15 underrated movie soundtracks you need to listen to

Produced by Pete Tong, the soundtrack to Danny Boyle's "The Beach" is an album of two halves.

Courtesy of the ambient, melancholic sounds of All Saints, Moby, and Dario G, half of the album sounds like you're sipping a piña colada on a beautiful Thai island hidden away from the rest of the world.

Thanks to The Chemical Brothers, Underworld, and Junkie XL, the other half sounds like you've just discovered that said hidden island is actually inhabited by cannabis farmers who will shoot you on sight.

Sounds a lot like the plot of the film. Funny that.

Listen to this song: "Porcelain" by Moby

Marvel films are well known for having great soundtracks: "Black Panther," "Guardians of the Galaxy," and "Iron Man 2" to name but a few.

The soundtrack to the studio's first Asian superhero movie, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," is no exception.

Featuring songs from DJ Snake, Rick Ross, 21 Savage, Saweetie, and Anderson Paak., the album also shines a light on a number of award-winning Asian and Asian American artists, including Rich Brian, NIKI, and JJ Lin.

Listen to this song: "In The Dark" by Swae Lee feat. Jhené Aiko

The soundtrack to Ice Cube's stoner comedy 1995 "Friday" features tracks from some of hip-hop's biggest stars of the 1990s, including Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, Scarface, and Cube himself.

Sprinkle on top of that the soulful sounds of Rick James, Rose Royce, and The Isley Brothers, and you've got yourself a fun and funky album that you'll not want to stop listening to.

Listen to this song: "Friday" by Ice Cube

"Belly," Hype Williams' 1988 crime drama starring rappers DMX and Nas, has generally been panned by critics. What the film lacks in quality acting, however, it certainly makes up for in quality music.

Featuring tracks from Jay-Z, D'Angelo, Ja Rule, and, of course, its two stars, the soundtrack peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and spawned the classic single "Grand Finale."

Listen to this song: "Top Shotter" by DMX feat. Sean Paul and Mr. Vegas

The "Twilight" films aren't everybody's cup of tea, but one thing the series always got right was its soundtracks. The first movie is a prime example.

Featuring up-tempo rock tracks from Paramore, Muse, and Linkin Park for the film's more spectacular scenes, and slow, indie ballads from Iron & Wine, Blue Foundation, and Robert "Edward Cullen" Pattinson himself for its moodier moments, the album is the perfect backdrop to the blue-filtered teenage love story.

Listen to this song: "Eyes On Fire" by Blue Foundation

"The Nice Guys" is a nostalgic detective epic, set against the neon backdrop of 1970s Los Angeles.

Its soundtrack, featuring some of the best and funkiest music from the decade, only entrenches you further in that sexy and smooth atmosphere.

Listen to this song: "Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A Taste of Honey

A good film soundtrack doesn't always have to tell a story. Sometimes it just needs its energy to match what's happening on the screen. The score to "Jackass: The Movie" does just that.

Like Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the Jackass crew's stunts, the film's songs are silly (Roger Alan Wade's "If You're Gonna Be Dumb"), adrenaline-fueled (Andrew WK's "We Want Fun"), and rebellious (Smut Peddlers' "Let's Get Fucked Up") in equal measure.

Listen to this song: "California Sun" by Ramones

Though it has the same name as 50 Cent's 2003 debut studio album, the soundtrack to the 2005 movie "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" sounds very different from its namesake.

It again tells the tale of how 50 Cent was shot nines times and survived, but this time in grittier, less varnished fashion with the help of rap legends such as Mase, Mobb Deep, and M.O.P.

Listen to this song: "When It Rains It Pours" by 50 Cent

Starring Donald Glover (Childish Gambino) and Rihanna, "Guava Island" tells the story of guitarist Deni Maroon's eventually fateful attempt to host a music festival against the will of a local business magnate.

The film features new arrangements and performances of Gambino's hit singles "This Is America," "Feels Like Summer" and "Summertime Magic," as well as previously unheard songs like "Die With You" and "Time."

Listen to this song: "Summertime Magic" by Childish Gambino

Just as Ansel Elgort's character takes you for a wild ride behind the wheel of his car in 2017's "Baby Driver," the film's soundtrack takes you on one through music.

From The Beach Boys to Blur, and from Barry White to Big Boi, the 30-song soundtrack spans six decades and countless genres, including rock, jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and punk.

Listen to this song: "Easy" by Sky Ferreira

It will come as no surprise that "Cool Runnings" — a Disney comedy about a Jamaican bobsled team — has a reggae soundtrack.

What might surprise you, however, is how authentic it sounds. The album isn't just a compilation of reggae classics covered by the genre's biggest names, as you might expect, but is instead a catalog of outstanding originals from roots reggae greats such as The Wailing Souls, Super Cat, and Tiger.

Listen to this song: "Sweet Jamaica" by Tony Rebel

Director F. Gary Gray's "Straight Outta Compton" has two soundtracks.

The first is a collection of songs used in the film, featuring hits from N.W.A and its various members. The second — Dr. Dre's "Compton" — serves as an alternative concept soundtrack which the "Still D.R.E" rapper said was inspired by the film's set.

Both are great, but it's Dre's album, his first since 1999, that steals the show thanks to its masterful production, thoughtful commentary of its titular city, and stunning array of guests including Kendrick Lamar, The Game, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg.

Listen to this song: "Deep Water" by Dr. Dre feat. Kendrick Lamar, Anderson Paak., and Justus

One for the metal lovers out there, "Last Action Hero" is a relentless, no-holds-barred thrill ride of a movie, and its soundtrack is just the same.

The electric riffs of AC/DC ("Big Gun"), the swooning sounds of Def Leppard ("Two Steps Behind"), and the crashing cymbals of Megadeth ("Angry Again") are the perfect accompaniment to Arnold Schwarzenegger running around an alternate universe and stopping bad guys with his bulging biceps.

Listen to this song: "Angry Again" by Megadeth

Most of the songs used in "Shaun of the Dead" were chosen because their title or lyrics bear, in one way or another, an association with a hypothetical zombie apocalypse: The Specials' "Ghost Town" or "Panic" by The Smiths, for example.

That doesn't mean, however, that when put together, the songs don't make for an enjoyable and oddly coherent listening experience.

The only anomaly is Queen's "Don't Stop Me Know." But given the song was featured in one of the most iconic scenes in British comedy movie history, we don't mind.

Listen to this song: "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

Director and actor Zach Braff gave us one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time with 2004's "Garden State." He also played an instrumental role in choosing songs for the hit TV show "Scrubs" — which has long been lauded for its use of music.

In 2014, Braff again struck gold with the soundtrack to his comedy-drama "Wish I Was Here." A typical Braff mix of somber and sanguine, the album features classics from Paul Simon ("The Obvious Child") and Radical Face ("The Mute"), as well as original recordings by Bon Iver ("Heavenly Father") and The Shins ("So Now What").

Listen to this song: "Broke Window" by Gary Jules