4. "Gran Torino" By Jamie Cullum (Gran Torino)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoLc43YuuTw Some songs written for films are powerful enough to stand out the most in the viewers memory. "Singing In the Rain" evokes the song and corresponding scene before anything else. Any mention of James Cameron's "Titanic" is probably going to force "My Heart Will Go On" into anyone's head for days. Clint Eastwood's 2008 drama "Gran Torino" is by no means known for its theme song, but its really one of the more powerful movie theme songs to surface over the last decade. The film itself has its problems. For me, the test of time has not been especially kind in the last 4 years since seeing it in the theater, but Jamie Cullum's reoccurring melody holds strong. The song itself deals with the symbolism of the classic Ford car within the context of this movie. "Why does everyone want my Gran Torino?" Eastwood asks in the film. There may be a bit of forced depth with Cullum's song, especially the version right before the end credits that features Eastwood himself on vocals. Yet, there is something inherently classic, in the filmic sense, about the song. Everything in the movie may feel off, but the way the song compliments the film's climax is gratifying.