Weekly Recommendations – w/e 12th January 2024: Make a Wish, & The Book of Clarence

Continuing with our catch-up of weekly recommended scores, here’s a round-up of scores that caught my attention over the week ending, 12th January 2024.

Make a Wish (2022) – Mustafa Yazıcıoğlu (Mustafa Yazıcıoğlu)

Make a Wish (dir. Meta Akkus) is a Turkish family fantasy-drama feature where a boy is upset when he finds out that he and his family is going to be moving from their idyllic home to a large city. The story develops when he receives a book and he discovers the secret of how to make his wishes come true. A lightness of touch and unbridled enthusiasm are the qualities that last in the mind after having listened to Turkish composer Mustafa Yazıcıoğlu’s music for Make a Wish. The noticeable lack of a live orchestra is a minor criticism. In this regard, the composer’s use of keyboards for the moments where the movie becomes more introspective and focuses more on the children’s emotional trials is a welcome choice. However, it’s the music’s exuberance that lingers and, together with the lovely intimate moments, it’s an album that is well worth seeking out.