not retail soundtracks, but music used in the movies.

scorsese and cameron crowe are the best at using music in movies. i can't hear gimmie shelter without thinking of goodfellas and casino, and tiny dancer will always make me think of almost famous

any movies where music is used perfectly?
or songs that were used so well in film they become synonymous with it?
who are the best directors with music?

One of the best things about my favorite movie, Fandango, is the use of music, both "hits" and otherwise. Hell, it even managed to make Pat Metheny sound cool!

wes anderson has been excellent with this, even in his movies that aren't great (read: the life aquatic).

and paul thomas anderson uses music very well, but often has way too much in a movie. i just saw boogie nights a few weeks ago for the first time and realized there's hardly any time in at least the first half-hour when there isn't music underneath dialogue.

Layer Cake is a phenomenal example of this. Great song choices used perfectly. It's what I think of when I hear "Gimme Shelter."

As a soundtrack album, Singles is a fave. Aimee Mann was a great choice for Magnolia.

The songs on The Big Chill soundtracks are pretty outstanding, but most of them are too obvious for Kasdan to redefine them in any way.

Perhaps a bit obvious, but:
Amadaeus

BLOW

high fidelity

REPO MAN

trainspotting

beautiful girls has a pretty decent soundtrack.

guy ritche's movies have good soundtracks i.e. snatch, and lock, stock

Wim Wenders usually has good ones. Until the End of the World is great compilation-wise (a good amount of which is actually in the movie) and Paris, Texas has an excellent Ry Cooder score.

And while it isn't a movie, the show Homicide always had phenominal music used in it, and they're nice enough to include track listings for every episode on the DVDs.

Oh, and as for pure quality of songs on the soundtrack, it's hard to beat Up TEH Academy.

Ghost World

Magnolia and Lost in Translation

Great movie. Haven't thought about this in years.

I second Trainspotting...how about 24 Hour Party People (tough to mess that up)...Marie Antoinette was pretty good as well..."Hong Kong Garden" seemed to fit that scene really well.

Anything by Wes Anderson or Sofia Coppola.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Garden State

Last Tango in Paris

The Wicker Man (the original, of course)

Jaws!

I still get goosebumps whenever I hear Vangelis' open to Chariot of Fire. Sorry, but it is barnone one of the most spot on instros in cinema.

A Clockwork Orange--manic, drug addled, futuristic
Virgin Suicides--not only Air, but Heart.
Mothman Prophecies--tomandandy crafted one schizo piece of soundtrack
Less Than Zero--80s excess and it even has a Danzig song
Proposition--amazing from start to finish
Rabbit Proof Fence--desperation, mixed with pop finese
Friday Night Lights--never did I ever think post-rock would fit with varsity sports
Rivers and Tides--docu music never sounded so synchro
Bladerunner--a very vast neverending array of sounds

The thing that always got me with this movie as well as the first two Alien movies... ever notice there's a constant "hum" throughout the movie? Very low, but it's there.

Apocalypse Now?

Basquiat Original Soundtrack

Van Gogh Boat - Michael Wincott
Public Image - Public Image Ltd.
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Theme) - Van Morrison
Suicide Hotline (Dialogue And Music Montage) - Nick Marion Taylor
I'm Not In Love – Toadies
Is That All There Is? - PJ Harvey
White Lines - GrandMaster Flash And Melle Mel
Rise - Tripping Daisy
These Days - Joy Division
She Is Dancing - Brian Kelly
Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen) - Tom Waits
A Small Plot Of Land - David Bowie
Summer In Siam – Pogues
The Last Song I'll Ever Sing - Gavin Friday
Hallelujah - John Cale

Definitely.

Also, Tarantino does a great job of choosing interesting music to accompany his films. Specifically the Kill Bill titles.