2014 SCORE AWARD NOMINATIONS

Considering the multitude of applaudable and dazzling releases that 2014 has provided, it seems to be an immense struggle to look through the year and find the numerous titles which bested all in terms of quality, and deserve to be acclaimed as the best of the best. Nevertheless, as seems to be an obligatory requirement of upholding a site such as Entertainment Junkie, one must decipher his favourites of the year and collate them together in a celebration of the art of film, video game and television scoring composition. This year has seen success all throughout, and whilst I perhaps haven't even scratched the surface in regards to more obscure releases, I believe I am qualified enough to provide a varied and accomplished assortment of scores for consideration for awards. There are to be 12 categories, 11 of them decided by myself and one being decided by the Google+ Soundtracks community, which you can find here. Winners shall be announced in a separate post on the second day of the new year (Australian EST). In terms of classification: certain scores will undoubtedly look like they don't belong in a certain category. For example, The Giver is in the "Best Fantasy/Sci-Fi Score" category. This classification depends on what IMDb lists the FILM as. If The Giver is listed as a Sci-Fi film (which it is), Beltrami's score can qualify. Without further ado:

BEST FANTASY/SCI-FI SCORE (5 NOM.)

• INTERSTELLAR - HANS ZIMMER (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - HOWARD SHORE (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• MALEFICENT - JAMES NEWTON HOWARD (WALT DISNEY RECORDS)
• THE GIVER - MARCO BELTRAMI (SONY MUSIC)
• GODZILLA - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT (WATERTOWER MUSIC)

BEST COMEDY SCORE (5 NOM.)

• THE BOXTROLLS - DARIO MARIANELLI (BACK LOT MUSIC)
• INHERENT VICE - JONNY GREENWOOD (NONESUCH RECORDS)
• THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR - LORNE BALFE (RELATIVITY MUSIC GROUP) 
• KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM - BEAR MCCREARY (SPARKS AND SHADOWS)
• A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST - JOEL MCNEELY (BACK LOT MUSIC)

BEST DRAMA SCORE (5 NOM.)

• THE GOOD WIFE - DAVID BUCKLEY (CBS STUDIOS)
• THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING - JOHANN JOHANNSSON (BACK LOT MUSIC)
• THE GIVER - MARCO BELTRAMI (SONY MUSIC)
• FURY - STEVEN PRICE (VARESE SARABANDE)
• THE LIBERATOR - GUSTAVO DUDAMEL (DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON)

BEST ACTION SCORE (5 NOM.)

• FURY - STEVEN PRICE (VARESE SARABANDE)
• THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - HOWARD SHORE (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 - JOHN POWELL (REGIME MUSIC GROUP)
• GODZILLA - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• KUNDO: AGE OF THE RAMPANT - JO YEONG-WOOK

BEST ANIMATION SCORE (6 NOM.)

• TARZAN - DAVID NEWMAN (MILAN RECORDS)
• BIG HERO 6 - HENRY JACKMAN (WALT DISNEY RECORDS)
• HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 - JOHN POWELL (REGIME MUSIC GROUP)
• THE PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR - LORNE BALFE (RELATIVITY MUSIC GROUP)
• RIO 2 - JOHN POWELL (ATLANTIC RECORDS)
• THE BOXTROLLS - DARIO MARIANELLI (BACK LOT MUSIC)

BEST TELEVISION SCORE (6 NOM.)

• THE LEFTOVERS - MAX RICHTER (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• GAME OF THRONES: SEASON 4 - RAMIN DJAWADI (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• HIDDEN KINGDOMS - BEN FOSTER (SILVA SCREEN)
• DA VINCI'S DEMONS: SEASON 2 - BEAR MCCREARY (SPARKS AND SHADOWS)
• THE GOOD WIFE - DAVID BUCKLEY (CBS STUDIOS)
• ARROW: SEASON 2 - BLAKE NEELY (LALALAND RECORDS)

BEST VIDEO GAME SCORE (6 NOM.)

• CASTLEVANIA: LORDS OF SHADOW 2 - OSCAR ARAUJO (SUMTHING ELSE MUSIC WORKS)
• CHILD OF LIGHT - COEUR DE PIRATE (DARE TO CARE RECORDS)
• THE ELDER SCROLLS ONLINE - BRAD DERRICK, RIK SCHAFFER (BETHESDA SOFTWORKS)
• SID MEIER'S CIVILIZATION: BEYOND EARTH - GEOFF KNOR, GRIFFEN COEN, GRANT KIRKHOPE, MICHAEL CURRAN (2K)
• THE BANNER SAGA - AUSTIN WINTORY (T-65b RECORDS)
• DRAGON AGE: INQUISITION - TREVOR MORRIS (E.A.R.S)

BEST FILM SCORE (8 NOM.)

