She and Him

Following in the Converse-imprinted footsteps of Garden State, this is 2009's geeky indie film that could. Its soundtrack is just as notable, but instead of the Shins changing lives, it's the Smiths. Thanks to the first track's synopsis, we learn that this is "not a love story," and the lack of gushy songs to follow proves just that. The collection reflects much of what you'd expect from a film with Zooey Deschanel: sweet and quirky (Regina Spektor, Feist), melancholy and hopeful (Doves, the Temper Trap), authentic nostalgia (Hall & Oates) and '80s-inspired (Meaghan Smith, She & Him).

(500) Days of Summer has won raves by subverting the clichés of romantic comedy,
emphasizing love's melancholy side and building to an ambiguous ending. The film's
well-curated soundtrack runs the gamut of romantic moods, from infatuation (Hall and
Oates' "You Make My Dreams") to post-breakup wistfulness (Simon and Garfunkel's
"Bookends"). It's anchored by two Regina Spektor originals, but the guiding spirit... More >