brother to a drug overdose. To learn more about the drama, which being released by Millennium Entertainment, visit the official movie website.

Also opening in select cities is the indie romance And While We Were Here directed by Kat Coiro and starring Kate Bosworth, Iddo Goldberg, Jamie Blackley and Claire Bloom. The film’s original music is composed by Mateo Messina (Juno, Butter) who previously scored Coiro’s L!fe Happens. No soundtrack album has been announced. And While We Were Here follows a young American writer who finds herself at a crossroads when she accompanies her husband on a business trip and stumbles into a romantic affair with a younger man. The movie premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival and has been picked up by Well Go USA for domestic distribution. To find out more about the drama, which is also available on VOD, visit the official movie website.