Where score is central to movie plot

Blue is the first film in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors trilogy. Blue explores the life of a widowed composer trapped by the legacy of her husband. The story unfolds as the main character attempts to complete her husband’s unfinished symphony.

Blue is a bleak and subtle film where the score is central to its plot. The score is the unfinished symphony. The more she tries to escape her husband’s legacy, the more the music haunts her, and haunts us as viewers.

• Blue (France/Poland) 1993, Miramax
• On Amazon and YouTube

Song of the Sea is the latest film from Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon. This film is dripping with charm. At first glance, it is the breathtaking animation style that grabs the viewer and pulls them into this fantastical tale. It is, however, the Irish-folk-music-inspired score that turns the film into a celebration of beauty and wonder.

• Song of the Sea (Ireland) 2014, GKids
• On Amazon Instant Watch and Google Play

— Elizabeth Lain, musician/film composer