Quentin Tarantino’s controversial career has resulted in at least one undeniable, unalloyed good for cinema: he finally got Ennio Morricone his first and only competitive Oscar for Best Original Score. The music is Tarantino-ishly referential in itself, in that it nods to and repurposes some of his earlier compositions for The Thing and The Exorcist II: The Heretic — but it’s also a distinct break from his other Westerns, drawing more from the droning tension, ironic-lullaby lightness, and perilously weaving melodies of his thriller and giallo scores. Perfect for Tarantino’s most claustrophobic and bitterly cold film.

– Nate Patrin