Films with Critcally Important Soundtracks
 

I am looking for film recommendations where the soundtrack (not necessarily an original score; that's a different topic) plays a critical role in the storytelling and the tone of the film. Films that are memorable in part because of their soundtracks and the imagery they've been put to.

Some examples from the top of my head:

Snatch
Baby Driver
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World
The Royal Tenenbaums
Guardians of the Galaxy
Donnie Darko

.

The Warriors, of course.

How about Akira? Yes, it's a score, but it's an amazing one that I do actually listen to on it's own and it's an integral part of the movie.

There Will Be Blood would be 100% different if it didn't have a brooding and dissonant soundtrack.

Garden State
Tron Legacy
Purple Rain
O' Brother Where Art Though

Tarantino and Wes Anderson are very good at picking songs that enhance the film.

This thread reminded me that one of my Film Studies professors made a comment (around 2010) that Tarantino often uses pretty terrible/trashy music on purpose to offset the "serious art" he was attempting to make in regards to the story and production of the film visually. Not sure if anyone would agree with that - but the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs was his example at the time.

I think these apply to the subject at hand:

Fire Walk with Me
Drive
Trainspotting
Whiplash
Her

Tell him he dumb and I wanna fight him.

I think the song choice was to convey the casual way that the gang viewed violence. I think it's more of a joy of the humour in contrast than an attempt to make the seriousness easier to swallow.

Both from Tarsem Singh

The Cell
The Fall

Incredible visuals that are made even better by the soundtracks.