Tim Roberts, 1999.
The first thing I tend to notice about movies is the music.  That's why my friends can't understand why I will sit through the worst, cheesiest Hollywood B Grade flick sometimes simply because I like the musical score.  Of course I like a good plot, clever dialogue and impressive cinematography, but I am not always that fussy, for it is often a quirky mix of these elements that makes for a good movie, and above all it is good music that I love.
Frank Marshall's Congo, based on the novel by Michael Crichton is a good example of a fine movie music score.  Composer Jerry Goldsmith adds a touch of class to what is really like a combination of Stephen Speilberg's Indiana Jones and Michael Apted's Gorillas in the Mist.  Apart from a bit of violence (some gorillas get blown up by a laser gun, etc.), this is a feel good, light hearted flick with classy music and sound effects.  Goldsmith's meloldious and beautiful musical orchestration always enhances, rather than obscures the films he writes for.  Goldsmith has always been a favourite of mine since I first saw Under Fire.  Unfortuntely I couldn't find that soundtrack on the Net, but I have found links to the soundtracks of other films for which Goldsmith has provided the musical score: Air Force One, Basic Instinct, Deep Rising, Executive Decision, Gremlins 2, L.A. Confindential, The Omen, Patton, Planet of the Apes, Poltergeist, Rambo 2, Rambo 3, Sleeping with the Enemy, Star Treck First Contact, Star Treck The Final Frontier, Star Treck Voyager, Star Treck Insurrection, Tora,Tora,Tora, Total Recall, and The Twighlight Zone. 
Congo (Novel)
Congo (Soundtrack)
 
The Piano (DVD)
The Piano would have to come close to being my favourite movie.  I noticed recently that my local video store is selling it as an ex-rental VHS cassette for $20, but I would rather wait until I get my next computer with a built in DVD player and buy the movie in the higher quality and much longer lasting digital format.
 
 

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