Film Music Reporter

Two new movies are opening in wide release this weekend:

Opening in most theaters is the new film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Debicki and Amitabh Bachchan. Craig Armstrong who previously scored the director’s Moulin Rouge! and Romeo & Juliet has composed the film’s original score. Interscope Records has released the official soundtrack album, which features Jay-Z’s original track No Church in the Wild, as well as his hit song 100$ Bill. Also included are the original songs Over the Love by Florence + the Machine and Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey, as well as songs by Beyonce x Andre 3000 (collaborating on Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black), Fergie + Q Tip + GoonRock, Coco O. of Quadron, Gotye, Nero and Sia, Jack White (who performs U2′s Love Is Blindness), Bryan Ferry and Emeli Sande. Check out our previous article for the full album details. The label has also released a deluxe edition featuring a track from Armstrong’s score, an additional song by Florence + the Machine and an orchestral version of Young and Beautiful. To listen to audio clips and download the deluxe version, visit Amazon. Also visit YouTube for a video featurette on the film’s music, including interviews with Armstrong, Luhrmann and Jay-Z and check out an interview with Armstrong about his work on the film on ASCAP’s We Create Music blog.

Also opening wide is the comedy Peeples directed by Tina Gordon Chism, produced by Tyler Perry and starring Craig Robinson, David Allen Grier, Kerry Washington, S. Epatha Merkerson, Tyler Williams, Melvin Van Peebles, Diahann Carroll, Malcolm Barrett, Kali Hawk and Ana Gasteyer. Aaron Zigman (The Notebook, Bridge to Terabithia) has composed the film’s original score. Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack EP featuring two tracks from Zigman’s score, as well as three new songs by Grammy- and Tony-nominated songwriter/producer Stephen Bray with performances by actors Craig Robinson and David Alan Grier. For the full album details and audio clips, check out our soundtrack announcement.

Opening in limited release is the horror film Aftershock directed by Nicolas Lopez and starring Eli Roth, Andrea Osvart, Ariel Levy, Natasha Yarovenko, Nicolas Martinez, Lorenza Izzo and Selena Gomez. Roth has also co-written the screenplay. Manuel Riveiro has composed the movie’s original score, which was recorded with the Bratislava Symphony Orchestra. No soundtrack album has been announced yet. The film about an American tourist and his friends who are suddenly plunged into a living hell when a powerful earthquake rips through the coastal town of Valparaíso, Chile premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival and is being released by the Weinstein Company’s Radius label. Click here to check out the film’s trailer.

Also opening in limited release is the action thriller Java Heat directed by Conor Allyn and starring Kellan Lutz, Mickey Rourke and Ario Bayu. The film’s original score is composed by Justin Burnett (Dungeons & Dragons, the upcoming Getaway). No word on a soundtrack release. To learn more about the thriller about a reckless American posing as a grad student who is bent on vengeance following a suicide bombing in Indonesia, visit the official movie website. The IFC Films release will also be released on VOD later this month.

Opening in New York before expanding to more cities next week is the documentary Stories We Tell written and directed by Sarah Polley and follows the filmmaker as she investigates the secrets kept by her own family of storytellers. Composer Jonathan Goldsmith (Casino Jack) who has previously scored Polley’s features Away From Her and Take This Waltz has arranged the music in the film. No soundtrack album has been announced. Stories We Tell premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival and has been picked up by Roadside Attractions for domestic distribution. To learn more about the documentary, visit the official movie website.