America was in a horny mood the week of February 14, 1976. The #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 that week was Paul Simon’s ‘50 Ways to Leave Your Lover‘ (his only solo chart-topper) while Donna Summer’s ‘Love to Love You Baby‘ sat at #2.
And in the #3 spot, its peak position, was British soul band Hot Chocolate’s ‘You Sexy Thing.’
Concluding a look at my favorite movie music scenes of 2025…
Before I get to my final musical selection, I want to shout out a few honorable mentions.
One is the Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra performing during a South Bronx Puerto Rican Day celebration in Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest. The vibrant parade is cross-cut with the delivery of ransom money on an overhead subway train in one of that film’s best scenes (here’s a small taste).
Another is the anachronistic use of 80s music in the 50s-set Marty Supreme. I particularly liked a montage set to The Korgis’ ‘Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime.’
Continuing a look at my favorite movie music scenes of 2025…
Today’s clip was an easy choice for this series, another one of those moments that I mentally pencilled in as soon as I saw it in the theater.
The scene comes about halfway through Ari Aster’s Eddington, a bracing and darkly funny portrait of America during Covid. This was one of last year’s best films, and one I think hit too close to home for a lot of people and ended up outside of the awards conversation as a result.
Continuing a look at my favorite movie music scenes of 2025…
The British dramedy The Ballad of Wallis Island, about a musician invited to a private island for an exclusive concert, was a wonderful year-end surprise. Its sweetness, humor, and credible use of very good original music reminded me very much of the work of John Carney (Once, Sing Street).
The musician, Herb McGwyer, is played by Tom Basden, who co-wrote the film with his creative partner Tim Key. Key plays Charles Heath, the eccentric millionaire widower who extends the invite. Unbeknownst to Herb, Charles has also invited Herb’s former music (and life) partner, Nell (Carey Mulligan). [Note: Spoilers follow]
Continuing a look at my favorite movie music scenes of 2025…
Sometimes I’m watching a movie and I get to a particular scene and somewhere in the back of my mind I think, “this is totally going on my year-end music moments list.” Such was the case with a darkly comic encounter in the first half of No Other Choice.
The protagonist, Yoo Man-su (played by Lee Byung-hun), is a career paper company supervisor who loses his job and has no success finding a new one. So he hatches a scheme to identify and eliminate the competition.
Meet Me In Montauk 