• INTERSTELLAR - HANS ZIMMER (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• THE GIVER - MARCO BELTRAMI (SONY MUSIC)
• GRAND PIANO - VICTOR REYES (MOVIESCORE MEDIA)
• HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 - JOHN POWELL (REGIME MUSIC GROUP)
• GODZILLA - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• FURY - STEVEN PRICE (VARESE SARABANDE)
• KUNDO: AGE OF THE RAMPANT - JO YEONG-WOOK
• THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - HOWARD SHORE (WATERTOWER MUSIC)

BEST CUE (25 NOM.)

• MALEFICENT SUITE - JAMES NEWTON HOWARD (MALEFICENT)
• MALEFICENT FLIES - JAMES NEWTON HOWARD (MALEFICENT)
• TARZAN CLIMBS TREE - DAVID NEWMAN (TARZAN)
• HISTORY OF ARTEMSIA - JUNKIE XL (300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE)
• GRAND PIANO CONCERTO: 1ST, 2ND, 3RD CONCERTOS (GRAND PIANO)
• FOR BLOOD, FOR GLORY, FOR HONOR - JEREMY SOULE (THE ELDER SCROLLS ONLINE)
• MY ENEMY - HANS ZIMMER AND THE MAGNIFICENT SIX (THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2)
• GODZILLA! - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT (GODZILLA)
• BACK TO THE OCEAN - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT (GODZILLA)
• AURORA'S THEME - COEUR DE PIRATE (CHILD OF LIGHT)
• LOSING MOM / MEET THE GOOD ALPHA - JOHN POWELL (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2)
• FLYING WITH MOTHER - JOHN POWELL (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2)
• BATTLE OF THE BEWILDERBEAST - JOHN POWELL (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2)
• THE GREAT APE PROCESSIONAL - MICHAEL GIACCHINO (DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES)
• ACCELERATED TRAINING - MARCO BELTRAMI (THE GIVER)
• ROSEBUD - MARCO BELTRAMI (THE GIVER)
• I AM SATISFIED WITH MY CARE - HENRY JACKMAN (BIG HERO 6)
• MOUNTAINS - HANS ZIMMER (INTERSTELLAR)
• DETACH - HANS ZIMMER (INTERSTELLAR)
• NO TIME FOR CAUTION - HANS ZIMMER (INTERSTELLAR)
• THE HANGING TREE - JAMES NEWTON HOWARD FEAT. JENNIFER LAWRENCE (THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1)
• THE DEPARTURE - MAX RICHTER (THE LEFTOVERS)
• THERE AND BACK AGAIN - HOWARD SHORE (THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES)
• IRONFOOT - EXTENDED EDITION - HOWARD SHORE (THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES)
• THE BEETFIELD - STEVEN PRICE (FURY)

BEST COMPOSER (8 NOM.)

• HANS ZIMMER - INTERSTELLAR, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, WINTER'S TALE, SON OF GOD
• JAMES NEWTON HOWARD - MALEFICENT, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1, NIGHTCRAWLER
• JOHN POWELL - HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, RIO 2
• ALEXANDRE DESPLAT - GODZILLA, THE MONUMENTS MEN, THE IMITATION GAME, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, UNBROKEN
• MARCO BELTRAMI - THE GIVER, SNOWPIERCER, 1864, THE HOMESMAN, THE DROP, THE NOVEMBER MAN
• BEAR MCCREARY - DA VINCI'S DEMONS: SEASON 2, KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM, ANGRY VIDEO GAME NERD: THE MOVIE, BLACK SAILS
• VICTOR REYES - GRAND PIANO
• JO YEONG-WOOK - KUNDO: AGE OF THE RAMPANT

BEST SCORE (10 NOM.)

• THE LEFTOVERS - MAX RICHTER (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• THE ELDER SCROLLS ONLINE - BRAD DERRICK, RIK SCHAFFER (BETHESDA SOFTWORKS)
• CHILD OF LIGHT - COEUR DE PIRATE (DARE TO CARE RECORDS)
• DA VINCI'S DEMONS: SEASON 2 - BEAR MCCREARY (SPARKS AND SHADOWS)
• INTERSTELLAR - HANS ZIMMER (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• GODZILLA - ALEXANDRE DESPLAT (WATERTOWER MUSIC)
• HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 - JOHN POWELL (REGIME MUSIC GROUP)
• GRAND PIANO - VICTOR REYES (MOVIESCORE MEDIA)
• TARZAN - DAVID NEWMAN (MILAN RECORDS)
• SID MEIER'S CIVILIZATION: BEYOND EARTH - GEOFF KNOR, GRIFFEN COEN, GRANT KIRKHOPE, MICHAEL CURRAN (2K)

I apologise for a lack of variety in a few select categories. Nevertheless, here are my nominations. Provide your thoughts in the comments below, and remember to vote at the Google+ group. My film awards shall be given out late next month, due to preposterous Australian release dates of certain films which I'm sure will very much impress me (Foxcatcher, Inherent Vice, Birdman, etc.).